Broken Paradise

Prologue

Ravyn didn't know that making life was wrong, she was only a child.

In the darkness of her room she sat, with her dark friend. The room was very lowly lit, just as little Rayven liked it. She sat on the barren, stone floor. The coldness from the floor cooled her skin. Cold and dark. Just as Ravyn liked it. Around her, were all the toys and items she could've dreamed up. Everything she ever asked for, even things she hadn't known she needed. But it wasn't enough, she wasn't content.

But sitting in front of her, was the one thing that made her content.

A shadow.

"Are you afraid little girl?"

"No." Ravyn answered bravely, reaching out to touch the monster.

The creature was like nothing else in the overworld. Maybe it was the dark look in it's eyes. Maybe it was the way it's smile shimmered in the dark room. Nonetheless, it had Rayvn greatly intrigued. She smoothed her hand across its face. It was rough, like hard brittle stone that's been baking in the sun. It was warming to her hand, causing her to retreat. Then she placed her hand back, cautiously feeling it.

"You seem tense dear." The voice was deep, and far from comforting. It left a pinching feeling in Ravyn heart. Was it unpleasant? She couldn't say. This was something entirely new. Something unbelievably fascinating.

"I'm not tense. I mean, I am, I'm just afraid I might hurt you."

The creature gave a deep, masculine laugh. He rose his head up and, leaning back into the light, continued to rumble. Ravyn got a good look at it, it seemed to have the shape of a lightfolk, like many of the beings in this realm took the form of. Yet, he was nothing like any of them. His hair was long and black as night. His eyes were a piercing, glowing red. Though red is a warm color, it seemed cold to Ravyn, the way he looked. There were long, reddish black horns protruding from his head.

"You can't hurt me."

"Why not? I'm very powerful."

"And you think I'm not?" Ravyn befuddled, "I created you."

"And you took a great risk in doing so," The creature pointed out, "magic is an unpredictable force. With too much black magic, I might be aggressive."

All this magic business always confused Ravyn. You must be intelligent, yet impulsive. Her father had taught her much about magic. You could probably fill a library with all the things he told her; but only half a book about the things she understood. It all sounded like a load of oxymorons to her. Be strong yet weak. Be nothing and everything. Know all, and forget all. He probably made it all up. It was his right though. He's the king after all.

Ravyn walked around her creation, appraising it. This was a difficult creature to make. Much harder than a smaller mooncat or the like. In fact, her father had no idea she was summoning shadows. He'd never taught her to do such. He only told her the very natures of all six elements. What the creatures he'd made himself were called, how he made them. He delighted greatly in all he made with his magic. There would be nothing in the Overworld without him. Not her, her mother, nor even her sister
Evelyn. She wanted to make a being of her own. And here he was, and she understood his delight and wonder. She spotted long, leathery wings on his back, the color of an indigo night sky. She reached out to feel them, and to her surprise, they were soft. They felt just like leather.

"Are you pleased?"

"Of course I am." Ravyn smiled to herself.

"Excellent." He tapped his hands together. Ravyn watched, and noticed they were more of claws then hands, like five sharp knives tapping together. And they made such a sound too. "Then perhaps you can do me a favor."

"You want something? From me?"

"I wish only to see your world. I've been nothing but darkness here for far too long. Show me the world."