Story: A Shadow's Tale

My tale is a long one, and a hard one. No one can ask for their parentage to be perfect, no one can choose who they really are. This is a world that sometimes cannot see past that. I have seen both sides of the argument, both sides of the story.

Arella was nervous. She had never been this nervous since the day she stood in front to the Senate, awaiting their decision as to whether she would become one of them. Now she was standing alongside other believers, who were planning that very night to summon the Ruler of All. She thought back to her lessons as a young girl, with a white cloak around her shoulders, long black hair in a high ponytail, listening intently to the Careen’s words on the Ruler of All. The Ruler was a just and fair woman would help them in a time of need. Most Synari called her the Goddess, but all the scriptures names her as the Ruler of all. Arella had enjoyed listening to the different achievements the Goddess had performed, such as the retrieval of the child lost to the void, the empty space between dimensions. Anyone who ventured there never came back. There was nothing, no time, no life...

For now, Arella concentrated on the summoning. She remembered how one of the black cloaked worshippers had approached her in the street and begged for her help, saying that if she helped them, they would have the strength to summon the Goddess. An eagle-eyed fool or a less kind-hearted woman would have seen through the trap, but Arella the pure soul with a heart of gold, stood among the sea of black cloaks, a dove among the crows, oblivious to the snare into which she had fallen. She stood tall, her white Senate robes marking her out.

The leader of the believers began to chant the spell for the summoning in a croaked, grating voice, using the ancient language of the Synari. Arella listened carefully to the words of the spell, and soon alarm bells were tolling in her mind.

“I preach to the almighty below,
To give us a sighting,
And Grant us the beginning of a prophecy
Guarded by ancestors and centuries.
We, the cult of your worship,
Summon thee! Prince of Darkness!
We summon thee, Karthragan!
Wreak your havoc upon this world!”

All the colour drained from Arella’s already pale face as the floor of the dark chapel shook, and the walls vibrated as a long guttural roar followed the Leader’s chant. With one tremendous quake, a crack split the length of an elaborate circle engraved on the stone floor, about twenty metres in diameter. Flames shot up through the crack, widening it even further. A red skinned, black clawed hand reached up through the gap, grasping at the air and then at the edge of the crack, pulling the rest of itself out. Eyes wide, Arella looked around desperately to see the worshippers on their knees, chanting the same verse over and over again.
“We are your minions, we here to serve, we have brought the Messenger Angel.”

Arella tore her terrified eyes away from the fiery scene and ran for the heavy, blackened wooden doors guarding the way out. She summoned a bolt of her pure white magic, aiming to blast them open, but a hand grabbed her ankle, causing her to fall. She scrambled back to her feet to continue her fear driven flee, but the worshippers surrounded her, still chanting. Arella tried to fight them off, but they tightened their new grip on her arms, pulling her back into the heart of the chapel.
“We are your minions, we are here to serve...”
“No! Please! I beg of you!” Arella screamed and sobbed, pulling desperately against her captors.
“Messenger Angel. We are your minions...”
“Please! No!” Arella could see the summoned creature clearly now, the ten foot demon standing tall in the circle, sniffing the air around him and snarling. The leader of the cult graciously presented him with an amulet, which he hung around his neck. It shrunk him to a normal human size, and gave him the appearance of an ivory skinned man, albeit with black claws and four, blood red eyes looking out from under thick black hair, from which curled two black horns.
“Bring me the Messenger Angel! The prophecy must begin!” He roared, pointing tone claw at the sobbing, fighting, begging Arella. The worshippers dragged her forwards, throwing the woman at his feet. She scrambled backwards, trying to run away, but he seized her arm in a viper’s grip, shattering the bone into fragments. AA scream echoed between Arella’s sobs, as she begged him to release her. The demon refused, looking up at the worshippers.
“And the prophecy begins!” He bellowed Arella tried to break free from the demon’s grip once more. He let her go, grabbing the back of her robes. As she tried to run, the white material tore, causing her to fall anew. The worshippers stood around the stone circle, blocking all hope of escape as the demon stood above the cursed woman, Arella, the Messenger Angel. Three of the worshippers came forwards and pinned Arella to the ground as she tried to get up and run. She screamed aloud, a scream of pain fear and terror as the demon began to rape her, begging him to stop, but her pleas and sobs fell upon deaf ears.

