The Witching Hour (Rise of the Valkyries)

Chapter One

The bitter chill of winter hung heavy in the air as Mera dismounted from the back of her Saber-tooth Panther, Onyxia.

The weather never changed in Windhaven. It was always cold, always windy, and sometimes, it would rain for days without reprieve. Onyxia towered above Mera as she rose on all fours, her sleek black fur glinting in the dim natural light of the overcast day. At her full height, the Onyxia stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Mera and when she craned her neck, her large face was at least a foot taller. The animal was massive, with razor-sharp fangs the size of daggers jutting out of her maw.

Mera glanced up at Arien, who was still astride the beast's back and raised a brow inquiringly.

"Well?" she asked, prompting the boy to dismount, he enjoyed leaping off and Onyxia obliged him every time. "Should we wait for the next onslaught of snow before you get down?"

"Mera, my Rite is tomorrow," he said with a scowl. "This will be the last time I look on Windhaven with the eyes of a boy."

She stifled a chuckle, knowing that he was barely twenty-five years old. Three days spent unaccompanied in the only forest within miles would not change the youthfulness of his mind and thoughts. No, it wasn't the lack of a grown adult that would bring about change in him. What would truly transform him from boy to man would be the specter of death that inevitably trailed the Siphon Rite.

Mera patted Onyxia's sleek black fur until the large cat sank onto her haunches. If the boy would not jump, then there was no reason for the beast to stand at full height. Mera tugged on his black and grey doublet sleeve, gesturing again for Arien to dismount. While Windhaven may view him as a man upon his return, Mera would always see him as the little boy she'd come to see as her little brother.

Arien grunted, swung his leg over Onyxia, and shot Mera a pouty look. She couldn't resist teasing him and as he slid onto the ground in front of her, she gave his smooth, round cheeks a quick pinch. Arien swatted her hand away and rolled his big, brown eyes before marching towards the shop's door.

As she watched him leave, she pursed her lips. Arien was still so young, so small. He was barely as tall as her chest, yet he was expected to brave wild beasts and fight other scared children, all while trying to survive for three long days on his own. It was hard to believe he was considered old enough for such a daunting task.

The bell above the shop door chimed as Arien pushed his way inside. Mera quickly removed the satchel from Onyxia's back and slung it over her shoulder. Through the red and blue stained glass of the door, she watched Arien immediately grab a piece of candy from a mosaic bowl on a nearby table.

The bell chimed again, indicating her own entry to the store.

"Hey, save some for me," Mera said, admonishing Arien's sweet tooth. He'd eat entire handfuls of it if he could.

"Sorry," Arien replied, grinning sheepishly but not putting any of the sweets back in the bowl.

"Come on," she said to Arien, ruffling his night-black curls. "Clean your feet and then go find your clothes. Boots, fur-lined tunic, and trousers. One of each."

"And a cloak," Arien added, raising an eyebrow.

"I bought you a new one two weeks ago." She rolled her eyes, "No cloak."

Arien scoffed as he stomped his snow-coated shoes on the mat inside the doorway before heading off to find his clothing.

The smell of leather, wool, and spices filled her nose as she scanned the near-empty shop. The shop was small and dimly lit, but a myriad of colorful fabrics and shiny metals decorated the walls and shelves, catching the light that filtered through the dusty stained glass windows.