White

Chapter 1

Gwen stood at the edge of the burning village, staring blindly at the flames that grew high into the night sky. The raid was a success and soon Gwen would be summoned to go to her. At that thought, an unpleasant high pitched shriek resonated in Gwen's ears making her clutch her head in her hands breaking her out of her trance like state. The Calling. Gasping at the pain the sound inflicted, Gwen glared up at the village's castle now partly shrouded in a black mist. Clenching her jaw, Gwen made her way into the village. Blood covered the ground with dead bodies, screams and cries followed by evil laughter could be heard. The smell of blood and burning flesh was thick and cloying making Gwen want to vomit. She could never get use to the smell. A women held her dead child in her arms weeping loudly and as Gwen passed the women screamed at her,

"You'll pay for this! One day you too, will burn! You monster!"

Without looking at the women and her child Gwen walked past them with clenched fists, anger and hatred nipped at her heart. By the time Gwen got to the castle entrance she was seething with a rage she didn't deserve to feel when it was she who gave the signal for the attack. That high pitched shriek sounded again making Gwen growl low in her throat as she forced her tired shaking legs to take her to where she was. A once beautifully carven wooden double door stood before her now covered in claw marks from a beast. On either side stood two drago beast guarding the door. Drago beasts, beings shaped like men only with the heads of a dragon, large wings, and with sharp claws that had a thirst for havoc.

"Look what we have here," the drago beast on the left side sneered. "Come here and help me with a little something?" he said moving his hand to his lower region. The drago beast on the right snickered, flicking his green slitted eyes to Gwen and licking his fanged teeth with a long lizard like tongue.

"Can't do it yourself?" Gwen smiled innocently at the drago. "Maybe you could ask your friend there to help you." Both drago growled at her in warning. Flicking them the bird with both hands Gwen walked past them and pushed open the double doors. She didn't have to look around the room to know that the people they captured were in shackles and hags flitted about doing their work.

Located directly in front of Gwen on the opposite side of the room was the chieftain's throne now occupied by a woman. She was breathtakingly beautiful with milky white skin, long golden hair, sticking large blue eyes that made her look all the more lovely, and red heart shaped lips. Men would go to war if it meant she would look at them once. But as beautiful as she was, she was equally malicious. Making her way to the woman Gwen noticed the violently shaking figure of a man lying on the stair to the throne. Climbing the few steps to the throne Gwen stopped beside the man. As if she just noticed Gwen's appearance the woman looked away from the hags that attended her, creatures that looked like deformed old wrinkly little beings with long noses and chins, and shrill whining voices.

"Gwen," she smiled lacing her fingers together, "I was wondering when you'd get here. As usual, you did a very fine job."

"Care to tell me why he is here, Odette?" Gwen dismissed the compliment, there was nothing to feel proud about. Odette pouted at that and stood up to crouch over the man,

"Come now, don't be like that. It would be such a shame to not show off such a magnificent being like him." she said stroking the strands of black hair away from the man's face, making Gwen hold her breath and clench her fist so hard she drew blood.

"You gave me your word," Gwen said through her teeth.

Odette turned around and walked back to her throne sighing, "Little Gwen, always so serious. Where's the fun in that?"

Finally breaking her gaze on the man, Gwen stalked her way to stand merely inches away from the enraging women, "You must let them go. Now. You promised."

"Who and what promise?" Odette innocently asked.

At her limit now, a white and blue flame appeared in Gwen's right hand, hot power surging through her body. Odette narrowed her eyes at the fireball and gripped the arms of her chair making the whole room shake. Unconscious prisoners moaned while hags ran around the room, fear of their master's wrath. Inhaling and leaning back into her cushioned throne Odette waved her hand making the shaking stop.

"And you will never search for them or harm them in any way," Gwen stepped closer to Odette, "Vow it with your blood."

Studying Gwen with squinted eyes Odette sneered, "How noble you are. It makes me sick." Odette rose from her chair to face her, "You ask for much, insolent child" anger radiating off Odette.

"Would you like me to tell you exactly how many times you have given me your word on this subject only to go against it?" Gwen sneered, fireball in hand dispersing.

Annoyed, Odette turned away from Gwen to face her servants and the battered captives lifting her arms in the air and chanted in the old language. Wind picked up and swirled around Odette, ancient whispers coming in to play. Gwen pulled out a blade from her boot and eagerly handed it to Odette. Taking the blade, Odette sliced her palm letting the blood drip into the swirling wind around her. A loud boom and the wind dissipated like it was never there. Handing back the blade to Gwen with a childish huff Odette stomped her way to sit on her throne, "Take him with you, on your way out."

"Gladly," Gwen turned around and helped her brother up and out the room.