Golden Moon

Chapter 1

Breath crystals frosted on the air, the silver mist swirling in great clouds. A single figure stood in the center of the cloud. Her beautiful frame shimmered, half translucent. Her palms faced away from her, brilliant green eyes half closed, perfect lips parted as a soft chant escaped them. It was an ugly language, full of gutteral sounds and foul vowels. The string of words matched her once breathtaking face. Scars; deep, ugly and poorly healed. One in her right eyebrow, the other from the inside corner of her left eye, carving around her high cheekbone, down her neck, and below her v-neck line.

Moments passed in the stillness, broken only by the breath on the freezing air and the soft chant. She closed her eyes fully. A soft golden glow was beginning to grow from her outline, causing her body to become more visible. As it grew in intensity, an image was slowly born in front of her. It was very faint at first, just a hint of color in the silver curtain. Then the outline of a person could be seen. It looked to a seven year old boy. More details came into focus; sandy blonde hair, blue eyes, giant grin. He became almost real, the aparition so vivid. He looked up at the tall young woman before him, and simply said "Kimi".

Kimi's eyes snapped open, a look of horror on her face. Her concentration was now broken and the little boy vanished along with the mist revealing black granite walls, polished and shiny, reflecting her image. A door at the other end opened and a man stormed in.

"What the heck was that? I have never seen you lose focus over a boy before. Just a boy, sweetheart." He growled. His face was pale, grayish almost. Short black hair, dark brown eyes, prominent jaw bone. He looked to be in his fourties but Kimi knew different.

With a deep breath she regained her calm. Her hard face not allowing any emotion to show. "Never seen you lose cool over one either, father," she retorted. Along one wall was a weapons rack and underneath it a small gold backpack. Kimi casually walked over to it, picked it up, and gracefully slung it over her shoulders.

Her father sighed, "Do not lose it next time. That is how one loses a fight and if you ever want to be undefeatable you cannot forget that."

"Of course," muttered Kimi as she walked towards the now open door.

"Kimi, wait."

She turned back around, " Yes, father?"

" I have an assignment for you. There is a man by the name of Brundun Calypso in Surville. He has been cheating me for some time now and he is long past due to join the ranks in the Underworld. Why don't you go and bring him?" There was an evil grin on his face as he said this.

"Of course, father. No one should cheat the mighty Gormedune," came the answer. Kimi turned back around and headed out the door. Once outside of the training room, she turned left down a wide hallway hewn from the black rock itself. The whole fortress in the Underworld was that way. Solid, impenetrable, unbreakable. There weren't many lights along the wall; Kimi didn't need them. They were simply for Gormedune to see. She strode down the hallway, her long legs moving fast over the stone floor. Her tall figure ducked under a doorway as the hallway began to shrink. At last she entered the stable doors. It was made specifically for her and her horse.

Inside she walked down the center walkway which was silver and black tiles. There was about five stalls but only one was occupied. It was the biggest one, the only one in which Kimis steed could fit comfortably. Before she went to her horse, she walked to the tack in a small room off the the side. She came back out with a large black leather saddle. It had a high back, silver trappings, and matching saddle bags. The saddle blanket was black as well. The bridle was something else entirely. Black leather strips, silver bit, and studded with little spikes especially on the face part. Kimi put them on a saddle holder and ducked inside the stall.

"Hey, girl. Ready for another assignment?" Kimi crooned. The massive horse stomped her front hoof and snorted in affirmation. She looked to be a draft, her coat a magnificent display of black and white manchado coloring. She stood at 20 hands high at the shoulder. Her eyes were bluer than the clear sky.

"Let's go then, Kaida," Kimi said,opening the stall door and picking up her tack. She secured it to her horse, put the bridle on, and led her to the other end of the stable. They walked out the double doors onto a circle of short green grass. Stone walls shot strait up in the circular form like a tube.

With a fluid movement, Kimi mounted her demon horse. The moment she was on, Kaida reared up and beautiful, demonic wings sprung from her back through special spots in the saddle. As soon as the wings were unfurled, she lept from the ground, circling quickly, causing kimis long bluish white hair to blow freely in the wind. They climbed higher and higher, quicker than would be normal. Near the top of the opening, both horse and rider let out a demonic yell, disappearing in a flash of golden light. They were gone, but their cries reverberated on the black rock, each time lower in pitch and more chaotic until the room sounded as if an entire army of tormented souls lamented.