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As Regan approached the ancient sword, her hands trembled from anticipation. She knew that she had to do this. She had to find her mother, for once and forever.With a deep breath, she reached out to the sword, which lay on the pedestal. Her hand stopped in mid air and then, finally, she placed her hand on the hilt, feeling an unknown energy washing through her.The sword was heavy and as she pushed it from the pedestal, the blade glowed in a blue color. Regan felt confused, having no idea how she was going to open the portals of Oblivion.She glanced around the room again, the air was cold and chilly. The guardian's voice wasn't heard again and she didn't know what to do. She swung the sword around, feeling its weight, but nothing really happened. Then, she looked at the floor, seeing a whole mosaic under her feet. She hadn't even noticed it before.The mosaic was made of countless blue tiles, each bearing a symbol Regan didn't recognize. She placed the sword on one of the tiles and it glowed in blue light."Maybe that's how the portals are open?" Regan whispered to herself, her heart racing. She tried to make sense of the symbols. Walking around the room, she noticed that the symbols formed a pattern on the floor. As she followed the pattern, it was a figure of what seemed like a mythological animal. Regan couldn't really describe it but it had the body of a lion, the wings of an eagle, and the tail of a serpent.Carefully, she placed the sword on the tiles that formed the pattern. The sword glowed brighter and a powerful energy surged through the room. The tiles glew each by each, and the animal on the floor began to glow as she reached the end of the pattern. As she stepped back, the chamber began to shake and the air grew thick with magic. Regan leaned on the pedestal, clearly scared and unsure of what to expect.The shaking intensified, and a mass of blue air seemed to form in front of her, twisting and coiling like a snake. The energy emanating from the sword grew so powerful that Regan could feel it coursing through her veins, making her heart race and her breath come in short gasps. As she watched, transfixed, the blue mass swirled with an ethereal glow, and she knew it was the portal.Trying to steady herself, the chamber began to calm and the energy flowing through Regan began to subside. She took a deep breath and stepped forward into the swirling blue mass. As she did, the portal swallowed her whole, and everything went dark.When she opened her eyes, she found herself in a misty, dull gray landscape. The air was cold and sharp with the smell of unknown herbs. In the distance, she could make out a massive mountain range, their peaks shrouded in clouds. As she turned around, she saw some dead trees and the occasional rock protruding from the ground. The sky above was filled with dark, brooding clouds."Is this another underworld?" Regan muttered to herself, feeling shivers run down her spine. She glanced around, noticing a mist slowly rising from the ground. The mist swirled around her legs, making it difficult to see more than a few feet ahead. She had no idea how she was going to find her mother here.She took a step forward, feeling the cold, damp hair blow her hair. The wind was cold and menacing, the sky threatening to release a torrent of rain at any moment. As she walked, the mist grew thicker, obscuring her vision. It was as if she was walking on carbon dioxide, her lungs burning with every breath. The silence was oppressive, broken only by the occasional crack of a twig under her feet.She felt her heartbeats rapid, her breathing growing shallower as she continued to walk through the mist. The cold air bit at her skin, making her muscles ache. She had no idea of what to think about this place. She had been in the underworld of rouges before but there at least were some creatures around, some signs of life. Here, everything was silent and deathly still.After what seemed like hours, she stumbled upon a small clearing. The mist had thinned out here, and she could see some ancient ruins in the distance. They looked like they belonged to a long-forgotten civilization, their crumbling walls covered in moss and ivy. The air was still cold, but at least it wasn't as oppressive as before. She approached the ruins cautiously, her sword at the ready.As she entered the ruins, she noticed that the structures seemed to grow taller. The mist was still heavy and she couldn't see much. The ruins were mostly made of rusty and old fortresses. There were monoliths and pillars, their once intricate carvings now weathered beyond recognition. She heard a distant howl, sending shivers down her spine. So, there were creatures here, after all.The monoliths were scary, being carved with twisted and menacing shapes. Some looked like they were guarding the way, while some looked like stony monsters. Regan wondered what they were all about, but there was no time to dwell on this. She had to find her mother here.Her stomach growled and she remembered how hungry she was. She was thirsty as well, her mouth dry and her throat burning. But now