A blanket of darkness lay cast upon the world as millions of stars glistened, shimmering and guiding those who are readers of the universe. With it, gusts of chilled wind swept the barren lands, attempting to fill the empty void in which creatures have roamed. 

Distant howls of wolves made it over the tall wooden walls that kept this village safe. They must be taking shelter in the nearby forest, poor wolves. How far they have fallen. From the world’s best predators to a dying species which scavenges for scraps.

Finally, a wave of cold blew away all the leaves that had accumulated on my chest. (‘’Thank you dear wind.’’) Saying something like that out loud felt slightly embarrassing. But it was true, I was truly thankful for what it had done for me. 

My body ached all over, refusing to move despite my wishes to get up. Sleeping outside wasn’t the best of ideas. Creating a bond with nature is a necessity when your magical attribute is that of nature. Affinity for shadow magic is easy as night falls at the end of each day.

Thick breaths led by a jump to my feet. If my body won’t obey my mind then better take it by surprise, it can’t reject me if it didn’t expect a jump. A walking stick sprouted from the ground giving a snapping sound as I plucked it. 

The town was just a short walk from where the tall thick tree stood. Lights radiated a warmth that slowly faded into the darkness of the fields. Faint laughter permeated throughout the buildings, managing to reach my ears. 

An opportunity like this doesn’t present itself often. I could feel a wry smile spread from ear to ear as my form melted down into a dark sludge that soon disappeared from the ground. An emptiness filled me as I hovered high about the light of the town. Just below a group of five kids was playing knights and princess. They will never see this scare coming!

My form materialized as I was in free fall just a hundred feet up. Fabric fluttered violently as it crashed into the traveling current of air. 

Just a few more feet-

(‘’No you don’t!’’) A kick met my cheek, knocking me back several feet away. It burned red and the pain flared from even the thought of touching it. 

(‘’ You didn’t have to kick me that hard Zeraf! Control your kicks next time you monster!’’) Her name was Zeraf. A half-werewolf that seems to have fun in foiling my plans. We’ve grown in her home with the town chief since we were little. She is a big shot around here and a real pain in the ass for me.

Her hips moved hypnotically as she walked closer to me, stretching a hand out to me. The second our hands met it felt like a bear gripped me up. Her grip nearly crushed my hand as she stared into my eyes. (‘’Don’t. Ever. Do. That. Again!’’) Though her smile looked friendly on the outside, I am the only person who knows what a devil she is hiding inside.

A chill, colder than winter, ran up my spine, and goosebumps poked out from every orifice of my skin. She is a terrifying one. Saying something like that with a smile plastered on her face while threatening me. She might be the devil herself. If I'm not careful I might perish in her hands before I get the chance to make it to the Kings Game.

(‘’Let’s head home Abaddon. Dinner is ready and we were all waiting on you.’’) Her chilling look dissipated into one of pure honesty. That’s right! How could I forget, tonight is an important dinner.

(‘’I’ll take your silence as a form of agreement!’’) Her hand gripped my shirt’s collar and my feet could no longer feel the ground below.

(‘’Wait a minute Zeraf-’’) Whether she couldn’t hear or because she chose to ignore me, she kicked off the ground with insane speed. Her sprint to the house was a blur that only lasted a few seconds. No one in this town could even track her movements anymore after her recent training. 

The door in front of us was wide open with fiery shadows dancing onto the pavement outside. I trudged inside like a prisoner as my correctional officer merely skipped beside me. How cruel can such a cute girl be?

A whiff of food wolfed its way down my nose instantly hooking my eyes to the dining room table. Around it two people were sat down, awaiting our arrival. (‘’You’ve finally made it! I was starting to get worried Zeraf might’ve actually killed you this time Abby. Hahaha!’’) His chest shook as he laughed at his own remark. This was the chief, and Zeraf’s father. They have a lot of things in common and one of them is their jokey nature.

I grabbed a seat at the table. Without a prompt, I liked my lips in preparation for this feast. (‘’Eat as much as you would like dear, this night is for you two stars.’’) Her gentle voice caressed my ears and enveloped my whole being with a sense of calm. She was Zeraf’s mother. She was fully human compared to her husband who was a werewolf.  

We all reached for the various delicacies scattered across the table. Every dish looked like a painted relic and tasted even better. Her cooking skills are divine, I’m sure every emperor on this Earth would kill for a bite. The eggs were boiled perfectly with the white being intact while the yolk remained a runny and warm golden nectar.

Next, I reached for a chicken drumstick. I sunk my teeth into the roasted meat. A wave of juice flooded my mouth as its flavour spread to every bud on my tongue. I couldn’t contain my euphoria and scarfed down the rest of the stick. 

Waves of food flooded my mouth and descended down into my abyssal pit of a stomach. I shoveled as much food as my hands could grab into my mouth. This food was to die for and knowing I won’t get to taste it for a long time is upsetting. It's my duty to make the best out of this meal.

