Claimer: I own all characters, and the story line.
-Dahn, Germany-
"Hey … Alfonse …" a girl with light skin and fair hair glances around timidly, slightly clinging to her companion's shirtsleeve. Alfonse chuckles and glances back at her.
"Yes, Lyla?" a bird in a tree squawks shrilly at the hikers and Lyla screams, locking her arms around Alfonse's waist. Alfonse only laughs again, wind rustling his dark hair over emerald eyes. He pats her hands and takes another look at their surroundings. 'Trees … trees and … more trees.' Lyla whimpers against his backpack, keeping her sapphire eyes tightly shut. "Lyla … Lyla …" he pries her hands and arms away, smiling weakly at her. "I can't breathe when you're crushing me." Lyla whimpers again.
"I-I-I'm scared, Alfonse." For a moment, a worried look crosses his face, and then he smiles.
"Let's walk awhile longer and then we'll rest." Alfonse slides her hand into his and pulls her, gently, along. Not even ten steps later do they get the feeling of being lighter, almost like missing a step in the dark and you feel as if you are falling. Alfonse looks back at Lyla with wide, wondrous, eyes. "Did you …?" she nods slowly, knowing his question because she was thinking it too.
"Yeah … weird …"
"I see light up ahead … maybe it's a clearing." Keeping their hands together, the couple treks forward towards the warm sunshine. Soon they step, not into a clearing, but out of the edgy, dark, forest all-together. Alfonse and Lyla blink dumbly and look to each other for explanation. Then their eyes avert to Alfonse's old navy blue, Buick.
"What in the world?" the couple, still hand in hand, walks to the car, muttering about the strange events that have occurred.
XxX
Long ago, magik was practiced openly. Humans, and those of the supernatural, co-existed. Werewolves, and vampires, witches, and elves, dragons and even the gentler, fae; lived together in peace. Until the nearing end of the 14th century, when the peaceful witches of White, sought their interest in blacker areas.
They forced the were's into the power of the moon. Making the once powerful, but kind creatures, slaves and pets. Setting them upon human and supernatural alike. The witches would even brutally torture and abuse these creatures, gaining power from their fear, anger and pain.
The kind witches and elves of White, that still remained, knew that with the right magik and re-enforcements, they could win a battle for power. Knew they could bring the Black witches to their knees and make them feel the pain they forced upon others.
And so the war began.
Many lives were lost. Dragons became endangered as did Silth and Faeries who so kindly lent their power to White. However, it was not enough, it was never enough. White fell and the Elvin clans perished. After 1,000 years of war, of weakening Black as much as possible … White's effort was for naught.
Darkness ruled over the land. Plague darkened Europe's humans' doorsteps for the witches' entertainment. They had forced the vampires into hiding, infected the animals they fed from, forcing them to feed from the humans … or die.
After nearly 3,000 years of un-relentless torture, the Angels took it upon themselves to extract the demons. The witches and their black creatures were far too powerful to destroy forever, so instead, they were banished. And Hell was created. Any of the supernatural was forced into hiding from the humans, those who resisted were eliminated. For the good of the whole supernatural community.
The knowledge of magik was forgotten to humans.
And so, Madaho was created. A supernatural world, within the one of the humans. Hidden by the powerful magik of the Elders; protectors and watchers of Madaho.
Five foot, by five foot areas are sanctioned off all over the world to create the portals to this forgotten and secret world. If a human is to step into this barrier they will find themselves where they started.
A walk around the world.
In Alistair, the capital of Madaho, our story begins …
-Alistair, Madaho-
[Within Dahn, Germany]
"Hey you, brats! Come back with that!" the townspeople turn in confusion, to look at one of the three Bakers. The pot-bellied, gray-haired man stood halfway out his wooden doorway. A fist raised in the air, shaking it and screaming at the three girls who ran away from the shop. The two taller of the girls carried two or three loaves of French bread, the third, smaller girl carried a white, whicker basket that filled her small, brown arms. The smell of fresh rolls wafted from underneath the red and white checkered napkin that covered the rounded top of the basket. The tallest of the girls stops, turns to face the Baker (from a good distance away) and pulls down one eyelid, sticking out her tongue.
