Embedded Emerald in Gold fire

Prologue - 1

In a world full of magic, where witches possess the ability to channel magic and use it according to their own will, welodas were created. It was a kings wish to create beings stronger and faster than humans in order to protect the kingdom. But word spread and other kingdoms recreated those creatures, using different animals to combine with humans. They were called welodas, "forest-people" owned by the king and originally created for battle. But unpredictable raw strength in deformed bodies was left, the mind slipping more often than not, leaving a threat to lash out against their own or humans.

The uncontrolled power in those beings brought chaos into the world, raging war demanded hundreds of lives, witches were blamed for what happened and their magic feared. No witch should be able to freely use her power ever again.

A great ritual was performed, many witches were forced to participate or chose to in order to protect the world. Magic was woven with an oath. Each witch who was to channel magic from the world must obey her master. That master was the one person to provide the witch with a bed to sleep and food to eat. Once a witch chose a husband and performed an act of love only he was able to give orders to her. No man would be able to force himself on a witch because if any act would be performed without love he would be forever cursed.

Witches thought it had been planned thoroughly, no loopholes and enough protection for any witch, but they underestimated the human desire for power. Even though men were unable to form a lasting bond with a witch by force, they were able to treat them as slaves providing only a bed and some food to use their power while keeping them prisoner.

Witches were stolen from families at a young age, sold or kidnapped from house to house, kingdom to kingdom, restless until they chose to marry. Many young girls fell for charming men only to find their true intentions once a lifelong bond was formed. Others were married off at an even younger age, the parents wanting to protect them from a life without a home. But not many of those men could resist the urge to sell the services or their "wife".

It was almost impossible to miss a witch. The magic was working on the outside of the witch as much as it was on the inside and left small marks. Additionally every witch was stunning, impossible to not look at. Each man knew if he met a girl too pretty to be true, she was a witch and therefore had no right to decide on her own. Witches were hunted down and kept imprisoned only to be called when needed. They were shunned even more than the remainders of the welodas who often chose to live in village inside the safety of the forest. Their appearance making them outcasts in the human world. Though some were still hired for work, used for their advanced skills.

At that time a witch having married a weloda for love lived in a cabin hidden deep inside a forest, outside of all civilization. Only on rare occasions would she walk into the next village to aid as a healer. The village was inhabited by welodas who did not care about society out-casting witches. They were grateful for the help Merlodia gave, her knowledge and skill as well as her creams and potions. Merlodia had learned to read and write, possessed books to harness her magical usage and gained great knowledge over plants from her husband.

Aroban came from a line of fox-like humans, his fire red hair and pointy ears visible for anyone, his sharpened teeth protection enough to not be bothered. Merlodia and Aroban lived happily with a garden to provide enough food to live from. Aroban travelled into different human towns to sell Merlodias' creams and potions every once in a while, buying grains, clothing or other items from the money they earned. He was careful not to be followed when returning home, their location had to remain secret!

Their happy marriage was blessed with a child after only four winters, Karanoidee inherited her fathers red hair and pointy ears, her corner teeth slightly sharper than usual. Her grin was that of her fathers, threatening yet adorable from such a sweet child. Her emerald iris was surrounded by a golden circle and her eyelashes feathered out in long red lashes that looked like tiny fox tails.