The fire danced and crackled in the fire place, but it couldn't soothe my troubled mind like usual… ‘What is wrong with me tonight?’ I wondered, fighting the urge to begin pacing the floor.
‘Take a walk outside, pour your troubles out to the Mother…’ The voice of Michael, my spiritual guide, whispers through my mind. His presence always seems to calm me some, but tonight I’m too entangled in my thoughts to feel his soothing aura surround me. ‘Go!’ He urges and gives me a mental poke.
‘Fine!’ I wave my hands around my head like I was trying to rid myself of a pest, my Mate glanced at me briefly before turning back to his brooding.
“I’m going for a walk.” I mumbled softly, knowing he wouldn’t care.
“Humph.” Was the reply as I secured my cape around my shoulders. Gaebriel, my ever constant companion, stood and yawned as he trotted over to join me.
“No boy,” I stroked his silky head, “You stay here tonight.” I smiled at his throaty growl of displeasure. “You’ll see me back soon!” I kissed his wet nose and slipped through the door into the darkness.
The moon was large and as full as can be, casting rays of light down to dance across the ancient woods before me. Huge Oak and Hawthorn sheltered me beneath their massive branches, the creatures who lived in them watching me silently.
“Good evening to you brothers and sisters!” I greeted as I walk quietly below, my leather moccasins making each step soundless. The night noises of the bugs and birds echoed peacefully around me as the other critters relaxed and continued on in their own individual fashions. A deep sigh escaped me as I willed all my burdens to drift away, the weight of them bowing my shoulders in weariness.
I walked for what seemed like mere seconds, lost deep in thought, only stopping when I saw the rocky peeks of The Cursed Land looming high above me. I was shocked! That was at least a four hour walk from my home!
I’d heard legends of this place… creatures that nightmares are made of are told to roam the peaks and valleys, preying on unsuspecting humans… Men wander in and are overtaken by a black fog that seems to have a will of it’s own… Eerie screams and terrifying roars are said to be heard echoing from the mountain walls… Looking around the jagged peaks and foreboding sky before me, I believed every word.
A chill crept up my spine as an ominous energy surrounding the mountains snaked out to twine around me.
“Ugh!” I squeaked and leapt back. “What the hell?” The blackness continued to wrap around me as a wolfs howl pierced the air. My heart began pounding as another wolfs cry joined in, it’s harmonious song blending with the first. I fought the hold of the darkness overtaking me and tried to run, but it clouded my vision and I froze for fear of plunging over the cliff that had been in front of me.
“What have we here?” A smooth, deep voice asked. I gasped as the blackness receded and a tall, dark man stood before me. He was both awe inspiring and terrifying at the same time, his piercing green eyes coldly assessing me.
“Dinner, my love!” A sleek, breathtaking female joined his side and wrapped her arms around his waist. I couldn’t seem to move, I couldn’t seem to make a sound! Every part of me was frozen!
“I wonder…” The man replied as he stepped forward out of her arms and reached to touch me. The woman growled her irritation as his fingers caressed my cheek. “Silence wolf.” He commanded sharply, her growl abruptly stopping. “Do you know what I am?” He inquired, his attention back on me as his hand moved to my long ebony hair where he twisted a lock of it around his fingers.
“I fear to wonder…” I found my voice, though it trembled noticeably.
“You should…” His smile didn’t ease the bands of panic the squeezed painfully tighter around my chest.
“Stop playing and just kill her already!” The woman snapped, jealous fury quite evident upon her face. “I’m ready to get back to the---” She yelped and I screamed as the man turned from me faster then my eyes could keep up with! He landed on the woman with a roar but he wasn’t the same! I blinked my eyes hoping that the sight before me would begin to make sense! No such luck… because in front of me crouched the largest, fiercest wolf-like creature I’d ever seen!
“WHO ARE YOU TO SPEAK TO ME THAT WAY!” Saliva dripped from fangs as large as hunting knives as he snarled into the woman’s fearful face. She whimpered as he lifted his head and released a roar loud enough to shake the very mountains around us! I felt faint and could barely keep my legs under me, the fear inside me a creature clawing at my chest! What was this beast? I knew I would be dead soon, but I needed to know!
“I am The Elder!” His voice shook me to the core. “You are but one of my minions with a pretty face, do not let the fact that I like your looks delude you to the reality that you are but a shiny trinket for me to look at when the notion takes me!”
“Y-yes My Lord!” Her voice trembled like a leaf being shaken by the wind. “Forgive me!”
“Get out of my sight!” He snarled. “Your face no longer pleases me!” The woman remained curled up on the ground as the wolf-man stood to face me again, then she quickly scurried away into the woods. I was transfixed as I watched his face slowly turn from wolf back to man again, his flesh just as perfect as it had been before.
“I can smell your fear.” He drew in a deep breath. “I can fair taste it in the air!” His head cocked to the side. “But I can sense something else as well…” I swallowed the lump in my throat and waited as he regarded me with an amused look. “Curiosity.”
He walked towards me and began circling me like a cat before he pounces on a mouse. “I thought you were just legend…” I kept watching him as he circled, trying to see what he was getting at.
“How curious are you?” He stopped in front of me.
“What are my options?” His smile made my heart race again… this wasn’t good…
“I make you like me…” My eyes widened. “Or I make you my meal!” He laughed at my expression and looking back I’m sure it was a bit comical! Fear became shock, then anger… which then turned to a look of confusion, then contemplation!
“Well?” His voice broke through the raging thoughts in my head.
“What about my family? My friends?” I though back to what waited for me at my little stone house in the shelter of Oak and Hawthorn.
“You can go back to them as one of us if you wish, but I doubt you will find much of a welcome there…” I fought the waves of sadness that pressed down upon me. “Now, now…” He soothed, not really meaning it. “This is a gift I offer you!”
“Sorry, but I fail to see it that way…” I replied.
“Then I shall change your mind!” He grabbed me by the shoulders and I screamed as I felt his claws rip into my flesh, his teeth bite into me! The pain was excruciating, and as he squeezed me tighter I felt my bones snapping from the strength of him, my blood pouring down me in a river of warmth. My vision blurred and the pain took over every other thought in my head, leaving me screaming helplessly. Then he released me almost as quickly as he’d taken me and I fell to the ground in a crumpled heap.
“The pain will fade…” He then turned and walked back into the blackness of the mountains as I slipped into the blackness of death…
***** More to come*****
Subject: The beggining of Earthidil... 
Sat Jun 20, 2009 4:57 pm
