Chapter 1
"Creatures in the Dark"
I can feel my stomach growling. As if Nyx also heard it too, a moth seems to appear at my side while I fly. My eyes follow and start tracking it’s movements. Moonlight shining off its plump furry body. It’s wings are bright green even at night with black spots at the end of them, almost like eyes. My stomach growls again. This form eats those things, right? I’m pretty sure I read that in one of the many books before leaving the castle. The moth has feathery antennas… like little, tiny hairs…they are twitching with the breeze…gross. How many legs does that thing have? SIX. Oh, Nyx no. I bet it is crunchy and gooey. I imagine six legs getting stuck in my teeth or its antennas tickling the back of my throat. I feel my stomach turn inside me and nausea makes my eyes water. I shake my head and continue into the night. I have bread in my satchel anyway whenever I decide to land, I’ll snack on that instead.
I can’t believe even for a second, I thought about eating a bug…Nyx, I need to get out of this form….
I feel the breeze under my wings. Thin skin, thin membranes, stretching and pulling with each movement. I expand them as far as I can until tension runs across my shoulders. The coldness of the season makes tiny jabs at me as I soar. I surge through the night searching for something to grab my attention. Something to capture my wondering mind, searching, for anything. Anything to ease my brain from the daily structures. To help me forget about the changes going on within me. Well, maybe not anything, the endless forest holds many things I have only read about, but have never seen, but that is part of the excitement of venturing past the castle walls. Of not being stuck, locked away behind stones. Being free to explore and roam, experience. So, no, anything. Anything willing to challenge me. Daring to unleash my powers, the fearlessness inside, currently. I feel a snarl within, a single knock on my mental door. I check the locks, secure. Chills run down me, to the tips of my wings, but I continue to soar high above the trees.
Far in the distance, hills start to turn into mountains that absorb the night sky as far as my eyes allow me to see, in this form. Rich valleys start to develop on the ground beneath me as mountains rise around them. A flicker of light from the occasional wisp down below. Continuous trees, expanding, and expanding. A mixture of gold, orange, and burning red. Autumn has begun. It breathes the winds in every direction. Through my core.
We were blessed with recent rainfall in the endless forest making all the forest noises muted and dull for normal beings, but I am far from normal. I can still hear with these ears, these large, pointed ears.
The howling of the Varcolac echoing down below me. Numerous Varcolac clans staking claims to areas surrounding and within the endless forest. Pure bloods being the most powerful, able to transform between dominating wolves and innocent looking mortal humans but are far from that. Half-bloods who are stuck in their wolf forms forever, trapped, but able to feel, to be, to experience. The Turned are the purest animalistic form of Varcolac. Mortal humans who ventured too far into the endless forest and then are bitten...Taken by purebloods and then transformed into something fierce and more violent than any mere mortal can imagine. Prowling during the night, with large teeth and claws that rip through the trees and their next targets.
The roars of Onkiumas rumbling through the mountain ranges. They are large demonic bears that can easily raid farms taking anything they can grab back into the forest, into their caves carved in the sides of the Zis mountains, without a single heavy breath. Who can rip apart any mortal being in sheer seconds. Evil is said to just follow them as they hunt at the edges of the human villages.
Even the faint shrieks of a Samca, ring through the night, a hellish spirit woman, looking for her next victim, usually innocent children. Books say that anyone or anything that examines her sunken, hollow eyes will suddenly be filled with madness, and then she will drag them to the depths of the underworld from a mysterious entrance somewhere in the endless forest. I hiss at the thought.
I continue to soar and almost convince myself I can see the Solomaonri riding his dragon past the mountain tops with thundering clouds following close behind. The nighttime stars hidden from the clouds that fill the sky. The Solomaonri is told to be a powerful wizard who rides on the back of his formidable dragon Druzin. The Solomaonri rides Druzin who is large enough to chase and move the clouds, change the wind directions, bring coldness and heat, throughout the lands. Druzin is said to be a lengthy, slender, and wispy dragon that is like a cloud himself, huge ranges of blue and gray hues cover his scales to blend into the sky. The Solomaonri uses ancient spells, forces and along with Druzin, to bring the rain, snow, sunshine, controlling the weather however they see fit. It is said that every continent has its own Solomaonri with a dragon controlling the weather wherever they go.