"Just try and make us, old man!" she turns back around and smacks her butt at him, grinning like a wolf, and bolts off after the two smaller girls who round a corner. She jogs down the alley until she comes to a craggy, hole in the brick wall of a long-since abandoned building. Just barely big enough, once one of the loose two by fours were lifted, for a young adult. Course, the hole was smaller. She had had to make it bigger.
Once inside, she looks around the familiar, dank surroundings and dusty, white sheets that covered two love seat couches, one armchair, and one small coffee table. Moths had long ago eaten holes in the heavy, red drape curtains and thick, fancy carpets. She puts the toes of her left foot against the heel of her right and pulls off her shoe, then repeats the action vice versa. Leaving the dirty, black and red tennis shoes next to a pair of dirty, black dancing shoes and a pair of equally dirty black boots. She noticed one boot and been carelessly placed on its side, so she righted it before heading down a long hallway covered in old paintings to the creaky staircase.
She steps over the fourth step up, knowing it was about a hair's breath away from caving in. Taking careful action so as to not get the bread dirty, musty or covered in sticky cobwebs. Rapid footsteps come from one end of the hallway and the browned girl skids sideways to a halt in front of the older girl.
"Kira-nee, Necrato-nee got the lights to come on again." She smiled like she was proud of herself for reporting. Kira brushed shoulder-length locks of brown hair from her face behind the furry, wolf-like ears she had grown up with. She was a full-bred were wolf, one of the few nowadays. Most fae liked to mix breeds. Like Necrato, who now came around the corner, also beaming in pride. Her black and naturally blue hair was shaggy and un-brushed, just like the other two. Kira licked her thumb and wiped dirt from Necrato's snow white cheek. She made a disgusted face, much to Kira's amusement, and wiped her face the sleeve of her too-big black, long sleeved shirt.
All their clothes were too big. Or they were too small. They really didn't eat enough, Kira even less than the other girls, knowing she could last longer without food. Necrato, silent as usual, took the bread from Kira, still smiling, and walked back into the brightly lit room. Kira's brown eyes couldn't help but watch the girl's thin, pale legs. They were sticks.
"Kira-nee, are you worrying again?" Kira looks over the tiny, dragon girl. Her brown skin seemed almost stretched like leather across her tiny frame, cheek bones prudent. The ratty old, green tank top looked like a dress on her. Her short, blonde hair was disheveled and often halfway hid the ears that marked her as a dragon-child. A dirty, white bandage was wrapped around her upper right arm, hiding the birthmark all dragons had. Kira sighed, scratching behind one ear with her nails. Her hair felt oily. They all really could use a bath.
"Um … mm-mm." Kira shakes her head and with weak, yet lithe arms swings the tiny girl up and carries her 'princess style' into the bedroom, plopping the giggling dragon gently onto the dusty bed. When the small girl fell, dust plumes rose out around her and made her sneeze. "Tch, Ryuu, really … cover your mouth and nose." Kira pulled a thinned white handkerchief from the pocket of her baggy, black shorts and wiped the girl's face. After pocketing the handkerchief again, Kira tickled Ryuu until she couldn't nearly breathe from laughing.
A loud thunk got their attention.
Kira turned slightly on her heels, lightly whacking her dusty brown tail on the bed frame. Ryuu peeked around her and they stared at Necrato who was sitting in a square of sun coming in from the window. Her head was on the table she sat on her knees in front of, her hair falling to cover her face, hands limp in her lap. Kira moved quickly and gently put a hand on Necrato's chin and the back of her head, lifting her up to see her eyes. They were almost faded to black and completely devoid of emotion, like the rest of her face. Blood dripped from her lips and plipped onto Kira's comparatively tanner hand. She had bitten into her lower lip, which began to swell slightly.