The demon stood up, and Arella was hauled, trembling and sobbing, to her feet.
“The prophecy has begun!” He roared, holding his hands up to the sky. There were shouts of approval from the worshippers, but screams pierced the air. Arella stood above the bloodied figures of the two worshippers who had been holding her. One arm outstretched, pointing to the demon, her hand surrounded in white magic, she began to chant.
“Goddess watching above,
See this act of malice,
Take the power of the one at fault,
And embed it in the victim,
And let the counter prophecy be fulfilled!” The demon roared in anger and pain as his magical ability was dragged from him and to Arella. Just as she collapsed from the pain and exhaustion, the heavy doors were blasted open, showing most of the Senate, ready for battle. As the two sides clashed, one member of the Senate, a young man named Meran ran to Arella’s side, holding her to him and talking softly in an attempt to sooth his traumatised love. He took off his cloak, wrapping it around her slender frame before taking her in his arms and fleeing the dark chapel

Arias, the High Priestess and ruler of the dimension managed to imprison the demon and his cult of followers within the walls of the chapel before returning to the Senate towers .

And so began a Shadow’s tale...

A SHADOW'S TALE

Children from my dimension are born already able to walk and talk, thanks to the magic in their blood. I was born different to the others, and I knew that right from the very beginning. My mother, Arella, held me close as soon as she was allowed, stroking my violet hair.
“My little Allyssianne.” She whispered into my ear. I cuddled closer to her, unsure of this new world.
“Mother.” She kissed the top of my head before looking up as some one walked into her bedchamber. I followed her gaze to see a tall, muscular man dressed in hooded white robes.
“Arella.” He said with authority. “Give me the child.”
“Marcus, no, I can’t. Allyssianne is my daughter, no matter who the father was.”
“She must be destroyed, or she will destroy us!”
“We can raise her the Synari way, show her how to use her magic peacefully.”
“Arella, I beg you to listen to me and to reason. She is a demon and nothing will change that. She will be constantly fighting her other side. This is the kindest option.”
“But it isn’t! She can still live a good life until the destined time!”
“She will always be evil, and there is nothing we can do about it!”
“We can teach her!”
“There is no persuading you, is there?”
“Not when it comes to something dear to me.”
“You will be called to the Senate, where the final decision will be made.”
“Women have the right to keep their children.”
“She may be allowed to live, but if her demonic side ever manifests, she will have to leave you, and may be destroyed.” Arella bit her lip, but lowered her head. Marcus bowed low to Arella and left, robes billowing out behind him. Arella looked down at me and I looked up at her, sparkling blue gaze locking with deep violet.
“What is going on?” I asked quietly.
“Nothing, little one.”
“You’re lying.” I mumbled as I drifted off to sleep.

A fortnight later, my mother and I walked into the Senate Towers, heading for our judgement. A mass of different sized turrets all linked by passageways and terraces. I looked around in awe at the marble sculptures and the runes carved into the varnished wooden walls. Arella had donned a set of flowing hooded white robes, the same as everyone else was wearing. As we waited outside a pair of heavy looking wooden doors, she nervously straightened my pale blue cloak, telling me over and over again that it was going to be ok. Her nervousness put me on edge and I jumped as the doors opened, an armed guard stepping out. He conversed with Arella in rapid Synari before pointing us in with his spear. It was time to meet the Senate.

Even at two weeks old, I was as tall as a two year old. I knew that other children didn’t grow that fast and it just added to the confusion that I felt. All the emotions in my mind were wiped out as I looked around the semi-circle of seemingly hundreds of people there. Half the human-like Synari, native to this dimension, and the other half the winged, humanoid people called the Careen who lived in harmony with our race. Everyone wore the same white robes as Arella, all but one, one dressed in silvery robes. That’s when I made the connection. Arella was part of the Senate!

