NationStates Jolt Archive

Thousands of candles lit up the great ballroom of the Providence Royal Palace. Today was the day of the Providence Discovery Ball. The ballroom was filled with both royal and noble blood, lavish gowns and exquisite tunics dotted the dance floor as men and women danced the night away to celebrate the day the new land was discovered. The minstrels played happy songs of joy and exuberance, jesters entertained the crowd, and wise men told stories of dragons and monsters of old. Tonight was a night of great excitement for those of noble blood in the kingdom. The ballroom was decorated with golden drapes that hung from the ceiling, huge cast iron chandeliers, and plants from around the kingdom. Most notably the Red Velvet flower from the Lower Duchy, a very prized gift treasured by those lucky enough to receive it. The even luckier ones were the Nobles invited to this ball. An invitation to anything at the palace was hard to come by. Only the most noble of blood were invited, this narrows the list down to those who belong to one of the 4 houses of Providence: Brice, Avondale, Suibhme, and Mircea. This makes the total around 150 people at tonight’s ball. This including -of course- the Royal Family.

One such noble guest invited to the ball was Sir Kyle Avondale, son of the Duke of the Violet Duchy, descendent of James Avondale the discoverer who first found Providence. Kyle was a tall lad, he had pitch black hair and strong arms. His eyes were green and his skin was tan. Being of the young age of 16, Sir Kyle Avondale had just received his knighthood, which is given to young squires his age. Kyle, being the Duke’s son was in line to take the throne of the Violet Duchy one day. This fact makes him even more important than an ordinary Knight. However; even though Kyle was a Knight, to others he did not seem like one. Kyle was a reserved person, he did not talk much, and he usually tired to keep to himself. This was a source of much gossip about him. People whispered things like, “I bet he had his tongue cut out, I have not heard him speak.”, or “He must not speak because he has something evil about himself that he is hiding.” All of these rumors have sunk into Kyle’s mind, every time he looks at someone in the eye he imagines them whispering some lie abut him when he walks away. This always ate him on the inside. Today was no different, being an introvert, Kyle did not like parties. He preferred to practice sword play with himself or imagine he was in a far away place, away from all the gossip of the Kingdom. Yet there was one thing he did enjoy about parties at the Royal Palace….

“My lords and ladies” a crier announced “I give to you, the Royal Family of the Kingdom of Providence!” The music, the merrymaking all stopped for this moment. Everyone in the room faced a large door that led into the main part of the palace and bowed as the figure of the King emerged. King Alexander Brice was an older man, almost the age of 60, however he would not let anyone speak of his age. In his world he was a young dashing King who loved merrymaking and feasting with the nobles. Behind him walked Queen Isabella Brice, who was much younger than the king (only 35); however the love between the two was unmistakable. Following in the Queens footsteps was the youngest of the King’s two daughters, Princess Amelia Brice. Amelia is a beautiful 14 year old girl, her hair was much like her mothers, dark and curly. The Princess had on a red dress with sleeves. Her neck was adorned with a necklace of fine jewels, mined from the Iron Fissure in the north. She gracefully followed her mother to the royal banquet table in the front of the room. Last and most certainly not least through the door was the older of the two princesses, Amanda Brice the Golden. The title Golden was not given to her for the sake of it, her eyes were the color of the high sun in the sky. They gleamed under her long eye lashes as she walked down the steps. Her long blonde hair flowed through the air as the whole room seemed to stop In their tracks to watch her enter. Amanda was the apple of the Kingdom’s eye, she was also the envy of every knight in the realm of Providence. One such knight was Sir Kyle Avondale, who by this time was lost in the golden eyes of the princess. Tonight she wore a beautiful blue sleeveless dress that flowed along with her hair. Kyle continued to stare at this girl, for he had fancied her some years now, yet Kyle guessed that the only thing she has ever heard about him, was the gossip that had spread across the Kingdom. As he stood alone in his black and violet tunic- which was the garb for the Dukes family- a hand grasped him on the shoulder. Startled from his trance, he jumped with a fright. “Father! You gave me a fright Milord.” He said with a gasp. The Duke laughed. “Ah son, you need to not let me catch you off your guard. Yet she is a very gorgeous girl, I do not blame you for staring.” He said with a smile as he looked his son in the eyes. “I was not staring, I was merely glancing, I can not help that my eyes wander.” Kyle said as he tried to avoid his fathers stare. “HA! Do you think that I do not know that you fancy this girl? I know everything that happens in my Duchy, and one day you will learn this art to! But first you must learn the art of asking a girl to dance.” This he said as the Duke literally pushed Kyle out onto the dance floor. Jittered, Kyle inched his way towards the princess who was standing with a few other girls from the house of Suibhme, in the middle of the room. Nervously he neared her, his heart was beating out of his chest. Soon he found himself in front of the Princes with not a word in his throat and the power only to stare at her. The Princess looked around her shoulder at him as he stood speechless behind her. “Is there something you require of me, or do you just enjoy staring at peoples backs?” she said with a snotty tone. Mustering up all of his strength, Kyle managed to sounded out his request. “Maa Maaaa Maaaay I have this dance Malady?” for a very long moment Kyle stood on the edge of his sanity as the Princess absorbed this question. To the poor boy it seemed like an age before she finally replied to him. “Are you joking? I do not dance with the likes of you! Go back to the pit you came from boy!” she said with an enormous amount of laughter. The young ladies from Suibhme also began to laugh along with the princess at this seemly silly question. Kyle however was not laughing, he stood there in all of his sorrow and pitifulness. This is what Kyle was afraid of, rejection. It has happened allot to him over the years, he has grown to know it well. Yet it did not feel better each time, instead it was worse.

