Christel was momentarily startled to find a strange woman in her room, but as her mind followed her body to wakefulness, she realized that this creature could only be Drakkara or one of Drakkara's servants. Rubbing her eyes and holding her breath, she waited for the wondrous being to speak.
"Do not be alarmed, child." She said softly, her voice filling Christel's ears like a sweet melody.
Christel's hand found the white dragon doll that had gotten buried in her covers and clutched it in her hands. "Why are you here? Is my father well??" She whispered, worried.
"Your father is not why I am here, child. Your help is needed. Many people live full lifetimes wondering how to best serve their Goddess, now I am granting you the chance."
An old conversation floated into Christel's head at the woman's words, and she worried over Magess Granuk, who's words had been "Seek Death." Christel didn't want anything to do with death. Taking a deep breath, she said "Where are we going? I should probably tell my mom so she doesn't worry.. I'm not going to get in trouble, am I? Mom doesn't like it when I get in trouble.."
"Your mother will never know you have gone, for where we travel, time has stopped. Prepare yourself child. You are about to witness something a mortal has NEVER seen before." As she spoke, the room around Christel spun into darkness, and suddenly she found herself standing alone on a dirt road, surrounded by a forest. In the distance, an eerie light shone in the woods.
Chewing on the inside of her cheek, Christel considered her situation, staring at the light. Shrugging lightly, Christel skipped off down the road, towards the light. Since her escort had disappeared and there was nothing better to do, she thought inspecting the light might be a good idea. Distracted easily, the walk took a while, as she stopped frequently to inspect the foliage along the edge of the road.
Walking into the light, Christel saw a woman, more beautiful than the one who had brought her here. Beyond her power to describe, Christel could only look at the woman in awe. Absently, she noticed that the woman was lying in a pool of blood, her stomach was swollen with child, but there was no indication that the woman was in pain.
"Come closer, child. You have been blessed." The woman beckoned gracefully.
"Why am I here?" Christel asked curiously, her eyes never leaving the woman's face.
"You are about to learn more than a child your age should know, child. You are about to bear witness to something no mortal has ever seen. However, I am weak when I walk upon this plane. I require your strength to deliver this baby. And you must give it to me freely. Do so and Drakkara will bless you for all eternity.
"How do I know this isn't a trick?" She asked skeptically, chewing on her lip.
"You serve Drakkara as a follower of faith, do you not? Prove your faith now and know that it is not a trick. Drakkara needs your help and She needs it now."
Something in the woman's eyes convinced Christel and she squirmed momentarily, uncomfortable with the idea that a Goddess would need her help. "Ok.. What do I have to do?" Christel asked, twirling a strand of hair around her finger and chewing on the end.
"Give yourself to me, freely. Allow me to use your strength, child. It will be returned in a greater way than you can imagine. Do this now, time is running short."
Coming closer to the woman, Christel reaches her hand out to touch her. "My strength is your strength. My faith will sustain you.." She closed her eyes and screwed up her face, expecting a great deal of pain. Agony filled her immediately, draining all of her strength. Holy powers and thoughts dwindled into blackness as Christel passed out for a few seconds. Weak, lying on the ground, Christel woke to see something she would never forget.
From the woman bled darkness. It twisted shape and form many times as Christel watched. It seemed at first a fanged dragon, a black copy of the white she'd known. Then it became a demon, hideous to behold. It shifted again, into a vampire and finally dwindled into the form of a child.
Christel's ears began to bleed as a loud cackle surrounded her, coming from the woman who had brought here to this place. The woman's form twisted itself into that of a demon as Christel watched, and then it grabbed up the child in its talons and flew away. The woman who had just given birth was now alone in the clearing with Christel. Her form becomes perfect, no sign of birthing upon her. With awe, Christel realizes that this woman must be Drakkara and she just witnessed the birth of a new God. Wiping tears of pain from her eyes, she could only lay there and stare.
Drakkara looked down upon her young servant and smiled warmly. The agonizing pain left her as the smile caressed her soul. "On this plane, I am weak. The child was born here so that the other gods might not know. You must have a million questions for me, but I will tell you only this. The child is Mine and Necrucifer's. He will help Us tip the scales of Darkness into this world. You have helped Me and served Me well."