Most run from the night, fleeing from the darkness, fleeing from the infinite number of creatures and frightening other things. Bolting from the endless forest, from just the thought of it, but not me. I crave it, I crave the unknown, I crave the adrenaline that pumps through my veins at the possibilities. It clouds the changes happening inside me. That is what I need, a diversion to alter my thoughts onto something else. Away from the castle, away from the wards, away from Mother.
The moonlight is shining down on the trees through the passing rain clouds with shadows dancing through the scenery. Wisps illuminating the faint corners of the world below. I have gone so far away from the castle, further than I have ever been, but something drew me here, to this area of the endless forest.
Mother would be so upset. Hmm, this won’t be the first or last time, and honestly, I don’t even care. Screw her.
I wonder how long I’ve been flying. Time escapes me out here while I effortlessly move through the night.
The moon is high above me now. I have been exploring for days. I am surprised Mother has not sent anyone to find me, or they just have not found me yet, which is to no surprise given that I went straight into the endless forest that is vast and well, never ending.
I feel my wings growing weaker, the more I think about how long I have been in the sky, watching the world change the further I go. I feel the autumn breeze still floating around, the wind channels whistling in my ears. I focus, breathing out a heavy sigh, and the winds starts to pick up around me. Gliding me further into the endless forest. That is better. Perks of being a powerful being.
I close my eyes for a moment riding on the winds that propel my wings.
Leaving the castle was the best decision I have made in a really long time. I left the castle walls because I needed to leave. I needed to clear my head, my mind, my thoughts as much as I could. Things were altering within me. I felt restless, and that could have led to problems, too many problems. After leaving the castle I felt something. I have been drawn to, called to, the breath-taking world that lies beyond the castle walls, so different. I cannot stay within those walls forever. Not with how I have been feeling lately, I could be more dangerous than it was worth. So, I slipped away from the castle and started my journey. I needed a break, to release whatever is changing within me. To be engulfed within a different world full of magic, wonders, thrills, and creatures, a distraction, or a remedy... I keep soaring, flapping my wings then riding on the autumn breeze, with my wind increasing its speed and force. For a while I fly, but eventually I cannot take the aching in my wings anymore. I look down, looking for the perfect spot. I find a cluster of full pine trees. No wisps, no faint fairy or fae lights, just darkness. I pick the tallest one and land on a branch.
I hear something in the distance, mumbling? Whispering? A breath? I smell the air. Nothing more than the earthiness of the pine woods, dampness of a fresh rainstorm, decaying of fallen leaves, and a small hint of fresh moss covering the bottoms of some trees and rocks…wait is that mint? No, that is weird.
Everything is silent. The wind is no longer rustling some of the leaves. The forest hides many hidden details, many hidden dangers, many hidden curiosities. I focus and listen, again. I hear the faintest of sounds. Barely audible, these ears are coming in handy. I use my voice and echo silently in the direction of the sound, and it returns to me. There is something there. My interest has peaked. I can hear my instincts to turn back, but wonder fills my bones, my muscles, and my wings. My true instincts are knocking on my mental doors again. A snarl leaves my lips. I need to find out what lies ahead. I wait and then I echo my voice again. It returns quicker this time; it is getting closer... I scan the area in search of something that could be making that noise, the only noise I hear in darkness. Darkness...
Darkness is engulfing the area. Covering all the leaves, trees, rocks, stumps... the moonlight is fading. Everything is becoming black and empty. I hear the faint crushing of leaves in the distance, without these ears, I would have never heard it. I quickly whip my head in that direction. I remain still, silently waiting. Nothing happens, no more noise, no rustling, no more chirps of insects, no more distant creatures of the night, no more smells, nothing, just darkness taking over the area, swallowing everything in its path.
I blink my eyes, and then I see… a man crouching down about ten feet from the tree I am perched in. His face is clear even with darkness floating around. I look around for a second, trying to act "natural", but I cannot help it and look down at him, again. Most pay me no mind in this form. Hopefully, that continues to remain true.
He is a tall looking man. His legs look long even while bent as he crouches toward the ground. He has dark hickory colored hair that barely touches his shoulders. The color reminds me of the dark trees by the castle. The ones that make my nose itch. My nose wrinkles at the thought. His hair is covering his ears. Convenient. Broad shoulders. Much like the guards and scouts who have years of fighting and defense training back at the castle. He has longing eyes that are crystal cerulean, and they cut through the darkness as he moves things around on the ground. What could be so interesting on the ground that this man, this creature is examining them so closely?
