Bloody Raven in the Shadow

Lonely tears of the night

Content Warning: Character Death, Violence

It took Alice some time to realize where she was, her head pounding and her body aching. Groaning, she turned onto her side to get a better breath. The girl opened her eyes weakly. She was lying in a meadow. There were a few trees around, but not as dense as up in the forest. A little further away in front of her lay Regina, with her back to her. Panting, she laid her hand on the grass, and the bright green immediately turned to a dull gray. She had absorbed the energy. With all her might, the witch pushed herself up. Everything in her struggled and hurt. Her feet were also still injured from the bruise. Unsure, she went to her partner, hesitated and then carefully turned the queen to face her. Startled, she flinched and fell to her knees. Alice tried to say something, anything, but the words got stuck in her throat. With all her strength she tried to suppress the trembling. Tears blurred her vision. Regina stared at her with expressionless brown eyes. Blood began to pool around her in a small puddle. Her surroundings blurred, more and more. - - - "ALICE!" called a familiar voice. The girl looked up, startled. "WAIT MOM!" she answered and the child started running to the woman. She took the hand and they walked down the path. "Do you remember what we're going to collect?" "Bloodroot. Yarrow and ivy" explains the younger one happily. Today her mother decided to go to the mountains again, further away from the village one could find many good herbs, untouched by humans. Alice loved going there with her teacher, otherwise she didn't have the opportunity to leave the village. It would be too dangerous, everyone said, but always walked away themselves. Hunt or hike and then tell each other about other villages. Once a few years ago a traveler had passed through the village. An old magician, he told about politics, history, dragons and other countries. She remembered very clearly how she and Rin had secretly hid in the closet to listen to his stories, even though they should have gone to sleep. "You forgot nettles!" laughed the adult and tore the disciples out of their thoughts. "Oh right" It was a clear day, the wind howling icy through the rocks and the midday sun was shining brightly. Far above them, a figure moved. Their eyes met briefly. It was her sister, the girl had left the village although it was forbidden and was now climbing around up there. The nurse waved and smiled. "Look, there's Rin!" cried little Alice enthusiastically, pointing up, but her mother pulled her arm roughly. "Ignore it!"- - - Terrified, Alice huddled in the corner of the house, the air was stuffy, the smell of fire and burning flesh. From outside she could hear people screaming and yelling. Tears blurred her vision. It was winter, everything was scarce. The men went hunting and didn't come back during the night, everyone was worried and suddenly people came. But they weren't friendly people. They were mean people. They brought fire, swords and death. The girl jumped in shock when the door was pushed open. She was alone in the house, there were no guns that she knew about. Her mother ran into the house. "MOVE GIRL! WE'RE ESCAPING!" she yelled at the younger one. "What about Rin?" She stood up, trembling. "Never mind, come on!" "BUT THE PEOPLE NEED US!" desperately she ran to her mother, who was just grabbing a bag and filling it with gold. "SILENCE," the woman grabbed the girl's braid and threw her against the wall a few meters away. Suddenly the door was kicked open again. A figure appeared in the room. Heavy footsteps moved on the wooden floor, armor rattled. The stranger approached her mother and stabbed the screaming woman. Terrified, Alice stared at the corpse - - - the corpse of Regina - - - the corpse of her mother, above, the figure of a man - - - everything began to blur. She couldn't think straight anymore. Was she in the village or in the forest? Her heart hurt so much, it was difficult for her to breathe. Everything hurt so terribly and it smelled of blood - - - Breathing heavily, she hurried up the steep rocks. She didn't know why it was so easy for her sister to get up there. "WAIT!" she screamed and finally reached the top. The girl stopped. Rin turned to her twin sister and smiled. "Finally, I thought you'd never make it," her twin joked, amused. "I absolutely have to show you the lake." she explained further. "It's not far away, soon you'll make it. So come-" the girl faltered, her gray eyes widening in shock without warning. It was so quick. At first it was excruciating pain, and the last thing she remembered after that was the face of a wildcat attacking her. A wild tiger! - - - Alice screamed and grabbed Regina's hand. "WAKE UP! WAKE UP! DON'T LEAVE ME ALONE!" ... The image of the queen blurred and for a moment she looked again into the blue, lifeless eyes of her mother - - - Breathing heavily, she hurried up the steep rocks. She didn't know why it was so easy for her sister. "WAIT!" she screamed and finally reached the top. "What do you want?" the girl replied calmly "...mother is definitely looking for you" "I don't care!" explains Alice proudly. Rin laughed quietly. "You are bad at lying. I know that nothing is more important to you than the well-being of people and that this woman is proud of you" "She is our mother!" she replied steadfastly "Yours maybe!" "Maybe you should try to help others, then she would give you presents and love you!" Alice now hisses angrily. "I CAN NOT!" Rin yelled back, turning angrily to her sister. "EVERYBODY CAN! YOU JUST HAVE TO LEARN!" she yells angrily. Her twin's eyes flash angrily. "DO YOU THINK I AM AS GREAT AS YOU? CAN HEAL PEOPLE? NO! WHEN WILL YOU UNDERSTAND IT!" Dark shadows spread out behind Rin. "YOU DON'T EVEN TRY!" "I HAVE! FOR YEARS AND NOBODY CARED! THEY TAILED ME WITH CONTEMPT, SAID THERE WERE DEMONS INSIDE ME! THEY SEPARATED US AND LEFT ME ALONE" She was about to reply to her statement when the shadows opened they came rushing and she was swallowed up in the darkness... attacked by her sister - - - Was it a tiger or was it poison that almost killed her that day? - - - The tears stopped - - - she stared at Regina's lifeless eyes... Her hands were bloodstained - - - "Monster!" gasps her mother, lying on the floor. Her gaze fixed on her own daughter, who stood over her with a contented smile. "Call me a monster, don't forget you made me one"- - - Rin stood over Regina's corpse and smiled calmly to himself and then it was a man again. A bandit with a torch in one hand and a bloodstained saber in the other...

