The Dawn of the Raven Omnibus 1: Episodes 1-5

by J. L. Blackthorne

  “What happened to your wrists and your hands?”

  “It’s nothing. Just scratches.” The woman continued her work and paid the wounds no mind.

  “Was it the bear?” asked Kiella. “Did the bear do that?”

  Again, the woman just ignored Kiella’s questions. She finished preparing Raveena for the journey, took the mule’s reigns in her hand, and began to lead it into the forest.

  “Come on” said the woman. “We must get moving.”

  To Be Continued

  In

  Episode 3:

  Unexpected Friends

  The Dawn of the Raven

  Episode 3:

  Unexpected Friends

  As Kiella followed the mysterious woman through the woods, thoughts began to flood through her mind. Her wits had fully returned. She was no longer overwhelmed by what had happened. She thought again of the woman’s wounds. They had looked quite bad.

  “Please, let me see your injuries again. I am a bit of a medic, I might be able to help.”

  Somewhat surprisingly to Kiella, considering how she had been mostly ignored before they left the clearing, the woman stopped and obliged. She pulled down the hood of her cloak and then rolled up her sleeves, exposing her slender, ravaged arms and hands. Kiella examined them closely. There were slashes and cuts all over them.

  “Did you do this? They appear self-inflicted.”

  The woman gave no answer. As Kiella inspected further, she saw that there were scars all over the woman’s arms and hands. These were not the first wounds of this nature she’d received, not by a long shot.

  “You do this often? I can see all the scars.”

  Again, the woman offered up no reply. Then, Kiella noticed that there were deep marks around her wrists. She looked at her own wrists, and saw that she had the same marks, the ligature marks from where the bonds had been tied, where she had wrestled and fought against them.

  “Oh. They had you too? What did they do? You escaped?”

  Again, the woman stayed silent. Finally, Kiella gave up her inquisition and found her liniment in her pouch. The woman did not ask any questions, and did not resist. She allowed Kiella to treat them, but as soon as she had finished, without a word, the woman turned and continued through the woods.

  “Where are we going?” Kiella asked.

  “I’ve told you: to my village.”

  “What of the exiles? The Elken? Shouldn’t we be cautious?”

  The woman stopped and turned, and gave Kiella a scornful gaze.

  “I am an Elken.”

  Kiella didn’t know what to say. Did the woman not recognize that she was an outsider? Did she not care about the truce? Did she not intend to help them at all, but to punish them for trespassing in the Forbidden Forest? Once again, Kiella found herself overwhelmed. She wasn’t sure whether to go along, or to try and knock the woman over the head, grab hold of the mule’s reigns, and make a break for it. Finally, she decided to focus on staying calm, and trying to see if the woman would give her any more information.

  “How did you find us? Did they have you? Did you escape from their hide-out, and follow them to us?”

  The woman continued walking and kept her vision forward. Kiella stared at her, waiting for a response. The woman was young, not much older than Kiella was herself, maybe just a year or two. She was quite beautiful. Kiella had never seen anyone like her. Her hair was long and a beautiful shade of light brown with golden highlights, with small braids threaded throughout. Her eyes were a gorgeous mix of green, much like the shade of her cloak, and gold and they seemed to shimmer and glow, almost like a cat’s. The woman clearly sensed Kiella’s stare, and turned to her with a frown and, finally, gave her a straight answer.

  “They did not have me.”

  “How did you happen to come upon us then? Was it their screams when the bear attacked?”

  The woman, as usual, gave no answer. Suddenly, Kiella had a thought.

  “Wait. Were you following us? All day, yesterday, I felt eyes on me. Was it you? Were you watching me because I violated the truce?”

  The woman seemed confounded.

  “The truce? It is your people who enforce that. They are the ones who will kill us if we cross the line, not the other way around.” She gave Kiella a look of disapproval. “I was watching and following out of concern for your safety. I know those men. I know what they are like. They live here too, and so we leave them alone as long as they leave us be, but I knew that you were in danger. Once I saw you with him, I followed just in case. I checked in just to make sure you were okay. When I saw there was trouble, I came.”