It was not long before the princess found something else to preoccupy her. She soon forgot all about that silly boy and his humorous question. As she looked around she saw another boy Kyle’s age, dressed in a red tunic. This was Sir Július Mircea, the heir to the Lower Duchy. He was a tall lad, about the same height as Kyle, however instead of Kyle’s dark black hair, Július had bright blonde hair, and glimmering blue eyes that all of the ladies in the kingdom loved. When the Princess noticed him she screamed at the top of her lungs ”Július!” as she ran over to him. When she met him near the entrance, she threw herself on him and embraced him. During all of this Kyle watched with a great sorrow in his heart. “Why do guys like him always get the girl?” He muttered to himself; however he knew the answer in his mind. Because they were better than him, more hansom, stronger and more charming. He would never beat them at anything. Why try? With that Kyle walked to the entrance, passed the Princess and Sir Július, and then left the ball to retire.

Sir Kyle Avondale son of the duke walked down the dark ally-way- not a mile from the Royal Palace- towards the house his father owned in the capital. His soul seemed to be drained as he drug his sad figure down the cold and dark streets. As he slowly and sadly stepped down the pathway he wiped a small tear from his eye, his figure seemed to drown in sorrow from the rejection he had felt that night. His pitch black hair seemed to echo the color of his sorrow. As he neared the house, a downpour of rain began, thunder rolled off in the distance and the sound seemed to echo throughout the city streets. Kyle quickly ran into the house, his tunic was now drenched in the rain water. Servants quickly ran to mop up the water he had brought in on the wood flooring, as well as provide Kyle a warm coat. As a young servant girl began to put on the coat for him, he shrugged it off and walked up the oak stairs, his shoes speaking all the way. Before he could reach his room he heard the voice of his sister Lisa, (one of the twins) calling to him. “Kyle? What happened? You are not supposed to be back until midnight.” She said in a caring voice. The 12 year old girl was one of the closest people to Kyle. She knew of the sorrow that he felt almost every day, and his battles with his mind. Yet she never stopped caring about him. Kyle struggled not to burst into tears in front of his sister. “Its nothing, I was just bored, decided to come back early.” He said as an excuse. Before his sister could ask another question he quickly walked into his room, and behind him he slammed the bedroom door. The two servants downstairs heard this and shrugged, “Who knows why Sir Kyle is the way he is”.

“Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
`'Tis some visitor,' I muttered, `tapping at my chamber door -
Only this, and nothing more.”