there was no time to think about it.The ruins seemed to go on forever. Finally just then, she saw a tall, dull building stretching into the sky. It was the first building structure that she had seen in this land.The building seemed to be a fortress, judging by its massive walls and tall fence. It was similar to that of underworld prison so she could say it was an underworld fortress. Her mother was imprisoned in the underworld fortress. She had to get there.She walked towards the fortress, hearing her heartbeat quicken with each step. The air was still cold, and she wrapped her cloak tighter. She was shivering but used some small of her fire to heat up herself.Finally, she saw two figures standing in front of what she assumed was the fence's gate.She narrowed her eyes, trying to get a better look at the two figures standing before the gate. Both weren't human-like. Both were tall, muscular creatures with heads of lions and bodies of a man. Their fur was matted and dirty, and they wore tattered remnants of what must have been armor once. They stood before the gate, arguing in low, guttural tones.As she drew closer, she hid behind the monolith because she didn't want to be seen. Their voices were more like a ramble in some unknown language. It sounded harsh and guttural. They seemed to be arguing about something.Taking a deep breath, Regan tried to spot another entrance but she couldn't see any. She then thought of using her fire magic to create a distraction but it was risky. She didn't know what they were capable of, or if they were immune to her magic. But the land was forgotten and maybe magic was forgotten as well. Still, Regan didn't want to risk. She had the magic sword with her as well, but she didn't know how powerful it was and what it was capable of.She waited for a few moments, watching them carefully, her mind racing for a plan. As the lion-like creatures continued their argument, she thought of a plan to talk to them.Stepping out from behind the monolith, she approached them slowly, her sword still sheathed. The creatures' heads snapped in her direction, their eyes widening in surprise."Um, hello," she said hesitantly, trying to sound as non-threatening as possible. "I'm looking for someone. I was wondering if you could help me?"The lion-like creatures growled in response. They glanced at each other and one of them spoke. But Regan couldn't even understand their language. They were probably some ancient beings of the underworld. They were talking about her. Then, they nodded to something and began to strode towards her. She noticed they held heavy, sharp swords on their waists. They were warriors of the underworld.Regan backed away, knowing they were trying to lunge at her. She drew her sword as well. She didn't want to kill but if they forced her to, she wouldn't hesitate. With a loud growl, they lunged at her. She blocked their attacks with her sword, barely managing to harm them. Then, she used her fire to hit them. What surprised her, was that they held their swords in defense, and the flames turned to hit her instead. She realized she had to fight them with the sword and with some other fire trick.The both lunged at her again and she changed her strategy, dodging their attacks and trying to go for their underbellies. They were fast and strong, but she was also quick and determined. As one of them jumped to attack her, she sidestepped and then spun around, slashing at its back legs.The creature let out a roar of pain and anger, but didn't go down easily. It tried to stab her with its sword, forcing her to dodge and parry.In the meantime, the other creature had recovered and was now circling around her, looking for an opening. Regan could feel the adrenaline coursing through her veins as she kept her focus on both of them. They both started to circle her around and she casted a protective shield around herself, just in case they tried to attack her together.As she expected, they charged at her but ended up slamming into her magical barrier. They growled in frustration and tried again, but their way didn't work. Then, they slammed their swords against the shield, trying to break it. It was a powerful attack and it worked, forcing Regan back a few steps. She quickly casted another shield, but she knew that she had to attack more than defend.Then as they tried to lunge at her again, she dodged them and went for a quick strike, slashing at their backs.They hissed in pain but didn't go down. They were surprisingly resilient. Regan could tell that she wouldn't be able to defeat them with just her sword. She needed to use her fire more precisely. An idea struck her, what if she set the sword on fire? It was a long shot, but it was worth a try.She rushed to hide behind the old ruins. The guardians followed her through the mist, but she managed to lose them for a moment.She placed her hands on the blade, feeling the cold and sharp blade against her skin. Her palms glowed, transferring the fire and energy from her body to the sword. The sword lit up into orange flames, its edges dancing with heat. She held it tightly. The guardians growled again, having trouble finding