  Kiella wasn’t sure what to say. Finally, she spoke.

  “Thank you.”

  “Of course” responded the Elken woman.

  Kiella looked at her carefully again. The woman turned and glared, clearly upset with Kiella’s rude gaze. Kiella quickly softened her expression and offered out her hand as a peace offering.

  “I’m Kiella.”

  The Elken woman stared at it uncomfortably for a moment, then stretched out her hand and grasped it.

  “I am Shyrea.”

  Kiella and Shyrea continued through the forest. The woods became incredibly thick, and the leaves of the trees above them were so lush and entangled that there was very little light that reached them below. If Kiella had not stayed right next to Shyrea and kept her in her sight, it would have been incredibly easy to get lost and lose all her bearings. She kept her hand gently on Shyrea’s shoulder, and Shyrea allowed this, understanding that the woods of her home might be quite intimidating to an outsider. Suddenly, through light that passed through the breaks in the leaves and branches that lay just ahead, it became clear that they were about to come upon a clearing. Shyrea told Kiella to stay put for a moment. Kiella was a little nervous, given the darkness around her and behind her, but she complied. Shyrea disappeared ahead for what seemed like a good while. Just as Kiella began to worry, though, she heard the crunch of a soft footstep and felt Shyrea’s touch on her shoulder.

  “You may come now.”

  As Kiella entered the clearing, what she saw confounded her. It was nothing like she’d expected. With what little she’d heard spoken of the exiles over her lifetime, she’d expected a village soaked in blood and darkness; savages who made sacrifices of all living things they’d encountered, and used the remnants to practice the dark arts. But, instead, what she saw was something much closer to a paradise. It was a small but dense settlement, with houses that blended in so perfectly with the trees that they almost appeared to have grown there naturally. Most of the town appeared to be oblivious to Kiella’s entrance, as small children ran and played, young people laughed and frolicked about, and the adults went happily about their business. Two people stood there to greet them, however; a very tall elderly man in a haggard, aged green robe with long grey hair that went down nearly to his waist and a long grey beard that fell to almost equal distance who smiled at Kiella warmly as soon as she entered, and a middle-aged woman with a stern expression who didn’t seem to notice Kiella at all, and instead focused on Shyrea. She grabbed Shyrea by the wrist, whispered in her ear, and sent her away immediately. Before Kiella could say a word to Shyrea, she was gone, and the old man spoke.

  “Ah. Welcome friend. Welcome to our home. Your companion there, she needs attention?” as he said this, he pointed into the woods to Raveena and the mule.

  “Yes . . . yes, she does. She’s severely wounded. She has been unconscious for days.”

  “Well then, let’s just see what we can do.” The old man motioned and the woman next to him went into the woods to examine Raveena. The old man made another gesture, and three young men followed her in. Within moments, they were carrying Raveena back on her stretcher, and took her to one of the homes, with the middle-aged woman following close behind. Kiella started to follow.

  “Oh no. Stick with me” said the elderly man, as he tugged on her arm gently. “Trust me, we’d only get in the
way. If she can still be saved, then they will do it. I assure you, Osthra is the greatest healer I have ever known. She can work wonders.” He smiled an infectious grin.

  Kiella couldn’t help it. He had such a warmth about him that she instantly liked him and felt comfortable. If this were all part of a plan to butcher them, torture them, or otherwise abuse them, then Kiella would be doomed, she knew, because she instantly found him impossible to distrust. He led her towards the center of the village.

  “So, you and your friend got caught up in a bit of trouble, I hear?”

  “Yes. Well . . . I’m sorry sir. I know we aren’t supposed to be here. My friend, she was wounded and delirious, and she insisted on wandering in. I didn’t know how to stop her, and I couldn’t just leave her alone, so I didn’t know what else to do but follow. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to violate the truce.”

  “Oh no, no. Don’t worry at all. Truce be damned. Those in need are always welcome among us Elken. Anyone who means us no harm is always welcome. You may come and go as you wish; just please, don’t bring anyone else from the outside here who might not be as enlightened. We Elken don’t care at all for trouble.”

