The beginning

[Amber Eyes]

Giggles filled the air as the sun began to fade. It was near dusk in Chateau Drantrak and the meadow was alive with play. Games of tag zigzagged through those sitting on blankets, hiding their clasped hands. Every child of the shadows knew that now was the time of magic. Kyla Orlouge squealed with joy, her head tilted backward and her mouth wide open, tasting the night. Her bright eyes shone in the moonlight as the man swung her around and around, her limbs dancing and her hair flying behind her. When it was over he lay her down in the grass, collapsing beside her and putting his head close to hers. The pair looked to the sky with matching eyes, noses, and pursed lips, still hiding smiles in the corners. "Do it again!"

"Kylana, let me rest." Her brother turned his face to hers. "I'm tired."

"Please?" The moment the word left her lips she felt the ground leave her body. All at once they were at it again, she was flying and nothing could stop her.

Until something did. A scream filled the air and all those in the meadow looked in the direction of town. Something was wrong. At first the girl rumbled along with the crowd, her tiny legs doing their best to keep up the pace. Soon her brother lifted her in a fluid motion, setting her atop his shoulders and sending the wind through her hair once more. A silent prayer filled most every set of lips as the group made their way home. When the first of the houses came into view the group halted all at once at the sight of several carriages blocking the road.

[Taste of Treason]

The men pooled from the carriages one after another, filling the street and creating a line. The last to step down held a small figure in his arms, a limp little girl with deep brown hair. He took careful steps forward as the line created a gap for him to move through them, shuffling boots were the only sound in the valley. Soon the quiet was filled with a single scream and many gasps. A woman rushed to the front of the gathering crowd of mystic villagers, her face contorted in sorrow. "Is it her? My baby?"

The woman collapsed before the stranger, pleading from her knees. "Please, give her to me."

The man held the tiny body tight, giving a nod to one of his men who moved with lightning speed, pulling the woman to her feet and out of the way. Her screams prodded the villagers to movement, several men rushing forward only to stop at the sound of a familiar voice.

"Why have you come?" The booming voice of Niche Orlouge filled the air as he stepped forward. His stance was steady, his eyes focused.

The soldier dropped the child to the ground, sending a cry of pain from her lips. Several screams once again filled the air. Her mother fell once again, her child lived. Then, in a single quick movement a blade was pulled from his side and brought to the girls hand as she attempted to right herself. The tiniest of cuts was made, sending blood pooling to the dusty ground below her.

A quiet filled the area as the soldiers gave a final look before retreating to their carriages once more. The mystics stood in awe. Tiny Cellar door, the child of a mystic family, pushed herself to standing and rushed into the arms of her mother. It was a beautiful sight, but all eyes stayed focused on the bright pool of red blood she left in her wake.

[Amber Eyes]

"Daddy! What was that? Who were those guys?" Kyla's eyes were wide as her brother lowered her to the ground in the small cottage. Her father closed the door behind them before he shrugged off his tool belt and tossed it into his well worn chair. He rubbed his tired eyes as her mother brought him a warm mug of ale. The man downed it in a single long sip that the child thought would never end.

When he did speak his voice was even, "They are the Knights of the Dawn, Kyla. They don't care much for Mystics." Niche never made a habit of lying to his children, and that night was no exception.

"Are they going to hurt us? Like they hurt Cellar?"

At that a fierceness overtook the man's eyes. He lifted the girl in the air before sitting down and pulling her close on his lap. "No one will ever lay a hand on you so long as I live, Kylana. Is that clear?"

The girl nuzzled close to him, looking up with bright blue eyes that peeked from her sleepy lids. "As glass."

The girl lay awake longer than usual though her body protested. Her simple mind could not process all that transpired. she had cut herself just yesterday and the blue liquid ran just as usual. Why had little Cell changed? She could just make out voices in the hall if she held her breath, but the words offered little clarity.

Her brother's voice was worn and frustrated. "Why did they bring her back? She's been missing for weeks and we had little to go on? If they wanted the girl why return her now?"

