The Dawn of Darkness

Obsideon, the great black hawk, flew on as the night sky engulfed the bleeding sun. The command his mistress gave him kept him from stopping. Obsideon knew that once he was finished with his mission he could eat and return to his mistress. Crickets chirped their song, cicadas annoyingly buzzed on, and owls hooted out the latest gossip as the night dragged. A mouse scrabbled in the leaves for something to eat. Obsideon left it for the owls to prey upon.

For what had seemed forever and endless wing beats, the palace grew on the horizon until it loomed over the hawk. An open window allowed Obsideon to escape from the haunting presence outside the palace. Evil seemed to overshadow the palace like a cloud. Fighting the impending doom clouding the air, Obsideon reached the open window and desperately flung himself inside.

Nichole jumped as a black hawk shot in from outside. A foreboding dread had kept her awake. To rid her of the feeling Nichole had decided to get a little air. Obviously, the bird seemed to have the same feeling she had. Taking a closer look the princess realized that the hawk belonged to Winnrey. It must carry a letter from her. Eagerly, Nichole held out her as a perch for Obsideon.

Finally unrolling the letter, she read what Winnrey had written to her. Smiling, she rolled up the letter and put it in her sleeve for later. Edward and Stephen would love to read it.

“My dear, it is time I punished you for trapping me in that infernal box.” The familiar voice sent chills down her spine and Nichole let out a piercing scream before it was cut off.
Laughter sliced through the inky darkness of the chambers.

An ancient old man lay dying in his bed. The shadows cast by crackling fire played across his wrinkled tired face. His frail frame shook with a sudden fear.

“Adura, I am dying and darkness is dawning on this world. We must destroy all sin and sinners. Find your sister. Once she is found, you must find the Susceptor, the Vigoratus, and the Ereptor to destroy this evil. Do not fail for you are the world’s only chance.” With those words the old man’s spirit left his body, only a dry husk now. A pale girl with eyes like the sun stepped from the shadows. Her hair was cut short in the pixie-style, spiky and blonde-white.

“Yes, Locutus. Rest in peace. May your spirit reach Aura.” Her voice, smooth, flowed from her mouth with a sweet almost hypnotizing ring.

“My liege, the princess is missing. She was last seen entering the room of your dying mage. The mage has died of old age. What are your orders?” the general of the Aeran army. The King, stopped writing. He frowned and rubbed his forehead.

“Send out spies to gather information from every realm. I feel something evil is about to happen. We must get my daughter out of Diablo’s way.”

“Yes, my liege.” The man kneeled with his arms crossing his chest.

When the general had left, the King crumpled over with grief and spilled silent tears.

“May Egosum be your shield and your wings...Adura.”

Ditto awoke when the earth seemed to shake around him, but it was Zeek, not the earth, that was shaking. Something was wrong. Ditto crawled to Zeek face and shook the boys head.

“Zeek, wake up!!!” Ditto whispered fiercely. The boy opened his eyes.

“Ditto, fire... it burns!” Zeek said hoarsely, “I need... help.” He slipped down from the rafters and fell to his knees, clawing at his chest. Beneath the dirty and bloody bandages, the injuries glowed with mysterious green... like the box had.

“I’m sorry I can’t heal this.”

“But we can.” The twins were kneeling by Zeek. He was shaking even harder. Lauren peeled off his bandages. The glow from the wounds grew more intense, waking some of the lighter sleepers. Opening a bottle, Laurel rubbed something on the wounds. He screamed in pain. Everyone was awake now and worried, as Zeek lay writhing on the floor. His skin was changing now. Color flooded his torso, whirling across his skin.

“Wh-what’s wrong w-with Zeek?” Winnrey asked, terrified.

“Look it’s a dragon!!” Winding and twisting across his torso, was the image of a fierce black dragon breathing fire. It looked too lifelike to be a tattoo. Zeek lay still. Too still.

“Zeek? Zeek!” Winnrey shook Zeek as she kept calling his name.

“Let him rest, dear. He needs it.” Mrs. Orin said as she pulled the sobbing girl into a tight embrace.