Young Writers Society

Silver Aerialis/White Hawk~~~~The City of Angelus (Raven Castle)

The interior of Raven Castle was incredible. Pillars of grey marble were remarkably carved in spirals from the ceiling down to the red carpeted floor, the windows almost as big as the door in a barn house and filled with clear glass that servants had painstakingly struggled to maintain, and portraits of many previous monarchs who once roamed and reigned in Raven Castle, placed on the walls for any and all to see. Even a man my age could tell Raven Castle had many stories to tell with just a long hard glance around, but the current matters were at hand and none of us - myself, Stripes, and our fellow travellers - had time to indulge in the scenery. We were chosen for a mission that lasted for twenty-one years to this day. We were summoned to retrieve the King Raven's only heir, in exchange for a reward that the King Raven himself would give of our choice. However, I knew there had to be an exception to the list of rewards that the King Raven could offer, which led me to wondering why we had to come to the city of Angelus. I looked at Stripes and asked him curiously, "What do you suppose His Majesty the King Raven wanted us to come to Raven Castle when he could've came to us?"
Stripes shrugged and answered, "Damn if I know. Rumor has it around the city that the King Raven's getting too old to resume the search for his sparrow. I don't normally listen to the local gossip, but the culture's new to me, so I can't help but listen." He got close to me and lowered his voice. "If ya want me to tell ya the truth, I think the King Raven's losing his life too quickly due to the fear of losing his only sparrow. It's every parent's worse nightmare to lose their children, ya know. I bet the sooner he gets his sparrow back, the better his life will be."
I nodded in agreement. I never doubted Stripes, considering that he had a thing about keeping an ear to the ground. He was the closest I had to a brother, since we were adopted by different families as babies and had angel wings that allowed us to fly. I knew Stripes was of the Winged Folk like I was, but he made me promise not to tell the others about it or he'd use his dragon chakram to cut the feathers of my silver wings. I valued my wings, considering that I needed them to fly around when I had to. Knowing Stripes, he meant every word in his threat and wouldn't hesitate to use his chakram against me if he was given the chance. I looked ahead and saw the man behind our summoning - the King Raven himself.
His wings were outspread and grey, giving him the appearance of an angel. His hair was almost completely silver with age, but still had some blonde locks still fighting to stay as their natural color. The hair itself was tied back and hung behind his slender neck. His eyes were a greyish-blue, almost grey and clouded enough to mistake him for a blind man. His neck was slightly callused and his face was oval-shaped and weary. His violet robes were loose, golden jewelry adorning his wrists and ankles with a silver pendant hanging loosely around his neck. The pendant was shaped as a raven, the great symbol of the royal family. In this state, he appeared older than he truly was. It was said that he was in his forties, but it seemed to me that his grief had put a decade on him in spite of his court's attempts to make him appear younger.
I pitied the King Raven as I saw him. His entire complexion was a decade older than his true age due to over twenty years of grief and determined searching. It was too obvious to me, even for someone of my age. I heard the others whisper amongst themselves as I studied the King Raven. The only one not amongst the whispers besides myself was Stripes, whose hand was on my shoulder and gripping hard. I felt pain from Stripes' grip. I groaned, "Let off, Stripes. You got a death-grip on my shoulder." After he let go, I heard someone else clear their throat, silencing the whispers and gaining all attention.
The King Raven stood from his throne and coughed a moment, making me cringe. Not only was he getting older, but getting sicker. He walked towards the rest of us and said, "I've asked for all of you because I can barely manage the search in my age and keep watch upon my subjects at the same time. I would have resumed the search myself, but alas, my grief has weakened me to where I have become too sick to carry on. As your summoning note had stated, I am offering a generous reward to any or all of you in exchange for the return of my lone sparrow. However, your reward is after my sparrow is returned here in Raven Castle. I can give you all some time to think of where my sparrow is, but be warned that there is war on the earth below and at sea. If my sparrow is found dead, at least bring his corpse here so he can have a proper burial."
I could tell he was on the verge of breaking down. A worried parent could talk for only a while until he or she breaks down in tears as they fear for the well-being of the offspring. I had to say something to ease his suffering. "Forgive me for speaking my mind, sire, but even if your sparrow is dead, do we still get our reward in return for at least trying? Because your sparrow is supposed to be twenty-one years old last week, surely we need more leads than what you've given us."
The King Raven looked at me and tears were swelling in his eyes. "I haven't seen my sparrow grow up, so I know very little as to what he might look like." He sighed. "But yes, you will still be rewarded for at least trying." His aged face turned hard and serious. "That is if the attempt was the best of efforts."
I nodded. We would have to make due with what we had, considering that we were summoned for a rescue mission with little to no lead on who we were trying to rescue. "Then so be it. It'll be in our best of efforts that we search for your sparrow and return him to the nest where he belongs, dead or alive. You have my word as a part of the Winged Folk that you and your family have once reigned over since the day the Creator have given us all life." It was a binding vow that all Winged Folk took in a situation such as this. If there was one thing I knew about most Winged Folk culture, it was that male Winged Folk always make a promise they know they can keep.
The King Raven returned to his throne and sat there. "Then all of you are dismissed. Go to your quarters and stay here for the night. Your quest begins at first light."
Stripes and the rest of us had to follow a member of the King Raven's court to our quarters. We were divided by gender and up to three people could take the rooms we were put in. Much to my surprise, Stripes and I weren't in the same room together. Instead, I was with the centaur. "So, where do you suppose we look first? The lost Prince Raven could be anywhere in the world except the Pearly Gates. Only the residents of that place can fly that high. I know I can't without getting flight trouble."

