Band of the Raven

The cellar was dark with barrels of ale, and mead stacked to the ceiling. The stone floor sent shivers through Kiara’s body with every step. She took deep breaths in preparation, then found a chair she could sit on next to a pillar holding the building up. She leaned the chair against the beam and adjusted herself. Her eyes closed and her mind slowly faded back. All she could hear was the sound of footsteps above her and the dripping of water leaking from the walls. Focus. Don’t be afraid. Killian is nearby. He will keep everyone safe. She thought to herself as she released another long drawn out breathe. The dripping in her ears faded, and the footsteps above her vanished. Her eyes slowly opened and revealed an abyss of darkeness around her. Purple and black waves flowed gently passed as a wall stood in front of her. She stood and slowly approached it. Long steel bars were lined vertically as far as the eye could see to her left and right. Beyond the bars, the sound of chains rattling and shifting.

“It has been awhile hasn’t it, Kiara.” A sinister voice whispered.

“Not long enough, Valkyria.” She replied.

The voice chuckled as the chains continued to shift. “You remembered my name! I did not know I meant so much to you. Have you come to rescue me from this prison you have trapped me in? I have grown so lonesome.” The voice mocked.

Kiara took another step closer to the bars as she felt a pulse of warmth growing on her face. “I would never release you willingly. However,” She began before she was interrupted.

“It’s that young man, isn’t it?!” The voice shouted out in excitement. “Oh, how delicious that one looks. I remember when he was so fit and had a jaw that could cut through a stone in an ice storm! Is he here with us? Hello? Are you out there?” Valkyria shouted in amusement.

“He is not with me!” Kiara shouted, losing her composure for a stint. “He is, however, requesting me to try and build a bridge between us, so to speak. He is afraid of something coming and wants us to use one another to fight it.” Valkyria's hand broke from between the bars slowly, and reached out with its palm up. It was a young woman’s seemingly soft skin. It had a grey hue and her nails were black as night.

“I know. Even though I am trapped in your mind, locked away for eternity, I still hear pieces of the outside world. I especially listen to young Killian’s voice when he talks. I am surprised he hasn’t lost his gentle touch. Age usually has its ways with men where they just turn bitter and rude.” Her hand clenched into a fist and returned back behind the bars. “But he wants my power, does he? Is he afraid that you on your own won’t be of use? I wonder how he truly views you now. Things have been quite mild over the past centuries. Do you think he feels you have lost your edge? These things do happen when a woman begins to age. I can see it around your eyes. Even an immortal body gives off the weary look of a human.”

“Will you stop patronizing me!” Kiara shouted again. “Killian trusts me and still sees me as he always has.”

Valkyria’s voice turned dark as it grew closer. “Then take my hand and let us see if you still have the power to tame me. Break these chains and let us become one once again!” Hesitantly, Kiara investigated the nothingness through the bars with her eyes. Her hand trembled as it reached out. Small beads of sweat accumulated on her palm as her heartbeat pounded faster and harder. She squinted her eyes as the hand vanished into the darkness. The bars quickly fell through the floor while the vail around her shattered and fell, revealing a white canvas. She looked forward and met face to face with Valkyria. Her eyes were white like Kiara’s, but her face was tattooed around her cheeks and across her forehead. She had long, straight hair that grew down her back, and wore tight metal armor, only exposing her abdomen. Wings sprouted from her back and extended far behind her. They bore violet feathers with light shades of red in between.

“Shall we begin?” Valkyria spoke with a gentle smile, cracking her aching neck. She swung her large wings and enclosed Kiara like a circled cage. Whispers quickly passed through her head at a rapid pace. You killed them. You killed all of them. You relished in it. You watched them all die. You bathed in their blood. More. More. More killing. All of them. More. Must have more death. All must die. Kill them all. Kiara quickly staggered, unprepared for the bombardment of voices. She fell to her knees and grabbed the sides of her head. You wanted them to die. They needed to die. They were worth nothing. The whispers continued.

