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Miyuki
Chapter First- Impure Snow…


A raging storm progressed outside of an old monastery. Within the old holy place a middle aged monk sat quietly at his writing desk. Writing on a small parchment of old yellowed paper. The once magnificent sanctuary, where he now spent most of his time, was dark and desolate. Throughout the room long abandoned cobwebs clung to broken overturned benches. Only a few lit candles here and there kept the room from being swallowed in absolute darkness. This holy room that at one time housed many hungry souls had been reduced to a dark prison. A prison this abandoned monk`s obligation would not allow him to leave. His faith in God`s plan, for the a life of a certain child, was the very reason why Rueben hadn`t left the grounds of his monastery for at least ten years.
Rueben`s hand trembled as he stroked lines of ink into legible characters. It had been so long since he had written a letter to anyone, at least ten years. Though he trusted the one to who would receive this message, he couldn`t help but a tang of uncertainty. During all these years, Rueben and his young charge had been living in isolation from the outside world. His dear cousin would be glad to be receiving word from him after all this time, but unfortunately, it would be the last he would ever hear from him again.
Though Rueben strived to consume himself with his work, fear and anticipation tugged at his heart. He glanced at the two wooden doors behind him, its cracks periodically illuminated by the storm`s lighting. Finally, he laid his worn quill pen onto the desk and laid his hands on his forehead creased with worry.
“Adriannu…” he moaned. “Please Lord, let her return safely.”

Adriannu urged her horse through the blinding rain, hiding her face in it`s neck and clinging to its black mane like the frightened girl she was. Several times the horse nearly stumbled on account of the mud and ice on the ground, but she continued forcing it to keep full gallop. She had to escape. She had to get home.
The three men galloping after her were clad in thick furs. Holding knives and thick ropes in their giant hands, they whooped and laughed like drunken fools. Apparently the severe and dangerous riding weather did not discourage them from the prize they wished to claim. They had seen her earlier, when her hood had fallen from her head. They had seen what she was and now they wanted her, for their own disgusting purposes.
A bolt of lightning struck the ground near her horse`s hooves. Fearful neighing drowned out by the deafening clash, the horse finally slipped. Instinctively, Adriannu held fast to the hood hiding her face as she was thrown from her horses back. Her hands fell limp as her bruising body rolled into the freezing mud and ice with a series of splashes and crackles, stopping several feet from her crippled horse. For several moments Adriannu lay still, now beginning to feel the pain of her fall come upon her like a wave. She winced as she felt icy raindrops hit her face like tiny needles. Adriannu`s right hand twitched as she thought about her hood again, but why did it matter? She had realized that her long white hair had escaped the safe shelter of her hood and that her pointed ears were now clearly visible. But they had already it hadn`t they? Lightning shot through the sky spreading into several other strands of light. The chaotic light of the storm reflected off her grey eyes like empty glass. Her head throbbed, she should be getting up. Those men would be upon her at any moment. But her vision began to dim and brighten. Dark to light… Dark to…
The rain had slowed to a gentle sprinkle as Adriannu slowly opened her eyes. There was gruff chuckle. Her heart began racing with fear as she found herself looking into the eyes of her captor, bending over her. His cruel black eyes and grin of missing teeth displayed a sickening sense of triumph. A cry escaped her as she felt his large hand wrap its massive fingers around her throat. The man effortlessly lifted her by the neck until her feet were at least a foot from the ground. Quickly becoming more alert Adriannu`s eyes darted back and forth. Two of the hulking men in fur sat on her dead horse. Adriannu`s eyes glistened with tears. With weak resistance she grabbed hold of the man`s arm. He howled with laughter, lifting Adriannu higher above his head. He stared up at her, drinking in the expression of panic and fear on her face.
“Someone save me! Someone save me!” her thoughts screamed.
Then suddenly, from within the darkest corner of her mind, Adriannu heard a voice whispering her name.
“Adriannu…Adriannu…”
The world seemed to tune out from her senses. Adriannu no longer felt the rain, nor could she hear the voice of the barbarian who was now angrily barking orders and wanting an answer. She only felt a cold sensation running throughout her body, and could only hear the voice as it continued speaking, lowering it`s voice to that of a hushing breath.
“You want to be saved?” the voice asked her.
Adriannu nodded absently.
Then the sound like that of a roaring army rose in volume until Adriannu felt her head would explode. Then as quickly as it came the sound ceased but was then replaced by multiple hissing voices chanting in unision, “Give us control…Give us control…”
Adriannu began to feel sleepy.
“Why?” she whispered.
For a moment there was silence and then the single voice answered her. “Power… We are ‘Power’ and we will awaken the part of you that has remained asleep these last ten years…”
“Ten years…” she echoed.
“Just give us control…”
“Control…” Her eyes dimmed.
The hulking barbarian, in his rage, threw Adriannu aside like a worthless ragdoll.
“Answer me!!” he bellowed.
Lying in the mud with her eyes facing his direction, she lay perfectly still. Her eyes staring ahead at nothing caused him to temporarily believe she was dead. He wondered if the fall from her horse could have caused an deadly internal wound. The man growled and walked up to where his young prisoner lay. As he bent over her, he saw her lips move as she if she was speaking. He could hear nothing so he got a little closer.
“…Die…” she whispered.
This strong man would normally have laughed at this remark, however, this time his throat went dry. The girl`s grey eyes were now glowing red...and she was smiling.