•|•|•"Do you think life is fair, pup? Walk amongst the slaves. Listen to the crack of the whip against their naked backs, their sharp wails as their blood splatters against the edge of the silver blade. You will know then."•|•|•[Vale]I scrubbed hard at the stain that refused to budge, furiously grunting at it, knuckles turning white. She wouldn't even let me get a word in! Such a hot-headed girl!I ferociously wrung the mop, going back to scrubbing, and grinding my teeth together. My guess is we're sore hit I was used to the pain now.Selene, she never listens! What happened to doing this together? But no- Shade's got everything handled. Shades got it all under control. I scoffed, scowling as I mopped ignoring my aching arms.She would land herself into a pile of trouble, that's right! Trouble. And then what will I do? How will I help her then? Why can't she just let me in-"Vale—""What?!" I growled, my wolf showing for a brief moment as my eyes snapped to a wide-eyed Eve. T
•|•|•"Freedom is but an illusion pup, for everything has a prison. Even the widest field has an end and the wildest sea finds the land."•|•|•[SHADE SHADOWS]Diane cawed momentarily as I flipped through the maps. "So- many," I managed a low gasp as I studied each one, walking around the table. My eyes were glued to the sight before me, my heart thudding within me as my gaze skimmed the detailed drawings. There were maps of all kinds. Detailed maps of Night Wolf territory, separate Detailed-maps of the other three territories. Old maps that detailed Valcane in the time of Alexander the Prime, the paper old and crusty, almost crumbling in my grip.I handled these with the utmost care. The last thing I wanted to do was anger a master by ripping them. The thought of losing my head for something so stupid made me even more careful with the ancient maps.I had to leave everything as if it was untouched. There were current Valcanian maps, trade routes, and roads. It would be easier to
•|•|•"Even the faintest whispers are carried by the wind.Listen, for the wind has many secrets."•|•|•[SHADE SHADOWS] The slaves whispered amongst themselves as I walked in. As usual, eyes ventured my way accompanied by light scoffs. My gaze traveled to my sisters whose eyes rested on me momentarily sending me a discreet nod, before returning to the conversation whispered amongst the group of slaves. I made my way to my secluded area knowing I would remain unbothered.Sitting by the ledge of the window where the cold wind blew in, under the gentle moonlight, Glancing around, I carefully took out the map. My eyes trailed over it, my fingers trembling, before tucking it back into my sleeve, I was lucky today. From finding the map to Barnabas' mysterious turnaround. I had no reason to trust the drunk, he could turn us in for all I know and get a reward. It was simply not wise to rely on him.Sure, it would be easier to travel to Yulis with a castle worker successfully covering t
•|•|•"For if the world was to end. It would surely end by Night."•|•|•[KAYOS]My eyes opened slowly, and yet it was as if they were still closed. No light to reveal if it was day, but I needed no light to know that.Darkness of the blackest kind filled the throne room, and the throne itself felt as cold as ice beneath me, my fingers stiff around the arm of the iron throne. I had spent a night on the throne as I had done so many times before. My body felt stiff, but I relished the pain.I could feel shadows around me, whispering things that made me shut my eyes once more, reaching out for the darkness around me.Despair is what I felt, and despair was what poisoned the air, what manifested as the darkness around me and cursed the sun from shining, and yet I had to confess there was a certain peace in this despair.I took in a deep breath, relinquishing the air from between my lips, and the shadows around me fought for that breath of life.A shadow crept up my arm, and I gingerly tur
•|•|•"Don't you know that the forests died with the faerie folk? True Magic is not in these lands."•|•|•[KAYOS]The bird cawed loudly in its cage, and my eyes gleamed a sparkled ember as I watched it from the shadows of my study. The light trails of magic coming off it in shimmering waves intrigued me for I had not seen something quite like it. So easy to miss and yet so irregular.I studied the bird for a moment, before leaning forward into the candlelight. Inspecting it closely I confirmed a few things about the abnormalities of the bird. It was larger than a normal raven, it seemed to watch me as well, and its heart was racing the closer I got.The bird blinked in my direction, growing quiet, and paused as if frozen at the mere sight of me.It wasn't unusual for animals to behave this way toward me, I knew.Each animal was born with an instinct. It was simply natural that they knew when a predato
•|•|•"And what is the price of a Soul? Tell me pup, what can equate a sacrifice so great if not only the price of another soul?"•|•|•[Master Greygory] Before the Evernight, there were signs. Signs written down and recorded through time.Before me, I see them. Stronger than before. More than mere changes of the wind in the air these last few months, but the whispery echoes I hear within these walls at night-Shadows are not meant to be heard, and yet their voices resound, almost inaudible but so close I could swear I hear the victorious banter. Stronger through the storms of this morning. "Master Gregory."I turned slightly as the door opened watching as a King's guard saluted. His eyes remained straight ahead, the scent of his wolf submissive beneath mine."Speak, Guard.""The King summons you."My gaze shifted away from the soldier, sending him away with a wave, "acknowledged. I will serve."He saluted once more, closing the door behind him as he left. I glanced down at the sm
•|•|•The fates have designed your way, and Selene brought you forth from the earth and gave you life. As an Alpha you will live to rule, as a slave, you will live to serve, for always till fate and time reunite you in the fields from which Selene first brought you forth.•|•|•[Shade Shadows] Sweat littered my forehead in shiny sheets as I stepped off the ladder to examine my work. I had cleared one full row of shelves of books from top to bottom. The row spanned nearly half of the vast room, and my arms ached from the mere load. I felt like I had worked 24 hours straight. But of course, time seemed to be held in suspense as there was no sun in the sky to tell me how long I had worked. It felt like I was stuck in a timeless loop that was dipped in a pitch-black world.No stars to litter the sky, and no bright moon either. If it weren't for the lanterns lit up by the soldier in the court, it would be impossible to even see the ground from this height.Not that there was something
•|•|•"Why do you think they hide in the dark pup? Is It not a safety they seek, lest their own failure be revealed in the sun? Then they call the darkness evil, because because in it lies pieces of themselves they thought to conceal."•|•|•[KAYOS]And Indeed I Had.My eyes shifted from the fallen book, capturing hers. Her heart hammered quickly within her as our gazes locked, but no sooner had I spoken, she broke contact and bent to pick it up."I wasn't- I wasn't expecting you. Not this soon," she replied breathily with a seemingly nervous smile. She glanced at me momentarily, whilst her fingers stretched toward the book.I stared at her efforts for a moment, registering her weakness. It was something that could not be ignored. Every time I saw her, it was laid bare before me. A taunting reminder that although the sight of the Keffer calmed my spirits, though her scent was dabolically sweet, though my wolf yearned for her touch, and though the mere thought of her had pulled me fr