Niche was quiet as he put on his winter coat. "They never wanted the girl. They wanted proof that they could cure us."

"There isn't anything wrong with us" the brother's voice was nearly a scream.

"I know that son, but whatever they did to poor little Cellar, she isn't a Mystic anymore." With that the door creaked open and closed with a loud bang that sent shivers through Kyla's spine. How could one simply stop being Mystic? Even with her father's promise, she covered her head with a blanket to hide from those that might take away her blood.

[Taste of Treason]

Something was wrong with Cellar. Those around her huddled close, their words whispered and hard to understand. Her mind tried its best to keep up, but the girl was so tired. Words like 'knight' and 'purification' meant nothing, but those tears on her mama's face told her all she needed to know. Something was wrong and it all centered around Cellar Door. She reached her tiny hand up to touch her mama's face, forgetting entirely the deep red scab that covered her palm. When her mother flinched the girl paused, her eyes jumped from the deep brown eyes that had always promised love to the scratch on her hand. Whatever this thing was, her mother looked at her differently now. Deep in her heart, Cellar knew that nothing was the same. The men had been nice to her, but when she tried to tell her father so he only shook his head and held her mama close.

Their needles had only hurt a little, just as they promised. They let her have cake and ice cream to her hearts content. The only thing that seemed different was the color of her blood, and that seemed a silly thing to worry over.

Her father tucked her in and kissed her forehead gently, but his eyes were sad. Cellar wanted to ask him why, but her rushed off much to quickly without even a poem to guide her dreams.

The girl told her own poem though she couldn't quite remember what words rhymed and which didn't. She almost had it figured out when she faded away...

[Amber Eyes]

It was near dusk in Drantrak. The days of summer seemed to stretch on endlessly, each new sunrise another adventure, the incident with Cellar Door long since forgotten. The door opened and closed and the wind carried with it the scent of wildflowers and her father's shaving cream. Soon the weight of a kiss sat upon her head and a large hand tickled her spine. The girl laughed, her eyes bright as she turned to wrap her arms around the man to hold him close in the way only a daughter can.

The man lifted her from her seat and carried her to his old worn leather chair. There she sat upon his lap as she always did, eager to hear stories of his day. The girl stared hard at his face, eager to learn each and every line. To her, all that mattered was that the sun still rose and set, and in the world of Kyla, it rose and set in Niche's wake.

His gruff voice filled the cozy room, reverberating off hung finger paintings and quilts. "Tomorrow is a big day little goose."

The girl smiled, lowering her eyes shyly. "Will there be presents?"

At this the man grinned, touching his fingertip to a button nose. "Of course there will be Kylana, it isn't everyday my little girl turns four years old."

Kyla froze for a moment before furrowing her brow. "Papa! I'm going to be six!" Her voice was stern. How dare he forget such an important thing!

Niche attempted a look of mock surprised, but soon gave into the deep chuckle that filled his belly. "I know precious, I couldn't forget a day of your life if I wanted--"

His words were cut off abruptly by a ringing bell. He jumped to his feet just as her brother entered the room and within moments the two gathered their gear and were off.

Her mother rushed around from room to room, gathering supplies in case the need for evacuation arose. Those supplies would never be used.

The knock at the door sent a collective chill through the house, and Kyla raced to hide beneath the bed at her mother's insistence.

It was the last time she would see her mother alive. She never even took the time to memorize her lines.

[Taste of Treason]

The new house was small, filled to the brim already with bookshelves and strewn pens. The walls were filled with pieces of parchment that Cel could read a few words of. There were no kids playing in the meadow each night to distract her from her practice, and she was becoming a better poet with each new day. Her parents had accepted begrudgingly that their little girl would never participate in the Mystic tradition of the light or shadow trials, she would never discover her Mystic protection, she would never be a Mystic. They had never asked what happened those weeks she was gone, only pushed her harder and harder to learn to love language the way they did. If she couldn't be the stuff legends are made of she may as well be able to tell the stories. How much could a three year old have told them even if they had asked?

