The Keeper's Sacrifice

Chapter One: My Duty

"Ravenna!" I heard someone shout my name across the training fields, "At next bell, it's your turn on guard duty."

Great. I slid my bow over my shoulder as I picked up a hooded cloak and dusted the dirt off the silver cloth. With a soft sigh, I clasped it around my neck and pulled the hood over my head.

"Poor Ravenna," one of my older brothers taunted, "Too bad. She can't fight one of her boytoys. How depressing."

"Shut your mouth, Raphael," I snapped at him, picking up some arrows, "Or I'll shut it for you."

I hadn't planned on fighting any of the young men in the Keep tonight, but I never knew when one wanted a chance for my favor.

Being the best fighter of my generation meant I had a surplus of male suitors and an excess of female enemies, so to counteract that little problem; I set up a little contest. The deal was if one of the men could best me in a fight, they could court me. So far, none have beaten me, even men at least a decade my elder have tried. My father was none to happy about that.

I had no idea why I was so popular. I suppose it's because I did not look like anyone in the Keep and the Keepers of the Peace, the people who live in the Keep, are all blond and tan with variations of violet eyes. I was the complete opposite from the blond warriors. I'm pale and lanky, where as the Keepers are sturdy, with long jet-black hair and icy blue eyes that turn a silvery gray when I fight, or feel an intense emotion.

I was the youngest of nine children and the only girl. All my brothers are identical to the rest of the Keepers. My father was a Guardian, a high station for a Keeper, a protector of our Commander and an adviser. My mother, I never knew, all I know of her was that she had black hair, like me, and had deep blue eyes. Her name was Ariel and she wasn't a Keeper.

She had came to the Keep seeking Sanctuary, the first in fifty or so years, but she had never told anyone what she ran from, not even my father, Erin. They were happy together, nonetheless, at least until she had me. I killed her by being born. I guess I was born to kill.

What a happy thought. I trudged my way to the armory.

"Hello, Pangborn," I smiled to the armorer and resident blacksmith.

"Good evening, Little Raven," the older man smiled back.

He had always called me "Little Raven" and it always made me smile when he did. Pangborn was one of the older Keepers. His light blond hair was slowly changing to silver. He was tall, with many scars from battles and lines around his eyes from looking into the sun. He was perhaps forty-ish, I'm not sure he even remembers his true age.

"I need my sword and armor," I said leaning into the wooden counter and looking up at the shining blades and armor.

"Well, of course," Pangborn smiled as he lifted Sorrowbourne on to the counter, "One cannot hope to be effective on guard duty if they are killed before they can guard."

I smiled and wrapped my fingers around the deep blue and black hilt that was laden with silver filigree the blade of the sword itself was a deep sapphire that glinted in the light. The sword hummed softly to me. I smiled to myself.

Some how, Pangborn had made swords that reacted to their owners, as if he had taken a sliver of our souls and made the swords around them. It was almost as if the swords had a secret power, and some did.

"I'm making his sister now," Pangborn said as I was watching the blade, running my fingers across the cool metal.

"Nightwing..." I whispered.

The blacksmith blinked at me, "How did you know her name?"

I shrugged, "It just came to me."

"I suppose it was meant to be," the elder Keeper grinned good-naturedly as he held my leather armor out for me.

I took it graciously and Pangborn took back up his polishing of several knives.

"Be safe out there, Little Raven," he smiled, "And here, take this, for my own peace of mind," Pangborn tossed a six-inch hunting knife to me.

I caught it by the bone hilt, and smiled up at him. Feigning a sigh of frustration, I slid it into my belt on the left, opposite of my sword, which was on the right.

Another thing that makes me an anomaly, I'm one of the three left-handed Keepers. I slid the silver feathered arrows into a quiver and slid that over my shoulder to rest against the bow. I left the smithy and head to my home that I shared with my two oldest brothers, Raphael, 25, and Gabriel, 24, who were most likely either training or off courting their ladyloves.

"Raphael? Gabriel?" I called as I walked in.

There was no reply, so they must have been off doing whatever it is that they do. I walked into my bedroom to collect my thoughts before going to do my duty. I sat on the bed and closed my eyes, inhaling slowly.

I enjoyed these moments of being alone. I had a silent moment to align my thoughts and go to that silent place in the back of my mind where ethics and morals were nice, but they were pleasantries that could kill you or your partner. It was a place of action and reaction, a place of survival and killer instinct. It was my place.

I exhaled slowly and stood up, calm and relaxed, but wary as the bell tolled to inform me that it was my turn to stand guard outside the wall. For a moment, I almost wondered who my partner would be, but they would always pair me with Abbadon, my brother who was named after the Angel of Destruction. How accurate considering how he acts on a regular basis. He and I fight well together, and that's all that matters outside the gate. We don't have to get along to protect each other.

I walked back out toward the Front Gate as Abbadon matched my step, his gold and red sword glinting in the fading light.

"Is that all you're carrying?" I asked, without looking at him.

"Yes. I have no need for anything more. Phoenix and I can handle ourselves. Just watch my back and I'll watch yours," he said without emotion.

"Something's telling me that we're going to see some action tonight, "I replied as we waited for the Capitan of the Watch to tell us where we would be stationed.

My fingers rested lightly against the deep blue hilt of Sorrowbourne as the Capitan approached us from the stairs that led up to the battlements. He was a few years older than Raphael, and had many scars from protecting the Keep from the Unclean, the monsters that hid in the dark places in the world.

"Hello Abbadon, Ravenna," Capitan Richard greeted us as he reached the bottom step and moved to stand in front of us.

We both ducked our heads and spoke in unison, "Good evening, Capitan."

I noted with a tiny tinge of satisfaction the cut on his face that trailed from his jaw to his eyebrow was healing nicely, but would scar. I had given that to him a few days ago when my commanding officer tried for my favor. In hindsight, I probably should not have used my full force on the poor man.

"Sir, please forgive me. I had not meant to harm you when we fought," I said with a duck of my head and without emotion or inflection.

His fingers automatically traced the wound, "There's no need for you to apologize. I should not have let my guard down when I saw you stumble, or when I saw you feign a stumble."

I lowered my eyes and Abbadon shuffled restlessly next to me, but he would not disrespect the Capitan by speaking out of turn.

"Abbadon, you and your sister will guard the South Wall," he replied with a quick turn of his lips that was an almost smile and dismissed us.

The South Wall was the most dangerous place to be on guard duty. Only the best fighters were stationed there, it was a compliment if you were competent enough to handle yourself, but occasionally, the Capitan would place a body there for political or discipline purposes.

"Shall we?" my brother sighed after the Capitan left us.

"Should be fun, it is the South Wall," I said turning to walk toward the South Gate.

The South Wall faced the Deep Woods where the most Unclean gathered and there was rumored an entire kingdom south of the Keep, but no one had ever been that far, or if they had they never made it back.