My curiosity is getting the best of me. This crest belongs to my family. There's nothing evil inside. It's just I have an odd feeling. I can sense the whole crest is a warning about something. My eyes wander off the box, gazing blankly in space. I can't understand why, yet I think this box is one part of the bigger mystery.

How Merissa got her hands on it before the fire. Who had control of this after the fire? Shame she never told me exactly who was this "friend". She thought my fear would eliminate the authority around me. But I can be free. I won't let authority control me as it did many years ago.

Staring back at the box, I wonder what could be inside. I have my hope it's something special, or could be that warning I fear. I look back to Addie. I ask him.

"Did she know what was inside?"

He then shakes his head. "It was never opened. Before I left the first time, I saw Merissa packing that box away. I have seen it through my dog eyes. I even overheard her said that this was meant for you."

I spot the crest again, staring at it closely. There's a slight glow. Looking baffled, I continue to hear Addie.

"Whatever is inside that thing, the answers you're looking for begins there. I can sense it. I wished I could join in your mission. But, I won't forget. You're my protectee. I'll always be there."

"Barking." I quietly fake cough.

Addie almost closing his eyes, he looks at me and smirks. Regardless, I thank him for being there for me already. I acknowledge that. I lean close, and we both hug until a barrage of knocks is coming from the door. Still having the black box in my hands, I walk slowly. I place the box on the top of the coffee table. I gulp mildly as I quickly glance back at Addie. He has my side, I know it. If it's a malefic in disguise, he should be ready to fire his bone discs at the imposter...if he or she is one.

Soon, I walk to the front door. My hand slowly grabs the knob. It turns clockwise as I pull it towards me. And once the door opens, I look amazed.

I didn't expect her to be here.

Terra is standing in the hallway near the door frame, holding onto a silver bag.

I allow her in as she walks pass me. She then notices Addie near the kitchen's bar counter. I remain hesitant to tell her anything. I look down pondering why. Why I'm so stupid. She's here. She never left me a message or something. So as I wonder why she came, I begin to hear her talking to Addie.

"Am I disturbing a moment?" She looks at Addie and then pivots her head to me.

I want to respond, yet Addie beats me to it.

"No, I was just heading out for a walk." He says.

Addie walks pass me and then steps outside. I got this thing to say, I don't know how Addie is going to take it. So I muster up and tell him.

"Do you need your leash?"

He turns to me, and just like before gives me that look. He's reacting a bit hard to it.

"I was joking."

Addie doesn't want to say it in front of me, but I have that gut feeling he understands. He then walks off closing the door, and as I turn. It's only me and Terra. I see her face. She nods.

"Addie won't get passed those dog jokes, huh."

"He just needs more time adjusting to be a human again." I say, finally speaking to her. And as I try to continue this great conversation, I notice that silver bag she has in her hands. Before I can ask her what she has in it, she's already talking.

"You wonder what's in here."

I look back up, staring at those eyes. Those eyes that I have found the most amazing part of who she is. I nod. She then gives the bag to me. I grab hold of it. Once it's in my grip, I rip the silver top. Inside are those delicious caranutters. Seeing those multiple golden brown cubes, I lean close to smell them. Of course, they smell awesome. She knows the instant fondness I have with these sweet cubes.

"I promised I'll make some for you. I realize you been through a lot, so I hope this bring some happiness."

The only other thing I find best to her than being a leader and those wonderful eyes, she's a wicked cook. I look back to her and thank her. I'll make sure I will bring these things with me. But not to wait for the tireless trip, I decide to grab one of those caranutters. I toss one in my mouth. Once I chew it, the soft, creamy texture melts inside. I feel the tanginess of the honey oranges, peanut butter, and sweet caramel.

I signal her to follow me to the couch. We walk over and sit down on the comfortable couch. Once we sit, I still hold on the caranutter bag. But there's no sound exchanging between us. We remain quiet.

Just seeing her here at least gives me some confidence that everything will be alright. I stare at her right waist. I see that she's still healing after that stab she took during her fight with Merissa. I never talk to Terra, even though I saw her with the others at the cemetery. We never even had spoken to each other since we came back from the Purgatory Gate. I didn't reach Terra for anything, nor hadn't she contacted me until now. I then look back at the caranutters; she told me why she made these for me. I guess she didn't want to talk to me because I need to mourn.