Arella bowed to the person in silver and gestured for me to do the same.
Don’t do it. A voice in my mind said. Arella frowned at me and I decided to obey her, bowing to the silver person instead of listening to my mind. It continued to mutter angrily at the back of my mind.
“Arella Dove Roth,” Silver person said clearly. “you expressed a wish to keep this child, Allyssianne Roth, and to teach it our ways, despite what it is. Is this true?”
“It is, High Priestess Arias,” Arella responded in the same clear tones. There was a collective gasp around the Senate members. “I believe that Allyssianne could grow up well, fighting the influence if only we teach her how and why.”
“Impossible!” Shouted one member. “It is a demon!”
“Peace Meran.” Arias said softly, and he immediately fell silent. She turned back to us. “A mother has the right to keep her child, no matter the identity of the father. We offered Arella the chance to rid herself of the child before it breathed the air, and she refused on account that she may be saved from the fate in store for her. The girl has already shown us that there is a demon deep within her mind. Do you still stand by your choice?”
“I do.” Arella affirmed. She looked down at me, smiling slightly before turning back to Arias.
“Does the child know the consequences of your actions?”
“I have not yet explained as I fear that I do not know enough.” Arias sat back, thinking.
“What does the Senate decide? A show of magic will cast the vote. All those in favour of Arella keeping the child?”

There were a few seconds of muttering as the Senate members summoned their magic to cast the vote. I glanced around in wonder at all the different colours of magic. Blues, purples, greens, iridescent. There was a rapid scratching of a quill as the court scribe, one of the Careen, quickly took down the number of votes with a long chestnut quill, probably one of her own feathers.
“All those for the destruction of the child?” Arias asked once the last of the magic had dissolved into the air. Yet more tendrils of colour reached into the air, followed by the rapid scratching of the scribe’s quill. “Results of the vote Carai?”
“Ninety votes both ways.” Carai announced, glancing quickly at the parchment.
“We have a tied vote from the Senate, and therefore we must follow what the law states, which is that the child may live and that Arella gains custody of her.”
“Thank you!” Arella breathed in relief.
“Patience Arella, I have not yet finished. For the safety of the child and of our dimension, Allyssianne must remain in the care of the Senate.” Arella bowed her head.
“Yes Arias.” She said sadly.
“Arella, we are not removing you from her life. It will be safer for her. The child will not be able to walk the street safely. Once you are well enough to resume Senate duties, you will be closer to her. Will you hand us the guardianship?”
“I do.”
“Quarters will be arranged immediately. Armen, please take the child away. There are things to discuss that are not for the ears of one so young.” A tall, blue-haired man stood up, leaving the semi-circle of people and over to me, kneeling so that his green gaze locked with mine.
“Will you come with me?” He asked softly. I glanced up at Arella, who nodded once.
“Yes, sir.” I replied timidly. Standing up, Armen put a hand on my shoulder, escorting me out of the heavy wooden doors.
“Sir?” I asked. “Why did Arella have to present me before you? She said that it was not normal.” Armen frowned.
“It is not my place to tell you.” He said. I did not ask anymore questions, as I sensed that he was a bit worried about it.

We continued along the empty halls in silence until we reached a series of corridors with several doors along them. They had names written on them in the runite language of the dimension, and I excitedly tried to find out what the names were, but I couldn’t read most of them. Armen stopped outside one door and opened it.
“These are your mother’s quarters. You will stay here for now.”
“Yes sir.”
“I have to return to the Senate Hall. Will you be ok here?”
“I think so sir.” He smiled slightly at me and left, leaving me alone.