I walked into the castle, hair still dripping wet, smelling of salt water, the sea. It was a long swim from Aquacita to here, and, quite frankly, I was completely exhausted. My legs buckled as I walked up to the doors, my trident drug on the ground.

As I entered it was hard to properly marvel at the decor, I knew it was fantastic, but my eyes were too heavy, my brain to fuzzy, to notice anything more than the basics of the elegant construction of Raven Castle. There was a discussion going on, I could tell by the low constant murmur of voices, and I followed the sound to a room where the King Raven and who I supposed to be the rest of our group were gathered.

I caught fragments of the conversation only, nearly passed out and I leaned on my Trident for support. I already knew all the details on the mission, any other briefing felt unneccesary to me. I didn't voice that though - couldn't is I wanted to anyway - and when we were dismissed I walked as fast as I could to the rooms. When I walked in I went straight to the beds. I didn't notice the other two there, a centaur and a winged folk, until my head was on the pillow. I watched them both through slowly closing eyes.

Ethedren of the East (Edren) - The City of Angelus, Raven Castle

I knew what to expect when in a castle, I knew the things I should see and experience, and I wasn’t disappointed. Large marble columns curved upward, drawing your eyes to the ceiling where multiple frescos and paintings depicted the Creator and his creations. Gold paint, and a mirage of colors danced above, lighted by massive windows that welcomed in the warm sun. Carpet, the color of fresh spilled blood swept over the floor, and numerous paintings hung from the walls. Most depicted various leaders, other King Raven’s, arrayed in their splendor and grace. Men with authority and power in their eyes, a look that held knowledge, wisdom, and a burden of trying to maintain a Kingdom.

Throne rooms were all the same, created to instill in one a sense of awe and wonder, while behind the walls numerous tunnels ran. The veins of any castle, filled with hundreds of servants and workers who made sure to maintain this picture of elegance and perfection. And the most important piece stood before us all, the current King himself. He stood tall, regal, with streaming blonde hair that was tied back from his shoulders and entwined with silver stands. Gold adorned his skin, rings, bracelets, and other bangles, twisted and wrought from precious metals and studded with stones that sparkled in the light. Dark purple robes hung on his shoulders and pooled down toward the floor, intricate patterns embroidered with gold danced over the clothes and spoke of the wealth of the King. Two dark wings spread out from his back, entombing him in a shadow of mystery, and power.

All in all the picture of a King in most regards. Everything was designed to take your breath away, and it did at first glance. And then you saw the King’s face, and it made you realize that this is all an illusion. He looked haggard, tired, his robes hung loosely on a bony frame, and there was a level of exhaustion that was masked behind those piercing eyes. It was the look of a man who was losing hope, and knew that His time would be ending if an answer to his pain wasn’t found soon. A man who had lost what was most precious to him, a man that would soon drown in bitterness and depression if nothing to ease his pain could be found.

