"Grey clouds roll over the hills bringing darkness from above" ~ Dan Smith
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THE evening breeze swept past calmly, making a slight rustle amongst the withered leaf that cluttered the oak’s base, while causing the neighboring grasses to waltz to its elegant tune. The moonlight sneaked out through the oak tree, causing the grass blades to reflect a shimmering blue glint. The oak tree on the other hand lit up gracefully in the moonlight. 

Reece's gaze was fixated on the rather pure entrancing view in front of him. He examined every detail, committing it's arcs and curves to memory. Only If he hadn't forgotten his scroll, this would have been easier for him but still he wouldn't have lived an accomplished life if he didn't paint this exquisite scenery. 

A gentle grunt sliced it's way through his unwavering concentration. He glanced towards the edge of the hill, where the sound was coming from, and a thin fair hand appeared, holding a staff. No sooner did a second arm follow, multiple grunts coming from the far end of the hill. He wondered who in their right mind would take the route of climbing the hill from it's steepest side, he was about to shrug it off as a piece of his own imagination when someone stumbled on the ground breathing heavily.

The person got up, and dusted themselves, or more precisely their wooly cloak. They picked up their staff and turned around, startled by Reece's appearance. Both Reece and the stranger stared at each other for an uncomfortable amount of time, the tension rising between them.

"How long have you been sitting there?" a feminine voice said from under the hooded cloak.

"Me?" he asked, pointing to himself.  He knew that was a dumb question on his own part since no other soul was in sight.

"No I am speaking to the gods," she scoffed.

Reece, still considering her sanity mumbled an okay. "I am talking to you! Dragons!" she exhaled

"I have been here for a while," Reece answered still unsure.

"So you saw all those!" she said, taking off the cloak to reveal a red head girl with clear fair skin and silvery blue eyes like the glint of the moon, complimented by thick dark eyelashes and full brown eyebrows. She was clothed with a silk gown and leather pants and a pouch hung across her shoulder. She was no taller than a tree stump, maybe a little taller, but boy was she short.

"Yes I did," Reece replied. 

"Well I am not crazy, just needed space." she informed. "What are you doing here?"

"Trying to be alone, a dream currently threatened by you!"

She grinned. "I'd just walk away," she declared walking backwards. As she did, the breeze increased its pace blowing her hair and slapping some leaves in her face. "And that just had to happen," she exhaled. 

Reece on the other hand thought she blended nicely to the view. He had to draw what he was seeing. "Do you, like have a quil or coal, or anything..."

"To write? I have black rock!" she replied. "Stole it from my mom's..." she started off again.

"I really don't need to hear how you got it," Reece replied.

"Right," she grinned. "You noticed I talk too much, it's a family thing. I think..."

Reece groaned, he didn't think he has ever met anyone more annoying. "Just bring out the rock already."

"So mean," she complained, stuffing her hand into her pouch she brought out a piece of 'black rock'. It was an actual black rock that was thin, straight and a bit longer than the average index finger. It's mouth was sharpened and pointed. 

Reece snatched it from her hand, admiring the unique craft on it. "Where did you get this?" he was forced to ask.

"What happened to the I didn't wanna hear how you got it nonsense?" she asked. "But anyways," she began before Reece could reply. "My mom kept it in her drawer, like some sort of treasure. I love writing things I see down, and carrying a quill has proven really stressful so I stole it." 

"Okay. But you could have just said, I stole it from my mom." Reece pointed out.

She shook her head and just knelt down beside Reece who wanted to start drawing on top of the stump he sat on. "You coupd have just asked for a piece of parchment, just saying."

"Give it out already," Reece demanded.

"With a bit more courtesy, your lordship?" she mocked.

"Please give me a piece of parchment," Reece begged in mock tone.

She giggled and handed Reece a bunch of folded parchments from her pouch.  Then the latter set to work. 

