The Silver Wanderer [BOOK ONE of Angora]

Prologue

Its murky, white eyes stared straight at me and I leveled my eyes to return the gaze. The corners of its mouthed curled into a sly grin, showing a full row of rotten black teeth. Lifting its long bony fingers towards me, it reached for my sword, but my senses were fast enough to block the creatures movements with my arm and draw out my weapon, keeping the sharp tip of the blade pointed directly at the creature.

It jumped at my quick movements and their twisted smile faltered before it returned with a playful gleam in its eyes. The look it gave suggested it thought this was a game, but it was far from it. The creature stepped forward and I pushed the blade so it rested on its throat. Judging by the thin long hair and the soft facial features, the creature was once a female child before it was cursed by darkness.

The creature cackled humorlessly, it's voice croaky and high-pitched. It began to mumble an unknown language and before I let it finish, I pushed my sword through the neck, and watched as the life seeped from it's gray-skinned, dirt covered body before I yanked the blade from it's throat and wiped it with a handkerchief.

Sliding the sword back into my belt, I checked my surroundings for any signs of other creatures. They didn't usually hunt alone, but this time the small cursed girl was alone in the dark empty alley of the city of Angora. I imagined the young girl had a family, she would've had parents and possibly siblings, and maybe she lived a perfect and happy life before she was cursed. It was sad really; how easily a child's mind can be corrupted into something so evil and dangerous. They were innocent beings helplessly taken over by the darkness.

As I walked back to headquarters, I couldn't help but think about the events that had lead me here. My life wasn't like this before I left home. I couldn't even handle the sight of blood, and yet here I was, killing cursed humans without a second of hesitation. Two years ago I was just a normal and reckless teenage girl. Two years ago I wasn't fighting to survive in a strange world. In fact, this whole thing started when I was a little girl.

Suitcases. That's all I could remember from the beginning.

Two large, full, heavy looking suitcases sat by the front door of our house. I was so curious and somehow excited at the site of the luggage. I wanted to know where we were going, on a holiday to somewhere tropical maybe. Just the sight of the bags told me that mother, father and I were going on a trip, at least that is what I thought at the time.

My father and Uncle James entered the room, both of them looking rather tense. "Why are you doing this? Is there anything I can do to stop you from leaving?" Uncle James asked my father with a concerned look on his face.

My father only shook his head as a reply, and then his eyes gazed upon me, suddenly noticing that I was in the room. He didn't smile, or tell me where we were going on our holiday, he only stared at me. His brown eyes shined in the light from the ceiling lamp and though his gaze was heavy, his expression remained blank. "Isobel, let's go," he muttered softly, speaking my mother's first name. That was the first time I had heard my father call my mother by her first name, instead of using a term of endearment, such as honey or darling. This time I knew something was wrong, terribly wrong.

"Daddy? What's going on, where are you going?" I asked as I watched mother pass me, her face covered by the hood of her jumper. She didn't glance in my direction.

He walked over to me and crouched so he was my height. "Be good." was all he said. The words echoed through my head, and before I could say anything back, they were gone. Both of them, out of thin air, just vanished as they walked through the front door with their suitcases trailing behind them.

At first I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me, or my imagination was wilder than I had anticipated. Being only five at the time, I was but a silly, mischievous child. Years had passed since my parents disappeared, and I always waited for them to come back. I sat in front of the door for hours, practicing my happy face for when they walked through the door to greet me.

I waited for years, but they never came, and eventually I gave up hope of their returning.