The Raven's Code

Prologue

The High Sister's would tell me stories. Stories of great adventure's filled with heroic men and women sailing across open seas to explore unclaimed territories, finding buried treasure with the promise of 'Eternal Life', villager's being raided during the time of King's and Queen's by those of the night, tales of barbaric warriors invading neighboring homes-- soaked in the blood of innocent, and the legend of Little Red Riding Hood slaying the Big Bad Wolf. 

I had never fully believed in the tragic myths and cursed tales created for the weak minded fools within the human race. But High Sister Aya, relieved me of all certainty I had proudly held during my youth, coyly stating "All legends are like a flower. They are born from the seed of truth and bloom into the bedroom of children." Her gaze captured my attention, unwavering in every syllable she spoke, "They invoke the animal instinct in each of us to hide, run, quake, and shake in fear. Those that heed its warnings, survive and yet man grows to fear the legends of nightmares. Monsters. Why do you think they search for the unsearchable?" 

My thoughts grew uneasy and I felt like a small belittled child being punished after having been caught with their hand in the cookie jar. "Because the human's are afraid?" I said softly. "That is correct," Aya snapped. "They cannot see what their fear clouds and in reality, they do not truly wish to see the truth behind the legends of monsters. But as you will soon understand, the legends may be closer to the truth than you think." I puzzled over the cryptic words, "So is it true then? Are the stories of the Nightwalker's and Lycan real?" The High Sister Aya placed a hand on my shoulder and I shivered as I could feel her icy cold fingers bleeding through the fabric of my tunic. "Why don't you scurry on down to the Town Square? That's enough story time. Let your Sister know if your eyes happen upon anything interesting." With that said, Sister Aya swept her long robes in a grand flourish and she glided out of the grand archway we had been conversing under towards the entrance of the Church. 

I pondered and searched through these new discoveries. But they could not be possible. The tales and legends were of other worldly monsters, ghouls, faeries, shape-shifting humans and blood-sucking demons. I scoffed in disbelief, there were no such thing as monsters. With this thought on constant repeat in my head, I ignored the ominous feeling of being watched and the naw of fear in my gut, heeding my Sister's advice and heading to the Centre Square.

But by night, I knew. The seed of legends were based on truth. The unsearchable had drifted across the path I always took after departing from the Town's Square, heading back towards the Church. A mass fog had settled among the overgrown redwood trees that ascended heavenward and seemed to invade every inch of plane among the forest floor. My eyesight was constricted and at the time, I could only be graced with the next few feet in front of me as I took step by steps forward. Thats when I saw it, two silver iridescent orbs of light glowing through a small patch of fog seemingly in the middle of my path. Surely it must be the trick of the light, I thought. I rubbed my eyes only to reopen them and be frozen to the core as I witnessed the unblinking silver orbs begin to move closer. And closer.

That night, I learned that the monsters underneath your bed were real. The legend of humans being cursed with the spirit of animals and blue eyed hunters ravaging the innocent of their life were real. Creatures with the ability to harness supernatural forces were real. Witches plaguing those that betrayed their trust with curses, and yet healing the sick were real. A ruling monarchy in each clan of  the unsearchable and the Horde's ruling generation of Blesséd were real.

 The tales of individuals hunting childhood nightmare's and laying them to rest were real. 

I have been alive for almost 220 years now. There are no nightmares, only reality. There are no happy endings, only survival. There are no emotions, only protecting the innocent. There are no coincidences, only matter of fact. There is no one to protect you in the Sister's, only yourself. 

The thing about legends and fairy tales? It's all truth layered upon the ground of illusion and fantasy, except for one minor detail. Love is a myth. There is no love, only instinct. We among the Sister's do not believe in the concept of emotional attachment. It is forbidden. 

I never wanted to be a Sister, I was chosen beyond my control by the Ancient Artemis and we cannot change our fate. At least that is what we are forced to believe.

But maybe one day, I can escape the nightmares-- my nightmares. Maybe one day, my fairy tale of home will become a seed of truth and blossom into reality. A laughter of bitterness left my throat, yeah- maybe one day.