Darkefyre (On Hold)

One

*Rendina Court, City of Lys*

I watched through the crack in the door jamb as the darkness grew, the shadows were layered; some were darker than others as they gambolled around the scarcely lit green room. A simple brown wooden bowl sat in the centre. A myriad of herbs lay scattered in a circle around my mother's still form. Her blue robe boldly emblazoned with the eight pointed star sat lazily on her shoulders, her dark cascade of hair hung unbound down her back. It whipped wildly in a phantom wind as her chant of magic words filled the air, I closed my eyes as pure energy washed over me.

"Cast the stones," her voice echoed eerily.

The whispers started and tumbled, merged with the voice that had brought joy to my ears countless times. I watched in silence as my mother dropped to her knees; her robe fell off one shoulder to reveal a dark tattooed star and crescent moon. Her body crumpled at the waist, and I almost betrayed my hiding place as a gasp slipped from my trembling lips. Her forehead kissed the cold, relentless stone. I heard as she sobbed those horrid words. My eyes weeping as I put my tiny fisted hand to my mouth.

"Please... Not my children," I heard her beg to a seemingly empty room.

A shadow, black as the night rose up from the bowl. It coalesced into the smoky form of a man. His hair was pitch black, almost swallowed the last available light left in the room. His ears were pointed and his nose slanted up as if in a perpetual state of disdain. His eyes were the strangest shade of purple, like washed out lavender. His smoky arms were slender and slowly crept forwards, until he touched my mother's forehead.

His voice was powerful and like muted thunder as he spoke.

"You know the price. Nothing more, nothing less. I might also remind you of your promise, Lys av Riket. No matter the pain you might feel."

His eyes turned shrewd and danced with a darkness I had not seen before. My mother slowly looked up. Her hair whipping behind her as the tension rose.

"Please, just not my children."

"They're all you have?" He mocked.

"Yes," my mother sobbed harder.

"You'll do anything for them? "

My mother's spine stiffened, and she swept a gentle hand across her face. I had to force myself not to scream at her.

"Yes. Anything and everything," She rose to her feet, and pulled up her robe back over her shoulder. I saw cold calculation flit across her eyes before it was gone. She surveyed the smoking man.

"I'll make a deal."

"What kind?" The shadow man looked at his elongating nails. Almost disinterested.

"The kind that gives you what you came here for," She spat bitterly. The pointy eared bastard smiled.

"You and your husband's life for that of your children's," he stated.

My mother nodded.

"But... If my soul should find out that you've harmed them in any way, I'll make sure you remember the reason why pain exists," she turned away from the shadow man.

"Fine. They lived on borrowed time anyway."

"I think you should know something before you vanish back to your hell. All four bloodlines run through their veins. Yours, Kalina's, Ansel's and Galanh's. You know what will happen," she whispers.

I swear the man's face almost paled. Then the smoke began to disintegrate, but not before those elongated claws scraped my mothers arm. Three welts appeared and drew blood. A pact that would be stronger than stone.