her. Then, as she saw one of them was on his back, she decided to make her move.She dashed from her hiding and lunged the sword to the creature's back, releasing a burst of flames. The sword penetrated its fur, causing it to snarl in pain. She pulled the sword back and forth, carving deep gashes into its flesh.Suddenly, as she moved, a sharp pain pierced through her cloth. The other creature had managed to pierce the skin of her back with his sword. She gritted her teeth, swallowing the pain. She had to end this quickly.With her free hand, she threw a fireball at the other creature behind her. It missed, but the distraction was enough for her to thrust the burning blade into its chest. The creature collapsed to the ground, defeated.She turned to face the first creature, which was still alive but injured. It snarled at her, eyes glowing red with anger and pain. But it seemed too weak to attack now.Regan took a deep breath and looked at the other lion-like man, who was laying on the ground. It didn't look dead but it wasn't going to be standing now. She returned on her track, walking toward the gate. The gate was tall, made of brick. There were a few openings on the bricks. She decided she was going to climb.She placed her hands on the cold bricks and started to climb. The gate was higher than she thought, and it was hard work to get up. She had to use every bit of her strength and agility to reach the top. Finally, she managed to pull herself up and stood on the edge of the gate.As she looked around, the fortress looked even more intimidating and scary. It was made of only grey brick with few squared windows, making it look like a giant maze. There was no sign of any other creature or person moving around. Regan wasn't sure where she was going to enter from. She held her sword tight while seeking for the entrance.The doors finally came visible. They were tall and grey with intricate patterns of metal. But there was no door handle at all. Regan frowned, knowing she had to find another way.She looked around again, her pace almost a run. On the other side of the fortress, she saw a group of other lion-men guardians. Her breath hitched and she knew she wasn't going to fight with them now.She turned back and noticed a cracky wall of the fortress. The bricks were worn out and crumbling. Perhaps that was the weak spot. Regan dashed the sword on the crack and then used it as a lever, slowly widening the opening. It was not easy work, and she had to put all her strength into it. After a few minutes, a gap big enough for her to squeeze through was formed."Thank God." Regan muttered to herself as she squeezed through the crack in the wall. Inside, the fortress was dark and eerily quiet. The air smelled of dust and mold. There were a few dimly bulbs on the ceiling. She expected torches, but whatever.She crept through the hallways, sword ready for attacking someone who was going to stand in the way. The hallways were blank and empty, with no doors or windows. They seemed to stretch on forever. Then, as she rounded a corner, she almost bumped to a guardian. Without another second, she hit him with a burst of flames, making him fall to the ground. The fortress seemed to come to life as more growls echoed through the corridors. She knew there were more of them.She turned to run on the empty hallway, hearing their footsteps. She saw some of them coming from a side of another hallway and hit them with fire, trapping their way in without allowing them to pass. The walls seemed to narrow as she kept going. Finally, a pair of stairs appeared and they led the way up. Without wasting time, Regan lunged at the stairs, hoping her mother was up there.As she climbed up the stairs, she felt a strange sensation. She felt a tug at her chest, the same feeling she had felt when feeling Sirius's presence. Shivers ran down her spine, fearing he might be there. "No-no, that's not," she murmured to herself. After all, he couldn't just have stalked her without showing himself once. And she didn't think he'd even let some beasts stand in her way. She didn't think he cared about her, but...The stairs ended in a hallway. It was similar to the one before. The only difference, there was a tall, metallic entrance in the end. The entrance was blank. No handles or anything. Just a separating line in the middle. The feeling grew heavier on her chest. She tried to shake it off, focusing on the door. She had to find a way in.She walked to the door, carefully examining it. Placing her hand on the cold surface of the metal, she wasn't sure about trying to burn it.First, she started banging on the door, loudly. Nothing happened. Summoning her strength, she brought the ancient sword and slammed it on the door sides, again and again. The door started to shake, and then creak. Finally, it slid open with a loud clang.The room was blank, more like a prison. It was dimly lit, with a small arched window above the bad quality bed. The bed was just a mess of straw, and there was a small table beside it. A candle flickered on top of it, giving off a feeble light. The walls were made of rough stone, the air oppressive. The floor was