The Tattered Wings of a Raven

The sight of that Raven rising up into the sky struck silent panic inside me.

This is was it.

Verdict Day.

That cursed black bird with its knife-like beak and tattered wings soared overhead, circling. A green jewel hanging from its neck glowed brightly through the crisp afternoon sky, swinging hypnotically.

It was my time and I knew it.

The Raven swooped down, revealing its enormous size to similar to an eagle, and perched on the marble step beside me. Its empty soulless eyes stared down at me disdainfully. I was nothing but a faceless rebel to that bird.

The jewel pulsed softly, dangling from its neck.

The time has come to receive your verdict, a neutral voice echoed as the Raven kept its dark gaze. The Mistress requests your presence.

“Fun, because this is how I want to be spending my day!” I snapped.

Hostility will be your demise, the Raven turned its head to stare at me with its right eye.

In one swift movement, it once again took to the sky with one beat of its torn wings.

I stood up with a reluctant sigh and delved into the woods beyond, keeping an eye on that green beacon that swung from the Raven’s neck through the canopy.

I’m usually one for details, but the lack of such was due to the fact that I was distracted. It had been twenty-four years since I had last stood face-to-face with the Mistress and I was wondering if anything would be different—she had converted to Sylvitha, but judging by her Raven, I doubted she would be glad to see me.

Of course, here I was, thinking of the Mistress as my equal. She was by far superior to any being, including myself, and I could not forget that.

The Raven was right. My hostility would be my demise and I knew it.

The woman stood tall in her long, black rags that draped over her body, dissolving into dark smoke at her feet. Her greying ginger hair was held back tightly under a black veil and her small, piercing green eyes were stern, having witnessed the worst of the world.

A glowing green jewel hung from her neck, pulsing.

The Raven, with a crow, soared through the temple room and perched on her shoulder.

“Miss Vanderberg,” the Mistress said in her firm French accent. “How fortunate you came.”

”Fortunate?” I frowned. “You said I had no choice.”

”Oh, you did not have a choice at all.”

The Mistress walked slowly down the steps, across the throne room toward me. Her aged face did not drop its deadpan expression.

”I am not happy.”

”You poor soul,” I muttered.

“I am not happy with you, Miss Vanderberg,” the intimidating one began to circle me, just like her Raven. “Hostility will be your demise.”

”I know that! My prophecy’s only been repeated to me like a million times.”

The Raven flashed its sharp beak at me with a snap, narrowly missing my nose. Had it snagged me, I would know have another scar, beside the enormous knife slash over the right side of my face.

”I chose you for greatness, Jo Vanderberg,” the Mistress sighed. “I chose you to win the Opal Wars for Sylvitha and slay Shadarr the Sly.”

”My name’s not Vanderberg anymore,” I said. “And that’s exactly what I did. Twenty-four years ago.”

”But that is not all I wanted you to do.”

I raised my eyebrow in surprise.

“I told you to stay in Mistydale. You did not.”

”I couldn’t stay in Mistydale, I’m from Earth. So I stayed in Denver.”

”I told you to defend Sylvitha. You did not.”

”Sylvitha no longer needed my help. I couldn’t stay forever.”

”I told you to lead an independent life. And now you are the mother of three children, and nevertheless married to that boy.”

”You said you were glad I disobeyed you.”

”That was then, when I was testing you. You have ignored the path I have clearly set out for you and now you will suffer the consequences.”

The enormous Raven, with a screechy crow, leapt off the Mistress’ shoulder and circled up into the air.

I began to feel that panic again as the dark smoke lingering over the grounds as they emanated from the Mistress began to rise up, twisting into columns. My eyes almost fell out of my head as the pillars of black mist formed silhouettes of husky soldiers, surrounding me.

“I hate to do this, Miss Vanderberg,” the Mistress smiled ever so slightly.

“I told you, that’s not my name anymore,” I hissed through my teeth. “And you know that.”

”Society may give you a different name just to give your husband even more authority over you indiscreetly, but you will always be Jo Vanderberg. Or, should I say, you always were.”

I held my breath as the soldiers began to slowly close in around me.

My fingers flexed, feeling bare with no weapon to hold. I had never felt so vulnerable and wished more than ever that I had something to defend myself with, anything—even a coat hanger would have sufficed.

”Any last words, Jo?” The Mistress said with a sly eyebrow raised. That glowing green jewel still swung from her neck like a hypnotic pocketwatch.

”You wouldn’t dare,” I breathed.

“Oh, you know better than that,” she smiled wryly, turning her back to me. “End her.”

I looked up. The Raven was circling overhead, its tattered feathers fluttering lifelessly.

Something raised up inside me, blazing like a bushfire.

I was not going out.

Not like this.

”No!” I yelled, echoing around the temple room. “I refuse to let you slaughter me like the worthless scrap of life you assume I am.”

The Mistress stopped.

“I am absolutely sick of being your simple puppet! News flash, I’m human, with free will and feelings,” I spat, stepping toward her. “The latter I suppose eludes you.”

She craned her neck ever so slightly, but said nothing.

”I’m not gonna just stand by and let you drive my life. I don’t care if you’re the most powerful being in the world, much more powerful than I. I don’t care if you wanted something else for me in order to fulfil your bidding.”

The Raven snapped, landing on the Mistress’ shoulder as she faced me with a raised nose.

“This is my life, my choices, my fate,” I snarled right up in her face.

In that moment, I just did not care if she could end me, right then and there. I had a point and I was going to establish it. No more mindless obedience.

“It is not your duty to tell me how to live my life. I will do as I wish, when I wish, where I wish and how I wish for as long as I am standing on my two feet, and there is nothing you can do or say to make me cower before you, because I am done cowering.”

The Mistress did not blink as I stared her down, inches away from her nose.

“How noble of you,” she eventually gave me that sly smirk. “How very noble. To risk your very existence to snap at me, your prophet.”

Her somewhat careless tone made me swallow nervously, though I stood my ground.

“Oh well, then, I guess if you do not want to die, than I cannot be the hand that does such.”

The Mistress flicked a wrist and the silhouettes collapsed, their smokey remnants whisking back across the floors to their master.

“You are right,” she said. “I am the most powerful being in this world, and yours. I might be superior to you, but you are still one of the greatest warriors, in all of Mistydale, to ever live—right beside Scarstep the Bold.”

I widened my eyes.

“It would be foolish to end you, but I never was to dig your grave. All I wanted was for you to prove yourself still worthy of such an honour.”

I struggled for words. “You’ll spare me?”

”Why, of course. It might have been twenty-four years since your victory in the Opal Wars. You might have stepped down from our high position in the Sylvitha armies. And yet, you are still superior, now raising the next generation of warriors with the man you love.”

”Oh, thank you!” I gasped in relief, throwing myself on my knees.

“Gather what is left of your dignity and return to your home,” the Mistress turned dismissively, flashing another smile. “Keep that fire burning inside of you, Jo Delacourt.”

I sighed again, turning to escape the temple.

“And one more thing.”

I swivelled around.

“Say hello to that boy of yours,” the Mistress told me, her voice echoing through the throne room. “His name is…”

”Tony,” I interrupted her. “Tony Delacourt.”

The woman smiled. “Right. My best wishes to your Tony Delacourt.”