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J
JellyFish
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Nightfall was upon the forest and every animal hushed their calls to prepare for the darkness. Some would be drifting away into a long slumber until mornings rise and other would stretch aching limbs and search for an unsuspecting victim to sink it's claws into. And thus goes the circle of life. And for one woman in particular this would be the beginning of a sleepless night. She had planned and plotted, seething in her loathing for the village outside Black Forest. She remembered the day they had thrown her out, she remembered how they had beaten her, how they had taken away her innocence, and when they scarred her body with molten metal. She remembered when her sister was stoned to death and she ran away. She ran for all she was worth and sister's lifeless eyes would forever haunt her, accusing her till the day she died.
An outlaw banned by her home and a traitor to her family. And what was she banned for? What could she have possibly done that would destroy her families name and her reputation? She was a witch.
It was really a family business. Healers and those who were thought to play with the dark arts wore the title witch or warlock. Having to keep their talents hidden from the world they took normal guises as to have a peaceful life. Most were born with these gifts, or more like curses. Those who knew what they were trembled in fear for what the future might bring if they were to ever be found. They denied themselves of the truth and were chained to an eternal lie. Karis knew this and she too was scared of what she was, of what her mother trained her to be. Her mother was now gone. Dead. Killed by the same people who killed her sister. You see, if someone in your family was found out to be a magic user, you yourself was a magic user. Her mother was found out, treating a person dying of an incurable sickness. It was a mistake and she hadn't been careful of whom she let into her home. The man who was ill was only pretending, the man who she had rejected and embarrassed in front of the whole town. The mayor, wanted revenge. So he concocted a story that Ana was a witch. He soon found that his story wasn't as made up as he thought.
Karis and her sister, Maia watched in horror as the people of the village dragged their mother out by her hair. Friends became foes, friendly people became monsters, and these monsters hacked their mother to death. Boys pushed the girls into the dirt, iron poles lowered and the stinging heat made them howl. They were kicked and held down by boots, as the men whipped their skin with the searing heating. Finally it stopped. Karis had looked up only to be met by blades that dripped with scarlet and crazed eyes that turned on the huddled girls. Karis screamed and fought the rough hands that had held her down, watching as Maia was thrown into the center of the town. Karis's clothes were ripped from her body, pain filling her as a pure, white flower was tainted in darkness. Harsh breath insulted her neck and crude words filled with taunting evil filled her ears. She cried and yelled, not for herself but for her sister. Bloodied hands raised together and the stones flew. Hours upon hours did she watch, body spent and eyes glazed in tears. Finally Maia stopped moving, her small dirt covered face cut and bruised like the rest of her body. And red pooled around her. Red marked the ground and Karis reached to touch the bright color, sobs never ending. A rage filled her heart on that day, a fury so vengeful even the worst of villains would have quivered. And so those villains did quiver and shake as she pushed the man on top of her off, instantly dead by her touch. Gray eyes became black, and tears mixed with blood ran from her face. But she didn't fight, she didn't take their lives like she wanted. She ran. Naked, she ran into the accursed forest none would enter and that was where she found home.
Ten years had come and gone, and she was now ready. Ready to fulfill the revenge that her sister and mother's blood cried for. She paced around her cottage home, herbs of all assortments hanging from the ceiling as they dried. Bottles of all sizes lined neatly in rows on her shelves and she stared at a one of these bottles that laid in front of her. A ocean blue bottle, glass inscribed with twirling leaves and vines. And was was once tied to that bottle in golden thread, a letter. No, a warning. 'Cursed are you whom opens this vessel. Beware the beast that lies within, trickery and betrayal are it's sin. No chain keeps it bound, no promise to keep true, beware the beast who shall be the end of you.' Karis had not known long ago what the message meant and traveled to different kingdoms and villages to find the answer. And finally she did, and old man told her of the story of the bottle and what it kept hidden inside.
Long ago a kingdom was plagued by black birds. Birds that held teeth to slice a man open with a single, slight touch. Towering at the height of a young tree, they dove down upon the people snatching them up for it's feast. So the people hid in fear for their lives only able to taste the fresh air and feel's dawn's rays when the monstrosities went to sleep after eating to it's full. The king could no more. His people were dying and the population was dwindling. And not only that, the birds were spreading to other villages in and out of his kingdom. So he left castle and took hold of a sorcerer, begging the old man to rid him of these monsters. The man agreed and the left. But what the sorcerer did next would be his final mistake. He summoned a demon, his own monster to destroy the winged beasts. However he could not control the power of his tool. The demon rammed a sword right through the old man's chest and departed for the kingdom. When he arrived, he did certainly kill all the birds and the people rejoiced. Until he turned on them. He began slaughtering the villagers, killing them left and right. It was only until the old sorcerer came from behind him, blood pooling from the open wound in his chest and the blue bottle by his side. He opened the cork and a heavy wind sucked the demon into he bottle, but not without a sacrifice to pay. The man's soul was also tucked away into the bottle, coating it in it's protective covering that refused the demon it's escape.
Karis then went home, looking for anyway in which to the open the bottle. All rationality had flown clear away and she only wanted to open the bottle to release the demon so it could destroy her enemies. But she had paused in her research. The demon could turn on her just like it did it's master. So she took a different approach. She found that the bottle was made from obsidian, a volcanic glass that absorbed liquids. Making an elixir that would normally have to be drunk to take effect, she soaked the bottle in the liquid hoping for the best. The elixir was suppose to be able to control a person's movements and will based on the casters own desires.
