Raven Sage

Prologue - The Beginning

A long, empty road track. Tall wood pine trees. The wind whistled. In the distance, a cart could be heard. I shivered, wrapping my trembling arms around myself. My ripped clothes did nothing to protect me from the blistering cold. Thin strands of neglected hair whipped at my face. I could still remember their faces, cold and unrelenting. It was at that moment, that I knew what I had meant to them.

Nothing. Just someone to brighten their smiles. A toy to bring them joy. I was the first to be disposed of in our village. I suppose blood is thicker than water. The thudding of horse hooves, the rolling of creaky wooden wheels; it was the only sound on these lonely, cold tracks. I wanted to stop, but stopping would make it harder to keep going.

I had no destination, but I had a will to survive. And for me, that was enough. It had always been enough. Even before, when I had lived in a different world, a different life, it had always been the same.

Whooooosh... a sharp burst of wind threw me off my balance, and I slipped. Before I knew it, I was falling into the forest. I scrambled for something to grab, to stop me from rolling into a tree, but I was too late.

"Ugh.." I groaned. A thick pine tree had caught me right in the stomach, and I could feel something gathering in my mouth. *Cough* I pulled my hand back to reveal a dark red substance. Blood.

I squeezed my eyes shut and tried to distract myself. Stand... I need to stand up... I clumsily clutched at the tree, pulling myself up on wobbly feet. My head thudded continuously. Thud. Thud. Thud. It was getting louder and louder.

Was I really going to die at the age of four ? I lived longer in my past life! "Ughh..." I groaned again. The pain was unbearable. I could barely breathe. Quivering, I crawled back up the hill. It wasn't as steep as it had seemed when I fell. Thud. Thud. Thud.

The noise was getting louder. It was rhythmic and helped me climb quicker. As the sound got louder, I got higher. Finally, I reached the road again. I was out of breath much quicker than before.

"Ah... I don't think... that I'll make it..." My eyes felt heavy, my legs gave way and I curled up into a ball. I could feel the cold snow on my bare skin and through my rags. It was the last feeling I had before it all went black.