Raven began to stir, but her body resisted as soon as she attempted to move. She hadn't opened her eyes and decided just to lie there.

 

“As the moon glows, the fire will rise below.

The world will never know, the faces that we show.”

 

The words of her mother's lullaby echoed through her head. The pain in her side had subsided to a dull ache. Moving her sore arms, she felt her waist and noticed fresh bandages wrapped underneath a soft gown, which now replaced her worn party clothes. "Ugh, where am I?" she groaned before finally opening her eyes.

 

"Wow," she thought, ignoring her aching body as she began to look around the room. There seemed to be a gentle draft of wind flowing through the room as the high drapes danced delicately in their places. The height of the bed she lay in filled her with marvel as she took in its dark silks and fine linens, along with its large posters and canopy that almost reached the high ceiling. Small flecks of silver and gold appeared to be some kind of ancient rune in the stone and dark wood footing. "I wonder how I'm supposed to get down," she wondered as she observed how elevated the bed was from the ground. She winced in pain as she moved about the bed but continued to marvel at the fancy room. Many books and interesting trinkets filled the shelves, while the flickering lights of the large candelabras gracing the corners of the room made the gold and silver accents twinkle.. Groaning, she slowly sat up despite her body aching in rejection. "Well, things could be worse," she thought as the idea of having to sleep in the forest at night invaded her mind.

 

Interrupting her thoughts, a loud sound of the ground trembling softly shook the floor. She jerked, clutching her fists, her senses heightened as she instinctively turned towards the sound. She watched in amazement as a space in the wall began to disappear into the floor, and a small, old woman wearing dark robes seemed to float into the room. "I-, I-" Raven began to say, though losing her words as the woman came closer and the door closed behind her in a soft grumble.

 

Surprised by the fiery red and orange eyes staring at her, Raven began to look around nervously as the woman effortlessly got into the bed beside her. The smells of sweet oil, pastries, and meats hit her senses, leaving her unsure of what to say. Images of Dante flooded her mind, causing her face to flush.  "Why am I thinking of him now?" she thought, fidgeting with the bedding and uneasy about looking into the woman's intense gaze.

 

"You're finally awake, child," the lady said to her. Raven felt unsure but began to look curiously at the woman, wearing a crescent moon necklace with a red crescent in the center of her forehead. Her hair was long, gray with wisps of random jet black strands, and curly all around her head. Her dark robes were like a sea of darkness, with her small body in the center as she sat on the bed. Raven waited patiently for the woman to speak again.

 

"Welcome, my dear, to Amber City. The city hidden in the Shadow. I am Lady Armita, an Elder Fireleaf of the Dark Moon Pack. I have served as head Luna of the Western Packs for over fifty years. The Shadow Forest stirs, and the days ahead will be dark if we don't reunite with the light, as the prophecies have foretold."

 

Confused, Raven shifted nervously, hoping that Lady Armita would explain further, but to her surprise, the woman let out a huge sigh before grabbing Raven into a hug and then adjusting her robes before returning to a serious look.

 

"Oh, my child!" Lady Armita exclaimed. "You have no idea how long we've wanted to bring you home." Raven watched as tears welled up in Lady Armita's eyes. "Yes, you are alive, but you must have been so lonely.I had knowledge of every horrible home you've been in, but I had to protect the secret of your location at all costs." Raven listened in silence as Lady Armita spoke about her troubled past.  Lady Armita gently grabbed her hand. "Oh, little Fitheach, please, I want you to know everything. If you have the energy, follow me. I understand that you may be afraid, but you must come this way." The elder motioned for Raven to follow before smoothly gliding down from the bed, her robes following her like night. Carefully, she helped Raven step down from the bed. A surprising warmth radiated from the floor beneath her bare feet, and Lady Armita draped a white veil over her before gently guiding her hand towards the doorway.

 

Raven's hand tightened as the door began to disappear into the floor. "I wonder how it works," she thought, but before she could contemplate the mechanism, she was swiftly led out of the room and into a wide corridor.

 

She felt small in the large hallway as the guards seemed so large and intimidating at their posts along the way. Her feet had a dull ache, but the warm floor seemed to soothe them as she continued down the hall. "Should I run?" she wondered. "I have no idea where she's taking me." She swallowed nervously and decided to relax. They briskly continued down the corridor, enveloped by darkness. The lights began to disappear, and the air began to feel heavy and thick around them. "Are we underground?" she thought before feeling a slight squeeze to her hand.

