Chapter 2.04 - The soul

The role of an oracle was a lonely one since most people were afraid of what oracles stood for. Everyone knew within an oracle's soul there flowed ancient dark magicks of an era long since past; just waiting to erupt and cause great pain and destruction to all those nearby. That was what most people believed and Melissia gave a little snort of knowing satisfaction to herself as she stood outside alone in front of the village inn.

Melissia leaned heavily on her stave which was twice her height and looked very well used; not just from helping her move about either. It appeared to be made from an ebon black substance looking more metallic than wood as the moonlight reflects off it showing random patterns making no sense or order at all. She wore a fur around her shoulders to keep out the night chill and was dressed in tight fitting grey leathers that glinted under the moon after being buffed to remove any dullness to them. Her eyes were a deep soulless grey and her hair was pure white, tied back in a long pony tail falling to her waist.

At Melissia's waist was a blade tucked into her belt with a red insignia etched along the sides, she had had this blade for many cycles and it never left her side; it was granted to her as a gift which now seemed like a millennia ago and from a life now long since forgotten. Touching the blade at her waist, Melissa resolves herself and heads towards the door of the inn hoping she has done the right thing and not condemned them all.

Chapter 2.03 - The Oracle

Melissia was mumbling to an old acquaintance of hers who was standing behind her in the shadows while she stirred a dark, sickly looking liquid bubbling away in a small cauldron before her. The liquid looked like it could strip flesh from bone and the black pot was hanging above a log fire in the middle of the room.

The room was a large circular one which had bones and skins hanging from walls, vials and potions laying about on tables and containers scattered everywhere containing all manner of creatures and substances. The room looked like it was a mess of chaos and randomness; yet it had that eerie feeling you get when you know there is some strange order to it that only one person knows the secret to.

Still mumbling away Melissia tosses what could only be described as some small creature's hind limb into the liquid before giving it another stir and turning to her acquaintance with a tired look of having been up all night; "It is almost time, soon..." she said before stopping mid sentence finding yet again her acquaintance had vanished and no longer there; he always did this and it annoyed her.

Turning back to the cauldron, Melissia tasted the liquid and frowned pulling a face of disgust before mumbling once again to her acquaintance since she knew he always came back when she was not looking; "It needs more salt! Always more salt! Do you not agree?" Once again there was no reply from her silent acquaintance as he did not like to speak very often, in fact she had not heard him speak for many winters now, but Melissia knew he was always there over her shoulder in the shadows; invisible to the rest of the world.

Chapter 2.02 - The confrontation

Alya turns to look at the woman who is frantically screaming while running towards her with a crazed look in her eyes. In an instant Alya shoves her free arm up under the boys throat lifting him off the ground so that he has to stand on the tips of his toes while still struggling to gasp for breath before pointing her sword at the woman to halt her oncoming advances.

Krystalia running at full pelt manages to stop just inches before running herself through on the sword now pointed at her. Dropping to her knees she looks up at Alya with tears rolling down her cheeks sobbing, barely able to make her words audiable she cries out; "Please do not hurt my son, he is all I have left! I beg of you, he is innocent and still has life ahead of him! Take me in his place demon, I implore you!"

A little taken aback by the plea, Alya hestitates and no longer acting on instinct alone once again asks the question, although this time to the distressed woman kneeling in front of her; "Who are you? Who sent you? Speak fast or you shall both die here and I will find my answers elsewhere!" Reiterating her point she lightly strokes the womans cheek with the point of her sword leaving a trail of crimson red behind it.

Chapter 2.01 - The mother

Krystalia was wondering what she was doing up at such a late hour, the inn still had no customers even after being open for almost two Luna cycles. It was deserted with the exception of herself and her son Kreenon, who she watched walk towards an empty room at the end of the corridor while still holding the strange note that the village oracle had given to him earlier that the day.

As Kreenon nears the empty room, he looks back at his mother with an anxious look on his face replacing his usual carefree one she was so used to seeing. This worried Krystalia greatly and she thought back to what task the oracle had assigned her son, as it was not often the oracle turned up to the gathering of elders; and only did so when something of great importance was about to happen.

The old woman had said that the note held the very survival of everyone within it and was a pathway to a new future, one that would be safe and free from the wars; as well as what was yet to come. It had to be delivered on the fifth candle mark of the new moon by an innocent mind, one that has not yet been tainted by reason or logic and lost its creative imagination.

Krystalia knew the old woman had meant more than just faith or words and that her son was about to be using ancient magicks, which frightened her immensely. Using magicks always had dire consequences and was why only the oracles of each village were allowed such knowledge. The last time Krystalia had seen magicks at work was when her husband tried to save their farm from drought 5 seasons ago, it went wrong and he died the following evening.

Drifting back from her thoughts, Krystalia holds her breath as she hears Kreenon knock on the door to the empty room for a second time and repeats the phrase given to him by the oracle; "Truicidor Alyania Helineed, we require your assistance."

Krystalia closes her eyes praying for the best and gasps in horror at the sight before her when opening them again after hearing a crash from the end of the corridor. A crazed woman with jet black hair down to her shoulders had a sword at her son’s throat. Panicking, Krystalia stood there in a trance too stunned and afraid to move while taking in the scene before her.

The woman was dressed in dusty black leather which seemed to contradict itself and shimmer under the lights in the corridor. However it was her hair that really kept Krystalia rooted to the spot, it was unnatural and blacker than darkness itself. It was the hair of a demon and all that was unholy. She was also armed to the teeth and had what looked like a small folded crossbow strapped to her right leg and a quiver of bolts strapped to the other. Three throwing knives were positioned along her left shoulder and a longbow hung loosely over a quiver of arrows on her back.

Lastly, Krystalia focuses on an empty sword scabbard swinging on the crazed woman’s left hip which helps her overcome her fear and bring her back to her senses; as the missing sword was in the woman’s hand and positioned at her son’s throat ready to kill him. Now finally able to move, Krystalia rushes towards the crazed woman while screaming as loud as she can; “Stop! Don’t hurt him! I beg you!”