Awakening (Born From Shadows #1)

The sun rose along the eastern horizon spreading its warm and natural resplendence among the people of Avalla, a capital city filled with both the affluent and poor. The light struck a small human in the eyes, commanding her to arouse to the brand-new day. As if in response, her eyes fluttered open to the world in a slow welcoming.

She wondered what the time was; if the day was just starting or already halfway through. Tatianna looked towards the glowing star that projects life and light, she estimated that it was early morning due to the position of the sun. Of how close it was to the mountains that were far away. The cracking of her body could be heard in the lonely awakening city when she stood up to stretch out her muscles and bones that were aching from her sleep.

A new day, a new adventure, she told herself. Just like every other morning. Tatianna inhaled the cool air that iced her throat, relishing in its beauty and mansuetude. Cautiously, she left her spot on the ground to attempt to find food for her rumbling stomach. Though the hunger was something she was used to.

She wandered along the sidewalk and past a few people, all of which gave her frightened looks. She spotted a man lying on the ground, motionless. She recognised his face, when she was younger she recollected him giving her a piece of his bread. Now the rigorousness of the night had taken away the old man’s life from his lungs. She bent down and closed his eyes, whispering few words, “Your battle has been fought, now you may rest.” Not letting herself dwell upon his death any longer she perpetuated down the street. For death is something she had seen all around her and had come close to upon many occasions.

She crossed a road, being punctilious to look out for the rich with their well-treated horses that seemed to have a better life than herself. Tatianna felt someone staring at her body as if she was a piece of kitsch art. She turned to see a girl around her age viewing her with curiosity. The two locked eyes for a second until the girl is pulled away by her father. Shaking her head, Tatianna probed for scrapes.

For the rest of the day, she stalked through the streets of the human-infested city and only found a slither of a pear that was inside a bin. She wished and prayed for more but never found any in this immense city. Avalla, the capital of Haveenté, was one of the kingdoms across the land. She knew never to leave this place, for the horrors the other kingdoms held were unkind to humans. Here she was safe, safe with others of her species. Despite how she is treated like dirt among them, it is better than being a slave to those who perceive themselves of a higher caliber. Though, in a way they are.

The Dwarves that live in the mountains of Jeun are stronger than humans with incredible crafting abilities. The Fae have radiant feathery wings, higher senses, and possess elemental magic passed down through the generations. The Elves were majestic creatures, immortal and puissant. More vigorous, more expeditious and have higher senses than even the Fae. Their magic is limited only by their imagination.

The only thing a human is better than is a Goblin. Selfishness and greed are major downfalls to the species, and their intelligence is a little more than the average animal. Each species falls into the Hierarchy, and each species is ruled by one. The Elfir. A rare species that were only ever once seen during the Dark Times. Once though, was enough to have even the Elves fearful of their power.

Why? Because in those few hours it was here it managed to extirpate everything in its path leaving nothing but ruins in its wake. Those creatures are the sort that Tatianna did not want to be near. So, she had stayed in the city that she was abandoned in at the tender age of six.

“Do you have the gifts?” A woman said, walking past Tatianna along the street.

“Of course,” a man’s voice replied to her. The two ambulated side by side, both looking like they were in their thirties. By the ring on their fingers Tatianna presumed they were a wedded couple.

The woman turned towards Tatianna and had a look of shock on her face that was quickly superseded with fear as the two caught eyes. She mumbled something to the man beside her and he glanced towards the teenager. He held onto the women’s arm as if in protection and hurried their walking pace, endeavouring to get away as fast as possible.

The two dashed off until they could no longer be seen by the very eyes that scared them away. Her eyes would never be found on any other human except her.

“Don’t worry about them, they’re just envious. I would love to have eyes like those,” a soft feminine voice verbalised from behind her.

She turned quickly to assess the girl who stood on the gravel, wondering how she sneaked up on her. Her hand instinctively went towards her dagger. It was the same girl she saw earlier today across from the street. The girl’s height reached taller than her own. Her physique, attire, and cleanliness pellucidly conveyed that this girl had a home to live in and people to care for her. She appeared intact, not a scratch or mark to scar her velvet skin. Smooth, unlike Tatianna’s.

“Thank you,” Tatianna spoke rushed, and turned to dash away, to get as far as possible. Not wanting to interact with another person. Especially one like her, from an affluent family oblivious to the trauma she has suffered through.

“Wait,” the female called. Tatianna refrained from responding and kept walking away.

After turning and weaving through a few blocks of land, she was back at her corner and sat down, wrapping her blanket tight to her body. She shut her eyes in the hope of some rest and to move on to the next day.