*Prologue Continued* *Sorry, last part of the prologue, I
promise!*
After I passed out, I had every intention to die. I really thought I would die, but fate would not let me go that easy because even before the fire could work it's way over to me, causing me a fiery death, a mysterious woman appeared and hurriedly picked me up from where I was slumped. The next thing I knew that happened was she carried me through the rain and somehow ended up at her home.
I woke up in a room that was both unfamiliar and eccentric. The walls were a charcoal black, with large cracks in the wall. When I looked up, I noticed there were many leaks in the ceiling. and that there was no carpet on the floor, just bare wood. The door burst open. It practically flew off it's hinges, and in walked in a woman all in black. She stared at me, but her facial expression softened. "Where am I?" I managed to say.
"Don't worry, you are safe." She spoke softly in an accent that was foreign to me. "Why am I here?" I demanded. She smiled. "For seven years old, you sure are demanding and outgoing. Come have breakfast." She invited as she stretched out a bony arm with long fingernails. I looked at her with suspicion. I didn't know if I could trust this woman. She was incredibly bizarre. Her hair was long and wavy, her eyes were black and full of mystique. She wore a long black dress, no shoes. I took her hand anyway and she lead me to a grimy kitchen.
I sat down in the only chair available and watched her rapidly fix breakfast. When she was done, it hardly looked like food at all. "I need tell you why you are here and why Ethan Grisham killed your family." She stood up and walked to a large cupboard. As she opened it, I managed to see a variety of medium size jars that inhabited it. Was this woman a witch? She pulled out a thick leather bound book and handed it to me.
"Can you read?" She asked politely. I nodded. "Ah, not only are you demanding and outgoing, you are also smart. I must admit, I don't know any seven year olds, but you are probably the only one that can read," she complimented. I looked at the book. The letters on the cover glistened in the light. It read 'Cursed'. "What is this supposed to mean?" I asked, quite puzzled. She sat down. "First of all, I haven't told you my name. My name is Serena. I have no last name because I have no family. Ethan Grisham is evil. He is practically satanic. Try and avoid him at all costs. He killed your family, and he is still out looking for you."
"Ethan wiped out the entire village that you lived close to. There he found your mother, father, and Tera. Then he searched long and hard for your cottage, he found it eventually and I think you know what happened from there. The reason he is after your family is because a long time ago your father used to work with a wood cutter named Christopher Grisham, which was Ethan's father. They were as close as friends could get, but one day while he was helping cutting wood with Christopher, a strange spirit entered the woods."
"Your father could feel something different in his presence and he asked Christopher if he felt it too. Christopher didn't and they kept working. The spirit, showed itself into a beautiful young woman that told them she would grant each of them one wish. Your father, being very smart asked "What was the catch?" But poor Christopher already jumped at the chance of having a wish granted. "I wish my family were better off and that I wouldn't have to be a wood cutter and do all this hard labor." With a twisted smile, the spirit nodded and vanished."
"Christopher looked quite pleased with himself and went home early, and your father went home also. Late at night, Christopher became quite feverish. In the morning, his reflection became almost transparent. Soon, his wife had also become ill and started fading also. Ethan didn't know what to do. When they both died, Ethan was moved in with his aunt and uncle. Since he heard of his father's story about a strange spirit granting wishes, he was convinced that your father wished his parents to death out of jealousy and spite. However, the truth was that this spirit was no mere genie."
"In the book I just handed you, it tells of all the mythical creatures to beware of. The spirit that came that night was a Ferala Changeling. Yes, it says that it will grant a wish. But will it? No. If you do wish for something, you have already given your soul to the evil out there, and they can do what they want with you. Out of rage, Ethan formed a large group of men. Beware these men because they listen to every word he says. Now listen to me, this is the most important thing I have to say. Zoe Flockdale, you are of special birth. You are gifted. Child, if only you knew of the powers you posses. I cannot go into detail because the book can do that for me. You were born under the blood moon which rises once every 200 years exactly 12:00 midnight."
She sighed. All this information she told me was very useful but, what if she was lying? "I know you think I'm lying. How do I know? Because my great grandmother was born under a blood moon. Not exactly midnight, but close. The power passes down to your children. If you ever have children that is. But you must hurry and go, Ethan will be here soon. Why do I know all about Ethan? Don't ask questions, I just know. You must hurry. I shall give you a horse to ride away on. A little horse, your not too tall yet." She exclaimed as she quickly ran outside.
She handed me a small bag. "Here's some food for your journey, goof luck to you." She whispered. She whispered foreign words in the horses ears and the horse jumped and ran as fast as it could. I don't remember much about what happened after that, but I do know why I was condemned in this tower. I traveled with my horse, which I had named Isis. My horse was all black except for a white patch over her left eye. We wandered into a very small village. I had no more food left in my bag, and little money..
I wandered into a market looking at all the fruits and vegetables. Out of nowhere, people just start shouting "WITCH!" I turn around and see that the villagers are pointing at me. "Excuse me? I am no witch!" I replied. I couldn't help but wonder why they were calling me a witch. Isis was out on the main stone pebbled street and all I had with me was my bag and my book. My book! It had 'Cursed' on the front. They probably thought I was a witch for carrying such a strange book around.
Before I had a chance to leave a large burly man appeared and dragged me away to a dark abandoned castle. There, they sentenced me to 10 years in the tower for 'practice of witch craft' on the villagers. Which I did not do. They took my book away, and sentenced Isis to death also. They fed me once a day with stale bread and a mug of water. Tomorrow is the day I shall be hanged. Part of me is relieved but part of me is absolutely terrified. I hug the thin blanket full of holes. "Tomorrow is the day...." I mumble to myself as I drift off into a troublesome sleep.