I wandered around the room, exploring it, taking in my surroundings. There were books, lots of books along with several piles of scrolls, all covered more or less in dust. Bit by bit, I made my way around the room, looking in every single nook and cranny. The wardrobe held several sets of white senate robes, cloaks and the Synari formal wear. Every available space was taken up by books or scrolls, and the walls had a few runes painted on them in shimmering colours. I picked out one book and attempted to read it, but to no avail. My grasp of the written language wasn’t good enough to read it. I gave up, putting the book carefully back on the shelf before curling up under the great bed in the room, falling asleep, tired out by the day’s events.

I awoke to see my mother looking at me from under the bed. I smiled, still half-asleep.
“Welcome back to the world of the living little one.” She said gently.
“Hello.” I mumbled, still half asleep as I crawled out again. Arella gave me a hug before she stood up, taking my hand.
“Come on, you have your own quarters now Allyssianne.” She led me out of the room and though more corridors until she stopped outside another door.

It was a fairly small room, with one wall lined with shelves of books, a desk against another and finally a small bed. I turned round to look at Arella, confusion written on my face.
“I don’t understand, why do I have to stay here? Why do you have to leave me?”
“It is a story for another time little one. For now, you need not worry.
“I kept hearing the word ‘demon’ in that room. What does it mean?”I watched my mother carefully. She had been looking at the books on the bookshelf, and her shoulders slumped slightly. Sighing, she took out on heavy looking, leather bound book. She sat on the small bed and patted the blanket next to her. I clambered up, leaning gently against her. Arella opened the book, looking through the pages until she found a certain one. She showed me the picture that had been painted there. It was a being of nightmares! A gigantic wolf of flaming red and the darkest black fur, four blood red eyes adorning its head along with fangs to make a dragon green with envy. I stared at it, wide eyed.
“What is that?” I squeaked eventually.
“That is your father, Kar.” Arella said quietly to me. I shook my head in disbelief.
“It can’t be, I look human! I don’t look like that, do I?” My voice shook with worry and fear.
“You are young yet, you might change.” Arella said softly. I bit my lip, nodding. She smiled sadly at me before standing up. “You must stay here. I will visit you.” I grabbed hold of her hand.
“Please don’t leave me.” I whispered. Arella looked close to crying for a split second before she adopted an emotionless mask. She gently prised my hand off hers.
“I cannot.” She said softly before she turned, striding out of the room. I watched her go with tears I my eyes before I curled up into a tight ball in a corner, afraid of what was going on, and what was going to happen to me. I eventually fell into a fitful, light sleep.

Days turned into weeks, and I spent most of my time studying the books that had been left in my room. On my second birthday, I was to begin lessons with certain members of the Senate. Most of the teachers were kind to me, treating me like a normal child. Meran, however, couldn’t have hated me more. He punished me for every little thing that I did wrong by a cut more or less deep with a blade of his midnight blue magic. I didn’t tell anyone about it, because I feared that it would worsen. Instead, I did what I could to clean out the wounds, and hid them from other people beneath my cloak.

During one lesson, when I was three years old, Meran was furious with me for forgetting an ingredient in a potion he was teaching me. He summoned his magic, lashing out with a tendril of it which I knew was sharper than the sharpest knife. It hit my back as I tried to run away, and I felt my anger boil up into a frenzy of rage.

