It had been a week or so since I had begun to travel through the woods. I wanted to be as far away from that asylum as possible. But, as time dragged on I realized that it was best if I had a goal to where I should go. I couldn’t just wander about the woods like a mad man. I needed a plan, and so I came up with one. I would travel up north, and get a job to afford passage to England. The only problem was, I didn’t know how I would get there, or how I would get that job. 

    I had eventually arrived at a small town, I was hungry but knew better than to steal. They had a small church at the center of their little town, and I knew they could give me some food. I walked inside, Mass was taking place and I stood in the back and waited for its end. When Mass had ended and people were leaving, I walked up to the altar where the priest was. I got down on my knees and asked him if he could spare any food for a broke traveler. The priest smiled and led me to a room in the back of the church. There was food stored away most likely for the poor. He grabbed a basket and placed some bread and fruit. He handed it to me, along with a rosary, “Bring this on your travels for God shall guide you in spirit”. I nodded, taking the Rosary and tucking it into my pocket. I thanked him, and I left. As I was leaving town I saw a newspaper, thrown to the ground left forgotten. The title read, “Charleston Asylum burned to the ground”. I smiled and picked it up. Even though I wanted to forget about that place I couldn’t help but want to read about what I was running from. 

When the town was out of sight I had decided that now would be a good time to eat and rest. I came across a beautiful field of flowers, that reminded me of one of the paintings mother owned. Were they wondering where I was, surely they would have heard about the news and asked if they had found me dead or alive, right? I ignored the thoughts of what my parents might be thinking or better yet doing about my disappearance. I sat down under a tree so that I had a wonderful view of the flower field. 

I ripped off a piece of bread and took out the paper. As I ate I read the cover story. “Charleston Asylum had caught on fire for reasons unknown. Doctors, and nurses were found dead, with the Head of the establishment, Dr. Monroe beheaded and nude. Patients had run off into the woods, all but one patient was rounded up and questioned before being shot to death. What was odd however was that every patient found and brought for questioning responded the same whether they were male or female, murders or a crazy neighbor. They all responded with “The wolf lady did it, she ripped off his head and killed all our captors setting us free”. I couldn’t help but smile, I had averted custody, and I was the one they couldn't catch, yet. If I really had done it then the question was how did I do it, and could I do it again?

I had fallen asleep and I had a dream so strange that it almost seemed true. I fell from the sky panicking. I flailed my arms and cried for help. A great eagle caught me on her back and landed on the edge of the cliff. Suddenly the great eagle changed into a beautiful woman. Her hair was the color of gold and flowed down to her ankles, she had wings on her back and a giant sapphire was wrapped around her neck. Rubies decorated the beautiful dress she wore and her feet were bare as well. 

    “Hello young one”, her voice sounded so sweet and calm that any anxiety I had melted away, “I have been watching you for quite some time, and I realized that you were the perfect successor to carry my power and spirit with you”. 

I was speechless at the moment, I wanted to respond but I simply couldn’t. I was stunned by her beauty and her words so I simply nodded to signal her to continue.

    “Humanity is broken, I know alone I can not stop it for it is too late. Yet, I have been searching for a human who might have a little more heart than the rest. THat day you left that awful place was because of me. I realized you weren;t going to get out unless I helped you. But, you still aren’t as pure quite yet. YOu still have broken dreams and your humanity falters. You must learn on your own however and you must come to realize you humans aren’t as different as you appear to be”.

I was confused, I was destined to be a successor of some sort but yet I wasn’t worthy of it.

“I know you are confused but eventually you will learn what I mean until then you will have no control of your powers so tread lightly my flower”.

I finally gained the voice to speak just as I knew she was about to leave, “why am I the successor, and what am I supposed to do? Is there a quest of some sorts you have destined me to follow?” I asked the spirit. 

“Oh yes although I am wise I almost forget. My dear long ago humanity started to die on these sacred lands. MY sisters, and I decide to hide. We were separated however and I cannot find them for they no longer run across the plains of what your people call the NEw World… You and two others carry our power and spirits. You must reunite us so we can be together again and maybe fix this broken world, when you have mastered your destiny Wolfgang I will come to you again and your journey will officially begin”.

Suddenly everything started to fade to black as i heard the golden-haired spirit whisper, “Tread lightly for only then will you master your destiny”. When I opened my eyes I saw a sapphire ring was around my finger and a little slave girl was running across the field with my basket.