  “Oh, no sir. No trouble. I promise, I won’t bring any trouble to you at all.”

  “Good then. Make yourself at home. Let me show you around!”

  As he led Kiella towards the center of the village, the Elken became aware of her and stopped what they were doing. One small child who had his back to her was giggling and appeared to be floating in mid-air, roughly three feet off the ground. His friends, who were facing Kiella, abruptly stopped what they were doing and waved to the boy to stop as soon as they saw her. He quickly plopped back down on the ground and turned and gasped when he saw the outsider. A hush came upon everyone as they stared at her.

  “Oh please . . .” said the elder man to all of them in a gruff voice. “This is our guest! Welcome her!”

  Immediately, everyone’s apprehension melted away, and Kiella was warmly greeted with smiles and nods. Even the small boy who had appeared to float warmed up to her. Kiella watched him closely, hoping to figure out his trick, but he kept his feet firmly on the ground and now appeared no different than any other boy. Kiella, however, couldn’t keep her curiosity to herself.

  “Sir, did that boy . . . float?”

  The elder smiled at her.

  “Oh, so you noticed that, did you? Yes yes, it appeared that he did.”

  “But . . . how? Was it a trick?”

  “Trick? Well, yes, of course. Unless, by trick, do you mean it wasn’t real? Because it was quite real, I assure you. That is young Efrik, and Efrik can . . . float. I suspect before long he’ll be properly flying, in fact.”

  “Flying?” Kiella was in shock.

  “Yes. Yes. That’s Efrik’s power, you see. Here, come sit.”

  The elder took a seat on a rock on the edge of the courtyard and motioned for Kiella to take the spot next to him. She sat down and stared, wide-eyed, mystified, though now it really appeared just a normal village. No one was doing anything out of the ordinary, as they were all very aware of Kiella’s presence. They’d go about their business, but as they did so many of their heads would constantly swivel back to check on the outsider. Clearly, they were not used to having a guest. The elder cleared his throat and then began speaking.

  “You see, flotation, flying, something like that, whatever you want to call it, that is Efrik’s gift. His natural power. Each of us Elken are born with a natural power: a special gift or talent unique to that individual.”

  “A special power? What’s yours?”

  “Oh mine?” he laughed. “Mine is nothing that special. I can do things with water.” As he said this, he held a stick into a puddle. Kiella watched as drops from the puddle slowly made their way up the stick, traveling in direct opposition to gravity. Once they reached the top, he opened his other hand and let them flow into it, filling his palm. The drops then formed into an orb that floated a few inches above his hand, suspended as if weightless, and spinning in mid-air. “A useless talent, really. Mostly good for just impressing children and parlor tricks. Though, water is just about everywhere, so I suppose it does come in handy sometimes. Water is even in us, you know. I can do some clever things with that. Oh, occasionally, if someone is really rotten, you should see . . .” He started to laugh to himself, then noticed a look of concern on Kiella’s face. “Oh, but don’t worry, that’s only for real scoundrels! Mostly I just use it to amuse myself with dumb tricks like you see here. It helps pass the time.” He lifted the orb up into the sky, then let it drop back down into the puddle with a splash.

  Kiella was amazed. Dumbfounded. She just stared at the puddle, trying to make sense of what she had really just seen. Finally, she continued the conversation.

  “You say each of you have a special power? A gift? They just come naturally to you? I thought that you practiced witchcraft, the dark arts?”

  “Oh. That’s how your kind remember us, eh? Well, it’s true, we occasionally cast a spell or two. Most of those have been forgotten, now. But witchcraft, dark arts . . . I wouldn’t call it any of that. Oh, maybe it’s just semantics, I don’t know. It’s just magic, as far as we know it. Some magic just comes naturally, some you might learn as a spell. But we mostly just stick to our natural gifts, our natural power. In fact, I don’t know that any of the younger generation even know how to cast spells anymore. It’s becoming a bit of a forgotten art amongst us Elken. They don’t need it. One power is enough.”