I don’t remember what happened there, I only remember opening my eyes to see a wall in front of me. I blinked a few times before I realised that I was on my bed. I turned over, my mind still fogged. I hissed in pain as my wound touched the bed, tears springing to my eyes. I blinked them back and looked up to see Arias sitting there, looking at me. I shrank back slightly, knowing that the ruler of the entire dimension was sitting opposite me.
“Peace Allyssianne.” She said softly.
“What happened?” I asked her carefully.
“You turned Demonic.” She said simply. I felt like I had been slapped in the face. A vision of the creature in the book filled my mind and I bit my lip. Arias seemed to see into my mind, for she smiled gently.
“Worry not, you are far from that stage.” I nodded, but the worry was still etched in my mind.
“What does it mean, to turn demonic?”
“It means that you lose control of an emotion, most commonly your anger. You have a demon living in your mind, but your human side keeps a barrier around that part of your mind to keep it under control. When you use emotion, you use magic as well, but you don’t always want to, so you bottle it up. When you go demonic, the energy that keeps the demon away rushes to stop you releasing the magic and therefore the demon takes control.” I nodded solemnly.
“So I can’t feel emotion.”
“You can feel emotion, but the level you will be able to feel is extremely limited, and therefore, it would be easier for you to feel no emotion at all.” I swallowed hard and nodded again. “Can you tell me what happened between you and Meran for the last year. »
“Nothing happened.” I said quickly. Arias sighed.
“Allyssianne, that wound on your back is no incident.” I fidgeted, biting my lip.
“He’ll punish me if I say.”
“It’s ok, he won’t be harming you anymore.” I still squirmed, until the pain in my back seared. “Allyssianne, please.”
“He cut me every time I did something wrong.”
“Is it usually to this extent?” I nodded silently, and hear a crash outside and a shout.
“I don’t care if Arias is talking to her!” Arella burst into the room, her face like thunder. Her gaze softened as she saw me,
“Allyssianne.” She said softly.
“Arella please leave us.
“It’s my own daughter who was injured!”
“Arella!” The last order was spoken with such force that both Arella and I jumped.
“High Priestess, you have been restricting the time I can spend with my child, and this is one time that I feel I need to be here for her.”
“We have already discussed this Arella, and my decision remains unchanged.” Arella looked like she was going to fight back, but then she bowed and left. I watched her go, wanting to tell her to stay, but Arias didn’t look like she was going to change her decision any time soon. A Careen bustled into the room, with a bowl of water and strips of cloth.
“Ah, the young demoness is awake.” She said cheerily. “I’m Fiona, a healer.” I nodded silently, and she asked me to turn onto my side so that she could tend to the wound. I obeyed, and she set to work, having ripped the already torn leotard I was wearing to be able to get to it. She noticed the other scars and pointed them out to Arias, who nodded grimly. I tried to stay as still as possible, even though I felt like pulling away when Fiona put a few stitches in to help the wound to seal. She had given me a piece of thick material to bite down on, and I was doing so, trying not to think of the needle going in and out of my skin.

After that episode, and the fact that I had now discovered my magic caused me to retreat into myself and not to show my emotions or what I was thinking to anyone, not even Arella. She seemed hurt by my lack of cooperation with her, and eventually, I started to open up to her, but only to her. I had been renamed after that episode, because for the Senate, Allyssianne was dead. I was renamed Shadow. I remember that day clearly, as if it was only yesterday that it happened.

I was reading a book, when the door opened to show Arella standing there. I looked up, closed my book and walked over to the window, keeping my back to my mother, even though it pained me inside.
“Arella.” I said softly, but emotionlessly.
“Shadow.”
“My name is Allyssianne...”
“No longer, little one. Because of the appearance of your other side, the Senate have decided that the Allyssianne that we knew is now dead, and that you should bear a new name. Your magic showed itself black, and therefore, I chose the name Shadow for you.” I bowed my head, still not turning round, my hands gripping the window ledge in an attempt not to allow myself a break in my emotional barriers. “Allyssianne... Shadow, please face me...” She said softly.
“I must not feel any emotion to be able to guarantee the safety of those around me. I wish not to hurt anyone, least of all you...” I replied. There were soft footsteps behind me, and I jumped slightly as I felt a hand on my shoulder.
“We will teach you to meditate... You will be able to feel emotion again, but you must always remain careful as to how much you allow yourself to feel.” I turned round to face Arella, to face my mother. I looked deep into her eyes, the violet to the gentle blue, pleading with her.
“Arella, mother, it is not that I wish not to see you, it is that I wish not to hurt you. This magic inside of me is too alien for me to comprehend...” Arella bowed her head, seemingly upset.
“I understand.” She said softly before she turned and left, her white Senate robes billowing out behind her as she strode out of the door, closing it quietly behind her. I curled up into a tight ball by under the window, intending to get some sleep.

