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The Moon's Curse - Prologue & Ch1

Once upon a time, in the land of Kaomagion, on a dark and stormy night, a little girl was born with a strange mark on her back. Her life would change the course of history whether she knew it or not, but at the same time, it would be misery in a handbasket.

The night she was born was what would put her on her course to change the world as everyone knew it. She grew up without a family. Even though she lived with her mother, Tamiiyo Shiishay, the only thing that kept them together was their shared blood. Tamiiyo would rarely feed her daughter Liliana and when she did, it would only be scraps. Her mother would constantly hit her whenever she got drunk or mad, not caring that Liliana was her daughter. Liliana had never met her father. She has no idea about who or what her father is, let alone if he is even alive.

She was also abused by the village folk, who would yell names at her and beat her. When her mother sent her out to buy stuff, people would dump garbage and other waste on her. The village folk would make fun of her for not knowing who her father is. They would ask her questions like “did your mama hurt you again?” sounding concerned, but when Liliana started to answer, the people would slap her in the face and say that she deserved it. If she tried to run away when they asked her anything they would grab her and beat her even worse. Once every 7 days, she would be bound and gagged, then taken to a deadly forest. Once there, the villagers would untie her legs and make her go into the forest. They would wait five minutes then start hunting her as if she was just another pest.

When Liliana turned 13 she ran away from the village and her Mother. She ran deep into an enchanted forest. She was gone for three years. While she lived in the forest, she was given a new name; Vagana. In the forest she learned how to hunt, scrounge, and fend for herself completely. She learned how to keep to herself and not let any emotions show. She figured out many things while in the forest, like how to communicate with the animals and use the magic of nature. She learned how to keep still for hours and how to use twigs and leaves to make her own clothing and camouflage. When she returned home after five years, her mother brutally beat her and let the village folk beat her. All the while she didn't fight it, but at the same time she showed no fear or pain or happiness, for her time gone had stolen all her emotions. She was no longer the fragile little girl they knew. The villagers got nervous and soon decided to leave her alone. Even her mother wanted absolutely nothing to do with Vagana. After just two days, her mother could no longer stand her and decided to take her to the Lord Baron of Hearken Town to try to get rid of her daughter.

And this is where her story begins…

When darkness like rain, falls

And all is silent

There a young woman will come

Born to both day and night

Attracted to that which all have shunned

With instincts unmatched by any

And the heart of a child

She will have a scar upon her back

Of the mark she'll have no knowledge

Hard to surface will be her anger

But her just wrath will host no mercy

She'll follow the laws of no mortal

But instead the laws of the wild shall she adhere to

The elements shall obey her every whim

Though of this feat she’ll find no memory

Chapter 1

“Please,” begged my mother, “just take her away from me! I can’t take it anymore!”

“Ma’am, please, calm down,” Emrill said calmly. “I can’t take her from you, but I can talk with Lord Nesrak for you. If he has room in his keep, he’ll take her, and she’ll become a ward of the kingdom.”

Emrill, sentry captain of Hearken Town, left Mother and I in the receiving hall of Lord Nesrak’s small castle. Emrill was tall with short, straight brown hair and green almond eyes.

I didn’t know who Lord Nesrak was, and I honestly didn’t care. There was a time that I did care, but that time is gone. I sat on my knees on the floor as we waited in the windowless, chair filled hall. All Mother could do was pace, mumble, and pull at her hair.

“Why won’t you say something?!” she’d occasionally yell.

I’d say nothing. I knew why she didn’t want me anymore. She could no longer control me, and she hated the only name I would answer to.

“Lord Nesrak will see you in his chambers now. Please follow me,” was all Emrill said when he returned a half hour later.

It took us about ten minutes to get to Lord Nesrak’s chambers at the very top of the tallest tower.

Lord Nesrak was tall and skinny. He had brown, wavy hair that fell to his shoulders. He looked very relaxed and calm. My mother didn’t even bow, she just started begging him to take me.