dirty and dusty, made of cold stone.But before noticing all that, Regan first saw the woman sitting on that bed, her long red hair hanging over her shoulders. Her wrinkled blue eyes were wide with fear, and she looked pale. She was so similar to Regan, except for the robes she was wearing. They were dirty and torn but they once had been regal, her floral dress in colors of red and green."Mom?" Regan blurted, feeling the tears sting her eyes. She could see she was her mother. And she was alive. Scared and hurt, but alive. "It's me, Mom. I'm here to rescue you." She took a step forward, her hands trembling.The woman's face turned into disbelief and shock. "W-what?" she stammered, her voice barely above a whisper."I'm your daughter," Regan said, stepping closer, her steps shaky."I-I don't have a daughter," the woman said, her voice hoarse, tears forming in her eyes. "You must be mistaken. I don't have anyone.""No, Mom! I am Regan! Your daughter!" Regan said, stepping closer. She had never met her mother before but she knew it was her. She also realized that what she was feeling before, was the presence of her mother, not Sirius, "I.... I'm the princess of Avalon. I survived. I did. And you did too."Not resisting anymore, Regan ran forward, wrapping her hands around her mother tightly. She could feel the woman's heartbeat, fast and frantic. "I'm here, Mom. I'm here. I'll get us out of here." She said softly, burying her face in her mother's hair. "I've missed you so much."The woman stayed stiff, not moving a single muscle. Regan noticed and pulled a bit back, her features twisted in worry."Mom, say something," Regan pleaded, her voice shaky. She shook the woman, as if trying to snap her out of daze.Finally, after a while, the woman seemed to come in realization as well and hugged Regan tightly, sobbing into her shoulder. "Oh, m-my dear, dear Regan. Are you really her?" she asked as she pulled back a little and cupped her cheeks with her hands, looking into Regan's eyes, her voice hoarse but full of love. "You... you're so beautiful. I never thought you'd b-be alive." Her mom said as she kissed her cheeks, over and over, her tears falling freely."Shh, it's okay, Mom. It's all going to be okay now." Regan said through a beautiful smile, wiping her mother's tears gently. She had so many questions for her, but she knew they could wait. She had to get them out of this hellhole first.Suddenly, they heard a loud thud and the sound of metal clashing against the stone floor. They both froze, fear gripping them tightly. Then, they appeared. The lion-like men. High in number. They were growling menacingly, ready to lunge at them.Without wasting a moment, Regan quickly grabbed her sword and took a step forward, in front of her mother. "Get away from us!" she yelled, raising the sword in warning. The lion-like men didn't seem to be intimidated as they continued to advance towards them.Her mother, seeing this, panicked and grabbed Regan's hand. "No, Regan! You can't fight them!" she cried, trying to pull Regan back. But Regan wasn't willing to listen to her mom now. And she wasn't willing to lose. She was determined to win.Without a second thought, Regan charged at them, swinging her sword with all her might. The lion-like men were surprisingly fast, dodging her blows with ease. One of them leaped at her, its claws extended, aiming for her chest. She managed to roll out of the way just in time, feeling the wind rush past her as she landed on her feet. She didn't waste any time, and struck them with fire, trying to not throw on where her mom was staying."Mom, get out of here!" she yelled, knowing that if she stayed any longer, she wouldn't be able to protect her mother. The lion-like men seemed to understand her words, as they continued to advance, their menace now on her mother."Don't you dare!" Regan snarled, lunging forward, her sword slicing through the air with deadly precision. The lion-like men barely managed to dodge her attack, their eyes widening in surprise at her ferocity. She pressed her advantage, pushing them back with a flurry of blows, her sword singing through the air as it met their own swords and claws.Her mother, watching from the sidelines, felt her heart in her throat. She knew that Regan was fighting not only for her freedom, but also for their chance to be together. She had never expected her daughter to be alive, let alone a warrior princess."Mom, get out!" Regan yelled once more. But her mother didn't shift, she kept staying there.Regan's fury took over her as she threw spells all around the beasts while slaughtering them with her sword. There were more of them coming and the place was also cramped to fight. Her frustration took place instead, she didn't want them to lay a hand on her mother, not after she'd been through hell for so long.Summoning up a more deadly flame, Regan sent it hurtling towards the lion-like men, engulfing them all in a fiery inferno. They howled in pain as they stumbled backwards, their fur catching fire.Then, knowing that she had an opening, Regan turned back to her mom, who was shocked but also relieved, "Come now," she said, taking her