Darkness is lingering on him. It seems to be drawn to his presence and spreading, like his shadow is casting wide across the area and grabbing anything that it encounters. He is the darkness that has crushed through everything, surrounding, searching. Such power within the air. It burns through my nose with a bitter tang, and mint. Why fucking mint? My chest starts moving and adrenaline starts pumping through me, the darkness is thick. Shit. Nyx took my previous thoughts too literal. I regret saying anything…
Darkness has taken over the tree I am perched in, moving closer. Shit. His eyebrows burrow while he is looking at something on the ground. He looks to be in his late twenties or early thirties, I am guessing if he was a human, mortal, but given the invading darkness that is grabbing, absorbing everything within its grasp, and the smell, the power, I highly doubt it. I can’t see his ears to see if he is fae or not. Maybe he is something completely different.
He is wearing noble, hunter worthy attire, a dark tunic with a long flowing cape trailing behind his back, a dark blue buttoned shirt underneath. Dark pants and some heavy boots, which are completely clean from the recent rainfall that still lingers in the area leaving mud in its wake. Interesting. I look back up to his face. He is still scanning the ground. Tracking, maybe? He touches something on the ground and then stops. He casually glances in my direction as the darkness moves up the tree. I feel my lungs skip a breath the closer it gets and as his eyes reach me. I resist the urge to cover my mouth with my wings.
He narrows his eyes slightly and then a low weep comes from something deeper within the forest. He stands up and starts in the direction of the sound. He quickly walks out of my view.
Shit, no. Impulsively, I fly in that direction too, silencing my wings as much as I can. Following him, and then landing in another tree. Closer to the activity. He has stopped and is in a small clearing of the pine trees. He waits. The darkness that was engulfing everything around him starts to retreat to him, dissolving as it touches him. Soon after the darkness reaches his shoulders, a figure appears.
The character is a disheveled older woman, clumps of hair missing, as if handfuls were ripped out and filled with leaves, sticks, and moss. Her eyes tunneled and buried into her skull. Her long bony fingers running across a tree trunk. Her clothes covered in layers and what looks like centuries of dirt and earth. If one were to glance quickly at her, they would feel like she was just some old, decaying tree. But I know this creature. I have read about her. I have seen her images, her depictions in books. There are many stories about her in the grand library. Muma Padurii. The mother of the forest. A powerful witch known to be protective of all the forest's creatures, plants, and everything in between. Not many get the opportunity to see Muma Padurii in her true form. What was this meeting about I wonder and why was Muma Padurii comfortable enough with this man creature to expose her true form…
She is looking at the man now, she mumbles something. So quiet even I cannot hear, even with these ears. The branch I am on, weakened by the increased rainfall that was brought to the endless forest this season, thanks Solomaonri, after supporting my weight for a few moments, it cracks. The sound echoes through the night.
I quickly flutter down the tree to a better suited branch for even my small body in this form. I look back to the man and Muma Padurii. The witch is gone without a trace. I look around, darkness has started to move through the area again. I blink a few times and notice the man on the outskirts of the tree line of where they once stood. Darkness moves around him but moves from his face. I flinch realizing that this man, this creature is looking straight at me, with a flash of delight in his eyes. Like he is absorbing everything from within. Air in my lungs, short and abrupt. Steady. Remain. Act natural. A single claw drags down my mental door and across mental walls I have built around my mind. To protect myself…from myself and with what is within. No. Remember what you have been taught.
I move my wings as if I am stretching them out, but while hiding my satchel. Which hides many things that could expose me. This form does not wear satchels. Shit. Slow breaths, control my smell. Power is a devious thing, and scent can give you away. I pretend to nibble on my side and look down again. Remember the actions of your form, I can hear Mother saying, or yelling, drilling into me. I blink, and then he is standing at the base of the tree I am in. How did he move so quickly? What kind of man, creature is this? I need to keep my wits about me, the night can play some sly tricks, every encounter is like a game. Shit. Fuck.
I remain high in the tree above the man, but he is staring at me, so I have been spotted it seems. Shit. Darkness starts oozing off him and climbing up the tree.
FUCK.