  “So, every Elken has a power?”

  “Yes, yes. Every single one of us is born with one. Some stay dormant longer than others: it may take one until adolescence to even figure out what their power is, or at least to learn how to control it properly. Young Efrik there, he is just now starting to feel out what he can do.”

  Kiella looked at him again. Yes, now he appeared to be just a normal boy. And yet, he definitely wasn’t. He was special. She was amazed as she looked around, and thought of how all of the Elken were special. She couldn’t help wondering what each of their powers was. As she looked around, she saw Shyrea walking back into the town center. She walked across the courtyard and headed for a small building. Kiella pointed to her.

  “And what about her? The one who helped me and brought me here? What is her power?”

  “Oh no, it’s not my place to say. It’s up to each Elken when and to whom they divulge their power. It’s quite a private matter for some. I only discussed Efrik’s with you because the cat was already out of the bag on that one. Perhaps she will tell you or show you some time, but that choice is hers to make, and hers alone.”

  Suddenly, the elder man became a tad bit flustered.

  “Oh my goodness! Where are my manners! It’s been so long since we’ve had a visitor, I’ve completely forgotten how to be a good host!” He presented his hand and gave Kiella a warm, friendly grin. “I am Zorin.”

  Kiella enthusiastically shook his hand and smiled back.

  “I’m Kiella.”

  “Oh, such a pleasure to meet you Kiella. We are so happy you are here.”

  Zorin stood up and motioned for Kiella to follow him. They entered a small building and sat at a table. At the far end of the room, an Elken woman and an Elken man were busy filling a large pot with the ingredients for the dinner. There was no fire or stove. Instead, once the pot had been filled and the ingredients were just right, the woman merely touched the pot with her finger. Within moments, the pot was steaming and the smell of the delicious meal filled the room. The woman smiled as she stood proudly over their handiwork and savored the aroma. Across the table from Kiella, two boys sat staring at her. She could tell they were uneasy, so she smiled and waved at them. One waved back, but the other still looked sheepish. Suddenly, the one who was still serious coughed, and a flame burst out of his mouth. Shocked and embarrassed, he quickly covered his mouth with his hand.

  “Careful there Tyrus! Don’t want to burn our guest!” said Zo
rin, though he laughed good-naturedly as he said it. The man who’d been cooking came over and picked up Tyrus and apologized to Kiella. Kiella told him she was fine and giggled.

  “It’s no wonder your kind banished us: we’re a danger even to ourselves!” Zorin laughed heartily and his eyes gleamed as he said this. “Oh, do be careful around the little ones. Some of them really are still just coming to grips with their power. Trying their best to harness it. It can be quite dangerous while they’re still getting a feel for it. We have to watch them quite carefully. Efrik that you saw earlier, we’ve had to put boundaries on him. He’s not supposed to float higher than head level for the adults. The little guy loves to float and try to fly, but he still hasn’t learned how to properly land!” He looked over at the little boy who was still at the table who, though he’d been smiling just a few moments before, was now quite sad. “Oh, cheer up Limus. Yours will come soon, and it will be a great one, I can sense it!” Limus looked slightly encouraged, but still looked pretty melancholy as he left the table to go join Tyrus. “Poor little fellow. Limus’ power is still dormant. He still has no idea what it’s going to be, and he’s getting to the age where little ones start to worry that maybe they won’t get a power. But all Elken’s do. I’ve never heard of one, in all my years, who didn’t eventually find their power. It will come in its own time.”

  The woman and the man brought bowls to the table filled with stew and served them. Its flavor was magnificent, with tastes Kiella’s palate had never known. When it was done, she thanked them graciously. Just as they were getting ready to leave, a young Elken woman came in and whispered in Zorin’s ear.

  “Splendid! Splendid news indeed. Thank you, my dear” Zorin replied. Then he turned to Kiella. “Good news. Your friend is improving. Osthra says we shouldn’t disturb her tonight, though, she says she needs her rest. I will show you to your bed, and then we will check on her in the morning.” He really did appear genuinely pleased by the news. Kiella was much relieved.