“C-Clock! I thought... I thought you weren't okay...” Danielle rubbed her face against his neck.

“No I'm fine...” He looked down, avoiding her eyes.

She pulled away. “No you're not. Come on, tell me what's wrong...”

Clock shook his head, “I'd only frighten you...”

“That doesn't matter! Just... tell me...”

Clock paused for a long time, all the while the fog rolling closer and closer. The brown stag took in a breath, “I don't have long...”

Danielle looked up at him, her chocolate brown eyes widening, her breath becoming unsteady. “Y-you mean...”

Clock only nodded.

Danielle backed away slightly. “Are you s-sure?” Her heart started to race.

He nodded again. Danielle began to breathe hard, almost hyperventilating. She didn't want to see him again, not so soon. He told her himself he wouldn't be back for a long time. How long ago was that?

“Danielle...” He came to her and embraced her. “Please be strong... Please, don't let him win...”

The butterfly doe felt tears well up in her eyes.

“Stop him... He'll destroy us all...”

Before Danielle could respond, Clock ran, as fast as he could, away from her. Danielle didn't understand. It was up to her? She was the one to stop him? That insane murderer... What the hell could she do?

Only Clock knew... And he didn't tell her. She had to figure it out on her own.

***

Though deeply distressed and afraid, exhaustion overtook the butterfly doe. She found herself in a peaceful haven of her dreams. A place where she could find temporary comfort. But she saw someone in front of her. Someone who wasn't too familiar.

“Do you know?”

“Know what?” She asked.

“What you can do.”
“No, I don't...”

“It is quite a puzzle.”

“Who are you? You seem so familiar...”

“You may have seen me once in a while...”

“I don't think I've heard your voice though.”

“I am not surprised.”

Danielle tilted her head. She couldn't really see his face, but... “Do you know what I can do?”

“I am afraid not entirely.”

She let out a strong sigh, “Then why tell me?”

“I can give you a hint.”

Danielle looked up at him, “A hint? Tell me! Tell me now, I have to know!”

A pause. “You possess the one power Nero does not have. Of all the devestation he could cause, you have the one thing to overcome it.”

“What is it?”

“I do not know.”

“Wh-what? Then how do you know I have it?”

“Because that is what They told me.”

“They...” She looked around, but they were the only ones there.

“You must make ready, Danielle. It is almost time.”

“B-but... But how do you know I can do it?”

“You must. You're the only one who can.”

“But...”

“Trust.”

The dream vanished. Danielle awoke, finding herself shrouded in fog. Something didn't seem right. Something gave the forest an eeriness. An eeriness she knew all too well. She knew he was here, and she knew he was going to stay for a while. He was after something, but what? Clock said he would destroy them all... But why?

There was no time to think. She had to stop him.

***

A tongue flickered.

A familiar stag lapped up black, shimmering water from the shallows. His slate blue eyes flicked around for any familiar faces, but the fog was so thick he could barely see in front of his boney nose.

Another familiar stag trotted over to the water, looking for a relative. His orange and black pelt was dulled by the smokey atmosphere. He turned his hazel eyes to the water where his friend was standing.

“Vipin! Long time no see, friend!” The stag shouted.

“Mmm?” The large magpie stag looked over to the other. “Oh, Skokey! Indeed, it's been a while. How are you doing, bloke?”

“Ah, just fine...” He looked around. “And uh, how are you?”

Vipin let out a breath, “Well, okay, I guess...”

Skokey nodded, pausing for a few moments. “Let's take a walk, huh?”

And so they did. But they didn't get far before running into someone. Someone they never expected to meet. But the feeling that the fog gave them seemed to fit now. Vipin got into a defensive stance, Skokey soon doing the same.

“Never.” Vipin greeted.

“Vipin.” The giant stag replied, his bleeding, cracked skull snapping into a grin. He placed a chipped hoof forward. “Didn't expect me did you? Ohhh, you've brought a friend!”

“Skokey, go.” Vipin pleaded hastily.

“No way, I don't run from anything.” The butterfly stag glared at Never's giant form.

Never's black, oozing tongue flickered side to side. “Looks like I'm going to have some fun today...” His hollow eyes cracked, squinting down to make his face appear even more sinister.

“You always appear at the worst times, don't you?” Vipin threw his head around once. “You almost tore apart my nephew.”

Never snorted, “Which one?”

Skokey lowered his antlers further. “Monster...” He mumbled.

Never heard it, none the less, and chuckled. “Why thank you.”

“Skokey this is stupid, get out of here!” Vipin shouted.

Skokey held fast, scraping one hoof against the ground.

Never's tongue wrapped around itself in anticipation. “Off go their heads.”

“And how many heads to you expect to roll?”

Skokey and Vipin's hearts skipped a beat. Who was that? It sounded so evil, more evil than anything they could remember. They lowered their defence to turn around, looking to see who it was.

His figure stood in the fog, perfect posture. His details were extremely faint at the distance he was standing. But the one clear thing they could see, the one thing that made their blood freeze in place, was the eye. The horrid, yellow eye.

The figure started to walk forward, coming closer and closer. His details became more defined, the eye only becoming clearer and clearer. Finally, he was standing right next to them, between Skokey and Vipin.

The stag smirked, “Good evening.”

Never lifted his head, looking straight down at the stag. “Good evening, stranger.” He answered cheerfully.

Skokey couldn't take this anymore. It was only a split second before he turned tail and fled. Vipin snapped out of it and looked to where Skokey was heading. This wasn't right, Skokey just said he didn't run from anything. Vipin looked to the stag, then to his father. He ran after him, leaving the two others behind.

“And what's your name, little boy?” Never asked, his voice drawn out slow and deep.

The smaller stag smiled, showing his fangs. “Nero.”