The moonlight stretched across the small clearing of the darkened forest. A single person stood there, wearing a top hat and a tattered outfit. They slowly fixed a scarf around their neck before turning to face another that was crashing through the brush.

The other person froze at the sight of them, and then took one step forward. "Are you... The Outcast of Deo?" They asked before jumping as the first one began to laugh, right before them stood a cat with a oddly reptillian tail.

"Aren't we all Outcasts of Deo?" She chuckled. "By your expression, I am guessing you have never been here before. Yes, this is the Deo Forest, thought to be the thing that clings to the realms above..." She twitched her tail before shifting her furless left fore leg to scratch her chin. "What buisiness do you have with me?" Her red eyes were narrowed slightly and her black 'mask' twitched as if she were raising a brow.

"I was told that you knew... where the last of the Kingdom to the north went." They said and were greeted by Outcast's laughter once more.

"Down with the traitorous queen!" She spat and turned away from them. "I don't believe I should take you to her..."

"Oh, but the blood line is-"

"The bloodline was cursed the moment the princess was stolen from the kingdom!" Outcast wailed in a mock horror. "...The queen searched for the last of her kin... the daughter of her own spawn. The mark the princess had wanted to show her, yet the queen was the fool that decided that enough was enough." Outcast tilted her head to look back at them. "In the light of the stone in the high throne, the mark of their blood will become a metalic shade, yet in the time of great need it will shine with a shade of rose quartz."
"How do you-"
"Down with the traitorous queen!" Outcast snarled before vanishing into the shadows.

"Outcast!" They called. "Come back!"
----
"She ran off." The ones that had tried to speak with Outcast knelt before the wise one, often spoke of as Merlock yet his name was Jade.

"You must go back and pursue her." Jade said. "The darkness that covers the truth lies in her claws." He cast a glance to the bird that stood on a perch to his left. "Do you remember...?" The bird let out a small noise. "Ah yes, tell her that..."
----
"I come here often." Outcast spoke in a quiet voice as they approached her once more. They stood in a different clearing than before. "The stigma will devour them all... that throne... or was it a phone... Crone?"
"Outcast?" They called quietly and then ducked as a branch went flying over their head.
"Down with the traitorous queen!"
"I'm not here to talk about-"
"You are unwise to follow me thus." Outcast said. "My time here has brought a pace that leaves most that pursue... sue? Without a true purpose... pose... You have no need to be here."
"But you are the only one that knows where the rightful one to lead the kingdom is!"
"Jackarabbits! You dare speak of the kingdom of the... of the... Sue?" Outcast shook her head. "Down wi-"
"Don't leave! I need your help!"
"-th the-"
"Tea leaves in the color of rose quartz!"
"-traitorous..." Outcast perked her ears. "Wha?"
"Tea leaves in the color of rose quartz."
"Jade... that fool." Outcast sighed. "Everyone calls 'im a wizard when he is nothing but." She narrowed her eyes to mere slits. "Not even he knows of the whole phrase. He expects me to call back like a mocking bird."
"There is another part?"
"Down with the traitorous queen!" Outcast said before vanishing once more.
"Tea leaves in the color of rose quarts..." They murmured. "What is the second part?"
----
"A second part she says..." Jade turned to the bird. "Do you know the-"
"Down with the traitorous wizard!"
"-rest...?" Jade turned to them and then looked towards the door. "Did you say something?" They shook their head. "Outcast?"
"Down with the Willards of Deo!"
"That is enough, Outcast." Jade scowled.
"It is not ever enough, you are a foolish, foolish man." Outcast landed on the perch next to the bird. "Hello, Ritzugh. How are you?"
"It's Ritsugi! Not Ritzugh!" Jade barked.
"Just as tempermental as before, I guess." Outcast flicked a peice of bird scat off of the perch before leaping down and looking up at them. "You have very little... name?"
"Yoto." They said.
"Yoto... OF the northern kingdom." Outcast said. "You were a scholar at one point... no a artist... An exicutioner!"
"Eh... I was a worker in the palace stables." Yoto said.
"...A stable hand..." Outcast looked up at Jade. "What is a stable hand doing looking for mi lady?"
"He is one of the very few still sain from the staff that originated when you were-"
"Down with the traitorous queen!"
"Outcast, that hurt my ear..."
"For all I know the princess has died."
"Don't say that Outcast." Jade grumbled.
"You know it's true!" Outcast said. "There is no way to be able to find a maiden with the mark of the kingdom that is the expected age!"
"...Outcast, age won't matter right now." Yoto said. "Will you please take me to her?"
"You don't have trust!" Outcast spat.
"Trust? I am trying to save the kingdom from being handed over to the king of the east!"
"..."
"Outcast?" Jade looked at the enraged face of the cat.

"They will go mad... the throne should not be handed to anyone but the blood of the first that had brought life to that land. Most don't believe that the queen had that blood, but she betrayed the first ansestor by pushing away the last to every attempt to prove themselves to her..." Outcast said. "... The princess can reveal herself, but the years that have past will only make them not believe that it is her. That truth is something that will make them think that it is the spawn of her... but even this will only be showed if the stone of the throne makes the mark shine the right blade... neigh... Shade."

Jade and Yoto stared at her as she paced towards the door. "I have not looked at the mark for some time, I am not sure if the princess is even..." Outcast turned her head towards Yoto. "...Time has been in your favor. Despite at least twenty years passing, you seem to still be young for a stable hand."

"Time... Outcast, I don't think it was-" Yoto was interrupted by Outcast.

"The forest of Deo has been more plentiful with time... the days last longer, and moons dare to shine a shade of crimson each time a new month begins." Outcast mumbled. "Twenty-eight red moons I have counted, and still she dares to hide in the shadows..."

"The princess?" Jade took a step towards Outcast.

"Down with the traitorous queen!" Outcast wailed. "The kingdom will be consumed with madness due to her foolish mistake! Daemon will come to clean her mistake in time, yet the flames of insanity may have already killed the poor kingdom that was once the gate to the land beyond... Tremble you mortal crusaders! For the nights will be red the day that the Eastern King steps up to take the throne!"

Outcast vanished once more, this time was thought to be for good.