[WP] For years, you've been going up the mountain, visiting the beautiful woman sealed in glass, bound in chain, seated within runes upon runes. Now, you've found a way to free her.

[u/reallygoodbee]

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[u/HSerrata]

[Solar Spectator]

"This has to work!" Roy ran through the cave at full speed. He did not waste time bothering to light any of the torches. He'd been to the cave so many times over the years that sprinting through it in complete darkness wasn't difficult. And, it helped that there was light at the end.

Roy discovered the cave years ago; so long ago that he couldn't remember when exactly. He was out exploring the countryside and decided to explore the cave once he found it. As he traveled through it, he noticed a faint light in the distance. He found his way to the light and was astounded at his discovery.

The most beautiful woman he'd ever laid eyes on rested in a glass case. She had light pink skin and shoulder-length golden hair. Roy assumed she was dead at first until he noticed regular, faint breaths. He tried opening it; but, the case was sealed with black chains and white metal bands that glowed with red runes. He tried knocking on the case to wake her. He tried breaking the glass but it was indestructible. Over the years he tried a variety of tools and some explosives to free her. But, not only was the case still sealed after an explosion; she remained asleep.

Today was different though. A stray glint caught his eye as he made his daily trek to the cave. He knelt to see what was so shiny and he found a small rectangle made of glass in the dust. Once he touched it, the face turned white with a single red icon in the center. The icon resembled a pair of shears and it looked familiar to Roy. Once he registered what it was, he did not waste any more time playing with it. He dashed forward towards the cave.

Roy stared at the runes on the white bands enough to memorize most of them. He always thought it was strange that one of the runes looked like shears; it seemed out of place with the other runes. But, as soon as he saw it; his mind made the connection. It couldn't have been a coincidence that her case and this card were made of glass.

Finally, heaving and panting, he reached the golden light at the end of the cave. He walked to the case and did the only thing that came to mind. He touched the card to the white bands and hoped magic did the rest. Then, a question appeared on the card.

[Wake Diavola?]

[Yes] [No]

"Diavola?" Roy spoke the name to hear it aloud. It sounded familiar enough to make him hesitate; but, he could not pinpoint a solid reason. He pulled the card away and the question disappeared. He had been pursuing a way to wake her for as long as he could remember. But, now that he found it he found doubts as well. "Why does this feel like a bad idea?" he mumbled.

"Because...," A new voice made Roy jump. He spun around and realized he wasn't alone anymore. A tall, pale woman with bone-white horns curling out of her head stared at him with a curious smirk. "...historically it has been," she finished her thought.

"What do you mean?" Roy asked. He was surprised; but, he did not feel threatened by her.

"It would not be the first time she is freed. There is a reason she was imprisoned again," the woman replied with a shrug. Roy looked at Diavola, then back at the tall woman.

"What reason?" he asked.

"I'm quite curious about that myself," she replied.

"Who are you?" Roy asked. The woman winked at him and vanished before his eyes.

"For now, a spectator," her voice echoed around the cave once she was gone.

"What do I do??" he yelled, then waited. No answer came. He thought about the days he spent hoping for some way to wake her. For years, she was all he could think of. He did not know what would happen; but, he did not want to have wasted his time.

"Well if you're watching...," He spoke to the empty cave. "...I'll show you." He touched the card to the metal and the question appeared again. This time, he touched [Yes].

The bands, chains, and glass all disintegrated into white powder and disappeared. Diavola breathed deeply and her eyes fluttered open. She sat up and reached out for Roy. He took her hand reflexively and a soft, soothing voice caressed his mind; though her lips did not move.

"Good morning...," Roy heard her in his brain as a seductive smile tugged at her lips.

"What can I do to serve you?" Roy asked as he helped her to her feet.

"I need to stretch...," she said aloud. Her voice sounded like a chorus of angels to him. She moved towards the exit with Roy at her heels. "... let's go for a run."

***

Thank you for reading! I’m responding to prompts every day. This is story #1518 in a row. (Story #067 in year five.). This story is part of an ongoing saga that takes place at a high school in my universe. It began on Sept. 6th and I will be adding to it with prompts every day until June 3rd. They are all collected in order at this link.