"Crap … you need to get fed …" in an attempt to be helpful, Ryuu slides off the bed and takes a roll from the basket, tugging on the back of Kira's red t-shirt and holding it out. At first she looks confused, but then she smiles and moves her head barely side to side. "Not that kind of food, Ryuu … but thank you for trying."
"She can't go out hunting until nightfall …" Kira nods, a fraction of an inch.
"Yeah … and that's still a few hours off … I just don't want her to resort to biting her tongue." Necrato was half-vampire, half-witch. She was also a mute. For as long as Kira could remember, her fellow orphan hadn't spoken even after Kira finding her hiding in this home when she was seven. Necrato's body lolled into the wolf and she sighed, dragging the heavy blanket from the bed and covering the frail vampire in its darkness. She sat there, sweating from the heat of the sun and blanket, with Necrato in her lap, feeding her small bits of bread while Ryuu chomped down several rolls.
"Will that help her strength at all, Kira-nee?" Ryuu asked between mouthfuls of bread, her green eyes twisted with worry. Kira lightly petted Necrato's head.
"Until nightfall … I hope."
XxX
They all loved the moon. Loved basking in its glory as they ran through the forests of Alistair. The moon's magik always seemed to give them the energy to run around and scream at the top of their lungs, with the occasional howl that rumbled from deep within Kira's chest. Necrato never fed on anything other than animals, after making sure they weren't Shifters of course. And after feeding her cheeks seemed pinker and she smiled more, though still didn't join in the squealing.
Kira sighed, face turned up to the moonlight, arms spread out wide, almost gathering the magik that the moon blessed them with. She grinned and stripped, folding her clothes neatly in a pile on the forest floor. She didn't mind the dirt, the clothes were already dirty. She concentrated and let the magik gently ripple over her skin, she almost laughed at the familiar tingling of fur growing out thick and long. It was a little painful when her muscles stretched and re-shaped and her bones snapped and changed to fit her to her other form. She dropped to her knees, and stared at her hands on the ground as they changed to paws and fur sprouted. After the transformation she lay there panting from the effort, then stood, shaking the remnants of magik away like shaking off water drops.
Ryuu scratched Kira's ear and the rusty brown wolf's tongue lolled out and her tail wagged happily. Necrato soon came over and joined in the fun. Kira rolled onto her back and the girls giggled and scratched her belly and behind her ears. Suddenly, she growled, surprising the girls who jumped and backed away so the wolf could roll into a crouching position. Her whole body language screeched 'attack!'.
"Kira-nee? What is it, Kira-nee?" Ryuu asked, fear making her lip and voice tremble. The younger orphans tangled their fingers of one hand into Kira's fur, staying close. A laugh echoed and bounced off the trees, a man's laugh.
"Calm yourself, Wolf. I mean no harm." Kira only growled louder at the man's voice. Deep, yet resonating and peaceful, like silk. Necrato gasped, feeling the strong pulse of magik auras give off. Whoever this was, he was one of her kind. And he was strong.
XxXxX
End Chapter One: Orphans
Please comment did you like it? I hope so! I plan on trying to get a new chapter up every weekend, if possible. So keep up with it by clicking that pretty little 'favorite' button. :3
Pronunciation Guide/Glossary:
Dahn [Dawn]: City in Germany. Yes, it exists.
Fae [Fay]: Common word for group of supernatural beings that do not have their own classification, such as silth, pixies or faeries.
Madaho [Mah-Dah-Ho]: Supernatural world created after black witch's 3,000 year reign.
Alistair [All-i-stair]: Capitol of Madaho, where main characters live.
Kira [Kii-rah]: Main character; werewolf [Starts as 16 years old].
Necrato [Neh-cra-to]: Main character; half-vampire, half-witch, a mute [Starts as 13 years old].
Ryuu [Ree-you]: Main character; dragon [Starts as 11 years old].
-Nee [Neh]: Honorific meaning 'big sister' or 'sister'.
Note: 'Magik' is right, it's referring to the Pagan/original spelling.
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