The child was already well on her way to forgetting the color of her blood had ever proved her a Mystic at all. The gifts of the Thayne's to the Mystic race may as well have never been hers to start with. She was human.

Her father's stories and bedtime poems were becoming less and less frequent. Too often he sent her to bed only to get lost in a sonnet or a pitcher of ale. Her mother couldn't even look at her anymore. It was a lonely life, but Cel was forgetting that another one existed in the first place. The girl spent a lot of time staring out her window, watching for any sign of life. There was a family across the field who lived in a yellow house, and from time to time she could see them play. Tonight they were not at home, but a group of men carrying torches caught her eye.

"Papa!" Cell's voice filled the cluttered home. "There are men outside!"

With a huff the man stood, peeking through the drawn curtains. "Cel, hide! Jemma!" He yelled for her mother. "Come quick, it is the Knights of the Dawn!"

The pair huddled together in fear as Cel hid beneath her bed, tears streaming down her face. A tiny scar seemed to shine in the moonlight, a reminder that this life all started with her.

The next morning she awoke, long forgotten once the danger passed. Cel never knew that the men were heading down the road, their sights set on Chateau Drantrak.

[Amber Eyes]

Kyla awoke in a cold sweat, her feet tangled in her blanket. The girl kicked with all her might, desperate to free herself from her trappings. She rolled to her side, reaching out for the familiar body that lay next to her. Xavior was still, he always slept like a rock. The years seemed to go by faster and faster. They would both turn thirteen in the spring. The memories of the scared little girl in Chateau Drantrak were far behind her now.

Six weeks in the forest had left her weak and afraid. She had stayed at the tree line long enough to see mystic bodies piled in a mass grave, but then Kyla Orlouge had turned her back on her home forever. No one could have survived. Now those were mere nightmares that belonged to another life, Kyla could not recall a life before Xavior's older brother Zander found her and brought her along with his gang of bandits. She was becoming quite skilled with a blade, and was the best in the group at picking a pocket in the squares. The girl had potential, and Zander took every opportunity to praise her for it.

The campfire sent shadows across Xavior's face; his shadow danced upon the nearby tree line. Kyla lay there for an hour, watching her friend light up and then go dark again so quickly it might have been a dream. She had almost found sleep again when the first drop of rain touched her face. The sky had been clear when the camp was made, something that was repeated at least a dozen times as the small group gathered their things to escape the sudden downpour. Kyla held Xavior's hand as they hurried to a nearby barn, hoping for a place to stay until the storm passed.

[Taste of Treason]

More and more her parents retreated from interaction. Less and less Cel felt a gentle caress when her troubles grew too much to bear. Her heart begged for some sort of satisfaction. Even a single look of tenderness could have kept her going. It all changed one fateful night, when the moon rose above the hills in the distance. This was the day that would change everything for Cel. The day of the burning. Punishment for not meeting household standards always included writing lines. This time though, the girl had been given an entire diary to fill. She was not allowed to leave her room until every page was marked completely.

At first it had seemed a challenge she could overcome, the occasional line would come to her and be written down. A day in and suddenly the girl realized her plight. There would be no food delivered, no water to quench her thirst. The only way to sustain her growing body was to complete the task. In a full day she had written less than twelve pages. She had nearly ninety left to go.

With each turn of the page her belly protested, each scribble of the pen brought with it anger and tears and hopelessness. It was the first time Cellar Door felt the truth of starvation. It would not be the last.

As she finished the last page the girl gave a weak smile, her arm ached and her body felt weak. She had no idea how long it had taken her, just that the sun had risen at least twice. She opened her doorway carefully, sure that her parent would finally be proud. She had completed their lofty task, lived up to their expectations. She gave a sly grin even as her stomach called out, entering her parent's office with purpose. Her father raised his eyes with no emotion. He looked at her as one might a stray dog in the park.

The man stood and held his hand outward with an exaggerated gesture. Cel's small hand shook as she handed off the diary, a slight pain filling her heart as she gave it away.

