Please note that this Prologue is not a signal of my return from writer's vacation. I just wanted to get this down to see how you like it. This is going to be a replacement for Breaking the Language Barrier, which will be deleted soon. I will list the couples in the next chapter.
(I own nothing)
Of Wolves and Snakes
Prologue
"Please! Have mercy on me!"
"Mercy? MERCY? HA! Mercy is for the weak, boy. I show mercy to no one, and you are no different. If you want mercy, I would suggest getting down on your knees and pray, for only the gods will be merciful now."
"No, no please She-Demon; I will do anything, just don't-"
"I will do what I wish, as I grow tired of this game. Now child, say goodbye! I SUMMON THEE--"
"NO! I beg you She-Demon!"
"Begging doesn't work with me! Now, time for you to face your doom! ARISE HADES, LORD OF THE UNDERWORLD!"
The scene still burned. How could she have done this? Sin so that even demons feared their holiness by associating with her. But yet, there it was, etched into her mind's eye forever. Could that really have been her, standing there, condemning a poor boy's soul to an everlasting fate? Could that really have been her, laughing as the great, black, unholy serpent that was Hades emerged from the small, rotating top called a beyblade? Could that really have been her, smiling as her opponent trembled before her like a newborn foal?
No. It couldn't be. It shouldn't be. It wasn't.
But It Was
As much as she wished it wasn't, it was. That was the truth. It couldn't be changed. It had really been her, standing there, emotionless, as the great serpent attacked. It had really been her, laughing when the opposing beyblade disintegrated into nothing more than a small pile of ashes. It had really been her, smiling as her opponent collapsed, never to tremble again.
"SOMEONE GET ME OUT OF THIS NIGHTMARE!"
"Tsk, tsk Werewolf, why ever would you want to leave now? The Game is just beginning…" the echo of a calm, female voice replied
"Who said that?" She called into the darkness
"Do not tell me you do not remember your own Sister…"
"Sister? I have no sister"
"But that is what I am. You are the Light, and I am the Dark. Come now Sister, please don't tell me you have already forgotten…"
"I have no sister! Stop calling me that you liar!"
"I do not lie, and I cannot change what I am, just as you cannot change your past…"
She was panicking now. "Who are you? Get out of my head! Where are you? Show yourself! SHOW YOURSELF AND GET OUT!"
"Very well…" she said, but instead of an echo, responding, it was a clear voice, coming from…directly behind her!
She spun around and found a girl wearing all black, with her exact height and figure, standing in the darkness, face covered by a veil. "Who are you?" she whispered again
"Did we not already discuss that, dear Sister?" she asked
"Shut up!" she flared. "You are not my sister!"
"Deny all you wish, dear Sister, but it will not make any difference. Come the rising of autumn's first Harvest Moon, the destiny our Mother bestowed upon us shall unfold, bringing us into unanimity once more! Nothing you say or do shalt change what the Stars decreed one decade ago, so acknowledge our fate, Sister, for that day will dawn all too soon…"
That was all she could stand. "SHUT UP! GET OUT OF MY HEAD DAMMIT! LEAVE ME ALONE! GET OUT! GET OUT! GET OUT!" She attacked the other girl and ripped away the veil. After taking one look at her adversary's face, she gasped in horror and backed away. "No! It-it can't be! Not you!" A devilish look came over the un-masked girl.
"Soon the hour of our Apocalypse shall be at hand, so heed my words until then…
…Valkyrie"
I shot bolt upright in bed and screamed bloody murder for five straight seconds before clamping my hand over my mouth to shut myself up. Thunder roared in the distance as silent flashes of lightning illuminated the pitch-black sky. 'I hope he didn't hear…' My conscience prayed, but I knew very well he did, and was probably on his way up right now, thanks to my damnable lungs
I usually don't scream after that nightmare, but…that girl; that girl has never shown up in it before tonight. Why her? Why is her face coming back to haunt me now? It was then I realized that I had broken out in a cold sweat while sleeping. What the hell was going on with me?'!
"You are the Light, and I am the Dark. Come now Sister, please don't tell me you have already forgotten…"
'Forgotten? What does she mean forgotten? Did I once know something that my mind no longer has access to now? And what did she mean by me being the Light?'
The wind screamed in protest when the branches of the old, sturdy trees outside refused to leave their homes, pushing them against the French doors that lead to my balcony. They scraped threateningly against the glass panes, as if demanding entrance, and yet the sound of rain had still not made itself present to my senses. This was going to be one hell of a storm, that was for sure.
"The Game is just beginning…"
'What game? Was this some kind of joke? Or maybe-'
"Sis? Can I come in?"
I jumped at the sudden noise outside my bedroom door. Nice timing, Bro! "Yeah, door's open. Come on." I called back. I heard the door squeak softly as my brother walked in, then came and sat gently on my bed.
"Are you alright?" He asked quietly, concern in his voice, "I heard you scream from downstairs." I thought of something quick, and then forced a smile.
"Yeah, I thought I saw a cricket and screamed before I realized it was just a spot on the floor. Sorry 'bout that, hehe…" I lied through my teeth. It was too dark for me to see his face, but I knew he was looking at me. He was quiet for so long I wasn't sure he had bought it or not.
Finally, after what had seemed like an eternity (which, in reality, had only been about 9 seconds), he said, "Alright, if that's all." I mentally sighed in relief. "Try to get some sleep, okay?"
I nodded. "Okay. 'Night big brother." He leaned over and lightly kissed the top of my head.
"Goodnight. Sweet dreams." He whispered at the door before he closed it. Once outside, he leaned against the doorframe and sighed softly to himself. She lied. He knew she had lied. She had a nightmare again; third time this week. But why did she scream? He never pushed her when it came to her nightmares, but he just couldn't help but worry about his little sister…
10101
Back inside, I rejoiced in the fact that my split-second lie had worked. The guilt of lying to my older brother edged into my thoughts briefly before I repressed it. Deciding to take his advice and get some sleep, I pushed the nightmare from my mind's eye and rolled over so I faced the wall.
As the lightning flashed again, I was oblivious to the appearance a dark figure standing on my balcony.
"Yes, Sister, sleep well, for the Fall Solstice is less than a half-year away. Prepare to meet your fate…"
Its words were muted by the deafening thunder. When the lightning flashed again, the black apparition disappeared, and with the absence, a hard rain began to fall…