Foreword/ Chapter 1 - Dawn of a New Mourning

Hello!

I have created a shifter language by doing the following: Taking an English word, switching it to French, and reversing the order of the characters.

Example: Pain->epeine(French)->Eniepe(reverse French)

The language will be defined in the text in the following format:

Example: (phonetic, translation)

Example: Eniepe(Ehn-yep, pain)

While not essential for understanding, as translations are provided, it is worth noting that French and English sentence structures differ.

Additionally, a map will be placed in the appendix. Should you ever have questions about the geography, please go there.

It should also be noted that it is recommended that this novel is read first, but is not necessary. All books in this series will explore the same or simultaneous events, but from different points of view. These characters will often be at complete odds with one another, but will still be the 'hero' of their respective novels.

-Sigma

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"Mommm, I'm hungry."

"Settle down, Eniepe(Ehn-yep, pain). No need to whine: your father will be back soon."

"But mom-"

"No buts, just wait for him to come back."

"Hello, may I come in?"

That's not father; it's someone else. The voice is too deep to be him. They seem nice enough, though. But we live alone, in the middle of nowhere... Maybe I can have a friend! Finally!

"Eniepe, remember what we told you?"

That's a weird question to ask.

"Y-yeah, don't trust the Etiord. Why?"

(Et-ee-ord, name for a cult)

"Just, run. And remember, we love you, and always will. We'll be watching over you, Little One."

"Mom, why are you telling me this? And where's Father? Is he coming? I want him!"

Then I see it: tears falling from her eyes. Those beautiful, vibrant green eyes of my Mother, always so full of love and joy. But now I see nothing but despair. Whatever is about to happen, is something that I no longer want.

But what is going on?

"I love you. Now run. Run Eniepe, and never look back!"

"In the name of the Etiord, open up or I'll bust the door down!"

I don't think that the person outside is friendly. And Mom said to run, and she gets really mad when I don't listen, so I do the only thing I can: I run. I run through the cave, out the narrow back-exit, through the bushes and brambles, and into the woods. My legs bleed from the thorns, leaving a trail to my home. Then I hear a blood-curdling scream, which I will never forget, the scream that turned my old home into a nightmare:

"AAAAAHHH!"

"AAAAAHHH!"

That's right. I remember now. I'm in my cave, not a memory. My dark, damp cave. That part of the nightmare of my life is over. I'm alone again: in the present, in this damp, slimy cave. The green stuff is everywhere! Get's all over my hair and paws. It's so annoying. And smelly. But the cave keeps me safe from... Them. The Hateful Ones. Just because we walk the Narrow Path, they try to kill us.

Well, just me now.

I can still hear her screams every night. I still hope that my Father is alive. Even though I know he isn't. I still hope that my mother is alive, but I know she isn't either. I hope that someone friendly is still there, but I know it's a fool's hope. But I still listen for the sound of another howl or call, or the sound of friendly footsteps at the door. I still listen for hope, but it never comes. It left me 10 years ago, when I lost what shred of hope I managed to keep after the Burning. Along with everything else.

I'll never forget the Burning, and my scars and pain will keep it fresh in my mind. So will the nightmares, fear, and solitude. But for all I know, I am the last of my people.

They took my people, my Father, my Mother, everyone, all those years ago. Now there are but a few of us left. I hope. But I won't let them take me. Not now, not ever. And I will stay on the Narrow Path, no matter what. I cannot stray to either side. Not like Them, not like the Dark Ones.

I will remain free. I will remain on my path. I will remain on my planet. I will remain.

They will not.

But I prefer not to starve while I am here. I will not remain hungry. Heading out of my cave, I notice that the bushes and trees are all brown and withered: nothing like the vibrant forest that was once there. The once healthy trees are now charred, dead, and decaying, with the bones of the forest animals littering the ground. My forest is now a desolate graveyard, full of burning green acid and milk-white bones. Once again, death and sorrow follow me everywhere I go.

They always try to draw me out. It never worked before. But now, I have no shelter. I have no food. I need to move. At least I don't have anything to take with me, not for the last 10 years. The last thing I had was a family, but they're gone now.

Then I hear a sound that chills my soul, the voice of Him. The worst of Them.

"Hello there! I'm afraid that you need to come with me."

How he makes his voice sound so friendly is beyond me. All I know is that it is an illusion, designed to lure me in.

"How about no, you murderer!"

"Murderer? No, no, no..."

Stop it with the cooing you monster! He's like a songbird of death, with a dark brown robe for wings and the standard bald head of the Etiord. How I'd love to break his neck in my jaws, and never hear him sing his song of death again!

"It is our job to free the world from evil and darkness. Which you use, but only in a limited fashion. You can still be saved. Come, join the Etiord. Join me."

"Ej en engiolé'm sap ed Ecnim Nimehc"

(Ehj en en-gee-olay-m sap ed Eck-nim Nim-eck, I will not stray from the Narrow Path).

"Then you leave me no choice - you're coming with me."

"Not happening. I'm fine on my own, at least unless the likes of you show up."

"Perhaps I'm not making myself clear. I'm not asking, get him!"

"You'll never catch me!"

And with that last remark, I ran. The only thing I have been doing since I was 6. The only thing I have been doing for the last 10 years. But this acid really hurts my paws, burning through them and melting the padding and muscle. I need to get out of here... the field! Yeah, that'll work!

"Neigh"

Unless they have horses. Then I'm one screwed wolf. But I shoulda known they'd cheat. They always do.

But no matter what happens, they can't find out the truth. They can't find out who I am. Not the rest of it, at least. If I thought they wanted to torture me now... hehehe. But they can't know. Not until I'm ready to end Them, and the Dark Ones. Not until I'm ready to avenge my people.

"Yip!"

No! Tripwires! They're tangled around my paws and digging into my skin. Maybe if I shift... feel the change start in my spine, spreading up, down, and out. The bones morphing and snapping into place. The muscle shifting and connecting to itself. My features collapse inwards and melt outwards, forming themselves into their alternative form... yeah! I'm out!

"Stop right there, esohpromatém (shape-shifter, eh-so-pro-mah-tem). You're trapped. Don't make this hard on yourself. Come peacefully, and it'll hurt less."

"I'd love to stay, but my Mother's calling. So... gotta g-woah!"

"We know she's dead, pup. I killed her, after all. And after 10 years, I finally found who I was really after. So did you really think that I wouldn't have tripwires in the field? Those weren't tripwires; they were nets. So sleep tight, little one. The only way to purge the Darkside from you is rather painless... for me at least. You, not so much. So get some rest, 'cause you're not getting any for a long, long time. And we're never, ever letting you go."

Wait, 'really after'?!

He must know who mum and dad are... were.

"Put 'em in the cage, Sinhar! We're not losing him!"

No! Not... the... darkness...

Must... stay... awake...

Must... fight... back...