Still confused, Christel whispered, "But.. why me? My dad isn't Highlord any more, what am I supposed to do? I'm just a little girl, no one listens to me.."
Smiling again, Drakkara dispelled Christel's fears. "Why you? Are you not a follower of faith to me?"
"Of course!" Christel exclaimed, embarrassed that she should be doubted.
"Then I called upon you because perhaps there is something I needed from you that others followers may not have given. I had as much faith in you as you did in Me."
Blushing, Christel looked down at the ground. She whispered, "I'll try my bestest to be as faithful and as good a follower to You as dad is.."
"You will soon have power far beyond your father's. You are blessed by Me and soon you will realize this. May your dreams become a reality, child. I will be leaving you now, but be assured, I will be watching and protecting you as you just protected Me and My child."
"Now that the baby is born.. Do I have to keep it a secret or can I tell dad what happened? And mom?
"Tell only those who share your heart. Do not tell those who might be your enemies."
Her mind bubbling with questions, Christel suddenly found herself once more sitting up in her bed, staring at the foot of it, which now stood empty. "Does the baby have a name? Is it a boy? How come it didn't look as pretty as you? Am I like.. its godmother now? I think I'm to little to be a godmother, do you think?" She blurted out. Blushing in sudden embarrassment, Christel clasped her hands over her mouth and looked around the room, wondering if it had all be a dream.
A dark spot on her wall caught Christel's attention. Looking closely, she saw that it was a name, written in blood.
Malachive
Kierstyn woke up earlier than usual, slightly uneasy. Shivering in the chill morning air, she pulled the blankets around her shoulders. Careful not to disturb her husband, she slipped into her robe and tip-toed out of the room. Strangely enough, Christel wasn't up wandering about the kitchen waiting for her parents to wake so she could ambush them with questions. Kierstyn suppressed a chuckle at the thought of her daughter's insatiable curiosity.
Opening the door to her daughter's room cautiously, so as not to wake her, Kierstyn was surprised to find Christel already up, sitting on the edge of her bed and staring at the wall next to the door. She didn't even look at her mother when she opened the door.
"Honey?" Kierstyn asked, clearing her throat and watching the girl with deep concern. "Are you okay?" It was only then that Christel turned to regard her mother. Kierstyn gasped in spite of herself. Such a change had come over her daughter, she hardly knew if it was the same girl looking back at her as had gone to sleep the night before.
"Oh! Mom! I'm so sorry about the wall, I didn't make the mess though, I promise, and I tried real hard to get rid of it but it won't come off!"
"Mess? What mess?" Kierstyn asked, confused.
Christel pointed to the wall "That.. It's blood, I think." Walking into the room and turning to look at the single word painted on the wall, Kierstyn nodded slowly.
"Where did it come from?" Kierstyn said, not quite looking at her daughter, unnerved by the black emptiness of her eyes.
"Drakkara." Christel said with conviction.
"Drakkara was here? What happened?" Kierstyn asked, sitting beside her daughter and holding the girl in her arms.
Christel related the story of what had happened to her that evening, from the moment the demoness appeared at her bedside to the time Drakkara magically transported her back to her bed.
"Darling.. What did Drakkara do to you? Did she say?"
"Nothing mom.. well.. except that I'm blessed.. but Daddie always said I was a blessing.."
"Have you.. looked in a mirror?" Kierstyn said cautiously, standing to get a small hand-sized mirror out of a drawer in her daughter's closet.
"No mom.. why?" Holding the mirror up in front of her daughter, Kierstyn revealed Christel's eyes to here.. Deep, dark expanses of utter blackness.. As dark as the evening sky on a starless night.. As black as Drakkara's own eyes.
"Mom.." Christel whispered, sudden tears in her eyes. Kierstyn held her daughter gently, rocking her until her tears subsided. "Mom.. What if that isn't me in the mirror.. Who is watching me from my eyes?" She whispered hoarsely, her voice trembling with fear.
"Don't worry sweetie.. I'm sure Drakkara wouldn't hurt you.." Kierstyn soothed. Christel nodded and wiped her eyes dry, smiling bravely.
"What do you think Dad will say?" She asked curiously, her mind already
jumping ahead, as it always did.