Nightway Chronicles: Book One - The Resurrection

Chapter One

I am and always will be a monster. It is what people see me as when I walk past them. When I look at my reflection, dark eyes stare back at me. Dark eyes that belong to a pale face with a sickening and sinister grin. The demon inside me takes hold when I am weak. No, this is not a metaphor for my sorrows. I am quite literally a creature from hell. I bring fear to those around me, though most believe I do not exist. Those who acknowledge my presence refuse to speak or look at me. But it's not my fault. I didn't ask to be a witch.

Being a witch isn't all that it's cracked up to be. We don't all have cats or brooms or pointy hats. We don't have warts or big noses. Some of us are actually quite beautiful and enchanting...that's what makes us lethal. Most of us have wands that we never part with. Our powers aren't as strong without them. But a small bunch of us, myself included, do not need wands.

Many witches consider themselves superior to humans. I'd rather be human. Don't get me wrong, powers are great but I would prefer not being discriminated against or hunted. Many find it thrilling, always having to run from hunters. They enjoy being caught and inflicting pain on those who wish to hurt them. We call them the Dolor. I'm not one for killing, much to the dismay of my family.

I now sit on one side of a long wooden table. My three brothers sit in front of me and my sister on my right. My mother sits at the head of the table, presiding over us all. She smiles at each one of us as we eat. "Maximus, tell us of your hunt today? How did it fair for you?" My eldest brother finishes his sip of wine and sighs. "The woods were plentiful with meat today. We each took home one deer. 'We' being Thomas, Osric and I." My mother claps with delight as my other brothers, Benjamin and Peter, roll their eyes and continue eating. My sister Katherine listens intently as he speaks.

Being the youngest, Katherine has always watched Maximus, Benjamin and I's movements very closely. As the eldest siblings, she wants to be just like us. She is only ten years of age but is farther along in her magical studies than Peter. My brothers envy Maximus and I. Maximus likes to think that it's because of his looks or his power. I had never given much thought to it but I only supposed it was because I got to do more in the world.

After a long dinner listening to Maximus gloat about his hunt, I take Katherine to bed. It takes us two minutes to get to her room from the dining room. I guess that's one of the many downsides of living in a castle. My family isn't royal or anything, we just have influence. Katherine changes into her nightgown and I sit on her bed and tell her stories of dragons and knights until she is sound asleep. She never sleeps unless someone tells her a story. I kiss her brown hair covered head and leave the room.

My mother stands by my door, her brown hair hanging down to her waist. "Are you ready for tomorrow?" I sigh and open my door, letting her follow me in. "Of course I'm ready!" I lie to her. Tomorrow I turn eighteen. It is tradition for all witches and wizards to go to their first brothel on their eighteenth birthday. After one has sex with another, the witch or wizard kills the other participant and uses their soul for spells. I'm not enticed by either killing or sex. "I will help you get ready tomorrow. You may be a paying customer but you must make the man want you." She cups my face in her hands and kisses my forehead. As she turns, I roll my eyes.

I'm awoken by the sound of my falcon cawing at me loudly. I look at the bird with a glare but he continues shrieking. I finally stand up and put on my robe. Then and only then does he stop shrieking. He flies to my shoulder and nuzzles my ear a bit. "Shove off Warin." I giggle a bit and he flies to my dresser. I brush out my hair and gaze at myself in the mirror. My light brown hair falls down to my breasts in waves. My pale yet tan skin looks smooth like glass. I look, as my mother would say, perfect in every way. But that is just a mother's opinion.

My mother bursts into my room and smiles widely at me. "Oh Luciana, my beautiful child. You look stunning." I stare at her with a confused smile. "I just woke up. I haven't even prepared." She barely waits for me to finish before continuing, "Oh hush now! Let's get you dressed!" She opens up my closet and pulls out five dresses. One of the dresses is such a horrendous shade of orange that I feel awful for owning it. She notices my disgust and tosses it on the bed.