I really haven't mourn the losses of the ones I loss before Merissa. The parents refused to give me any closure for Anita and Rufus. I think I just have to mourn differently.

Feeling that this awkward silence needs to end, I turn back to her. I ask her if she wants something to drink. She shakes no and lets me know she's fine. I need one anyway, so I stand up. I begin to walk to the kitchen. I place the bag of caranutters on the counter. I then proceed to the fridge. I open the door to get a bottle of Sweetnade.

"Who is the box for?" Terra asks.

I glance quickly at what she's staring at. Observing the black box, I respond.

"That was for my sister. She left it here for me before she died."

I try to touch one of the several glass bottles, but I can't. I'm still thinking about Merissa. Then I pause when I hear Terra telling me she's sorry. I react flummoxed.

As I peak my head back up, I look to see Terra with her head down. She continues.

"I know you blame me for your sister's death." She says somberly, "I promised you I wouldn't hurt her, but I broke it. She was going to kill you. I had no choice." She begins to choke up.

Terra feels sorry for being responsible for Merissa's death. If she didn't shoot that dart arrow, I was going to die, so I think. Merissa may not want to kill me. She took a risk. Merissa knew Terra could still stop her. I lower my head, I hope I'm wrong. Yet the way my sister has been acting and lying, I don't know what to see as factual sense. I may understand one day. But one fact that's absolutely true, Terra didn't kill Merissa.

Walking away from the fridge, I say to her. "I don't blame you."

I head back to the couch, sitting down near her once again. I place my hands over hers. I then softly push her face towards me, staring at those emerald eyes.

"I don't blame you." I repeat. "That wasn't the sister I want to remember. The sister I knew died in that fire."

"I don't believe it."

"The memory of my sister back in the fire is the only good thing. I need to remember her that way." I counteract. "The sister I saw at the tomb, I'm going to do whatever I can to find out what happened to her."

"We can help you, but I heard Emmet saying you quit working the bookstore."

I nod while explaining. "I have to do this journey alone. The Orre realized this. The answers I need to know are out there. It's just not in Dawning."

"I want to help you."

That's when I stop. I remain hesitant to say something. I only shake my head.

I don't want her to.

"Why? Why can't you let me and the others help you."

"You see that's it!"

I see her looking puzzled. I inform her more clearly. "I don't belong in your Shadowhawk life. I don't battle malefics for a living. That's not who I am."

"So who are you?"

Good question. Who I'm really is, is somewhere outside Dawning's walls. Whoever wanted mines and my family's powers bound remains anonymous. They may be the same force responsible for starting the fire. They wanted the Blackvale line extinct because of me. I need to know exactly why. What my family kept that everyone wants. If I know this, know my origin, the better I have a decent future...a future....possibly alone.

"You need us, Naven."

"Not this time."

"Why?!"

"I need to leave. And for you guys I think it's best to let me go. I know the others will find it hard. Actually I think Silas will take it worse. Icarus, I have no clue. And Camille will be Camille."

"What about me?"

Looking away from her, I hate to say this, but I have to tell her. Glancing back at her eyes, I explain. "Much as you want to help me, you know you half to let me do this. It's the only way. This is my journey. You guys did your part. Now it's my turn. The Orre saw it. And I must honor it."

Terra looks upset. She then gets up quickly. She stares back at me. "I know I made a mistake in coming here."

She turns away and begins to head to the door. I look confused, not knowing what I say to make her be angry. I have to rectify the situation. Before she can reach the door, I yell at her to wait.

She stops as she spins back around to see me. I see that dejected face of hers. I stand up hastily. I walk towards her, grabbing hold of her hands once more. I feel her smooth skin. She looks at me with probable confliction. I look at her with some sort of affection. There's something strong I feel between her. Before we exchange words, we stay quiet. No sound let loose away from both of our mouths. Suddenly the compassion I have for her has change. This isn't an affection I have that's strong. It's an attraction. A temptation.

And with this urge flowing through me, I lean forward. I kiss her. No peck on the lips, mines locks onto hers. Like she expected it, we continue the long kiss. What looks like a long minute, we finally stop. The passion we just share is something I didn't know I had for her.

This was way better than the last one.

The thought came to me as I recollected that peck she gave me back when we were down in that Acolyte nest. She told me that kiss was a mere distraction. But this one I just gave her.

This wasn't a distraction. I felt this was real.

