"Innocnce is nonsense these days. That's what grandfather used to always say. Sometimes on days like these i agree." from the diary of Tairen Zyiak January 12th, 1352.

Tairen walked slowly down the cobblestone street. There was snow banks on either side of the path, which had been lightly dusted by snow. His fingers were wrapped around his mother and sister's hands. His mother looked almost like a snow-witch, the ones that had haunted the earth for fifteen years now, entirely covering the world with their art, the snowflakes. His mother was turning pale, almost blue form the cold, her coat had icicles dripping off of the hem. Her cloak dragged along the ground, turning up the snow.

"Mother, when will we get to Father's house in the woods?" Sentai asked, her little hands shaking in Tairen's. Her dark blue scarf had turned almost white from the steady snow income. Her gown she had gotten for christmas, was now lined with snow, all along the bottom hem. Her coat hung over it, it's fur blowing every time a breeze swept by.

"Soon, honey soon. I know your father will be waiting for us with a blazing fire." Tairen's mother looked down on her, smiling a wimpish smile. The hope of warmth was slim. A gust swept over Tairen and his family, blowing the powder of the drifts into their faces. Tairen looked to the sky. Two breezes coming from oppsite directions usually only meant one thing, witches. Tairen stopped walking. His mother looked at him frightfully, sensing what he was thinking. "Sentai, come quickly. Stay with me now." His mother grabbed her hand, and pulled her towards one of the snow banks, and hid behind it, crouching as low as she could.

"Witches, ugh i hate them terriblely." Tairen said, unsheathing his blade, its silver body shining against the snow. Tairen heard a cackle above him. "One," then another "Two. I've got my hands full today." Two pale blue women, swooped down from the sky, their capes flying behind them. They rode on skecpters, giant dragonflies, more dragon than fly.Their dark black scales made them stand out vividly aginst the white world. Their four transparent wings buzzed to their sides, hover in mid air. Their dark beaks were bright yellow, just like their eyes. Their muscular legs landed hardly in the snow, their talons piercing the thick ice. It's beastly macelike tail dangled below it, swaying with the wind. The witches hopped off the skecpters, their gowns twirling in the wind. They had dark blue hair and pointed ears, just like the elven folk. They wore revealing almost clear dresses, with swirls of light blue and whites entagling it. They both had wicked smiles upon their faces.

"I can sense a few sisters, waiting to join our cause somewhere out there." One witch said, her nose twitching pointing upwards.

"All I see is this morsel, hardly a snack for our skecpters. Yet I too smell them." the other witch said, walking towards Tairen, his swords drawn at hand.

"You witches must be quite old, you are losing your sense of smell, it is just I."Tairen said, standing boldy, his face not even flinching from its stern appearance.

"Just you? I doubt you would travel these roads alone." Maybe behind the snow banks?" the taller witch said. "It appears there is a blue and white scarf coming out from behind it and I am quite sure that that scarf is connected to a neck!" The witch said, twirling her hand taking control of the snow around the scarf. She abruptly pulled her hand up, The scarf, along with a struggling Sentai dangled in mid-air.

"You Witch!" Tairen yelled.

"Honey they don't call us witches for nothing." the younger looking witch said smiling at him and the sturggling girl in the air.

"You will pay for hurting my sister!" Tairen said, handling his blade like an experienced fighter, slashed at the witch, removing her fingers. The witch screamed in agony holding her hand tightly. Sentai and the scarf fell to the ground, she was gasping for breathe.

"Now I think it will be you who will pay." the younger witch said. She lunged at the boy, her pointed teeth exposed. Her catlike eyes staring viciously. She tackled Tairen, knocking his blade out of his hand. She sat upon him snarling, "Would you be devastated if your sister's blood was on your blade?" The witch asked, with the twirling of her hand. The snow built up along the handle. Tairen stared frightfully.

"Run Sentai! Run!" Tairen yelled, Struggling to get the witch off of him. The witch cackled and swung her hand. The blade flew towards the little girl, still in a heap on the ground, gasping for breathe. Tairen's mother screamed and dove in front of the blade, which pierced her through the chest. She lay in a heap next to her now screaming daughter. Tairen turned his face away from the view, tears impairing his vision.

"I hope your happy." the witch said, slapping him into unconcissnious.

When Tairen awoke he was half covered in snow. After shaking himself off, he rushed over to the snow bank. There lay his mother, sprinkled with white snow. The bloody scene now forever white. Their was another lump next to her. Tairen collapsed to his knees in sadness. He had lost everything that mattered to him, his mother, his siter, and soon he would die. He brushed the snow off of the lump, and next to his mother lay a pile of pinecones! his little sister was still alive somewher out there. Unfortunelty she was probably taken away by the witches, to be converted into a sister of their cult. Tairen removed his blade form his mother, something he almost couldn't do. He dug a hole in the snow, six feet deep and made his mother look as peaceful as possible. Frozen tears covered her face after Tairen had lowered her into the hole. She had left him, she was on her way to heaven, and Tairen would avenge her. She did not dei in vain saving his sister. He would not let the witches take her. After a solomn prayer Tairen headed off onto the trail, now in a jog, towards the forest. He had to settle a few things first.