Empty Endings pt.1

The stars twinkle out into a vast expanse of smothered darkness, holding it’s breath for the sun to rise. The night and morning teeter on the edge of chaos, as the seconds creep along. When at last the red dawn conquers the horizon its light exposes a once glorious city, now laying in ruin and ash, ravaged by the black of night. A city once towering, carved of flawless marble and crystal, now ground down into the muck of sorrow. A city once bustling, full of happy people, with happy lives; now all that’s left is a ragged band of weeping orphans, and the memories of happier times. A city whose name was once revered and admired. The city of Darsis.

It was the fifth time in that month alone that a once great city had been toppled into ruin, but this one, was different. This rampage was worse than the other four, this one held more sorrow. This time, the raiders left no one alive over the age of eleven. Bodies laid strew through the city. Babies clung to their mothers crying out for them to wake. Some of the older children wandered, wide eyed with loss, through what used to be their homes, their city. They left no adults alive, they killed them all, all but one.

Through the smoke billowing from the smoldering buildings a figure emerged, cloaked in shadows. It approached a cluster of children shivering with fear by a still standing wall. When they saw the mysterious figure walking slowly toward them fresh tears cut clean tracks down their smoke stained faces. They gathered even closer together and they watched and waited, trembling at the thought of what might come next. The figure continued slowly towards them until it was just far enough back to remain in the secrets of the smoke. Once here the foreboding figure just stood there, watching the children. After five intense minutes of weeping one of the older children, a boy named Dante, stepped bravely forward.

“Who are you? What do you want?” He called out, his voice thick with false bravery.

“You know who I am. You have always known me. Not by face but by name, by legend.” The mysterious figure spoke, exposing the fact that it was a woman.

“If we know you then why don’t you come out? Are you afraid of a bunch of children?” Dante cried out, his dark hair falling in front of his eyes.

“As you wish, oh brave one.” She replied with respect. As she walked forward and the smoke was pulled away she was exposed to their gazing eyes, they could see her. She was tall for a woman, about six feet, and she had long straight raven hair pulled back away from her piercing blue eyes. She wore clothing that was for working, and for hiding, not what a lady usually wore. The children looked at her and looked at her, but no one recognized this woman.

“We don’t know you like you said we would. You lied to us!” Dante said, picking up a stick and brandishing it as fearfully as he could manage.

“I said you would not recognize my face, only my name.” She replied almost motherly, her voice soft and comforting.

“Well then come on, lets have it, what’s your name?” he ordered, and all the children nodded or averted their eyes.

“The name that I am known by is the Silent Raven.” This cause even more muttering to erupt from the children as they came to realize who this was, “Do you know me now, Brave One?”

“I uh…Of course we know you, you are the best thief there is. You stole from the Prince himself, while he slept. But I always thought…” Dante trailed off looking down at his dust covered feet.

“You always thought I was a man, did you not?” She asked, and he nodded. “Well you thought wrong. Now that you know who I am I think I deserve to know your names, and ages would be helpful.” The Silent Raven instructed looking at the motley crew of about seven children.