Alluring Wrath

Deep in the Nordi Highlands, in a deep, green forest sleeps a girl in the hollow of a tree with her raven. Her raven is not just her pet but an active third eye. Every morning Madelene awakes and sends Hyrspa on a mission to warn her of those men and women that are not necessarily only men and women and are attempting to invade her forest. When Hyrspa gets a proper lock on these Otherworld manifestations, only then does Madelene swoop in for the kill.

Not literally as she is no bird, but a witch. No, she doesn't ride a broomstick, or wear a pointed hat. Nor does she brew potions in big, deep cauldrons. 'Normal human society' only views her as the 'wild woman' in the forest. There's never any thank you's from those of said society who dare to venture into the forest. No appreciation. Nor will there ever be.

Madelene awakens and reaches up her pale hand to untangle the twigs and leaves caught in her hair and uses a rough, wooden, brush to detangle her blonde curls. She extends her other arm outwards and Hyrspa alights on it. Madelene strokes the beautiful, ebony feathered bird and gently whispers, "fly." Hyrspa obeys but doesn't need to fly far, for there is a Wraith approaching from just beyond Madelene's crystal stream.

A singular caw resounds back to Madelene as is the signal. With a shrieking battle cry that sounds far from anything human, she severs the head of the obnoxious Wraith. The head is clutched in one hand and she slides her glimmering, blood soaked, cutlass into it's sheath at her waist. The blood streams down her arm and past her elbow. Great. Now her dress is stained. Worthless Wraith. She licks the blood from her hand as a Wraith's blood is an excellent anger suppressant. When all fury dissapates from her being, she summons Hyrspa. The raven delicately lands on her outstretched wrist and together they walk to their Collection Place.

There is a mountain of heads from all kinds of creatures piled inside a gigantic hole in the ground, like a massive grave. Their Collection Place is located in a gorgeous meadow teeming with the sweetest scented wildflowers in spite of the overwhelming stench of decay. For without death there would be no everlasting beauty. Hyrspa takes the Wraith's head in his talons and glides over to drop it on the top of the pile. Madelene sits down and takes in all the pleasant, warm, summer sun she can. She may have gotten a little too comfortable as she leaned back into the cool shadow of a towering oak, her legs still warming in the sun as she fell asleep.

----

When Madelene next awakens, she looks into a familiar yet unwelcome face. She's overcome with hate and fear. "Vision," She hisses through clenched teeth. "I thought I was rid of you."

"That pathetic trap couldn't hold your raven, nevermind a Sorcerer of such skill as myself."

"But how?" Madelene whimpers, fear taking over.

"It's quite simple really." A smug smile stretches on Vision's face. "Allow me to explain. While you were asleep in- What do you call this place again?- your Collection Place. And may I just say you have a fine collection. May I take a souvenir? I simply envisioned myself here, and so I came."

Madelene finds her voice, her confidence gradually returning. "Delusions are very powerful things Vision. You know that."

"And you know that I don't experience delusions or imaginings. I create them. Beneath that I see the truth. For example, while I stand here in all my glory and power, you are nothing more than a little girl caught in the midst of a war. A war that you will lose."

"It maybe the twisted truth you see, but the future is not set in stone. The truth is how one makes it, and I will be sure to bend it in my favor."

Vision cackles. "You of all people bend the truth? It is only I who does that. Only I who am most powerful! But if you're so hell bent on stopping me, then you should take this." He hands Madelene a scroll and pulls out a knife. He slashes the knife through the scarlett ribbon, and it unravels in Madelene's hand. Hyrspa caws indignantly, warning her of the obvious danger.

Madelene glares at Vision. He cackles again. "Won't work on me little girl. I have seen a thousand futures in all of which you grovel at my feet."

"You will always ever see what you want to see. It doesn't mean your perceptions are true." Madelene retorts weakly.

Unfortunately she's so caught up in her hate and fear she doesn't notice the scroll enlarging. She doesn't realize the moment when Vision's ominous presence only becomes a grating voice ringing in her ears. Now she's falling into darkness and there is no escape.

----

Upon awakening yet again Madelene is hanging upside down on a tree branch hanging over a clear pond. She pulls herself onto the overhanging branch, and peers into the water. Her reflection stares back and perplexes her. Instead of her sharp cheekbones and long, curling, blonde hair of her woman hood, they've been replaced with the baby face and short blonde bob of her youth. She is even wearing a hair ribbon tied in a cute little bow on top of her head. Madelene holds up her hands to behold their smooth, pale skin.

Madelene recoils from her reflection. She was happy to have grown up for reasons she does not care to think about right now. She shudders at the suppressed memories, but she needs to plan and priortize. Right now she needs to figure where the darkness spit her out, where Hyrspa is, and where she's going to go from here. Madelene feels a deep fury wash over her. Fortunate for Vision, killing him will have to wait. But she will find him.