Alice jumped up, immediately feeling the sharp pain in her side. Her eyes felt incredibly dry. Her face and hands were covered with blood. She looked around weakly, thick clouds covered the moon. She didn't know how long she was unconscious and when exactly she had lost consciousness. She stood up with difficulty, her head pounding violently.

"Forgive me," she croaked softly and lifted Regina's body with her last strength. She couldn't leave the adult lying like that. A flash of lightning lit up the sky, and from one moment to the next it was raining cats and dogs. Immediately her clothes were completely soaked. In the shadow of the trees she could see a cave. She headed for it. Exhausted, she leaned Regina against the rock face. She didn't know where to go. Were the others alive? Did they escape the forest or did those shadowy beings get them? She couldn't go back, she didn't know where she was. There was a loud bang and she covered her ears, startled. Lightning had struck nearby, and moments later there was a rumble. Then it was pitch black. The cave entrance had collapsed. Stunned, she stared into the black emptiness. The witch then formed her hands into a semicircle like she had once learned from Harvey, she didn't want to stay here. She didn't want to be with the Queen anymore, she couldn't bear it. Although she was exhausted and had hardly any energy left, she started walking. She would rather pass out from exhaustion than sit idle and sleep.

"Watch over me," Alice whispers softly. A small light appeared in her hands, with which she went deeper into the cave. It was a walk. It was stuffy and the dripping of water echoed softly. The girl ran deeper and deeper, she didn't know how much time had passed, but she walked through many corridors, came to junctions and then went on. After some time she wondered what this cave was for, everything was far too perfect to be of nature. Maybe a wizard had wandered through here. Or elves in their prayers. Or warriors of an ancient war. Exhaustion began to cloud her body and mind as suddenly the endless and always constant corridor changed into a big and wide cave. Water flowed into a lake and crystals reflecting their light were reflected brilliantly in the water. Tired, she knelt down and greedily drank some water. It felt nice to have a drink and exhausted she leaned against a large rock and closed the eyes. The light went out.