Ravens in her wake

Imprisoned in a castle for a millenia, Heda roamed the castle she had been imprisoned, wandering the halls with not a soul to speak with. None but her ravens. Long after the withered years brought ruin and death among her people, she wandered. Her powers grew weak with every passing year, and she wasn't sure how much longer she could keep up the glamor of a ruined castle.

She grit her teeth. Anger was a constant companion all these years. Why shouldn't it be? They'd blamed her for it all, ignoring the truths and warnings she gave. War was brewing between clans, and they had a power her people were not ready for, a darkness that sought to tear them apart bit by bit. But those legends were hearsay, spoken by a jealous woman spurned by the clan leader's son.

Lies! The traitors deemed her a traitor when she'd killed a spy who'd been a consort of the enemy, revealing their war tactics and secrets. She could still smell the smoke, hear the phantom chirps of crickets, and feel the crunching of sticks beneath her feet...There had been a witness, unfortunately, and she'd never been allowed to speak her side.

Heda paused, her nails digging into the stone balcony as the air stirred. Could it be? After so long her prophesy come true?

"He is near, go! Find the one!" She called to her Ravens, their murder spiraling in caws of agreement as they dispersed. Her heart lurched as she searched the grounds. She could feel him in her bones. He was so close; the one who held the power to free her. By death or cut chains...

Garret Wesley stopped short on his exploration, grabbing hold of a tree as hi vision churned to an image of a time centuries prior. He blinked, shaking his head as the images cleared. He must have been seriously dehydrated, he thought. Delusions were his sign to turn around. The ruins hadn't been inhabited for over a thousand years. And venturing here was illegal, too many adventurers disappearing.

He shook his head, finding his balance once again.

"It is you," came a whisper of a voice came rushing over him.

He whirled around, cursing and nearly tripping over a log. He should never have taken this trip. Something tugged in his gut when he caught a glimpse of the mountain. A shiver raked up his spine, and he got the feeling of someone staring back at him, watching in the ruins...

There was nothing, though; no one to claim the words. He turned to make his way back as the eerie feeling intensified.

"I am ready," the eager voice spoke once more.

His breath came in rasps as he searched his surroundings. Then she appeared, ravens in her wake as she stood cloaked in black, eyes glowing a piercing violet. She had a pale face and pitch black hair. Beautiful. She couldn't have been more than twenty, but the look in her eyes... There was an unshakable determination there.

His breath caught when she took a step, and then another, her cloak billowing with the movements. What chilled Garret, was the growing look of remorse as she sized him up, inching closer. He stumbled, his limbs going numb.

And then the world turned dark.

When Garret awoke, in a four-poster bed surrounded by stone walls and lit torches, he blinked several times, thinking it was another one of his weird episodes. He'd been getting them ever since arriving in Iceland two weeks ago, each day growing stronger and stronger. There was a pull to visit the ruins spoken about by the locals. They told of a curse, and a violent witch hidden away in the realm between.

"You're awake. Finally."

The clicking of heels kicked his heart into overdrive as she rounded the corner. She was more beautiful without the cloak. She approached the side of the bed, sitting to be level with him. He wondered why he didn’t feel more wary of her. He had reason to be, that’s for sure… He wanted to ask who she was, where they were and how he got there. He had a feeling, however, that the answers would change the world as he knew it, and Garret couldn’t bring himself to ask.

“I apologize for the manner of our meeting, Garret.” She knew his name? “I can see you have many questions, if I were to judge the look on your face. However, I have much to say first so they must wait for now.”

He steeled himself, sitting straighter. She eyed him for a moment before continuing with, “You are not the man you think you are, Garret.”