ArKana

Since the beginning there was only darkness, every part of my world was filled with it.

Faces were dark, nature was dark, people are dark. The day I opened my eyes everyone was the same to me, I think my parents noticed that I was different and constantly tried to hide me from the villagers, as if to protect me.

That was the opposite of what happened, it was human nature to fear ‘the other’, abnormal things frightened human beings who were prone to evil. My lack of exposure to them and the world crippled me, as human being and as a woman.

And so began my bleak life, whenever I would make my rare appearance in the village people would stare at me. Children would run away scared as if they’ve seen a monster, their souls were spotted with a tad bit of light. They were not fully tainted like the adults, whose heart were black as a dark void.

“Begone spawn of evil!” a woman shouted, and I turned my head under my hood and saw a glimpse of her. Her outline was grey and hunched over and inside where her heart was, was a darkness that seemed to swallow up her whole being. I scoffed inside, “The only evil here, is you”, I muttered.

I made my way to my house, which was at the edge of the forest. My parents had built the house far from the village to escape the pressure of the people, but mainly to protect me. I walked in through the door and my mother rushed down the stairs.

“Kana! Did you go out again?!” she was worried and drew me into her arms. Her figure was like a blooming ball of light, full of beauty and kindness. She was set apart of the other villagers a truly good person.

My father was in the kitchen and walked out. He was strong, big, and tall. His stature often drove the villagers away, as he was the strongest in the whole town.

“My dear” he said, “you know I said not to leave the house without me”. My father’s being was enveloped in a red light. His was strong and red-blooded, ready to take on anything that stood in his way.

He took my hood of and stared into my eyes; I could not see his face but I knew he was looking at me. “Please listen to me, and don’t go out without me”.

Overwhelmed by his spirit I nodded, “Yes Father”.

My mother jumped in joy, “Well then let’s have dinner”.

Dinner was a warm veal stew with vegetables and herbs. My mother was a skilled herbalist, and her food was always tasty and rejuvenating. I have been learning from her and my father had taught me to hunt, track and survive in case something happened.

“Mother, do you think I will ever be normal?”

My mother stiffened “My darling, you are normal, just because you do not fit in. Doesn’t make you any different.”

I smiled, her words were filled with warmth and I could feel the sadness and love radiating off her.

My father ruffled my hair, “Listen her Kan-Kan”, he called my nickname and I chuckled, “Your mother and I love you no matter what. If anything happens, we know we have raised you to be strong and survive. So don’t let those small-minded people get to you.”

My parents were very wise and forward thinking. I knew that they were probably not originally from this village as they were both literate, well-spoken, and highly skilled. They even had access to books which was a rarity amongst most villages.

I went to bed that night re-reading the book about the Nacran continent. I knew this book inside out, but it was still my favorite. The book detailed the birth of the Nacran continent, its various countries, and royal families.

I fell asleep reading. In the dead of night, a sharp cry woke me up, as I heard shouts and cries from outside. I looked out my window and saw the villagers at our door.

“Bring us the spawn of EVIL!!!” They shouted, their souls were fully blackened, and an evil redness pulsated from inside them. The same redness permeated their souls and moved and spoke as if possessed.

My father ran up to me, he held an axe in hand.

“Kana you must escape through the cellar!”

I had no time to gather my thoughts as he rushed me out, shoved a bag in my arms and practically pushed me into the cellar.

“I love you”, he said and shut the cellar door. I stood barefoot in the cellar hearing my father scream.

“You will not have her!” his voice and manner of speech made me feel like he knew why this was happening. My mother then spoke, “Aneska, come forth and protect us”.

A flash of light surrounded the whole house, I felt my entire being shook and I had no choice but to get out of the cellar. The light produced a strong heat that nearly scalded me. I took advantage of this and fled into the forest.

I ran and ran hearing the horrible screams of the villagers, but it was not over. I could feel the presence of something pursuing me.

It felt hungry and chillingly evil.

The intense urge to flee overwhelmed me, it felt like if I stopped for even a minute I would be devoured. The presence pushed me deeper and deeper into the woods, until I was no longer sure of where I was.

Exhausted and lost I found myself falling to my knees. A strong wind blew passed me causing my hair to flail about and blind me. As soon as I could see again, a dark shadow stood before me. Its form was not human, it was twisted and horned with yellow piercing eyes.

“Hello, my dear”, its sickening voice spoke inside my head.

“I have been looking for you”.

“Who are you?” I said, “I am here to free you”, it said and I could feel that it was lying.

Its presence felt similar to the one inside the villagers, so there was no way I would trust it.

“You are lying”.

It laughed “Do you not long to be normal my dear Kan-Kan”, as soon as its voice imitated that of the father’s, I stumbled to my feet in an attempt to run.

“Oh, you cannot flee from me. I have waited too long for you”.

A sharp pain pierced my back, causing me to fall face flat on the ground. As my vision began to darken a coldness surrounded my body and my consciousness faded.

“Sleeeeeep”, the being hissed, and I could no longer remain awake.

When I came to, I was tied to cold concrete block surrounded by hooded beings. They were chanting in a foreign language, but their words were so vile, so evil that it burnt my hears to listen to it.

Painful screams stemmed from my mouth. I couldn’t control the pain I felt and began to see visions of things I had never seen before. Colour, vibrant things, a vivid nature and destruction. The black and white of my world ceased as my mind was filled with unfamiliar images.

During this I began to feel myself slipping away, it felt as if I was submerged in icy water. That stung and numbed my entire body. The only part that remained of me was my mind. I felt my body slip away and before I knew it I was floating. I looked down at my body, I was naked and there were weird symbols drawn onto my skin.

My eyes opened but it was not me, I saw myself get up from the altar and tear off the chains that retrained me.

“NO!” I shouted as I realized my body had been stolen from me.

“Give it back! That is my body!”. I floated towards myself and touched my body. An electrifying pulse shot through my body and felt myself being dragged into it. I fell to the ground my body weak, the hooded figured rushed to me.

“Oh, Great One! Are you alright?”

I felt so tired, one of the hooded men wrapped a cloak around me. They seemed to worship me, but I knew that they did not know I was still me.

I was prepared to fake this as much as possible, so that I could escape them…