Arella and Arias materialised silently in the room, looking around until they spotted the little girl curled up on the ground.
“Must we wake her?” Arella asked.
“No, the child has not slept these last few moons, just as you have not.” Arella seemed to wince slightly at these words.
“You see everything, High Priestess...”
“I need not, I see it in your eyes. What troubles your mind Arella?”
“I worry about my little one,. I wonder now if it was the kindest thing, to let her live. She must survive in fear of herself and of others, of what she will be capable of...”
“You believed in her, you thought that she would be able to fight her other side, you had faith in her. There is no crime in those actions.”
“I forsaw it. The pain, the betrayal and treachery that she will be forced to endure for years to come. I chose to ignore it, hoping to be able to change the future. Alas, I was wrong, and now it is too late.” Arella knelt beside her sleeping daughter, brushing a lock of violet, white streaked hair from the girl’s face.
“It is never too late.”
“She sent me away today. She has never done so before...”
“Arella, her mind is confused. To be thrown into a world so strange and alien to her when she has no idea of the far limits her power holds. She knows not how to act. All she knows is that demons are dangerous, they are killers and destroyers. She wishes only not to harm you.”
“It hurts to see my child in such mental pain...”
“We shall do all we can to sooth her troubled mind, but we still need her cooperation. I fear it will be all the harder to obtain now.”
“Why is it so?”
“I have looked briefly into her mind, and seen that she is intent on shielding herself from the world, to shut herself away in fear of harming someone.”
“But Allyssianne would hurt no one!”
“Allyssianne would not, but Shadow would. She nearly killed Meran.” Arella bit her lip, worry creasing her pale face.
“I see now that the best option would have been to end her life when she was younger.”
“Dwell not on the past, it leads only to losing yourself.”
“I cannot help but think about what would have happened had I had the sense not to walk into that trap. It is not fair on her.”
“No matter how much we try, there is never any fairness.”
“But such a fate to befall one so young...”
“Had it now been you and Shadow, it would have been another soul.”
“I still fear for her though.”
“We should let the girl sleep in peace, we should leave...” With those parting words, Arias and Arella vanished silently from sight.

I heard everything that they said, even though I was asleep. Frowning, I sat up, wondering how it was possible. Eventually I sighed, guessing that it was another of those demon things.

Not long after, I was meditating quietly, and the voice in my mind spoke to me. It was low, like a man’s voice, but it grated and rasped. It was telling me to focus on a wolf. I hesitated, wondering whether or not to obey the voice. I wasn’t supposed to use magic out of the supervision of the Senate. I guessed that it was for my own safety because I had no idea what the consequences could have been like. After a lot of debating between myself and my mind, I stopped meditating and allowed the voice to guide me. It whispered for me to focus on a wolf, to imagine turning into it. I obeyed, wondering what was going to happen.
Focus on the animal, feel the savageness of it fill your mind and soul...
I’m trying...
Try harder, block out all other goals from your mind...