Kyle lay on his red silk bed in his second floor room. A small amount of moon light shown through the window at the head of his bed as he lay as still as a statue. With his head hidden in his arms he began to sob. Why do these things always happen to him? And more importantly why does he let these things happen to him? It always seems that when he opens his heart to anything- when he lets his guard down- it always comes back to bite him in a hard place. “You are such a fool, a stupid worthless fool” he murmured under his breath. A dark melancholy feeling had taken over the room. The sorrow seemed to make the air thick and hard to breath. Kyle’s breaths got deeper and deeper, his eyes turned red from the constant pouring of tears. The sadness and despair engulfed him like a swarm of locust. His mind was a race of evil thoughts, those of sorrow, and those of a more suicidal nature. Kyle contemplated this in his mind, “I could stab myself with my blade, or throw myself out the window?” he muttered in a dark breath. All of these thoughts seemed to throw themselves onto him; he couldn’t hold back the emotion any longer. In a huge bellow of sorrow Kyle let out an ear pricing screech that could be heard throughout the city. Downstairs the servant girl was so startled by this scream, the younger of the two dropped the tray she was holding, and off of it a grey mug plummeted to the floor and broke into a thousands pieces. In his dark room upstairs Kyle now lay whimpering. What has he turned into? Will his sorrow rule over him? Will he always be rejected? Will he always lose the ones he loves, like his mother? He couldn’t bare the uncertainty, his legs kicked out as if he was struggling with an attacker, his fist beat the mattress under him, his eyes flowed with tears, and his mouth spued hatred towards himself. Kyle had descended into sorrow and pain that no person could save him from, not even his sister.

Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December,
And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.
Eagerly I wished the morrow; - vainly I had sought to borrow
From my books surcease of sorrow - sorrow for the lost Lenore -
For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels named Lenore -
Nameless here for evermore.

Kyle lay on his bed now in a deep sleep, his eye lids twitched as he dreamed of dark places, these dark places he visited in his mind as it spiraled down into the abyss of sorrow within his brain. This abyss is where all things that haunted Kyle live. In his dream he saw himself in a large dark room, the shadows of the room did not revile much as to the location of the room, but it seemed a most dreadful place of torture, for the walls were stained with crimson blood. From this blood came a fowl stench of death, as Kyle looked around he could see no escape aside from a large door that sat across the room from him. Kyle in his wish to escape may have used this door, but the fact that loud screams could be heard coming from the other side stopped him. Yet these screams were not just any screams, they were very distinctive, very familiar to Kyle. For the faintest moment Kyle could not decide where he had heard these screams, however after a second of hard thinking, Kyle realized that these scream were those people whom Kyle loved. High pitched screams could be identified as his four sisters, while filth belonged to his dead mother. This enraged Kyle, and with all of this anger Kyle strutted to the door to save his loved ones. This is a testament that Anger is the cure to fear, and Kyle’s rage made him fearless. As he approached the door he felt a wave of energy come over him. This energy gave Kyle extreme vertigo as. Luckly, Kyle was able to catch himself before he fell to the ground in a pool of blood. Yet this would be the last thing to stop Kyle at this moment. For all of these years he has lived without his mother, Kyle’s sisters had been the women in his life, and he would never give them up.

And the silken sad uncertain rustling of each purple curtain
Thrilled me - filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before;
So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating
`'Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door -
Some late visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door; -
This it is, and nothing more,'

With all of his bravery Kyle flung the large doors open. Lying on the other side of the threshold was a long hallway flanked by violet curtains. None could tell what lay at the end of the hallway but deep darkness, however; Kyle needed not to go any farther than a few steps to find what had drawn him into this hall. Lying on the floor in a pool of dark red blood were the bodies of his four sisters and mother. Their bodies seemed so lifeless and yet so real at the same time. Their faces were as pale as the night moon and their skin so bloody. Kyle sank to his knees, nothing more did he care about than his sisters. He could feel the tears running down his face, and with the sorrow being to much to bear he dropped his head into his hands. The cold tears cooled his hands as he sat there crying. When Kyle looked up he noticed something very strange and very disturbing, he was not crying tears, but blood! Soon Kyle felt strained and suffocated, his eyes began to roll back into his head, right as he fell over lifeless, and cold on the floor.

Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer,
`Sir,' said I, `or Madam, truly your forgiveness I implore;
But the fact is I was napping, and so gently you came rapping,
And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door,
That I scarce was sure I heard you' - here I opened wide the door; -
Darkness there, and nothing more.

