I Am The Son

CHAPTER 1 -- A Strand Of Raven Hair

Chapter 1: A Strand of Raven Hair

In the tallest tower, overseeing the lands of Imorta, there lived a young boy named Moni. He had messy raven hair and dark brown eyes that always seemed to get the best of people, he had a small frame and was quite short for the age of ten.

From birth Moni had been burdened with a curse that told of both a sinful past and an even darker future, one that some were determined to prevent. He was the youngest of five children birthed to Emerick and Talia Hates, king and queen of the kingdom of Dalen in Ashgar. From the second he laid eyes on his fifth child, Emerick knew something was wrong. Moni's eldest brother, Pheros had been born with the mark of Veritas, the blade of truth, but Moni had been marked by Dolus, the blade of deceit. Never in the history of all of Imorta had two children, of one family, been born with the mark of a twin sword.

Emerick knew that the very moment this news broke, the kings of the other two Ashgar kingdoms would turn against him claiming conspiracy. They would say that he used sorcery to manipulate the gifts of Thanatos to strengthen his bloodline so that he may claim Imorta for himself. He knew that if anything could it was power that corrupted men's hearts andthat nothing is more empowering than having all you could ask for just within reach.

Emerick soon devised a plan to send his son away but Talia refused to give away her child and reminded him of what they had created, a beautiful baby boy with short raven hair and dark brown eyes that never asked to be born with the mark of Dolus. However, the boy still had to be kept out of sight somehow for no one could ever know of him and because of this Moni's father kept him under lock and key until his tenth birthday when something odd happened.

Moni was sitting at his window like he always did, watching the other children run and play, he never was really fond of sport but the thought of wind flowing through his hair as he ran across an open plain of grass was liberating.

"What're you staring at..?" Moni heard echo throughout his large and mostly empty room, it was only empty because he never wanted for material things the one thing he wanted was freedom and he couldn't have that.

He turned around and saw his older brother, Tael, standing in the doorway that was usually shut tight. Moni turned back to the large window placing his hand on the glass, watching the autumn leaves fall from the branches that reached his window. "Nothing.." he said sighing softly. "Well you know what father says, 'What may see-'", he started. "Seem to be nothing to you just might be everything to someone else' I know I know..it's the story of my life Tael.", Moni finished in a sluggish tone.

"You don't have a life Moni, and it's not because of your mark, it's because you're barely ten years old." Tael said, placing his hand on his younger brother's shoulder.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY MONI!!!" they heard as the voice carried across the room before Moni was greeted by a tight hug around his neck and a rather wet kiss on his forehead. He didn't even need to turn around to know who it was who had wished him a happy birthday, the wet kiss and loud obnoxious entrance was proof enough that his aunt Regina was here, not to mention she always smelled of old licorice she kept on her for every visit. She had bright ginger hair and a slim figure that was complimented by her attire, she wore a lime green and black Bodice with a green skirt that just covered her knees.

"Licorice, Moni? It's Cheeeeeerry I know that's my little nephews favorite!" She exclaimed. By this time Moni had grown terribly tired of licorice and besides Cherry was hardly his favorite. "Hello Aunt Regina, thank you for the birthday wishes.." He said tightly embracing his Aunt.

"Heya Tyke!" The loud booming voice carried down the hallway and passed Moni's door before his Uncle Terris turned his awkwardly large body to the threshold of the door, his shoulders slamming either side of the frame. "I Whatin always dis big ,ye'know? But ye Auntie sure can cook" He laughed as he turned to his side waddling back in forth through the door. "Ah like what ye dun with the place, lad." A large grin crawling across his rather fat face covered by his scraggly ginger beard that scretched snug tight against his couple of chins. His head mostly bald ontop with strands of his ginger hair still holding onto the back of his head.

"Thanks Uncle Terris" Moni replied as he pretended, best he could, to be happy. After all today was his birthday. "Terris!" Regina hissed elbowing her husband in his big round belly. "Give the boy his present!" she continued.

"Oh! ye'right! 'Ere ye go lad!" He exclaimed as he held out a "Y" shaped stick of wood with one end of an elastic band attached on either side. "Well dunt ye like it??" Terris asked. "What is it?" Moni replied tilting his head and scrunching up his face.

"Itsa slingshot! Me and ye old man used ta have a pair and boy were we little devils with em!" Terris exclaimed, lost in the overwhelming nostalgia.

"Welp! We bes be goin! Got a long way back to home and the weather ain't lookin too good." He said, turning around and making his way to the door. "Terris Harold Hates II!! You old fool!" Snapped Regina. "You forgot to give em his balls!" She finished.

"Well de gods know better than me! They'll be droppin in a few years! The lads just hitting puberty!" He defended. "Not those you fool!" Regina snapped again, striking her husband's shoulder. "His ammunition!" She yelled beginning to lose her patience with her husband.

"Ah! Right! Right! Yer right!" Terris said, digging into his deep pockets to find the small bag of round wooden bullets. He grabbed the back and tossed it to Moni. "Try not to put yer sisters eye out lad. Understood?"

"Yes sir." Moni replied, smiling as he eagerly opened the small package of bullets not noticing his Uncle and Aunt leaving his room until the door slammed behind them. He gripped the handle of the Slingshot putting a bullet into the small holder before he aimed at his door, drew his sling and shot. The bullet slammed the door and ricocheted back towards him. He ducked as the bullet just grazed his head before flying out of the window.

He immediately regretted it and didnt want to look but he turned around anyway to find that the window has a small hole in it. He walked over to peer out of the hole in his window and saw a small girl lying in the grass very still and his bullet a few inches from her head. Without a second thought Moni rushed to his door, leaving behind a small strand of raven hair in his haste.