"Was that a goodbye?" She asks.

The question stuns me. Is it a goodbye? I can't dwell on this kiss as a farewell. If so, I won't see her again. But the kiss meant something else. Just like the first one. We have something here between us. I wish I can explore it. However, my past means more than this relationship.

Expecting an answer, I reply. "I don't know if it was." Still holding her hands, I gaze straight at her. "Hopefully, my faith in whatever we are...friends...or something else. That won't be gone."

Terra hears me, but then I can feel her hands slipping out of my grip. Once she's free, she heads to the door. She opens it and doesn't move a muscle. She stays still as she turns back to me.

"I respect you want to find the answers. I do, but don't forget. You still have people you can trust. You have me, always."

I know I can trust her, but is it enough.

With that statement, she gives me one last look. She smirks and exits. Hearing the door close, I remain in the same position after that kiss. I stand here. My head lowers as I ponder she could be right. This solo quest I'm embarking on, this may not be the best solution. Do I need help?

Staring back at the door, I walk towards it. My hand back to the knob. I turn it clockwise, pulling it to me. I open the door wanting to see her. Hoping by any chance, Terra knew of my hesitation and that she's waiting for me in the hallway. However, as I take a sneak peek into the hallway. I'm too late. She's already gone. Feeling disappointed in myself, I slam the door close, feeling the frustration. Slumping down to the floor, my back leans on the metal door.

I wanted to believe she was still there. But maybe that kiss we shared. Was that a true goodbye? A sign that I truly won't see her again.

I hope not.

Leaning my head back to the door, I need to focus back on starting my journey. Trying to learn who I am. Why these terrible things half to happen to me and those I cared about. If I want start the journey, how can I accomplish the reason behind the secrecy if I don't know where to go.

With a pause, I reminisced what Addie told me about what is my next step.

I look back at the black box still standing on the table. I start crawling towards it. As I get near, I hop onto the couch. Once I get sit comfortably, I take the box of its resting place, resting it on my lap. I glare at the Blackvale crest. And as if it came out of the blue, the crest begins to light up. This could be part of the meaning, the warning. I don't know how. Yet I remember the words my sister told me before she died. I have a weird feeling about this, so without caution. I lean close to the top of the box. As if my lips are close to the upper box's edge, I say like a whisper.

"I hold the power."

Leaning back straight, my eyes suddenly take notice of the crest glowing repeatedly. Then a hole starts to spiral out. Then viewing what's inside the hollow box, I then notice a floating, glowing object. It's a medium-sized, onyx crystal.

My right hand leans over the gaping hole, suddenly the crystal flies into my hand. As it lands softly on my palm, I begin to hear banging noises. The noises are like it's trying to pronounce a name. Wondering what that name could be, I hold firm onto the crystal. I lift it up to my right eardrum. And suddenly the banging sound reveals to be a crackling voice. A voice of a male.

"Naven, the questions you have. The answers you want. It's out there. And I promise you'll understand. Yet be careful, they know everything. Show them who you are. Become The Raver. Not the enemy. Time is not your ally. You must find the power within. Control it before the Reckoning. So, I leave this to you. Your journey begins. Go to Fortis."

As I get away from the crystal, my hand encloses it in a fist. Shocked of what I just heard that voice sound so familiar. It may have been fragmented, but I know who that was. Merissa knew too.

And then a sudden image floods into my subconscious. I see some unexplored land, the part where the clues domain. Back in the present, I realize the crystal left me a mental map. A map which will lead me to Fortis. This is where I'll start. With his voice, his last request. I mumble quietly as if he can hear me.

"This is for you father."

I look to my right hand still in a fist. And then I begin to feel a sting. Wondering what that was, I open up my hand. Staring at the center of my palm, the crystal suddenly disintegrated into ash. But the next thing, I see is an ashy symbol of the family crest broken, engraved in my palm.

The mental map and my father's voice wasn't the only thing that this crystal left.

Glancing back at my hand, I view the ashy symbol. I look closely, and there I'm stunned.

I have been called The Raver, and forecasted to be this Harbinger. Yet seeing this symbol, I understood why my family crest was an omen.

And as I brace what's the next obstacle in the path to the truth, I worry what this omen will allude to. Am I the savior, or am I the destroyer?

Knowing what I already know now, I can be either. I can be both.

END OF BOOK ONE