He thumbed through the pages with all the attention one would offer the grass as it grows, and when finished tossed the tomb into the fireplace.

The girl dove, desperate to save all her work. All that she had worked on those painful hours now reduced to fill the room with the blue hues of heated flame. She collapsed when she realized the book was too far gone. Her eyes welled up with tears that could not fall. There wasn't even that left in her. Her tiny frame jolted with each sob, and her father patiently waited for her to quiet. When she calmed herself the girl turned at the waist, her eyes filled with questions.

The voice that answered was firm, untouched by her heartbreak. "How does it feel to see something you worked so hard on prove useless?"

She could not answer. There were no words for the pain that filled her soul. It was no matter, he continued on. "That's how your mother and I feel about you."

[Amber Eyes]

Something felt strange about the storm. The rain was colder than normal for summertime in Corone. The thunder had a harshness that struck fear into every heart within the barn. Kyla watched through the loft's window as lighting lit up the sky as though warning that no good could happen this evening. Xavior drifted long before she did, and only his gentle snoring gave her mind rest. She drifted off with a terrible feeling in her gut.

The sun rose and the Mystic rose with it. In the distance Kyla could see the dusty road that led toward Radasanth. On it were two carriages marked with a cross. It wasn't often that one saw the hospital carriages on the road unless you were in town. It was enough to worry the girl, though her mind quickly forgot her fears as her friend awoke. She put on a brave face and helped the boy get his things gathered so the group could be off before they were found in their stolen hideaway.

[Taste of Treason]

It had all happened so quickly. Cel could do nothing to stop herself. As soon as her mother's breathing evened she tore through the house, grabbing spare parchment and bound books alike. The first crack of thunder hit as she watched the kindle catch. The fireplace soon warmed the room and the front of her arms began to feel hot. She thought of walking away, but there was a force inside her pushed her onward. She picked up the first page, a sonnet her mother was still working on from time to time. She touched it to the flame, just the tip. It caught quickly and the flame danced upon the page. It lit her blue eyes.

It would be hard to pinpoint how long she sat there, burning page after page. Book after book. The girl read the title of each work before sending it to its demise. Each single page that had come before her. Each thing her parents had loved more than their own blood. It was liberating. It wasn't until the last page was burnt that Cel considered her state. Her parents fury would be incredible. Their wraith would surely be such as she could never dream. She considered running away. It entered her mind more than once. Her fear restrained her, there was nothing for her in the world. She had barely stepped outside the house in years, how could she survive on her own?

No, it was better to endure whatever her night of freedom brought upon her.

She could not have imagined what that would be.

[Amber Eyes]

The years passed by, soon Kyla was on the cusp of womanhood. Her clothes fit a bit too tight in certain areas, but it was typically pushed from her mind. Surrounded by men she had little idea how to be a lady. It did not pass her notice though, that some of the newer guys seemed to stare at her a bit longer than necessary, and once or twice she overheard the leader, Zander reprimand someone for being to close as she bathed in the river.

The town was called Andethel. It had little to offer in the way of entertainment but it was filled to the brim with rich farmland and open barns. The troop had nearly met its match with the law in a nearby township and they were desperate to lay low. Kyla and Xavior were urged to head into town to find supplies for a party, particularly some friends about Kyla's own age.


The ignorance of the girl was almost over.

Sure enough she succeeded in bringing some young girls to the barn, but things went wrong. Flirtation turned fatal. Kyla listened to the sounds of life leaving a body for the first time from high in the loft. It was her fault. Sophia had been beautiful and friendly. Now she was gone. Kyla may as well have killed her herself.

Every fabrication seemed to fall apart before her. The words of Zander that encouraged her to steal, as every human has the right to basic needs. Kyla now saw how much torment her actions caused.

She ran, her heart heavy and her head aching. Where could she go?


To be continued...

[Lye]

Amber Eyes earns 925 EXP and 66 GP

Taste of Treason earns 440 EXP and 55 GP

[Lye]

EXP & GP Added.