It was the look I carried in my own eyes, the look that Lethlina had comment on so many times. That mocking smile she so often wore while stroking my face and telling me to let go of such trouble and worries. I knew that it had hurt her, to not be able to give me the peace that I so longed for. She had tried, and in a way I had found a measure of comfort in her arms over the years, but now, with her dead, I could feel the poison of my situation creeping into my soul once again. My hand strayed to the silver pendant on my neck and I felt myself longing for her caress as the bitterness that I had tried to hide from her over the years slowly made its way to the surface once again. Feelings that I hadn’t experienced in a while, human emotions that seemed to be part of my curse in dwelling in this mortal body stirred in my chest. I quickly shoved them down, refusing to let them affect me.

I heard someone clear their voice and the King Raven made his way down and began to speak. I could feel his sickness ripple through the air as he paused to cough, the hacking noise filling the chamber along with the stench of disease. The mission was simple, find his son. Accomplishing this task was different all together however, because there were no leads of any kind. This man was simply telling us to search the world for a young man that had disappeared nearly two decades ago, someone who was probably dead. I silently sighed, knowing how big this task was going to be. I had spent the past few centuries of my time scouring the world, and it was large, very large.

As the King Raven finished speaking he returned to his throne and sat there. "Then all of you are dismissed. Go to your quarters and stay here for the night. Your quest begins at first light."

Some of us bowed, others simply nodded, as servants appeared to lead us to our chambers. I watched everyone go, marveling at the large group that had assembled, and how diverse it was. A couple of them looked to be human, while others held tridents and stank of the sea, obviously some sort of merfolk. A few of the others smelled old, very old, and the centaur was of course hard to miss. These were to be my companions, how interesting it was to be mortal.

I followed a servant, along with one of the humans. “Another person should join you soon,” the servant said with a bow before leaving. I glanced over at the kid, and pegged him to be young, but when he met my glance his eyes were hard and calculating.

I walked over and extended my hand, “Names Ethedren, but you can just call me Edren.”

“Darius,” he answered with a nod, “Just call me Stripes.”

“Pleasure to meet you,” I said with a smile, doing my best to be friendly. If we were all going to be companions for the next while, might as well as start things out right. Oh Lethlina, how proud you’d be of me. “So any ideas on where we should start looking, or where to go from here? The King doesn’t seem to know much…”

Arenque le De’Savor - The City of Angelus, Raven Castle

I followed the servant to a room, and gave him a curt nod as he opened the door for me. “By the Creator it’s warm in here,” I muttered as I stepped in.

The room was simple, but elegant, nothing I wasn’t used to. Heavy Tapestries hung on the wall to keep the place warm, and a small fire was burning in the fire place. A couple carpets were laid out by each of the beds, and I saw the stuff I had given to a servant was already sitting on top of one of them. The fire let out a crackle and I grimaced at the sight of it, my skin was already drying out at the thought of those flames.

A young girl was already in the room, and she looked up as I entered. I tried to smile, something I wasn’t good at, and marched right over to her while sticking out my hand. From what I had been told humans usually greet in this way, it was odd, I mean mermaids don’t shake each others fins. Of course she might not even be human, I realized. But I was committed already, and I felt slightly relived as she took my hand. “Arenque le De’Savor,” I barked.

The girl gave me a strange look and I tried to smile again, realizing I probably looked more like a dying fish then a pleasant person. By the Creator how I hated meeting people. I glanced over and gasped as I caught a look at myself in the mirror. I wasn’t vain by most standards, but the Creator help me, I was looking wrinkly and dry. “Curse this air,” I growled as I stalked over to the mirror and yanked a skin of water from my side. I could see that little scales were already starting to flake from my skin and I hurriedly dashed water on myself, trying to moisten up to the best of my ability. I glanced over at the girl and saw her watching me with a puzzled expression. “Sorry,” I said with a faint smile, “Mermaid here, I don’t like dry air.” This was going to be awkward…

OCC: I was going to have Argo be in our room but I wasn't sure if he was even at the Castle, and any other female can join our room...