I screamed out loud as I obeyed, feeling like every nerve in my being was flaming. I hunched over, kneeling on the ground, leaning heavily on my arms, trembling as the pain flowed through my body. My bones seemed to break and reposition themselves within me, my face growing longer, my shoulders folding down. My scream of agony slowly turned to a howl of sorrow. I opened my eyes once more, the pain having faded away into nothing. Swallowing hard, I looked around. Nothing seemed to have changed... I stood up, and tried to take a step forwards, but collapsed in a heap. At that point, the door burst open and most of the High Senate entered the room. I looked up at them.
“What?” I tried to say, but it came out as a bark. I even more confused, and looked down at my feet to see two large hairy, black paws. I yelped, jumping back and landing on my rear. I shakily stood up again and looked at the Senate members to see Arias shaking her head.
“Shadow has discovered her soul self. Someone will remain here to teach her to change back.”
“I will stay.” Arella said, stepping towards me. I tried to scramble backwards, but I landed on my rear once more. Arias shook her head again, seemingly trying to hide a smile.
“While you are here, try to teach her to walk on four legs as well before she injures herself.” Arella nodded and bowed as they left. I tried to do the same, but landed in an ungraceful heap on the floor again. Arella turned to me, smiling.
“Well, my little one, you seem to have put yourself in a fine mess. Let us try to solve it.” She gently picked me up and set me back on four paws again. I shook myself slightly before putting one paw in front of the other before wobbling. Arella poked one hind leg gently, and I moved that one forwards, regaining my balance. She gently prodded my other foreleg and I took it from there. Right foreleg, left hind leg, left foreleg, right hind leg, right foreleg... the same sequence over and over again. I gave a small woof of delight as I began to move with more and more confidence around the room. I revelled in the feeling of freedom as I quickened the pace and began to bound over the wooden floor, carefully watched by Arella. I stopped and sat down, looking up at her through animal eyes. Smiling, Arella conjured a small mirror and propped it up against a wall. I walked over, curiosity eating away at my mind. I looked into the mirror, and a small black wolf cub looked back out at me though pure black eyes. I examined the coal black but silky fur that covered me, flicked the upright, pointed ears a few times and wagged my plumy tail. Concentrating hard on my human form, I managed to morph back. It hurt, almost as much as before, but not quite. I managed to refrain from screaming this time.

As I stood up, dusting myself off, I looked up at Arella and froze. There were tears glistening in her eyes, and yet her face was smiling. I put my head on one side, confused, asking a silent question. Arella looked at me before answering.
“I feared so much worse.”
“I don’t understand...”
“The form, your soul self, it takes the shape on a creature that we are most like. A wolf is a solitary yet sociable creature, noble with perseverance and fierce will to protect those close to you. With your father being who he was, we feared a creature who would follow in his footsteps.”
“What is your animal?”
“A dove, I am a dove.” I smiled at her, and she seemed to stop holding something back, moving forwards to envelop me in her arms. “Shadow Wolf Allyssianne Roth.” She whispered in my ear.
“Mother.” I whispered back.

A year passed slowly, along with my fourth birthday, and I continued to learn all I could. I always looked forwards to my magic lessons to learnt to use my magic. I meditated a lot, which allowed me to feel some emotions, but I still had to be careful. Arella and Arias continued to visit me while I slept, but they never woke me, even though I knew exactly what they had been talking about when I woke up. I used to love living in the Senate towers, until Meran put a proposition to the Senate to get ‘rid’ of me. It took months before the case came to a close, and his proposition was turned down. That’s when he started to sneak into my room at night. Being no longer allowed to teach me, he found other ways. I gained more new scars, even though my older ones were only just starting to fade. I stopped sleeping, afraid of not being alert. I didn’t say anything, until one night...

Meran had always had a deep loathing for me, and it was only recently that I began to understand it. He had loved my mother, but I was the only thing in his way to marrying Arella, as there was a law forbidding it. If I died, Arella would be free for him. I remember the night he tried to kill me, the first time.

I had been using my magic secretly, even though it was forbidden, to set an alarm in my mind if someone was approaching my room. It was my only warning that he was coming that night, and I had the chance to brace myself for more pain, but I could never have imagined it...

The alarm in my mind sounded late that night, and I was quickly on my feet, watching the door. My face remained emotionless, the hood on my black cloak pulled low over my face. The door opened silently, and he walked in, locking the door magically. I watched him with my eyes narrowed, not noticing the bag he was carrying at first.
“Why do you come?” I asked.
“You know well, demoness.”
“Why not leave me alone?”
“Because you do not deserve to live.” He reached into his bag, pulling out two metal vambraces, both of which glowed blue.

