Prophecy of Death

Prologue

A misty evening settled the night. He didn't know it then, but his whole world was going to change then. He knew, he knew something was to happen. He just didn't know what. Leaving the loaded place was hard enough for him, he couldn't risk being seen. Only a just turned man, he was clever. He had knowledge men his age could not gain. But he had yet to grasp the reality of it.

He entered the cave. It was dimly lit. There was not a sound to be made. He carefully walked inside, grasping the hot flaming torch in his hand. It was cold, but he could feel the sweat run from his head. Scared was one word, terrified was another. Not knowing what lay ahead, yet anticipating the end result. He felt like a lamb, walking into the den of the wolves. However, he was no lamb. He was like them. Like the wolves who haunted the forest with their nightly howls.

Except only, the forest was his kingdom, and the howls, their magic.

Up ahead lay a stone wall, covered by misty air. He reached towards it. The poor lambs would only see a stone set in earth, the wolves, however, would truly see what lay ahead. It all felt so familiar, he wondered how he knew.

A trembling hand touched the wall, hovered over it, before slowly sliding through it, as if there was no wall at all. First his hand, then his arm and slowly the mist and the wall took in what was left of him as the torch fell to the ground, the dark extinguishing his flames.

He reached the other side. It could not have been more than a few seconds, but to him it felt like hours had passed. He opened his emerald eyes. It was dark, but they could see perfectly. Now that the torch was gone, they glowed as the only light left. He slowly descended the stairs. He had left the solid earth, there was no longer the smell of fresh morning due. The underground passageway opened up to two narrow pathways, this time lit with torches on the wall.

"I have come." He said. His voice echoed through the two narrow pathways as he declared, "I have come and now you must show me what fate plans ahead for me."

A moment or two of silence. Then- "Come." A voice hissed. "Come and I will show you what you desire." Hissed the voice again. It was feminine, hissing and seething like a serpent would. Alluring as it may be, he could feel the death behind her voice. If not for his own skills, he wondered, how many had succumbed to it before? How many had died by that voice? One that gave a thousand promises of beautiful paradises, when the only paradise that truly existed was blood and death.

"Where are you?" he boldly questioned, none of his nervousness on show.

A swish of a skirt and a hiss of a snake- he quickly snapped his head to the left hallway to witness a shadow escaping. He followed. This must be the right way. Another turn- the shape of a shadow. A second turn- the hiss of contentment. A third when finally a bolt and an excavation of a hand print. The shadow was nowhere to be seen. He put his hand, and the second he did, he door silently opened, almost ghostly silent.

The room inside was made of stones, a circular one. In the middle was a fire that burned brightly. Upon it stood a cauldron, exactly like the one described in children's books. He used to laugh at the incredulity of it, until he understood they weren't merely a fiction tale meant to scare children. They were real, as real as Hansel and Gretel's story was. The only difference was, they didn't come out unscathed, but as witches themselves, converted as one.

At the very end stood a mighty black throne, covered in darkness. He could make out the intricate designs on the throne, strangely covered in snakes. He didn't realise he was staring too long until one of them hissed. He realised with a start that the throne wasn't designed with snakes, it was made of them.

"Oh dearie dear, what do we have here?" spoke an old, high pitched voice. He turned around, startled.

"A mushy beard, hmm, in what matter must you have peered?" said another.