Chapter 1
"Creatures in the Dark"
I can feel my stomach growling. As if Nyx also heard it too, a moth seems to appear at my side while I fly. My eyes follow and start tracking it’s movements. Moonlight shining off its plump furry body. It’s wings are bright green even at night with black spots at the end of them, almost like eyes. My stomach growls again. This form eats those things, right? I’m pretty sure I read that in one of the many books before leaving the castle. The moth has feathery antennas… like little, tiny hairs…they are twitching with the breeze…gross. How many legs does that thing have? SIX. Oh, Nyx no. I bet it is crunchy and gooey. I imagine six legs getting stuck in my teeth or its antennas tickling the back of my throat. I feel my stomach turn inside me and nausea makes my eyes water. I shake my head and continue into the night. I have bread in my satchel anyway whenever I decide to land, I’ll snack on that instead.
I can’t believe even for a second, I thought about eating a bug…Nyx, I need to get out of this form….
I feel the breeze under my wings. Thin skin, thin membranes, stretching and pulling with each movement. I expand them as far as I can until tension runs across my shoulders. The coldness of the season makes tiny jabs at me as I soar. I surge through the night searching for something to grab my attention. Something to capture my wondering mind, searching, for anything. Anything to ease my brain from the daily structures. To help me forget about the changes going on within me. Well, maybe not anything, the endless forest holds many things I have only read about, but have never seen, but that is part of the excitement of venturing past the castle walls. Of not being stuck, locked away behind stones. Being free to explore and roam, experience. So, no, anything. Anything willing to challenge me. Daring to unleash my powers, the fearlessness inside, currently. I feel a snarl within, a single knock on my mental door. I check the locks, secure. Chills run down me, to the tips of my wings, but I continue to soar high above the trees.
Far in the distance, hills start to turn into mountains that absorb the night sky as far as my eyes allow me to see, in this form. Rich valleys start to develop on the ground beneath me as mountains rise around them. A flicker of light from the occasional wisp down below. Continuous trees, expanding, and expanding. A mixture of gold, orange, and burning red. Autumn has begun. It breathes the winds in every direction. Through my core.
We were blessed with recent rainfall in the endless forest making all the forest noises muted and dull for normal beings, but I am far from normal. I can still hear with these ears, these large, pointed ears.
The howling of the Varcolac echoing down below me. Numerous Varcolac clans staking claims to areas surrounding and within the endless forest. Pure bloods being the most powerful, able to transform between dominating wolves and innocent looking mortal humans but are far from that. Half-bloods who are stuck in their wolf forms forever, trapped, but able to feel, to be, to experience. The Turned are the purest animalistic form of Varcolac. Mortal humans who ventured too far into the endless forest and then are bitten...Taken by purebloods and then transformed into something fierce and more violent than any mere mortal can imagine. Prowling during the night, with large teeth and claws that rip through the trees and their next targets.
The roars of Onkiumas rumbling through the mountain ranges. They are large demonic bears that can easily raid farms taking anything they can grab back into the forest, into their caves carved in the sides of the Zis mountains, without a single heavy breath. Who can rip apart any mortal being in sheer seconds. Evil is said to just follow them as they hunt at the edges of the human villages.
Even the faint shrieks of a Samca, ring through the night, a hellish spirit woman, looking for her next victim, usually innocent children. Books say that anyone or anything that examines her sunken, hollow eyes will suddenly be filled with madness, and then she will drag them to the depths of the underworld from a mysterious entrance somewhere in the endless forest. I hiss at the thought.
I continue to soar and almost convince myself I can see the Solomaonri riding his dragon past the mountain tops with thundering clouds following close behind. The nighttime stars hidden from the clouds that fill the sky. The Solomaonri is told to be a powerful wizard who rides on the back of his formidable dragon Druzin. The Solomaonri rides Druzin who is large enough to chase and move the clouds, change the wind directions, bring coldness and heat, throughout the lands. Druzin is said to be a lengthy, slender, and wispy dragon that is like a cloud himself, huge ranges of blue and gray hues cover his scales to blend into the sky. The Solomaonri uses ancient spells, forces and along with Druzin, to bring the rain, snow, sunshine, controlling the weather however they see fit. It is said that every continent has its own Solomaonri with a dragon controlling the weather wherever they go.
