C1 Prologue

The Light and The Darkness … essentially Good and Evil. This is the Yin and Yang of the multiverses.

Their tale will begin like many other great stories began … with “Once upon a time...”. But; it will be up to these two sisters to determine how their tale will inevitably end.

Eight-year-old Katie Williams has been severely autistic since birth … seemingly oblivious to her surroundings; while being stuck in her own little world. This perception of her is only half correct.

Unbeknownst to everybody, Katie is usually aware of everything going on around her; but, she's just unable to express herself, or communicate with others. That being said; Katie does spend a good portion of her time living in a magical, medieval-like world … which she has created over time using those individuals she's had contact with over the years. And; it is in this world where Katie lives a vicariously interactive-life … one in which she's able to speak and communicate with those around her.

For a little over the past two years, Katie has been a resident at the Wilshire Children's Institute for Behavioral and Developmental Disorders; but, tomorrow she'll be heading home ... because, the hospital will be shutting down due to financial burdens and lack of funding. And; while the institution is suffering from a misfortune … Katie couldn't be any more fortunate.

She's about to be reunited with her sixteen-year-old, older sister, Patty; whom … in Katie's alternate world … happens to be the long-lost sister prophesied to come to attempt to rescue Katie from The Darkness.

********

As its name implies; the Dark Realm is a vast expansion of various, treacherously rugged terrains constantly enveloped within a shroud of abysmal-like darkness … a land forever stuck in a perpetual night … or, perhaps; it would be more appropriate to say a perpetual nightmare...

For the Dark Realm is overrun with a myriad of vicious, deadly beasts and creatures … quite a number of them being demonically nightmarish, supernatural-type beings...along with inherently malicious humans consumed by a pure evil that's deeply embedded within their blackened hearts.

And; because of the dismally dreary environment … with abounding danger always lurking around … there is a constant, overwhelming sense of fear and despair; which seeps down into the core of one's psyche.

********

The ending of yet another millennium is drawing nearer; which means the Dark Lord will be given the opportunity to fulfill the prophecy. And; should the Dark Lord succeed in carrying out his role in it … and, manages to cast The Light into The Darkness … then; Evil will finally triumph over Good.

The Dark Lord's convinced that once he accomplishes this; Morphelous … The Dark One itself …will appreciatively reward his faithful servitude by allowing him to directly reign over all of the terrestrial realms. Therefore … anxious to set things in motion … the Dark Lord had summoned for Shakir and Remulus to appear before him.

There is an aura of ominous malevolence spreading throughout the bog; as that nauseatingly morbid stench of death permeates the air. And; while under the illumination of a dimly lit moon...the pack is on its hunt. Suddenly; the two, behemoth lycanines separate from the party. They feverishly charge across the quagmire … with their partially-protracted, razor-sharp claws deeply sinking into the wet, spongy ground … heading for the Dark Lord's castle.

Meanwhile; Hilgara … commonly referred to as the Witch of the Dark Forest … stares up through the nearly pitch black sky at the barely visible stars. She’s been observing the gradually converging constellations over the past few weeks; and, can sense the nearing of the commencement of a prophecy deemed from a long time ago passed.

The prophecy declares that every millennium…when the Corellian and Sisterlinea stars are properly aligned; while in conjunction with the arising of an Aqua Moon…Evil shall have the opportunity to overtake all that is good in the world; and, reign supreme. This can be accomplished by an emissary of The Dark One successfully sacrificing a child bearing The Light into The Darkness.

However; it is also prophesied that at this time, a long-lost sister shall arrive from a far off land … and; attempt to rescue her sacrificial sibling. Should this sister be able to save the child carrying The Light; Good shall remain keeping Evil in check.

Hilgara happens to briefly glance down; and, notices a small, black pit viper slither across the top of her foot. Clearly unaffected by the venomous snake's presence; Hilgara nonchalantly reaches down, and picks up the pit viper … then; allows it to wriggle through her long, emaciated-looking, bony fingers.

Not being provoked by her in any manner whatsoever; the pit viper still surprisingly sinks its fangs into the ashen-colored flesh between her thumb and index finger. Hilgara … still appearing unfazed; even after being bitten … slowly wraps her other hand around the snake's head, and starts squeezing down in on it; gradually increasing pressure. Shortly; the pit viper's head is completely crushed within Hilgara's tightly clenched fist … and, with its fangs still sunk in her flesh; she rips its head from her hand.

Hilgara drops the pit viper on the ground, in front of her feet; and … with a look of indifference etched upon her countenance … stares down upon its lifeless carcass for a brief moment. Then; she stares at the extremely dark, crimson red blood oozing out from the small puncture wounds in the flesh between her thumb and index finger. Hilgara balls her hand up into tightly clenched fist; and then, forcefully squeezes out several drops of her highly acidic blood onto the motionless corpse. Within seconds, the pit viper's flesh is completely dissolved … as if it was dropped into a vat of sulfuric acid.

A sinister smirk gradually emerges across Hilgara's thin, pale lips; as she looks back up at the barely visible stars in the sky, and utters aloud to herself...

“Hmm … almost time…the game is nearly afoot. I'm sure the Dark Lord will be making his move soon. Better be wary; Dark Lord…don’t be too confident, or cocky. A victor has not been decided. The seeds of Fate are about to scatter into the sky; but, the course of the wind is yet to be determined.”