The God Files: Orroz's Story

I Have Loved...

             "Oh, I'm so sorry, I didn't know you were making a delivery," Serena said.

             "It's fine, really. My master always has supplies and gold to spare," I dismissed her worries.

             "And who is your master, by any chance?"

             "Albeus, the alchemist," I said casually.

             "Well, I heard he is a sorcerer," Serena said in a conspirital whisper.

             "You heard correctly," I said in the same type of whisper.

             "No," she said disbelievingly. "Seriously?"

             "Oh yes, it's true," I confirmed.

             "Had he taught you any magic? Any, spells and that sort?" I wasn't sure how to respond to that. After all, around this time, magic was a very delicate subject. The Church had already said that magic was the devil's work, and their influence was felt far and wide.

             "A few party tricks, I suppose,"  I lied. Albeus actually has taught me several real spells, including elemental magic, shape shifting, and conjuration.

              "Well, could you show me these, 'party tricks', later tonight?" she asked me. At first I was stunned. Only five minutes since we met and she was already asking me on a sort of...date?

              "Sure," I replied without thinking. "When and where?"

              "The bridge near the Callisto House around eight o'clock," Serena said. As if guided by fate the boat stopped to drop Serena off. We said our good-byes and went our seperate ways. I didn't want to admit it then, but I was already deep in love.

Albeus seemed to already know what was going on, because when I got to his home, he smiled and simply said I could take the day off. He didn't even ask me about the supplies. He just smiled and chuckled, then slipped out the door and onto the busy Venice streets. Now that I think about it, I'm sure he was watching me the whole time in a different shape. A cat, perhaps? Maybe even a fish in the canal.

Either way, it didn't matter to me then. I uttered several arcane incantations as I strode over to my chambers. Pots and pans began cleaning themselves, reagents put themselves back in their original places, but most importantly, my magic was getting me ready for my date. My clothes undressed themselves as I went over to the bathing chamber. The tub soon filled with water from the canal, which I promptly heated and sanitized. Since the luxury of soap wasn't usually available to the middle class, I made do with animal fat which I enchanted so both smell nice and never run out. I finished my bathing and went over to the slab of glass that passed as the mirror. Warm air buffeted around my body so as to dry me instantly as invisible fingers combed through my hair. I opened my mouth and sighed with relief when I saw my teeth were in good order (I had used a spell several centuries earlier to give myself proper oral health). I picked out my best tunic and pants, and they leapt off the rack and clothed me. Soon, I was ready for my date with Serena. Except it was only four o'clock. I had to wait four more hours.

I had thought about wearing a cape like noblemen do, but realized it would clash horribly with my peasant wear. At any rate, finally it was almost time for my date. I didn't quite know if it was a date, but I decided to call it that anyway. I made my way through the busy streets over to the Callisto House. It was a large mansion in which the Callisto House lived in. They were one of the most influencial families in Venice, and owned much of Venice. Naturally, the were a very old and rich family. Why she wanted to meet me by their mansion I had no idea.

I saw Serena before she saw me. She was already on the bridge, look out over the crowd to see if she could catch my face. I smiled slightly and decided to give her a little surprise. I transformed myself into a white and black cat and slinked my way towards her. I jumped up onto the railing of the bridge when she first saw me.

              "Well, hello there," she cooed at me, and she reached out to pet me. I pressed my head into her hand, the way cats do, and purred. "Have you seen my friend anywhere? He was supposed to meet me tonight." Thankfully, since the whole "friend zone" thing wasn't invented yet, I wasn't particularly worried when she said I was her friend.

              "No, I can't say I have," I replied i my voice. Serena cried out and backed away from me in surprise and fright. I laughed and leapt off the railing, morphing back into my true shape by the time I landed.

              "'A few party tricks', huh?" Serena imitated. "I don't think shape shifting is considered a 'party trick'."

              "Oh, you should see me at parties. I'm famous, surely," I laughed. Soon Serena began to smile too, a radiant, pearly white smile, and then laughed with me.

From that moment on we became good friends, and soon Serena fell in love with me, as I had with her. We always met on the bridge every night, and that was where we parted. It's where we first held hands, where we had our first kiss. I had never felt the same way I felt for Serena before. And I'm sure she had that same feeling. One starry night we were coming back from a romantic evening on the town. We were on the middle of the bridge when she stopped and faced me, still holding my hand.

              "Orroz, you know that I have enjoyed our time together. In fact, our days with each other have been the best of my life," Serena began. At this point a flicker of fear and worry appeared on my face.

              "What are you saying, my love?" I asked her, fearing the worst.

              "I just think that it's time I showed you something. Something I've never shown anyone before," Serena said. She led me off the bridge towards a shady corner of the Callisto House.

              "As I already told you, I am Lady Serena. But yet I never told you my last name," Serena said. "My name, is Serena Callisto." At this point, something was emerging behind her. I was about to say something, a warning, but then I saw the shape they were. At first I couldn't believe it. 'No,' I thought. 'She couldn't be. They're too dark to be...' My fears were confirmed when they shapes fully emerged: two, large wings, black as midnight.

              "Serena Callisto, the dark angel," Serena finished.