Sensing Raven's worry, Lady Armita smiled reassuringly, her eyes shining in the darkness. "It's okay, I promise. Everything will be fine. We're going to the Chamber of the Elders, where we'll tell you about your parents, Orion and Lyra."

 

Orion and Lyra.

 

Raven's parents.

 

She hadn't heard their names in a long time. A hot feeling spread through her head, and memories of fire and screams flooded her mind.

 

Not now.

 

She felt like sinking to the ground, clutching her head, and gasping for breath.

 

But then, her mother's lullaby began to repeat in her mind, the words and melody merging into one.

 

As the moon glows, the fire will rise below.
              The world will never know, the faces that we show,

              As the moon glows, the fire will rise below.
              The world will never know, the faces that we show,

 

She fought back the influx of unwanted thoughts, struggling to breath.  The urge to scream was overwhelming but before she could open her mouth, Lady Armita began to sing softly. As she sang, Raven focused on her voice, letting the calmness wash over her.

 

Hush, little one, close your eyes

Let the flames dance with the bluest ice

The moonlight rising, bright and strong

              Yet, though broken, cursed distant song

 

When she opened her eyes, she realized that she couldn't remember the next part of the lullaby, only chaos and screams. Lady Armita looked at her with concern, but her expression was gentle and understanding. "It's okay, Fitheach. Don't fret. We're almost at the Chamber." She took Raven's hand and led her briskly down the hall.

 

"This is an ancient place, and the Shadow spirits can have a strange effect on the minds of those whose destiny intertwines with theirs," Lady Armita explained cryptically.

 

Raven felt curiosity replace her fear as they moved further into the heavy darkness. She continued on, unsure of Lady Armita's cryptic words, but relieved that they had soothed her chaotic thoughts. Finally, they reached the end of the corridor and stood in front of a wall of vines and stone.

 

The chamber was ancient, with walls covered in intricate silver and gold runes that stretched up to the high ceiling. Raven watched as Lady Armita carefully retrieved a tiny golden blade from her robes. It resembled the one Dante had shown her, but smaller and more delicate. As Lady Armita released her hand, Raven observed as she pricked her pinky with the tip of the blade, not even flinching.

The elder had not asked Raven to do the same as she had done with Dante in the forest, surprising Raven. Noticing Raven's expression, Lady Armita smiled before placing her pricked finger on a tiny rune in the center of the wall. "Don't worry, dear. I'm the only one who has to cut herself... well, this time," she chuckled at Raven's fearful look as the ground began to rumble. Ancient symbols began to glow red, forming an arch of runes that illuminated the entire corridor, replacing the darkness with light. Raven watched in amazement as the glowing lines of red runes continued to make intricate patterns along the wall, forming a beautiful door.

 

Lady Armita stepped back as the final runes appeared upon the wall. With a wave of her hand, she brushed the center runes in an illuminating pattern. Each rune that she touched flashed blue before fading away in a cloud of sparkling light. Suddenly, the door began to disappear into the left side of the wall, revealing a room unlike any Raven had ever seen before.

 

"Amazing," Raven thought, feeling the energy emanating from the room as the door began to open. Lady Armita stepped forward towards the door, reaching for Raven’s hand and began to sing.

 

 

Until a daughter of moonlight born,

The demon lingers, a union torn,

But when Light and Darkness reconcile

The Shadow Forest will cease to defile.

 

 

As Lady Armita sang the familiar melody, Raven turned sharply when she realized that she did not recall the unfamiliar words. "This part...I...I don't know it," Raven said, feeling a sense of weakness wash over her as Lady Armita continued to sing. The forgotten words seemed to hold some kind of power over her, but she couldn't quite grasp their meaning.

 

So, Hush, little one, close your eyes,

Let the flames dance in your mind.

Cling to Moonlight’s icy stare

With Fire, one day you will pair.

 

 

Sensing Raven's discomfort, Lady Armita suddenly squeezed her hand for reassurance before letting out a huge sigh. "Ohh, I know that everything seems so crazy! Unexpected things happen, and life takes turns we never expect. But when I take you before the Elders, you will hear the final part of this old song and we will do our best to explain everything. Don't worry, you are finally where you belong."

 

Raven felt a sudden wave of gratitude wash over her as Lady Armita pulled her into a tight hug. Despite only barely knowing the old woman, her words granted Raven the deepest reassurance. She closed her eyes and leaned into the embrace, feeling a sense of safety and belonging that she had never experienced before.