Reece could feel her gaze on him as he started drawing. Luckily, he could easily block out distraction while he worked. And for some reason she didn't utter a statement. It took Reece almost an hour to put down everything in his head and once in a while he'd glance at the view just to make sure he got it alright. He wasn't a pro, his tutor would probably find lots of errors on this one, but he thought it appeared good at least. 

The girl's eyes bulged as Reece added a few finishing touches to the diagram. She turned her head to the oak tree and the grasses and back to the diagram occasionally. "You... You are good? How old are you?"

"Thirteen why?" 

She giggled. "I am fourteen, and I am older," she replied literally puffing up. "And I can't even draw a dot," she smiled grabbing the diagram and examining it. 

"Who is the girl?" she queried, referring to the girl standing in the picture.

"Seriously? She is literally wearing the same thing you are," Reece pointed out.

"That's why I am asking," she said.

"It's you," he replied fed up.

"Oh!" this time, she gazed silently at the drawing. 

Reece sat down on the stump cracking his knuckles while she sat down on the ground examining the diagram.

"Um... Can you let me have this?" she began. "Like I know artists don't like parting with their diagrams and that I am a total stranger, it's just that I have never really had anyone draw me in anything before or more so draw me this cool. I will like..." Reece grunted loudly shutting her up. 

"Yes!" he screamed. "Avaerius, mother of gods! You can have it!"

She smiled. "I am sorry, I don't know when to stop. I know you find it annoying and really weird but it's just me being me." 

Reece stared blankly at her. "You have been cursed," he informed. "The Neverending speech."

"There is nothing like that, stop making stuff up."

"There was nothing like that until you decided to exist," Reece scoffed. 

"Thank you for letting me have this. I feel like I am in your debt. Like I am taking a part of your soul away." 

"Hell no, you are not taking a part of my soul away. And don't worry. I just like getting things out of my head. Take it. At least you borrowed me the rock," Reece replied, handing her black rock back to her. "And it's lame to call it black rock. It's real name is..."

"Graffium," she cuts in. "I know, just didn't wanna sound like an insufferable know it all."

Reece grinned as she placed the graffium and the parchment into her pouch. She brought something else out of it. A small round button, probably coated with silver or made of it, Reece couldn't say. "Take." 

"What is it?"

"A button that belonged to a Royal family my mum claimed she helped out once. The details will bore you. Just take it."

"Thanks I guess," he replied taking it from her tiny hand. 

They stared at each other for a moment. Reece towering above her and staring into her big blue eyes. The wind swept in, saving the day as it clasped her hair in her face once more. "Cut it out!" she screamed at the wind, swiping the red hair from her face. 

She was crazier than Reece thought. He giggled at her angry expression. He has never seen anyone so genuinely angry at the wind. "What is funny?"

"Nothing,"

"Well since you want to spend the rest of your life moon gazing, I'll be heading home, it would be dawn soon and my father cannot know I sneaked out. I don't want a fresh set of scars," she announced running back towards the edge of the hill before Reece could utter another word.

"Scars?" Reece rushed to the edge, and watched as she climbed down the hill like a mountain goat. "You didn't tell me your name," Reece muttered.

He turned back and headed home, figuring out how he would at least meet her again. He didn't have much friends, hell he didn't have any friends. He considered them dumb, and they considered him stupid and weird. But the girl was different, she was confident, annoying, and appreciative. Qualities only his mother possessed. He walked easily down the hill, as the other side wasn't as steep as the side the girl had passed. 

At the base, he found the little cave he had passed earlier and walked through it. After ten minutes of navigation, using the few droplets of moonlight that seeped through cracks in the cave's walls as source of light, he reached his destination. He stepped out of the cave to a narrow road that led to a small town in the distance.
Reece bulged his eyes out alarmed at what he was seeing. The town that he left few hours ago appeared to be on fire. He didn't think before breaking to a sprint, hurdling towards the town.

