The Onyx Prince

File 1

March - 18 - 1979

Heidenskee, Eldora.

The sun had set, but not a soul in Heidenskee saw it go. The sky had died, as the locals liked to say. Something foul turned the white clouds over, and they lay up there dead, bleeding heavy rains.

"Alexander!"

A young boy ran over. He was pale, but his tired eyes were dark. Had he stayed up late again?

Mr. Clark tried to smile.

"I made your cake. I don't understand what you have against a nice chocolate cake, mind you."

"I love mint chip. Has it cooled down?"

"I suppose not."

Clark was an older man with greying hair and a beard he kept closely trimmed. He had warm and caring eyes which were tucked behind his glasses. However kind he seemed, he was covered in strange scars that were off putting to most people.

Alex had never minded them. It was one of the reasons Clark loved him so much. He judged him by how he acted, not by how he may or may not have been many years ago.

"While we're waiting for the cake to cool, can I go read?"

"That should be fine. I'll come check in an hour."

"...In the library?" 

"Well...it is your birthday."

"Thanks!"

Alex darted for the backdoor and up the stairs, giving the old man no time to change his mind.

He wasn't blind to what Alex did up there, and he wondered if it was healthy behavior for a twelve year old boy. He had gotten in trouble before, after all.

'Never was the best at parenting.'

Clark poured himself a drink and took a seat in his armchair by the fire. On nights like this, where the sky seemed to open up and beat the ground with everything it had, nothing felt better than relaxing.

But something was bothering the old man.

He knew why. It was Alexander's birthday. Who knew if it was the boy's actually birthday or not, but he had found him four years ago today, fighting for his life. 

He hoped that this year would be different. That it would come and go, and nothing strange would happen. But...It didn't matter. He prepared all the same, should it come to that. Nothing would harm him. He had sworn as much.

Then there was a knock at the front door.

Clark stood up slowly and checked a nearby window. He couldn't see anyone, or much of anything, through the rain.

The knock came again. It didn't stop. Someone kept knocking and would not let up.

Clark's face darkened as he walked calmly to the front door.

'I should have known something would come. They always do.'

"Who are you?" Clark asked quietly. "And what do you want?"

The knocks shook the house. A framed picture of Alex's face lit up in candles shattered. It was from his ninth birthday.

Nobody could expect a human to hear him over the noise the shuddering house was making. That's why he didn't bother to shout. 

It wasn't human.

Clark took a lantern and grabbed the handle to his front door. He pulled the bolt and bared his teeth.

"Tonight, so be it."

Then he flung the door open.

The rain fogged his glasses, but Clark didn't wipe the water away. He stood silently, staring at the thing standing at his doorway.

It was like a profane bird made into a man, and Clark knew exactly who it was.

"Shrike. To what do I owe this visit?"