I
After I passed out, I had every intention to die. I really thought I would die, but fate would not let me go that easy because even before the fire could work it's way over to me, causing me a fiery death, a mysterious woman appeared and hurriedly picked me up from where I was slumped. The next thing I knew that happened was she carried me through the rain and somehow ended up at her home.
I woke up in a room that was both unfamiliar and eccentric. The walls were a charcoal black, with large cracks in the wall. When I looked up, I noticed there were many leaks in the ceiling. and that there was no carpet on the floor, just bare wood. The door burst open. It practically flew off it's hinges, and in walked in a woman all in black. She stared at me, but her facial expression softened. "Where am I?" I managed to say.
"Don't worry, you are safe." She spoke softly in an accent that was foreign to me. "Why am I here?" I demanded. She smiled. "For seven years old, you sure are demanding and outgoing. Come have breakfast." She invited as she stretched out a bony arm with long fingernails. I looked at her with suspicion. I didn't know if I could trust this woman. She was incredibly bizarre. Her hair was long and wavy, her eyes were black and full of mystique. She wore a long black dress, no shoes. I took her hand anyway and she lead me to a grimy kitchen.
I sat down in the only chair available and watched her rapidly fix breakfast. When she was done, it hardly looked like food at all. "I need tell you why you are here and why Ethan Grisham killed your family." She stood up and walked to a large cupboard. As she opened it, I managed to see a variety of medium size jars that inhabited it. Was this woman a witch? She pulled out a thick leather bound book and handed it to me.
"Can you read?" She asked politely. I nodded. "Ah, not only are you demanding and outgoing, you are also smart. I must admit, I don't know any seven year olds, but you are probably the only one that can read," she complimented. I looked at the book. The letters on the cover glistened in the light. It read 'Cursed'. "What is this supposed to mean?" I asked, quite puzzled. She sat down. "First of all, I haven't told you my name. My name is Serena. I have no last name because I have no family. Ethan Grisham is evil. He is practically satanic. Try and avoid him at all costs. He killed your family, and he is still out looking for you."
"Ethan wiped out the entire village that you lived close to. There he found your mother, father, and Tera. Then he searched long and hard for your cottage, he found it eventually and I think you know what happened from there. The reason he is after your family is because a long time ago your father used to work with a wood cutter named Christopher Grisham, which was Ethan's father. They were as close as friends could get, but one day while he was helping cutting wood with Christopher, a strange spirit entered the woods."
"Your father could feel something different in his presence and he asked Christopher if he felt it too. Christopher didn't and they kept working. The spirit, showed itself into a beautiful young woman that told them she would grant each of them one wish. Your father, being very smart asked "What was the catch?" But poor Christopher already jumped at the chance of having a wish granted. "I wish my family were better off and that I wouldn't have to be a wood cutter and do all this hard labor." With a twisted smile, the spirit nodded and vanished."
"Christopher looked quite pleased with himself and went home early, and your father went home also. Late at night, Christopher became quite feverish. In the morning, his reflection became almost transparent. Soon, his wife had also become ill and started fading also. Ethan didn't know what to do. When they both died, Ethan was moved in with his aunt and uncle. Since he heard of his father's story about a strange spirit granting wishes, he was convinced that your father wished his parents to death out of jealousy and spite. However, the truth was that this spirit was no mere genie."
"In the book I just handed you, it tells of all the mythical creatures to beware of. The spirit that came that night was a Ferala Changeling. Yes, it says that it will grant a wish. But will it? No. If you do wish for something, you have already given your soul to the evil out there, and they can do what they want with you. Out of rage, Ethan formed a large group of men. Beware these men because they listen to every word he says. Now listen to me, this is the most important thing I have to say. Zoe Flockdale, you are of special birth. You are gifted. Child, if only you knew of the powers you posses. I cannot go into detail because the book can do that for me. You were born under the blood moon which rises once every 200 years exactly 12:00 midnight."
She sighed. All this information she told me was very useful but, what if she was lying? "I know you think I'm lying. How do I know? Because my great grandmother was born under a blood moon. Not exactly midnight, but close. The power passes down to your children. If you ever have children that is. But you must hurry and go, Ethan will be here soon. Why do I know all about Ethan? Don't ask questions, I just know. You must hurry. I shall give you a horse to ride away on. A little horse, your not too tall yet." She exclaimed as she quickly ran outside.
She handed me a small bag. "Here's some food for your journey, goof luck to you." She whispered. She whispered foreign words in the horses ears and the horse jumped and ran as fast as it could. I don't remember much about what happened after that, but I do know why I was condemned in this tower. I traveled with my horse, which I had named Isis. My horse was all black except for a white patch over her left eye. We wandered into a very small village. I had no more food left in my bag, and little money..
I wandered into a market looking at all the fruits and vegetables. Out of nowhere, people just start shouting "WITCH!" I turn around and see that the villagers are pointing at me. "Excuse me? I am no witch!" I replied. I couldn't help but wonder why they were calling me a witch. Isis was out on the main stone pebbled street and all I had with me was my bag and my book. My book! It had 'Cursed' on the front. They probably thought I was a witch for carrying such a strange book around.
Before I had a chance to leave a large burly man appeared and dragged me away to a dark abandoned castle. There, they sentenced me to 10 years in the tower for 'practice of witch craft' on the villagers. Which I did not do. They took my book away, and sentenced Isis to death also. They fed me once a day with stale bread and a mug of water. Tomorrow is the day I shall be hanged. Part of me is relieved but part of me is absolutely terrified. I hug the thin blanket full of holes. "Tomorrow is the day...." I mumble to myself as I drift off into a troublesome sleep.
I