Unsettling thoughts filled his head, but he kept trying to fight them off. His heart slammed against his chest like a smith's hammer against hot iron. What the hell could have happened?

As he arrived, the thick cloud of smoke that erupted from the fire choked him and stung him in the eye. He wasn't mistaken, the town was really on fire. He walked through the town keeping an eye out for collapsing roofs and bricks. Corpse littered the town, some died from the fire, while others were attacked by something. They had their intestines gored out, some even had their head detached from the rest of their body. The town appeared as if it had been struck by the wrath of Tempest.

All these scarcely mattered to him, the thought of his family filled his head. He kept hoping they were alive somewhere, even though at the back of his mind, a voice kept telling him they were dead. The thought of it made him want to throw himself in one of the fires, but he had to confirm. It can't be, his little sister, his parents all dead in a day?

He navigated towards his house, it was at the far edge of the town. Maybe it didn't catch fire, since it was isolated. The thought cheered him up a little and he increased his pace with his new found hope.

He reached his house and like the others it was on fire and the sight of it made his heart shrink, but something else caught his attention as he got nearer. An hooded someone... something was standing in front of their house. It was hooded, with a very large masculine build. It's fist held a double edged battleaxe large enough to split their cottage into two with one clean strike. It's leg was pressed against his father's neck. It glanced up as he saw Reece walked in. Fear sank into Reece's heart as his father struggled underneath the monster's weight.

"If it isn't Reece White." he announced as he noticed his appearance, grinning widely at him.

Whoever the person was, he was misinformed. His last name wasn't White. He was Reece Houndoath. Right in front of his eyes he swung the axe down, splitting his dad's head into two perfect halves. Blood sprouted out of his father's split head, staining the man's axe.

The monster launched at Reece, who fell behind at the sudden rush of fear that hit him. He was next in line to die. All his dreams, everything was about to end and he won't even understand why. He wanted to beg for mercy, at least plead for his helpless life but his voice was gripped by dread. Just as the man was about to axe him down, a sword came in between him and his death, blocking off the blow. His mother stood in front of him kicking off the man with an inhuman strength, causing him to fly off the ground and land metres away.

"Reece, I love you, but I am afraid this is the last time we will ever see again," his mother began, kissing him on the head. "I want you to remember my words today." Their assailant had already got up, and was rushing towards them. Reece pointed, but his mum held his arm. "I want you to look me in the eye and remember this words. Even though all you will remember from now on will be hazy."

Her brown eyes was filled with tears, causing her to blink severally. She had lost the happy aura she always carried around her, now it was just an empty void of bitterness. Her blonde hair was filled with black patches, and so did most of her clear face. Tears trickled down those face like droplets of dew from the morning leaf.

"What's going on mom?" he asked, terrified.

A wind strong enough to lift a house of it's foundation had began behind them, and it looked as if his mother was causing it to happen. The monster growled fighting his way through the storm, even though his speed has been gravely reduced, he still managed to take one step at a time. If anything he was hellbent on killing them. Reece just  wanted to cry, but it was all too shocking. The mixture of sadness, anger, confusion and gore rumbled through his emotions, he didn't know which to choose.

"Don't mind him Reece. Now as I say this words. Remember them. Find your sister no matter what. I made sure she is safe. Today is gone, I slip away from your loving grip. But I promise to protect you forever," the man had gotten really close to them now. Reece could hear his grunts, as he fought the wind. "Now go my boy," his mother said, placing her hand on his forehead.

He felt a sudden rush of heat around him. He felt himself being lifted up in space and somehow someway, he found himself in front of a door. He tried figuring out how he got there. The only things that lingered in his head was the grotesque image of his father being beheaded, and the voice of his mother yelling at him to find his sister. He felt something cold in his hand. He checked it out. It was the button the girl had given to him earlier. He couldn't remember her face again, or anyone's face. Not even his mother's.
He looked up at the door at which he found himself. The door held a signpost that read. "Demon's Rising."