I backed away, unsure of what they were. Summoning my magic, I shot one warning bolt at Meran. He dodged it easily, and moved towards me. Lunging suddenly, he clamped the vambraces around my forearms. An alien current surged from them into me, like a continuous stream of magic intended to harm. Falling to the ground, I bit my lip to stop myself screaming. The magic stopped, leaving me trembling and breathing heavily on the ground.
“And that’s just the beginning...” He said with a sneer. Reaching into his bag, he pulled out a rope after slipping a vial of clear liquid onto his belt. He walked over to me and reached out to take my arms. I kicked out at him, warning him to keep his distance, but he merely smiled and clicked his fingers. The current surged again, stronger than last time. I hissed with the pain, eyes squeezed shut with the effort of not screaming. Now, I can compare it to having electricity coursing through you, but it leaves you living at the end of it.

Meran used the time that I was distracted to bind my arms securely behind my back. I didn’t realise until the magic faded away again. I looked at him through fear filled eyes, knowing that I was now powerless to stop him if I needed to. He also knew, as the sneer on his face grew, distorting his face into an image of hatred. He slid the vial out again and took the cork out, advancing towards me. I tried to shuffle away, but he grabbed my hair, yanking it back, and my head followed, exposing my throat.

He forced the liquid into my mouth, and held my head there until I swallowed. It burned all the time it was there, never stopping, increasing, like a flame that just keeps on growing. He sat down, watching me as if I was a well performed play. I closed my eyes tightly again, trying not to think of the pain, but it grasped my mind and kept a viper’s grip upon it. I felt tears streaking down my face as the pain spread from my throat to my arm, legs and lungs. Every breath was agony as the fire continued to grow. The pain reached up to my head, to my mind and there, the fire peaked, like a hand of fire ripping it into shreds. I couldn’t hold back any longer as I screamed, writhing on the floor, begging Meran to stop the pain, but he leant down, tying a strip of cloth over my mouth to silence the pleas before he sat back and continued to watch.
“There is no one coming to your aid. Only Arias can break through that door, and she will not be bothered with a demoness like you.” He leant down again to whisper in my ear.
“Because no one ever loved a demon...” I closed my eyes again, silent tears streaming...

s'pretty darn good kid

Hannah likey

I would with me shoes on

^^Phrase of the day, please ignore :D

xxxxxx

PS: Amazingly fluently written. You'd think English was your first language .... oh no wait...

As I tried to hold back my pain, I thought of Arella, and a wave of sadness added itself to the pain. I wished more than anything that she was here. And, as if on cue, hope flared inside me in the form of an explosion and the sound of splintering wood. Meran paled slightly, moving away from the door. There was a second explosion, and the door splintered completely to reveal Arias, Arella and several other Senate members.

Arias strode towards Meran, her face like thunder, while Arella knelt beside me, trying to stop me struggling. I squeezed my eyes shut against the ever growing pain, but I couldn’t stop it.
“What have you done to her!?” Arella shouted at Meran.
“That, my dear Arella, you will have to find out for yourself.” He snarled back. Arias’ eyes glowed silver as she sent a bolt of magic at Meran, knocking him out. She told two Senate members to take him down to the holding cells before walking over to me.
“What can we do?” Arella asked worriedly, watching as three people pinned me down to stop me struggling and hurting myself further.
“We give her an antidote and hope for the best.” Arella bit her lip, nodding and standing up, quickly rooting through a shelf of potions, picking out one. She held it briefly to the light before kneeling down beside me again. Arias gently took off the gag over my mouth and I immediately started to cough. Arella tried to tell me to breath calmly, starting to panic as blood started to come from my mouth. Arias shouted for the Senate members to let me go. AS they did, I curled into a tight ball, trying t ostop coughing, but the blood started to clog my throat, and I started to panic, tendrils of magic reaching out into the air as I started to lose control. Arella gently held my head in place, and Arias forced me to drink two potions. I remember feeling the burning fade, a cool sensation replacing it. I saw Arella’s face creased with worry before my head started to spin and everything went black.

Wicked.

I love it! So good. You really have a talent for writing too....

What can't you do?

Lol

LucyXX

That story is well fit

Don't be odd Hannah...

Oh, alright you can

LucyXX

Thanks XD

When do you go to Hogwarts and meet us Jenni?? or when does Shadow even .. you know what I mean XD xxx