“Please, just take her! She won’t listen to me anymore! She won’t even answer to her own name! She’ll only answer if I call her by a name she claims the forest creatures gave her! Just take her away!”

Lord Nesrak just smiled and listened. This went on for about 2 hours and all the while I sat on the only window, looking outside. I felt a presence enter the room. Apparently, Lord Nesrak didn't sense any extra presence. Mother obviously didn't sense anything with all the whining she was doing.

I made no sudden movements or sounds and I didn't let myself tense. Instead, I acted like I didn't notice and moved to make it easier to look around the room. Once I was comfortable in the window, I slit my eyes so it looked like I was going to take a nap. I noticed a human shape near the only door, partially behind a marble podium with a set of gold-crusted ram horns. Mother was still pleading and Lord Nesrak was still smiling, but I could tell he was now forcing the smile.

About 10 minutes passed and everything stayed the same, but then I noticed movement by the door and the flash of steel spinning in the air. I saw the aim, Lord Nesrak's heart.

All I thought before I leaped was just injure. I caught the throwing knife by the blade, quickly sighted the person's shoulder, for I couldn't see the legs, then returned the blade and followed in its path. The blade struck true. The person screamed, grabbed at their shoulder and stumbled.

I was then on him. I pulled the blade out, one-handed, and hooked both his arms behind him at the elbows with one arm. Then the knife was at his throat and I could easily tell it was a young boy about my age. I could also tell he was inexperienced as an assassin because he was crying and couldn't stop his body from shaking. Telltale signs that he was scared for his life. He was barely holding back the sobs, so I loosened my grip to ease the pain in his arm. He calmed down some, but the tears still poured from his eyes.

Mother and Lord Nesrak just stared at us. Mother looked on with wide horrified eyes and her hands over her mouth. Lord Nesrak looked on with calm, calculating, sad eyes.

“Listen and listen well,” I said in a soft, calling voice. “I don't care who you are. I don't even care how you got here. There is only one question I will ask you, and you need to answer it one hundred percent honestly. I will know if you lie. I assure you... nothing said here will leave this room.”

He and I looked at my mother and Lord Nesrak. They both nodded their consent. My mother no longer had a horrified expression on her face, but I could tell she was very nervous, because she was rubbing her wrists.

“The only question I have is why.”

He was silent for a while. “I… I was h-hired b-b-by-hu-K-Karam. He-he said if I-I didn't-hu-kill L-lord Nesr-rak he'd k-kill my si-sister,” he sobbed.

I quickly released him from my grip, removed the cloak I usually wear, and used it to stem the bleeding.

“Well, well. Looks like I got lucky,” Lord Nesrak said, his voice very deep and rhythmic.

“What do you mean, Lord?” my mother asked.

“Well, both my Rangers are off on a mission, lady Tamiiyo Shiishay. If it hadn't been for Liliana, as you call her, I'd be dead,” he said. “Oh, by the way, what is the name you say the forest gave you?”

“Vagana,” I said.

“That's a pretty name. Vagana,” he said in almost a whisper. Then his eyes moved to the boy and his voice returned to normal. “Now then, young man, what is your name?”

“Braic,” he said. His sobbing had finally stopped, and his tears were slowing down.

“Well, Braic, you know what you've done. You also know the consequences of what you've done. But, what you don't know is what I plan to actually do,” Lord Nesrak said calmly. He got up from his seat and walked to a place on the wall where a covered pipe stuck out. He lifted the lid and called out “Cadvak.”

“Yes Baron?” the voice of Cadvak answered.

“Get Cadval and Ara. Tell Ara to be prepared for a shoulder wound. Dagger. Now move,” Lord Nesrak spoke.

“On it,” Cadvak replied. We all heard a door slam.

Lord Nesrak quietly closed the pipe. “Now all we need to do is wait,” he said as he sat back in his chair.

“W-what's going to happen?” Braic asked timidly.

“Oh, you'll see. You'll also be very surprised,” Lord Nesrak said suspiciously.