AURORA

Chapter 8

        The skies roar as we fly in the sky at high paced speeds. Plunging and rising in the air. I'm followed by my regular sized ravens. My body blocks out the sun. My wings pull the light from the air. By my side is my beautiful raven. My lovely crowned raven. The raven that's been with me from the start. The thump of his beating chest gives me life. We fly in sync. Causing a pulsating motion in the skies. Denmar has no clue what they have coming.

                 I'm prepared to take anyone's life who stands in my way. Even the king or queen. No mercy shall be given. Mercy is for the weak. I would single effortlessly take their throne. As I think of what is to come, I see the forest and two large pillars the note spoke of. The pillars stand tall and are white as day and guards pace back and forth at the top. A huge stone wall covers miles of land. It overshadows and blocks my view of the kingdom. The forest surrounding the castle is dense and covered in shrubbery. I can smell its green seasonal leaves. I death roll and plunge rapidly into death defying depths. My ravens plunge behind me similar to how darts hit the bulls-eye.

             Feet after feet, the ground welcomes me. Before landing, I pull back and my large wings disturb the trees. A crackling, breaking sound fills the air. My clawed feet touch the ground and rumbles the dirt. I flap my wings, gaining my balance. As my ravens reach the ground, one by one I turn them back to their human forms. A black mist engulfs me. An electric pulse runs through my skin. My red eyes, brown skin, and red hair come into view. Everyone stands shocked and electrified. My mother looks at me with surprise. She had no idea that I could do that. Truth be told, she has absolutely no clue of the extension of my powers.

           I snap my fingers and cover myself in a bright long red dress. It illuminates my figure. My crown sits on my head and shines in the light breaking through the canopy. Birds chirp loudly and the trees sway in an oncoming breeze. My mother steps forward to speak, but before she does, I snap my fingers and place a deep rosy pink dress on her. I look and grin. I begin to speak in a very deep, grim tone. "Ah, more like it. We will walk to Denmar. We will take this kingdom. It will be mine. Is there anyone who opposes me?" No one replies as they know that the consequences would be dire. I look around at each of them. "Good. Keep your swords at the ready. No mercy will be given." I turn and look at my raven sitting on the branch of a tree. You pretty bird. Fly ahead and make sure there's no funny business. If there is, I will be the first to know.

               My mother approaches me. She begins to nervously talk. "Aurora, I'm with you on this. I will be by your side no matter what. I felt a thrill like no other today. When you turned us into ravens, I got to fly. I got to see the world from an entirely different point of view. I felt a rush push its way through my body. It electrified me." We begin to talk and walk. "It pleases me to hear that mother. I do warn you. What might conspire inside that kingdom will scar you. It will change you. You will witness something that you will never be able to forget. Inside that kingdom lies power. Power that I must have. Power that will be bestowed upon you as well. It will blacken you. Your heart will tarnish, you will slowly slip into the same darkness that has consumed me."

              I begin to think to myself. I look at Aurora, wondering if I could even do this. Wondering if I could be strong for my own sake. Darkness. The very thing that has taken my daughter away from me. It's the only thing that will keep us together. As if I really had a choice to resist her. She would soon kill me most likely if I defy her wishes. I must carry on. I have to find strength deep inside. If darkness shall consume me as well, so be it.

             "Your journey is my journey." I shall stand next to you until the very end." "There is no end mother. I cannot die. You will not die. My reign will live on forever." Hearing her say those cold words and seeing those red eyes look dead ahead gave me chills. Fear doesn't exist in her. Only pain and vengeance. She seeks power and pain for pleasure. It grows like a thirst for blood in her.