Isabelle Greene, City of Angelus (Raven Castle)

I had never seen the King Raven before and was surprised by his appearance. He looked much older than he should, but I guess that’s what grief does to you.

After the meeting with the king a servant led me to what looked to be my room. It had three unoccupied beds; there was no one else in the room so i guess I get first choice. I choose the bed on the far right. As I'm unpacking my things an older woman walks in. Her face looks deformed, with scales peeling off her skin and more wrinkles than a normal person should possess. She was definitely not human. She walks towards me with her arm outstretched.

“Arenque le De’Savor” She smiles.

I give her a strange look; I wasn’t used to meeting new people so I didn’t know how to greet them. By the way this woman was acting; her greeting must be totally different than how we griffins greet each other.

She glances at the mirror and gasps in surprise. “Curse this dry air.”

I wasn’t sure what she meant by that, but next thing I know she splashes water on her face and it instantly clears up. She turns around and spots my puzzled expression.

“Sorry, mermaid here, I don’t like dry air.”

“Oh” I whisper. God, this was awkward. “I’ve never met a mermaid before, how come you don’t have any, er, fins?” I ask, not wanting to offend her. Living isolated in a forest for so long really messed up my social skills.

“Oh, all mermaids have human forms, you didn’t know that?”

“No,” I sighed, there was still a lot I to learn before I could really fit in this world.

Darius Angelus/Stripes~~~~The City of Angelus (Raven Castle - guest quarters)

I shrugged as I listened to Edren. I had to hand it to White Hawk for attempting to give the King Raven some peace. It was obvious to me and White Hawk that the monarch was down to his last legs in this search and his wings were close to losing their dark and mysterious grace. His depression was taking a toll on his body and it was much too obvious to anyone who took a hard look at his face. I looked at Edren. "Well, we can't look around here in Angelus or the castle. This is the one place the sparrow was taken from and although we have suspects to question here in the castle, rumors and lies are all around the place. We'll need to search in a different place on the earth. I think we should try the Molten Steppes. White Hawk can get us there. It's where he grew up."
Edren looked at me with eyes that almost gave me the impression he was wise. "Who's White Hawk?"
I sat down on a bed. "White Hawk is the Winged guy I was with. Brown hair with nearly platinium-blonde stripes. He's got a chakram that's not as fancy as mine, but he's got one anyway." I set my chakram under the pillow. "If you wake up at first light and find some black feathers on the bed without me in it, that's my fault." I sighed. "Don't even ask why I warned you about the feathers thing. It's best you don't ask. Back when I was at war, I occasionally wake up to a bed of black feathers and it's murder trying to hide them all from my superiors. I guess they might've saw the feathers, 'cause I never got out of my rank."
Edren raised a brow. "You were at war before?"
I nodded grimly. "I've been a foot soldier during the war and in spite of my combat skills and use of the chakram, I never got promoted." I crossed my legs as I sat there on the bed. "War's never really my kind of thing. I'm hoping to get a fresh start from my war days. Creator forgive me, but I will not go back to war as a reward for this search. I'm in it for answers of my past." That got me to thinking. "So what are you in it for? White Hawk's in it to become the King Raven's personal musician. Rumor has it that the King Raven loves music and I know White Hawk's a master of his own musical trade." I waited for an answer from Edren.

“So where are you from Isabelle, and why are you here to help search for the Prince Raven?” She asks

“Oh, I’m from a village in the mountains, it’s not very famous, but I loved it. A couple of years ago we sort have had a falling out though. I've never seen the outside world so I thought that this quest would be a good start.” I answer. If I told her the whole truth she might think of me badly so I decided not to. She nods, but stays silent.

“What about you? Why’d you decide to take this quest?” I ask, hoping to draw the conversation away from me. I was interested in why the mermaid decided to come, seeing how bad she gets without water I wondered why she would ever leave the sea.

Briac/King Raven's palace.

