Midnight Orchid

Part I: Island Life

Prologue: Storytelling

For as long as humanity has walked the face of this magnificent planet spinning the in the reaches of space and time, there have been stories. Every culture, every people, and every human family across its surface created stories to explain, to entertain, and to enlighten. These stories expressed every human emotion, endeavor, and experience. Notably, these stories frequently shared remarkable similarities despite the fact that many of these cultures never interacted, or even knew of each other's existence.

In its earliest, unrefined form, humanity expressed a desire to tell stories, to leave something to pass on to future generations. It started as crude, frenetic gestures reenacting great hunting moments around the glowing embers of humankind's newly discovered technology of fire. It then transformed to pictorial representations on the walls of caves, and with the advent of formalized language, stories found sound and voice. Scholars will continually argue that storytelling didn't evolve until the advent of language and communication in the form of words. What do they know? Were they there? No, but I was.

Storytelling became ingrained as part of belief and religion. Scholars, again, would label this as 'Mythology,' but again, their shortsightedness multiplied their ignorance. Mythology, as a term, gives the impression of a lack of truth and reality; fictionalized accounts to explain nature's mysteries and humanity's dreams and hopes. Hardly fiction at all! Every story has elements of truth and reality. Stories stem from truth and reality. Without these two precepts, stories would have nowhere to begin.

As I've said before, I wasthere, always watching, observing, and recording. I've seen the best and worsthumanity has to offer. Even humanity's darkest depths serve a purpose.Personally, I like the joy and thrill one gets seeing humanity's triumphs, but I'mnot here to dither on about myself. I'm here to tell you all about Raya. Thisis her story. It isn't my story, but I'm present in it. This is truly one of myall-time favorites, and it's not even complete. Like many stories it goes onand on. This is just where it begins. It's a story in the midst of somethinggreat and inspiring, something that will ultimately impact human existence forgenerations to come. Although most of humanity will never know of this story'simportance, unless they happen to come along on this journey of wonder andmagic. I am Ta'Hena, Master Storyteller, and this is Raya's story, future queenof the Witches of the Midnight Orchid...    

Chapter 1: The Dawning of Power

In the pre-dawn hours at the easternmost tip of the island, two 15 year-old girls moved stealthily through the growth of island foliage toward the sandy beach that was their special place. A place only they knew, or so they thought anyway. Over the last four hundred years, since the island's founders first stepped on to this beautiful paradise, no part of it was unexplored. Generations of friends had found this secluded place, using it as a refuge from parents, a peaceful escape from life's troubles, and whatever the universe threw at them. Friends always seemed to find this particular stretch of beach, and Raya and Kondi were the best of friends. They were not only friends, but first cousins as well, sharing that traced its lineage through several generations for over four-hundred years of history. They belonged to one of the eldest and most revered families in the entire Collective on the island.

"Raya, I swear you move as quietly as a boar in the underbrush! When are you going to learn the stealth of a Hunter?" Kondi mocked. The sarcastic commentary wasn't lost on Raya in the slightest. Like most times, Raya shrugged off Kondi's barb, knowing the real reason behind it. Raya just smiled, and let it roll off her.

Her elder by only three months, Kondi never allowed Raya to forget who was older, always controlling every situation and exerting her dominance over her younger cousin whenever the chance arose. In truth, Raya was destined for a much greater path than her slightly older cousin.