Most run from the night, fleeing from the darkness, fleeing from the infinite number of creatures and frightening other things. Bolting from the endless forest, from just the thought of it, but not me. I crave it, I crave the unknown, I crave the adrenaline that pumps through my veins at the possibilities. It clouds the changes happening inside me. That is what I need, a diversion to alter my thoughts onto something else. Away from the castle, away from the wards, away from Mother.
The moonlight is shining down on the trees through the passing rain clouds with shadows dancing through the scenery. Wisps illuminating the faint corners of the world below. I have gone so far away from the castle, further than I have ever been, but something drew me here, to this area of the endless forest.
Mother would be so upset. Hmm, this won’t be the first or last time, and honestly, I don’t even care. Screw her.
I wonder how long I’ve been flying. Time escapes me out here while I effortlessly move through the night.
The moon is high above me now. I have been exploring for days. I am surprised Mother has not sent anyone to find me, or they just have not found me yet, which is to no surprise given that I went straight into the endless forest that is vast and well, never ending.
I feel my wings growing weaker, the more I think about how long I have been in the sky, watching the world change the further I go. I feel the autumn breeze still floating around, the wind channels whistling in my ears. I focus, breathing out a heavy sigh, and the winds starts to pick up around me. Gliding me further into the endless forest. That is better. Perks of being a powerful being.
I close my eyes for a moment riding on the winds that propel my wings.
Leaving the castle was the best decision I have made in a really long time. I left the castle walls because I needed to leave. I needed to clear my head, my mind, my thoughts as much as I could. Things were altering within me. I felt restless, and that could have led to problems, too many problems. After leaving the castle I felt something. I have been drawn to, called to, the breath-taking world that lies beyond the castle walls, so different. I cannot stay within those walls forever. Not with how I have been feeling lately, I could be more dangerous than it was worth. So, I slipped away from the castle and started my journey. I needed a break, to release whatever is changing within me. To be engulfed within a different world full of magic, wonders, thrills, and creatures, a distraction, or a remedy... I keep soaring, flapping my wings then riding on the autumn breeze, with my wind increasing its speed and force. For a while I fly, but eventually I cannot take the aching in my wings anymore. I look down, looking for the perfect spot. I find a cluster of full pine trees. No wisps, no faint fairy or fae lights, just darkness. I pick the tallest one and land on a branch.
I hear something in the distance, mumbling? Whispering? A breath? I smell the air. Nothing more than the earthiness of the pine woods, dampness of a fresh rainstorm, decaying of fallen leaves, and a small hint of fresh moss covering the bottoms of some trees and rocks…wait is that mint? No, that is weird.
Everything is silent. The wind is no longer rustling some of the leaves. The forest hides many hidden details, many hidden dangers, many hidden curiosities. I focus and listen, again. I hear the faintest of sounds. Barely audible, these ears are coming in handy. I use my voice and echo silently in the direction of the sound, and it returns to me. There is something there. My interest has peaked. I can hear my instincts to turn back, but wonder fills my bones, my muscles, and my wings. My true instincts are knocking on my mental doors again. A snarl leaves my lips. I need to find out what lies ahead. I wait and then I echo my voice again. It returns quicker this time; it is getting closer... I scan the area in search of something that could be making that noise, the only noise I hear in darkness. Darkness...
Darkness is engulfing the area. Covering all the leaves, trees, rocks, stumps... the moonlight is fading. Everything is becoming black and empty. I hear the faint crushing of leaves in the distance, without these ears, I would have never heard it. I quickly whip my head in that direction. I remain still, silently waiting. Nothing happens, no more noise, no rustling, no more chirps of insects, no more distant creatures of the night, no more smells, nothing, just darkness taking over the area, swallowing everything in its path.
I blink my eyes, and then I see… a man crouching down about ten feet from the tree I am perched in. His face is clear even with darkness floating around. I look around for a second, trying to act "natural", but I cannot help it and look down at him, again. Most pay me no mind in this form. Hopefully, that continues to remain true.
He is a tall looking man. His legs look long even while bent as he crouches toward the ground. He has dark hickory colored hair that barely touches his shoulders. The color reminds me of the dark trees by the castle. The ones that make my nose itch. My nose wrinkles at the thought. His hair is covering his ears. Convenient. Broad shoulders. Much like the guards and scouts who have years of fighting and defense training back at the castle. He has longing eyes that are crystal cerulean, and they cut through the darkness as he moves things around on the ground. What could be so interesting on the ground that this man, this creature is examining them so closely?