mother's arm. At first, her mother didn't move but then Regan's intense gaze made her realize that they had to leave now or they'd never make it.Without another word, they began to run through the blank hallway until they reached the stairs. Regan held her mom's hand tightly as they climbed down, hearing the growls of the beasts after them. Regan knew that she had killed many of them, but there were still more lurking in the darkness.Finally, they reached the other blank hall and Regan tried so hard to remember which way she came in. It was hard because the halls were blank, without something to define them from each other. Finally, she decided to go to the right. As they ran over there, Regan saw the opening she had cracked before."Mom, here," she urged, taking her mom's arms and pushing her gently towards the opening. Her mother stumbled forward, still in shock and disbelief, but Regan managed to get her out first.As her mom finally got out of the fortress's walls, other beasts were on Regan's way. She threw a burst of flames on their way and she pushed herself on the opening as well. Her mother was still there, breathing rapidly. Regan took her hand and they ran together the way back. They passed the monoliths and the chilling ruins, the cold and sharp air piercing their lungs. Regan didn't know where to go, but she was determined to find a way out of this hell.As they finally were far from the fortress, they stopped, trying to catch their breath."Mom, when I came here, I used a portal."Her mother looked at her in shock, tears welling up in her eyes. "A portal? How did you find it?""I opened it with this sword," she said, motioning at the sword still in her hand. "But now, I don't know how to get back!" she added, panicked and worried. She kept glancing around, fearing that the beasts would catch up with them again."My dear, I don't know as well. I've been imprisoned in that fortress for so long that I lost track of time and place." Her mom answered, panic all over her face."Oh God," Regan said, glancing around. But they heard a growl from far and there was no time to wonder where to go.The ran into the cold and dry land, their steps heavy with desire to be free and leave. She had no idea if it'd lead them anywhere but there wasn't anything better to do.Finally, they meet with some other ruins. The ruins seemed mongolian, with yurts and other asian structures scattered around. Regan was surprised about that, since she wasn't even on earth."I don't know where we are..." her mother muttered, her voice shaking."Neither do I," Regan admitted, feeling helpless. "But we have to keep going. We have to find a way out of this place."They continued walking through the mongolian ruins, trying to find anything useful. The air was cold and crisp, and the sky was still grey. The land was deserted and they wanted it better that way, than having someone chasing them again.Regan's frustration began to rise. She prayed for a sign, for anything that would tell her how to get back. Her mother was tired as well. They knew they needed some kind of help."What are we going to do?We can't keep running forever," her mother said, her voice full of despair. They had been walking for what felt like hours, with no sign of civilization or anyone who could help them. Regan pursued her mother's gaze, noticing the way her shoulders slumped and her steps dragged. She knew she had to find a way out.The mist hadn't disappeared a little. It was still dense and chilling, making the paths unclear. Regan knew they both were cold and held her mother close, using her magic to keep them warmer."I don't know, mom. But we have to keep going. We can't give up," she said, trying to sound more confident than she felt. "Maybe we can find someone who can help us."They continued walking, the silence between them heavy and uncertain. Regan narrowed her eyes when she thought she saw a figure in the distance."Mom, do you see that?""I do."Her mother's voice was barely above a whisper, scared. Regan was scared as well. The figure was standing still, its posture imposing and threatening. It seemed like a shadow, black and ominous, blending into the mist."Maybe we should go another way." Regan whispered, drawing her mom closer to her. They were scared and uncertain, hoping the figure wasn't a man. But it seemed like it was. They knew they had to fight again if so.Suddenly, as Regan and her mother turned away, a hoarse voice pierced through the air, sending shivers down their spines."Hey there, kitten."They both whirled around, hearts hammering against their ribcages. There, standing before them, was a tall and imposing figure. It was a man, his face concealed by a shadowy hood. His robe was regal, billowing in the nonexistent wind, and his hands were folded behind his back."Damnit," Regan cursed. Who would it be other than the one and only, the sorcerer? The one who had made their lives hell, the one who had separated them, the one who had taken everything for them. She knew it was him, after all, it was his voice and only he called her kitten. But she didn't know if her mother recognised him, or even knew him in the first place.