Chapter One
I only know that I can change,
Everything else just stays the same,
So now I step out of the darkness
That my life became
Staind, "Fade"
Leaves crunched in protest under her bare feet amidst the mud already caked there from her escape down the menacing slope that surrounded the place she had once called home. Her long hair clung to her in tendrils of gold, drenched by the pouring rain, and her eyes stared forlornly behind her at the brightly lit windows of the castle.
A thunderclap caused her eyes to jerk toward the sky, and a flood of despair and fear coursed through her frail body.
As the rumble faded away, she stole another glance at the castle before turning and continuing, knowing that she would never again feel the warmth within those walls or the safety of the stolid roof guarding her head.
"What do you mean you won't go through with it?!" Moloculo raged, taking two strides toward his daughter and glaring down at her through both his glass eye and his good eye.
"I . . . I don't want to hurt anyone . . ." she cringed, backing up against the wall like a rabbit cornered by a rabid hound.
Moloculo sighed heavily. "There is no other way, Ariana. Something must be done to show them that monsters are not to be reckoned with!" He put a hand on her shoulder. "How else do you expect to get revenge for what they did?"
"That's not what she would have wanted . . ." Ariana ventured, turning her face away from her father.
"Don't talk back to me! This is what we've been working for all these years! Are you just going to throw that away?"
She felt her resolve weaken at the disappointment and disapproval in his voice.
"I . . . that's not what I . . . there has to be another way . . ." She rubbed her arm anxiously, her stomach twisting like a sponge.
"There is not. Now stop this foolishness."
A minute burst of resentment spurred within her. "It is not foolishness . . ." she muttered.
"Oh, but it is." He clenched his fists, his eyes narrowing to slits. "You're my daughter, and you'll do as I say!"
Ariana shrank back as far as the stone wall would allow, her eyes looking up at Moloculo with fearful determination.
"Father, I . . . It's not right . . . I won't help you hurt them!"
"You will if I say you will!" he snarled. "Even if I have to use force! I will not let it go without a fight, do you understand me!?"
"But-"
"NO!" He reeled his arm around, balling his hand into a fist with the wild glint of rage in his eye.
A cry spilled between her lips, and she brought her hand up to her reddening, throbbing cheek. The next time she made sure to duck under any stray, wiry branches belonging to the dead trees spanning the outskirts of the village.
The night grew dead quiet.
The only noises she became conscious of were those of her pounding heart and her shallow, raspy breaths as she drew near the quaint, silhouetted cottages lining the single dirt road that ran through the village. Each soundless step she took heightened the fear coursing through her body, and her eyes darted this way and that for an indication that anyone was awake.
When she reached the outskirts on the opposite end of the Transylvanian settlement she exhaled gratefully, checking behind her one last time for a sign that the villagers knew she was there.
There was none.
She closed her eyes momentarily, trying to calm herself, and turned around to face the dark outline of the woods up ahead.
A shrill gasp escaped her throat as she opened her eyes.
"H-hello . . ." said an uncertain voice.
She squinted in the darkness, trying to make out the face belonging to the voice.
"It's me . . . Terren," he said lowly, his eyes flitting about nervously.
"Terren . . ." she repeated slowly. Her eyes fell to the ground as she tried to recall where she'd heard that name before. Suddenly it hit her and her eyes lit up with recognition. "Terren!" she breathed.
Her excitement faded as quickly as it has sprung up. She looked around uneasily and then at the dark figure in front of her.
"You're not . . . not going to wake them up, are you?"
"No," he replied hesitantly. "I just wanted to say that I'm . . . I'm sorry about what happened before. I was stupid."
"It's all right . . ." she said, even though she knew it wasn't.
"I'm glad you're okay, though," he added lamely. "Where are you going so late?"
She wanted to ask why he wanted to know, but instead she poured out the whole story, tears beginning to rain down her porcelain cheeks as she fought to keep her voice steady.
"He can't do that to you!" declared Terren firmly when she had finished.
"He already has, Terren," she said hopelessly.
"Well I'm not going to stand by and let him ju-"
He had started for the castle, but Ariana held him back by the sleeve.
"Don't! Just . . . let it go . . ."
"I made that mistake before. I saw you just now and thought . . ." he trailed off, sighing heavily. "Ariana, where will you go?"
"I don't know," she responded slowly, looking past him toward the black horizon. "I'll be okay."
"But . . ."
She made her way around him and he could protest no further. As her
tiny form disappeared into the darkness he could see her stop once to turn and wave at him. He returned it half-heartedly and murmured under his breath.
"Goodbye, Ariana."