Their eyes were wide open, cast over my gluttonous body. But that didn’t stop me from eating. This was for the better since they were not eating anything. More for me!

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — 

Roughly twenty minutes have passed since the meal had begun. The table has been fully cleared and we all just relaxed for a little while. Zeraf looked nearly as satisfied as me, how could she not after such a glorious buffet?

(‘’Now. For the topic at hand.’’) The chief raised his voice just enough for the whole room to hear him. The various trophies and furniture dampened his voice. 

(‘’Abby. You have been with us for just over seventeen years. I still can’t forget the day we found you at the gate. How could such a cruel person leave a baby in the bitterly cold winter?’’) The old man seemed rather angered by our first encounter. Though I have no memory of it so I trust his word on what he says on this topic.

(‘’You two are planning to set off on your journey to the Kings Game. The road ahead is one of many challenges and ails. You are bound to make allies and enemies as you traverse these lands. But you must always keep a pure and noble heart, no matter what situation you are forced in.’’) He leaned forward over the table, fingers interlocked in both hands. His expression was neither one of joy nor sadness. But rather it was filled with…worry.

(‘’Abby. As a father, I place my trust in you. Please protect my little pup. She isn’t the brightest in street situations, and will easily be conned in a crowd of people. But I trust you will take good care of her for me.’’) His feisty nature was nowhere to be found. His weak spot was his daughter, and he would crumble apart if anything were to happen to her. I understand that because well…I love her. I always have. 

(‘’I won’t try to convince you two not to compete, that has been proven futile many times over. So now, I have chosen to root for you two. You have my blessing as the chief of Shiwick!’’) His back straightened as his muscles bulged through the cloth shirt tightly fitted on his figure. 

He was like a father growing up. No matter the problem he always came up with a solution. I swore that one day I would return all of his favors. And I will give him a son-in-law he can be proud of! 

(‘’Chief…I swear on my name and all that is dear to me that I will protect your daughter with my very life. You have nothing to worry about!’’) A fiery feeling erupted from the soles of my feet to every strand on my head. I felt like I could melt at any moment as this odd feeling burned the end of my nerves. Is this…responsibility? 

(‘’Ahem!’’) Zeraf stared at us with a fury matching that of a dragon. Her eyes switched between us, piercing needles through every inch of the skin. I could feel the sweat building at the base of my collar. 

(‘’Why are you two acting like I can’t protect myself?’’) Her words hit my ears like thunderclaps. Her glare felt like millions of droplets of rain alerting my senses of what is to come next. 

Zeraf’s head tilted forward, hiding her eyes with her trembling hair. What comes after thunder….is the fiery wrath of lightning! 

Her body flung across the table at me leaving me little room to dodge. I melted into the shadow of the table and swam up the stair shadow up to the bedroom. Even in my melted form, I could hear the wails of agony from the dining room. Zeraf pulled no punch against her father. Thank you for sacrificing yourself for me, you won’t be forgotten.

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — 

Minutes felt like hours as the never-ending orchestra of screaming bounced their way up to our bedroom. The only thing more mortifying than the screams was the silence that followed after. Faint wooden creaks permeated the halls as the grim reaper neared me. 

Finally, the double doors opened slowly and a small head peaked through. Two furry ears twitched as Zeraf slowly walked in, I couldn’t tell what look she had on her face from my angle. Her strides were slow and small but with each step, she got closer to the balcony bathed in moonlight. 

(‘’You can stop hiding Abby. I won’t lay a hand on you.’’) She sat against the railing and stared out onto the village. It was like fireflies were scattered around the houses. The laughter of children was now nowhere to be heard in the streets. It was late of course, they all have a bedtime.

The shadows slowly materialized, allowing me to place both my hands on the railing. All that could be heard was our breath along with the passing howls of wind, carrying leaves around as it pleases. A chill ran up my spine as a cold blast of air hit my face. It is winter and the temperature certainly reflects that.

(‘’Abby, let’s stargaze one final time here, at our home.’’) She took the initiative and lay down flat on her back. I can’t exactly oppose such a request from her so I followed suit. Only about two feet were between us. Our breath floated up and combined into a giant ball of hot air.

She giggled slightly from how goofy it looked and placed her hands on her chest. Zeraf’s cheeks turned a bright pink and her eyes glistened as she stared up at the night sky. She is the most beautiful girl in the entire world.

(‘’Do you think we have a chance to win the Kings Game Abby?’’) Zeraf didn’t turn her head as she questioned me. It felt like she asked out of curiosity rather than anxiety. (‘’Of course! We will emerge victorious!’’) 

I must’ve sounded so dorky, she snickered as soon as I said it. Now my cheeks are burning! Damn you Zeraf. 

(‘’Hey, you know that I li-’’) She got cut off as her consciousness slowly drifted away into her drowsiness. Though I wonder what she was going to say I felt myself sink into my own slumber. 

The night sky is really beautiful when you take the time to look at it-