They put me in a room...... they put me in a sleeping room- at least I think it is what the two legged races call these things. I moved about it- afraid of knocking things over or breaking something. These rooms were not made for a stallion my size. I eyed the beds, I hadn't slept laying down since I was a child. I walked to the window- I had to stoop moving through this room- maybe I would ask the King if he would be insulted if I slept out of doors.... being so confined inside made me jittery.

Suddenly the door opened, looking over my shoulder I saw one of the other warriors enter the room, I looked at the boy with the large bird wings curiously. I had heard of his kind before- my people have many oral legends and tales passed down through the herd sires, but I had never seen a “wind-walker” before.

He looked back at me with his strange large eyes and nodded in a way I assumed meant nothing threatening.

"So, where do you suppose we look first?” he started without any formal greeting- these other creatures were so different.... he continued on, “The lost Prince Raven could be anywhere in the world except the Pearly Gates. Only the residents of that place can fly that high. I know I can't without getting flight trouble."

After a long pause I suddenly realized this was supposed to start a conversation- a shook myself gently*

“A-ah sorry.” I smiled sheepishly- my tongue tumbling over the strange new words, “ I am no scholar in your speech, forgive my mistakes.” I thought for a long moment,

“Oh it's fine, everyone seems to be from everywhere.” He said in the silence- Sweet ancestors this was akward.... too bad not everyone spoke my language....

“I do not know much about the Wind-walkers, but he is probably in a place you wouldn't think to look for a Wind-walker. After all, no one has found him. If you thought slowly on it, you might think he is in a high lofty place- after all you seem like the birds. But if that was the case the Raven Sire would have found him. I believe he is in the “in between places.”

“Eh?” the boy asked,

“ Ah, forgive me, it is a term of my people. An “in between place” is someplace and yet no-place. “

“That doesn't make sense.”

“As does this entire tale. It makes no sense, and yet does.” I nodded, “It makes sense put together. The Raven prince is obviously somewhere, but nowhere that is being looked at. So he is Somewhere, and yet nowhere.”

The boy gave me a strange look.

“Okay......”

I realized I wasn't going to be making friends this day, I sighed.

Silver Aerialis/White Hawk~~~~Raven Castle (Guest Quarters)

It took me a moment to let the centaur's words sink in. Somewhere, yet nowhere. Great Creator, I think the centaur's onto something. I have a philosiphor for a roommate. I knew centaurs had their own speaking terms - as everyone else in the world does - and way of thinking, but never in my lifetime have I heard a centaur speak complex yet easy-pieced-out logic. "Don't take me rude, but I believe you might be onto something. The Prince Raven could be anywhere on the earth or at sea, yet nowhere to be found. It's like some sick game of hide-and-seek. We're all looking for the Prince Raven, yet he's hiding and there's nowhere we can look."
The centaur blinked at me. "I thought Wind-walkers like you don't associate with my herd."
I chuckled lightly. "I was adopted by a phoenix and a dragoness in the Molten Steppes. My adoptive father taught me about the folks that live around here, since he was born here. My adoptive mother was from the Molten Steppes, so I'm basically from a mixed family. If you want to, we can search in the Molten Steppes first. I grew up there, so I practically know my way around. However, it's literally a heated place to be, so I might go further than everybody else. No offence to anyone." I wanted to make friendly conversation with the centaur, since after all we were in the search together. "Before I forget, my name's Silver Aerialis, but you can call me White Hawk if you want to."

Darius Angelus/Stripes~~~~Raven Castle (Guest Quarters)

I shrugged at Edren's question. "I don't really know jack about the Steppes. I don't really have an answer to that. You'd have to ask White Hawk about that. Like I said, White Hawk grew up there. That's all I know."
Edren looked a little disappointed, but not enough to make me think I hurt his feelings.
I sighed in defeat. "I'm sorry, Edren. White Hawk and I met a year ago, so I don't really know much about his personal life. He and I grew to have a brotherly type of relationship, considering that he and some other travellers nursed me back to health when I was left for dead during the war southwest of Gaea. That was the first and only war I've been in, so I'm pretty much just as a veteran as you, so to speak." I yawned. "I'm going to turn in for the night. If you see the bed covered in black feathers in the morning, it's me." I yawned again and fell asleep before I could get comfortable.