So now here she sat, staring at the bottle. Worry was placed on her shoulders as she debated with herself. Would this be the right decision? If this were to ever fail her life would be at risk and the lives of many other innocent people. The only way she could ever put the demon back were if he gave her consent, and she knew that would never happen. Thunder roared outside and rain began to fall, pelting the roof. "Yes, the is my decision. And it will work." She took hold of the bottle and unscrewed the cork.
It was done.
An outlaw banned by her home and a traitor to her family. And what was she banned for? What could she have possibly done that would destroy her families name and her reputation? She was a witch.
It was really a family business. Healers and those who were thought to play with the dark arts wore the title witch or warlock. Having to keep their talents hidden from the world they took normal guises as to have a peaceful life. Most were born with these gifts, or more like curses. Those who knew what they were trembled in fear for what the future might bring if they were to ever be found. They denied themselves of the truth and were chained to an eternal lie. Karis knew this and she too was scared of what she was, of what her mother trained her to be. Her mother was now gone. Dead. Killed by the same people who killed her sister. You see, if someone in your family was found out to be a magic user, you yourself was a magic user. Her mother was found out, treating a person dying of an incurable sickness. It was a mistake and she hadn't been careful of whom she let into her home. The man who was ill was only pretending, the man who she had rejected and embarrassed in front of the whole town. The mayor, wanted revenge. So he concocted a story that Ana was a witch. He soon found that his story wasn't as made up as he thought.
Karis and her sister, Maia watched in horror as the people of the village dragged their mother out by her hair. Friends became foes, friendly people became monsters, and these monsters hacked their mother to death. Boys pushed the girls into the dirt, iron poles lowered and the stinging heat made them howl. They were kicked and held down by boots, as the men whipped their skin with the searing heating. Finally it stopped. Karis had looked up only to be met by blades that dripped with scarlet and crazed eyes that turned on the huddled girls. Karis screamed and fought the rough hands that had held her down, watching as Maia was thrown into the center of the town. Karis's clothes were ripped from her body, pain filling her as a pure, white flower was tainted in darkness. Harsh breath insulted her neck and crude words filled with taunting evil filled her ears. She cried and yelled, not for herself but for her sister. Bloodied hands raised together and the stones flew. Hours upon hours did she watch, body spent and eyes glazed in tears. Finally Maia stopped moving, her small dirt covered face cut and bruised like the rest of her body. And red pooled around her. Red marked the ground and Karis reached to touch the bright color, sobs never ending. A rage filled her heart on that day, a fury so vengeful even the worst of villains would have quivered. And so those villains did quiver and shake as she pushed the man on top of her off, instantly dead by her touch. Gray eyes became black, and tears mixed with blood ran from her face. But she didn't fight, she didn't take their lives like she wanted. She ran. Naked, she ran into the accursed forest none would enter and that was where she found home.
Ten years had come and gone, and she was now ready. Ready to fulfill the revenge that her sister and mother's blood cried for. She paced around her cottage home, herbs of all assortments hanging from the ceiling as they dried. Bottles of all sizes lined neatly in rows on her shelves and she stared at a one of these bottles that laid in front of her. A ocean blue bottle, glass inscribed with twirling leaves and vines. And was was once tied to that bottle in golden thread, a letter. No, a warning. 'Cursed are you whom opens this vessel. Beware the beast that lies within, trickery and betrayal are it's sin. No chain keeps it bound, no promise to keep true, beware the beast who shall be the end of you.' Karis had not known long ago what the message meant and traveled to different kingdoms and villages to find the answer. And finally she did, and old man told her of the story of the bottle and what it kept hidden inside.
Long ago a kingdom was plagued by black birds. Birds that held teeth to slice a man open with a single, slight touch. Towering at the height of a young tree, they dove down upon the people snatching them up for it's feast. So the people hid in fear for their lives only able to taste the fresh air and feel's dawn's rays when the monstrosities went to sleep after eating to it's full. The king could no more. His people were dying and the population was dwindling. And not only that, the birds were spreading to other villages in and out of his kingdom. So he left castle and took hold of a sorcerer, begging the old man to rid him of these monsters. The man agreed and the left. But what the sorcerer did next would be his final mistake. He summoned a demon, his own monster to destroy the winged beasts. However he could not control the power of his tool. The demon rammed a sword right through the old man's chest and departed for the kingdom. When he arrived, he did certainly kill all the birds and the people rejoiced. Until he turned on them. He began slaughtering the villagers, killing them left and right. It was only until the old sorcerer came from behind him, blood pooling from the open wound in his chest and the blue bottle by his side. He opened the cork and a heavy wind sucked the demon into he bottle, but not without a sacrifice to pay. The man's soul was also tucked away into the bottle, coating it in it's protective covering that refused the demon it's escape.
Karis then went home, looking for anyway in which to the open the bottle. All rationality had flown clear away and she only wanted to open the bottle to release the demon so it could destroy her enemies. But she had paused in her research. The demon could turn on her just like it did it's master. So she took a different approach. She found that the bottle was made from obsidian, a volcanic glass that absorbed liquids. Making an elixir that would normally have to be drunk to take effect, she soaked the bottle in the liquid hoping for the best. The elixir was suppose to be able to control a person's movements and will based on the casters own desires.
So now here she sat, staring at the bottle. Worry was placed on her shoulders as she debated with herself. Would this be the right decision? If this were to ever fail her life would be at risk and the lives of many other innocent people. The only way she could ever put the demon back were if he gave her consent, and she knew that would never happen. Thunder roared outside and rain began to fall, pelting the roof. "Yes, the is my decision. And it will work." She took hold of the bottle and unscrewed the cork.
It was done.