Kiara bashed her fist against the ground, leaving a small crater where it hit through the white floor. “Enough! They didn’t deserve to die! They were my family! They loved me! I loved them! It was him! He killed them. He was the one who needed to die!” She started to shout out. She tried to stand but fell back on one knee. “The innocent people he killed…they weren’t my fault! I didn’t enjoy any of it!”

“You enjoyed all of it, my dear.” Valkyria spoke in her ear as she started to spin around her. “You enjoyed how easy it was to stop caring. To embrace all the rage that was pent up for all those years.” She smiled softly. “Just accept it. Stop fighting. You are only hurting yourself. Let your guilt flood through you and move forward with me at your side.” Kiara dug her nails into her hair and closed her eyes. The thought of everyone she lost passed through her mind all at once.

“Forgive me.” She whispered with agony in her voice. “Fine!” She cried out and straightened her back. “I did kill them all! And yes! I did enjoy watching them die! That we can agree on. But the guilt I felt afterwards was damning and if it hadn’t been for Killian you and I would not have made it this far. So, I purpose a deal. You let me control you, but once you are needed, I will set you free.”

The winged beast stopped spinning around her and flew into the air. “I accept!” She shouted with joy and a loud laughter ensued.

“But there is one condition!” Kiara called up. The dark angel hovered over her and crossed her arms.

“And what is that?” she said like a child, still smiling.

“No harming my companions. If you harm so much as a hair on any of them, I will take back control.”

Valkyria laughed hysterically and held her stomach. “Your threat does not scare me! I am your rage, remember? With your anger, I grow stronger!”

“So, what you are saying is, you’d have Killian kill us both? You know he already agreed to do so if I were to slip and you escaped.” Kiara said confidently.

“You are lying! He did not say that!” Valkyria protested.

“You must not have been listening to him as carefully as you may think. When it comes to his friends his eyes glow crimson. You have seen it before. Don’t you remember? He could tear you apart without an ounce of effort.” Blinded by her feelings for Killian, quickly dropped and stood in front of Kiara.

“You have yourself a deal. Now let us leave this dreadful place. I want to see the world again and what it has turned into over the years.”

“We must wait.” Kiara demanded. “We must gather ourselves and truly become one. We have a total of two days to join before we can reenter the living world. That was the order from Killian. Valkyria scoffed in protest.

“So, you mean to tell me you wish to die before returning? Perhaps this was his plan after all. Killing you and releasing the true warrior to be at his side. It seems our Killian has grown more intelligent over these long years.”

“If you wish to fight me fairly, I will show you how little you are in comparison to my powers.” Kiara spoke out, preparing for a battle.

“As you wish, little girl.” The demon chuckled. She drew two swords from her sides out of thin air and flew at Kiara. The witch lifted her hand as a white light blasted from her fingertips. The flash turned into a spear and was thrown at the advancer. With a quick spin, Valkyria dodge in the air and continued to grow closer as she raised the swords above her head. Kiara threw up her hand once more as a barrier rose and blocked the attack just before it reached her. The winged demon recoiled back slightly, touching her toe to the ground only to thrust forward once again. Her attacks began to push Kiara down to the ground as her knees started to buckle beneath her. “Is this all you have to offer?!” Valkyria called out as her swords bashed against the constant barriers of light. Almost there. Kiara thought to herself. Just as her knee pressed against the ground, a shot of heavenly light came from beneath Valkyria. A cry of discomfort came from the flying warrior as it punctured her thigh. She fell hard and slid to Kiara’s feet. Without hesitating, though, her wings spread to her sides and rolled her body back into the air. Black blood slithered down her leg and dripped off her armored boots.

“Are you still sure you are the better fighter?” Kiara mocked.

“This scratch does not prove anything other than you rely on cheap tricks to get your victories.” Valkyria grimaced, trying to hide her embarrassment.

“Nonetheless, strategy conquers brute force in battle.” She bent her knees once more and leaped up towards the flying foe. “Now the fight truly begins!”