Path of Moonlight

Chapter 9

"Maybe I dont know where to begin," Raya says leaning back and folding her hands thoughtfully in her lap, "but if there was a beginning, it was long before they even had a name for the earth, or even humanity itsself. It started with three children. Born on the same day, and raised like siblings. But they weren't even the same species. One was an Elf, Illeria. She had raven hair and eyes like emeralds. Connected to nature she felt most at home surrounded by the forest and made friends with animals easily, although not caring for the company of humans aside from her brothers." The look on her face holds disdain, Jace keeping his usual neutral expression, but Noah had trouble not outright sneering at the name. I'm guessing they don't approve of her.

"Elves?" I scoff. "Really? I may not be a genius, but I wasn't born yesterday Raya." Anger flashes through her eyes and Willa and Zai exchange worried looks, being the only two actually listening to Raya.

She sighs heaviy before looking at me. "I told you you may not believe me, but I want you to listen to the whole story before interupting. Can you at least manage that?"

Shrugging I lean back against the couch and wave for her to continue her ridiculous story.

"As for her siblings, they were humans, unknown to them in their youth, but doomed to age and eventually die, where Illeria would flow through life like nature, ever changing,  but in essence, immortal. The brothers, Kai and Tieran, were constantly fighting off suitors who were after their sister, men from all over the land who coveted her for her beauty."

"Alright I get it Elf girl was hot can we please move on? I'm getting bored." I snipe, earning a glare from Raya.

"I thought we were going to shut up and listen okay? Okay. Now, as I was SAYING. Illeria was soon considered to be a rare gem, and a young lord, who grew up with the brothers and was regarded as their friend, pursuaded them to allow him near their sister. He demanded of Illeria to be his bride. But she refused. Enraged he attacked her, nearly claiming her life. The brothers killed their only friend, and grew to resent Illeria for it. They forced her to move into an old secluded cottage, high in the mountains, where no one would see her. Which she was fine with, because she prefered to be alone. Tieran, was often left to watch over Illeria, and as the years went by, Kai and him began to notice, that while they were growing into men, Illeria was still in the appearance and body of a young maiden, the prime of her beauty." Raya stands up now, walking around as she speaks.
"Kai and Tieran, jealous of their sisters beauty, became determined to find a way to stay young themselves. Stripping their sister naked and tying her to her bed the brothers began to inflict damage. Beating her, cutting her, and bleeding her they began to realise that she healed remarkably faster than any human, but could not understand why she was so young in body. Finally, in their frustration, the brotherscame up with a horrific idea, and as Illeria's screams filled the mountain, they drank her blood and partook of her flesh, taking turns with her body over and over. When they were done with her they threw her in the old grain cellar. Naked, broken, and covered in her own blood Illeria passed out into what would become a year long coma, a last attempt to salvage a broken mind and to heal a broken body."

"Woa woa woa what the FUCK Raya I came here for an explanation about why you guys sent the town into a fucking panic, not this shit." I stand up yelling. What the hell is wrong with these people?

"It's gruesome, I know Lisa. But I promise, if you let her finish, all of this will understand." Willa gently places her hand on my arm looking up at me.

"I don't know why I'm going to do this. But fine." I sit back down in a huff, looking to Raya to continue.

"The result of drinking their sisters, unknown to them but nonetheless narcotic like blood, caused Tieran to go insane. Collecting Illeria from the cellar he stole away with her and hid her in his own home, away from his brother. Kai, who was now drunk on the power the blood had given him. He had, in essence, 'awoken' his own powers. And having forgotten his presumably dead sister her began to experiament with his new abilities. He is what you would call a warlock. The blood caused a change in him, his body was more resiliant. His eyes, once a warm chesnut brown, had now blached to a grey, and he had gained control over the emotions and feelings and thoughts of others."

"Tieran, finally alone with his sister began to nurse her body back to health, while for a year she remaind unconcious. Not eating or drinking he marveled at how she could still be alive, and in a way, he fell in love with Illeria. This was not a sweet love, with candy and flowers and compassion however. When Illeria finally awoke she was in a white dress and her hand was tied to Tierans. Scared she asked what was going on, Tieran had had a shaman marry them while she was in the coma. Marriage back then was a binding ritual that one could not escape unless their partner died, but the bind she could not kill him, nor he her,which she was thankful for. But she would learn that there are worse things than death."

Absorbed in the story I find myself actually believing her. I shake my head, this is nonsense right, but why do I somehow feel the truth deep in my bones. "What could be worse than the physical torture they already put her through?"

Smiling Raya looks up at the stack of books. "Illeria was forced to carry Tierans child. She poisned herself any times, but he finally caught on. And knowing she can survuve without food or water it was in dark dungeon like place that she gave birth to her child Mira. With eyes of hazel she was the Pride of Tierans life. He took her from Illeria, who despite herself loved her child and raised her with the beleif that her mother was dead. When Mira was of 18 years old her powers began to awaken, and it was in her dreams that she finally met her mother. But Mira was terrified to find that Illeria had murdered her father, and fled to the woods. Joining forces with her uncle Kai they tracked down the forest elf and they thought, killed her. Illeria was able to escape in the form of a wolf, and when she took human form again, she was weak and frail. She sired children, to gain an army to fight against the Clans that Mira and Kai had built, who had united to protect the world from her anger, because her decendants wish to spread Illerias last wish, a death to all human kind for the torture that her brothers hd inflicted on her. We are the children of Kai's clan. You, and these others here, are all Mira's decendants. And we hold a sacred pact, to work together to weed out, and detroy the poisonous elven blood that pollutes our home."

Walking over to me Raya holds out her hand and smiles softly. "Elisea, decendant of the witch Mira, will you claim your birthrite and not only accept the power in your blood, but the family you are offered?"