 ꓅ꆂꐇꏸꑛ ꓅ꑛꍟ ꌚꀗꐟ  ᵃ ʳᵉʸˡᵒ ᵃᵘ

Prologue  The Monster In The Shadows

꒓ey was a princess, the daughter of the king of the highlands. She had spent her whole life preparing to become queen one day, to lead her people as her mother did. But she also wanted to have the strength to defend them as her father did, so she studied in the arts of swordsmanship and archery her whole life, despite her mother's fears that she might get hurt. She had become a great warrior, second only to her father in their clan.

Rey was nineteen now and everyday she had more and more duties, but still she would slip into the forest in her free time to practice her archery skills, and explore the world around her.

Her parents had taught her the legends of the highlands, the will o' the wisps that lingered in the forest and would sometimes appear to guide those who sought it to their fate. Rey had spent much of her time as a young girl in search of the ancient spirits, she had even seen one once. A bright blue flame lighting the dim shadows beneath the trees, that whispered and called to her. She was only seven at the time, but even then she had longed to discover her fate...her destiny.

But before she could follow the spirit, her mother called her so she ran to her. Rey had never seen a wisp since, though she had searched far and wide. It seemed that her fate would remain hidden.

Her parents had also told her of the dangers of the forest... Vader, the demon bear, he was called lurked the woods. The black bear was terribly scared from years of fighting, the bear was not a peaceful creature, it was a killer. It hunted not for food, the woods were filled with berries and fish were plentiful in the streams, he hunted for sport.

Rey casted an eerie glance between the trees around her. She could still remember the first time she laid eyes on the demon bear.

It was her seventh birthday and her parents were celebrating with a picnic in the clearing just outside the forest. It had been a quiet, peaceful day until she saw something creep forward from the shadows of the forest. She had screamed in fear at the sight of the black bear, larger than any other that had ever been seen. It's hideous face burnt and scared, the broken ends of arrows protruded from his hide where they were still buried deep within his flesh.

Her father had quickly stepped up to save her, swinging his sword with lightening speed. He saved her life escaping with scars that would tell the tale of the monster. But the bear escaped with its life and rumors of hunters and travels going missing or being found dead, their bodies mauled by the massive claws and teeth, constantly reached the castle.

She heard the snap of a twig behind her and quickly turned to face it, knocking an arrow to her bowstring and drawing it back. A low growl rumbled through the trees, and a massive form loomed towards her.

Rey was not one to cower or run in fear, she was brave and strong enough to face a bear. But Vader was no mere bear, he was a monster, a creature who had slain thousands. No man nor creature alive was strong enough to face the terrible being.

She basked away slowly, until she reached her horse and she quickly climbed up into his saddle.

At her sudden movement, a large black form emerged from the shadows.

Her horse veered back on his hind legs to evade the enormous claws of the bear. She held tight to the reins to keep from falling off. His front hooves hammered back down into the grass and Rey pulled on his reins, guiding him through the forest.

She urged him on to greater speeds, but he didn't need much encouragement as he fled for his life from the monstrous bear that perused them.

Finally they emerged from the shadows of the forest into the daylight of the castle grounds. Rey looked back, the bear halted at the tree line, he didn't dare to enter the open grass covered hills that surrounded the sturdy castle walls. But each day he grew bolder, and she fear that one day he would be bold enough to enter the open ground.

But for now she was safe, she had been lucky to escape the monstrous claws of the beast without a scratch, many were not so lucky.