Darkness is lingering on him. It seems to be drawn to his presence and spreading, like his shadow is casting wide across the area and grabbing anything that it encounters. He is the darkness that has crushed through everything, surrounding, searching. Such power within the air. It burns through my nose with a bitter tang, and mint. Why fucking mint? My chest starts moving and adrenaline starts pumping through me, the darkness is thick. Shit. Nyx took my previous thoughts too literal. I regret saying anything…
Darkness has taken over the tree I am perched in, moving closer. Shit. His eyebrows burrow while he is looking at something on the ground. He looks to be in his late twenties or early thirties, I am guessing if he was a human, mortal, but given the invading darkness that is grabbing, absorbing everything within its grasp, and the smell, the power, I highly doubt it. I can’t see his ears to see if he is fae or not. Maybe he is something completely different.
He is wearing noble, hunter worthy attire, a dark tunic with a long flowing cape trailing behind his back, a dark blue buttoned shirt underneath. Dark pants and some heavy boots, which are completely clean from the recent rainfall that still lingers in the area leaving mud in its wake. Interesting. I look back up to his face. He is still scanning the ground. Tracking, maybe? He touches something on the ground and then stops. He casually glances in my direction as the darkness moves up the tree. I feel my lungs skip a breath the closer it gets and as his eyes reach me. I resist the urge to cover my mouth with my wings.
He narrows his eyes slightly and then a low weep comes from something deeper within the forest. He stands up and starts in the direction of the sound. He quickly walks out of my view.
Shit, no. Impulsively, I fly in that direction too, silencing my wings as much as I can. Following him, and then landing in another tree. Closer to the activity. He has stopped and is in a small clearing of the pine trees. He waits. The darkness that was engulfing everything around him starts to retreat to him, dissolving as it touches him. Soon after the darkness reaches his shoulders, a figure appears.
The character is a disheveled older woman, clumps of hair missing, as if handfuls were ripped out and filled with leaves, sticks, and moss. Her eyes tunneled and buried into her skull. Her long bony fingers running across a tree trunk. Her clothes covered in layers and what looks like centuries of dirt and earth. If one were to glance quickly at her, they would feel like she was just some old, decaying tree. But I know this creature. I have read about her. I have seen her images, her depictions in books. There are many stories about her in the grand library. Muma Padurii. The mother of the forest. A powerful witch known to be protective of all the forest's creatures, plants, and everything in between. Not many get the opportunity to see Muma Padurii in her true form. What was this meeting about I wonder and why was Muma Padurii comfortable enough with this man creature to expose her true form…
She is looking at the man now, she mumbles something. So quiet even I cannot hear, even with these ears. The branch I am on, weakened by the increased rainfall that was brought to the endless forest this season, thanks Solomaonri, after supporting my weight for a few moments, it cracks. The sound echoes through the night.
I quickly flutter down the tree to a better suited branch for even my small body in this form. I look back to the man and Muma Padurii. The witch is gone without a trace. I look around, darkness has started to move through the area again. I blink a few times and notice the man on the outskirts of the tree line of where they once stood. Darkness moves around him but moves from his face. I flinch realizing that this man, this creature is looking straight at me, with a flash of delight in his eyes. Like he is absorbing everything from within. Air in my lungs, short and abrupt. Steady. Remain. Act natural. A single claw drags down my mental door and across mental walls I have built around my mind. To protect myself…from myself and with what is within. No. Remember what you have been taught.
I move my wings as if I am stretching them out, but while hiding my satchel. Which hides many things that could expose me. This form does not wear satchels. Shit. Slow breaths, control my smell. Power is a devious thing, and scent can give you away. I pretend to nibble on my side and look down again. Remember the actions of your form, I can hear Mother saying, or yelling, drilling into me. I blink, and then he is standing at the base of the tree I am in. How did he move so quickly? What kind of man, creature is this? I need to keep my wits about me, the night can play some sly tricks, every encounter is like a game. Shit. Fuck.
I remain high in the tree above the man, but he is staring at me, so I have been spotted it seems. Shit. Darkness starts oozing off him and climbing up the tree.
FUCK.
