The Death Of A Raven (A Haunted AU)

Chapter 1: Bad Dreams

Ravens are known to be a symbol of sadness, loss, and death. Greeks saw them as the messenger bird of the god Apollo, They are even considered as guides in Africa and are believed to be able to detect the smell of death even before it occurs. 

 However, what does it mean when a Raven dies?

Drake often thought about Armen, the Raven haired boy who had given his life to save his friends, whenever he saw the birds. Drake even had dreams of Armen, sitting with a group of Ravens and talking with them. The dreams often ended with a voice from behind Drake saying 

"Armen, you know better than to speak with omens of death..." 

Drake jolted awake sitting up in his sleeping bag, his breathing erratic and his heart pounding against his chest. It had been only a month, but Armen's death was still pretty fresh to Drake. Drake felt someone graze his back softly with their hand, he flinched, it was Grayson. Drake had almost forgotten what had happened after The Magic Libray and more importantly, what had happened a few days ago. 

_______________________________________________________________________________

After the group had jumped thought their respected portals, Grayson had been traveling to find the Draco Hatchery when he had stubbled on to his friend hiding under a tree during a pretty friged night. The reunion was nice, if only the cheerful elf and the Raven haired boy was there would the night had been better. For three or four days now the to boys had been traveling together. Heh boys, that's what Drake and Armen were when they had fallen under the demon's spell, mere childern. ________________________________________________________________________________

"Hey you alright?" Grayson asked his companion as he held him up. Drake, wether he knew or not was leaning all of his weight against the human. "Yeah... just a...nother bad dream." Drake muttered as he held a hand to his head slowly drifting it towards his white eye. "Okay... listen Drake, I know that you don't like to talk all soft and junk, trust me I don't ether but we need to talk about what is going on with you." Grayson let go of the hybrid now that he had gotten a grip on reality. Drake let out a soft growl and whimper, at first he didn't notice he was growling but he quickly stopped it. Grayson tensed up a bit, and Drake saw this. Drake hung his head low as he started talking. 

"I just, can't bring myself to know he's gone. That there is nothing I can do to bring him back, that if I hadn't made those stupid choices... He'd be here and not me..." Drake remembered back to when he had been forced to watch his friend and, possibly, brother drop into the pit of magma and kill the demon's vessle. "If it wasn't for me... Armen would be alive."

Grayson listened as he watched his friend spill out his feelings about Armen's death. Grayson comforted Drake as much as he could, he had never seen him so upset and emotional. Before he knew it Drake had curled up crying and muttering about how it just wasn't fair, and that the demon should of possessed him so that he could have tasted death. Grayson was about to argue with him, but he had realized that Drake had cried himself to sleep. 

Grayson sighed as he stroked his sleeping friend's hair, Drake needed it for the trip the pair had ahead. 

Overhead in the early morning light a Raven flew, his wings gently touching the wind as he traveled to a place not known by most. A place beyond the Badlands, beyond that of the Empire's domain, and even beyond the eyes of the most cursed demons.