Knock…Knock…Knock, a sound came from Kyle’s bedroom door. The young man shot up from his slumber with a huff and a puff, his breathing so heavy it made the bed tremor. The sweat and tears rolled down his head as he quickly made sure he was crying real tears and not blood. To his relief, it was not like his dream and he was crying tears of the normal nature. But who could be knocking on his door? “More than likely my sister making sure that I am ok.” He thought to himself as he sat up in his bed. Unwilling to show himself in this distressed state, he called to the person on the other side of the door from the safety of his bed. “Forgiveness I ask of you Ma’am, or Sir, I was simply taking my sleep at this hour, and I am far from the condition of showing myself past my private chamber.” He said to whomever had waked him. In all of the truth he was to embarrassed to answer the door with the tears rolling down his cheeks and his eyes beat red. Curiously, the person Kyle addressed seemed not to hear Kyle’s reply and continued Knocking. Knock….Knock….Knock it continued. Half annoyed and half curious Kyle stood up and walked over the answer the door, it seemed that the pesky and annoying knocking was good motivation to answer a door when one was trying to sleep. When he grasped the handle and opened the door however; there was no one there, only darkness. Yet from this darkness Kyle could hear a faint whisper. “Kyle! Kyle! Come with me Kyle!” a voice announced. Spooked Kyle stood still and curiously returned a question to the strange whisper. “Who are you? And where would I come? All I see is darkness.” His eyes shot back and forth looking for the jokester or one of his sisters that were making this strange voices. “Kyle! Come with me! Come leave this place that you despise and come with me! Come with me Knight of the Raven! Come!” As strange as it was, a part of Kyle felt like he should follow this voice. As mysterious as it was, he felt compelled to trust it. It was right in the fact he despised this place, and this was partly because this place despised him. After the past nights events, Kyle would not mind leaving as much. For a long minute Kyle sat debating what to do, all the while the voice continued to beckon him to come. It seemed that the voice wouldn’t leave without him, so he had time to think.


Much later that night, It was the time the moon was highest in the sky, and Kyle had finally made his mind up. There was nothing for him here, and no one wanted him here. So with great resolve Kyle donned his chain mail, and his black and violet tunic over it. He wrapped his belt around his waist and sheathed his fine steal sword in its sheath. Slinging his shield that bore the emblem of the violet raven over his shoulder he stepped out of his chamber and into the torchlit hallway. There was one thing he wanted to do before he left. Creeping silently into his sister’s room, he leaned down and gave each of them a kiss goodbye on the forehead. He would miss his family after he left, he would not miss this place however. Silently he escaped his father’s house and began to follow the voice through the Streets of Greyvale. “Kyle! This way!” it called from down the street. Kyle walked forward until the voice had led him to the front gate. Pausing for a moment, Kyle looked back on the high towers of the capital city, the moon was only beginning to sink from its high place in the sky. As he bid Farwell to this city he let out a sigh, he would not miss this place one bit. Looking towards the horizon he wondered in which direction he should go. Without even a word from Kyle the voice answered his question. “North Kyle! North!” Kyle was perplexed as to how the voice knew exactly what to tell him, yet he did not argue, and without further ado he began his long trek north.

Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing,
Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before
But the silence was unbroken, and the darkness gave no token,
And the only word there spoken was the whispered word, `Lenore!'
This I whispered and an echo murmured back the word, `Lenore!'
Merely this and nothing more.

With the sun just peaking over the eastern horizon Kyle begins the 3rd day of his quest to the north. The past three days were relatively uneventful, for the lands of Providence are well guarded from dangers to the public. However, at the stroke of 8’oclock in the morning, Kyle had passed over the Northern Bridge, into the unknown. He was now on his own, no man had ever traveled to the north and returned to tell the. No one knew of any settlements or any shelter beyond the borders, and despite this fact, Kyle felt led on by this mysterious yet intriguing feeling inside of him. He had not heard from the strange voice since it directed him to the north; however he knew he was not just dreaming. Inside his heart he knew this was something he had to do, he had to get away from Providence before it consumed his mind with sorrow. Too many bad memories and too much grief. By now his family must miss him and wonder where he is, maybe some day he can come back and at least visit.

Back into the chamber turning, all my soul within me burning,
Soon again I heard a tapping somewhat louder than before.
`Surely,' said I, `surely that is something at my window lattice;
Let me see then, what thereat is, and this mystery explore -
Let my heart be still a moment and this mystery explore; -
'Tis the wind and nothing more!'

Unbenounced to Kyle he was traveling north in the Cythian Steppes. The never-ending sea of grass boggled his mind. He never thought that traveling away from home was this daunting. As Kyle continued north, with nothing but his sword, shield, amour, and a few sacks of food, his mind began to fill with doubts. How long would this food last him? Was there any where to find more food? What if he died out here, would anyone know? Does my family miss me? All of the sudden these things rushed his mind as if they were sent to challenge his strength of heart. Without this strength he would never be able to continue. Yet Kyle stopped and looked far over the plains. Grass flowed in the wind like waves in the ocean. The clouds above hurried back and forth as if they meant to go somewhere with haste. Turning his head around, he looked back towards Providence. “No… No I don’t think I will turn back.” He said aloud to himself in the enormous silence of the plains. What was there for him? More gossip and more sorrow, that is what awaited him in Providence.

Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter,
in there stepped a stately raven of the saintly days of yore.
Not the least obeisance made he; not a minute stopped or stayed he;
But, with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door -
Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door -
Perched, and sat, and nothing more.

The high sun- as it is called in Providence- was straight overhead of Kyle. The breezy grasslands continued in its dance with the wind, the lack of birds in the sky disturbed Kyle, for many birds flew in the sky above Providence this time of day. However; no matter how disturbing this fact was, it did not surprise Kyle. This was a very desolate place, and no man nor beast would want to live in such a land. As he continued on, he began to have the desire for a piece of crumb cake. It was a bit past noon so Kyle sat down amongst the tall grass and broke out some cake. As he chewed the cake and drank some water, Kyle admired the grass as it swayed back and fourth. He always enjoyed sitting in the fields alone as a child. The Violet Duchy was full of fields just like this, only less desolate. As Kyle finished the last crumb of the food, he packed it all away in a small leather bag on his belt. Standing up and brushing what fragments of food were scattered on his tunic, he looked around the open plains. A very scary realization came over Kyle, which way was he going? He turned around and around to try and find a landmark that might help him in finding his bearings, but all he could see was the ocean of grass, still dancing to the music of the wind. Panic came over Kyle as he began to realize that he was lost. ”Oh for pete sake!” he cried, “What kind of mess have I gotten myself into?” As he spun round and round a loud and screeching squawk filled the air. Instantly Kyle looked up into the sky to see what strange creature of these forbidden lands would make such a noise. There above him was a very stately Raven, black in color and violet in hue, just like the emblem on his sheild. It squawked and squawked as if calling down to the Knight. Flying round and round far above Kyle’s head, the Raven kept calling down to him. Distinctly Kyle remembered a story his father had told him about his grandfather. When the exiled kingdom was still without a home, his grandfather once looked up into the sky and saw a mysterious Raven. This raven led his grandfather to find Providence, thus establishing the new kingdom. Was it the same raven? Perplexed and yet amazed by this lordly bird, he contemplated his choices. Stay here and stay lost, or follow the strange creature in the sky. Seeing as he only had one smart choice, he chose to follow the fowl. With another squawk the bird began flying in a northern direction, however not flying to fast so that the Knight could follow.

Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling,
By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore,
`Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou,' I said, `art sure no craven.
Ghastly grim and ancient raven wandering from the nightly shore -
Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian shore!'
Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'

A day and a half later Kyle was still following the Violet Raven through the plains. He had traveled night and day without stopping for fear of losing sight of the Raven. It was about midnight on the steppes. The full moon shown in the sky like a great pale eye looking down on us all. Not a cloud could be seen obscuring this great pale light, and not a single thing in the sky could be seen, besides of course the Stately Raven who continued to fly effortlessly north. Down on the ground however, things where a different story. Kyle barley kept a noticeable pace, due to the fatigue he felt. His eyes bloodshot from the lack of sleep and his legs sore from the constant marching. He- nor his body- knew how much more he could take before he would collapse. He could barely keep his eyes open to watch in which the direction the raven was headed. His leather boots stomped on, even though his sore feet couldn’t bare another step. Soon Kyle felt as if he would die if another step was taken, and without any effort to stop himself, he fell to the ground. His face was buried in a large patch of grass and his arms lay spread out from his sides. Laying there ever so still Kyle felt the last breaths of his consciousness leaving him, but before this could happen he heard a flutter not far in front of him. Out of curiosity he used all of his remaining energy to lift his head and see what made such a strange flutter. There in front of him stood the Violet Raven. As Kyle studied this bird he noticed that its Violet hue was not the only strange characteristic about the Raven, Its eyes were of the most distinct scarlet color. They look like glass balls full of blood, this was a both menacing and beautiful thing, and one thing that you must fear is something that is both menacing and beautiful. As Kyle stared in awe of the Lordly Raven, the silence was broken by a very surprising voice. “Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian shore!” The Raven said in the same whispering tone that Kyle had first heard back in Greyvale. “It… it was you! It was you in Greyvale!” Kyle said with such shock. Cocking its head to the right the Raven spoke again. “Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian shore!” it repeated. Both stupefied and embarrassed Kyle answered the question this time. “I am Kyle Avondale, Knight of the… Knight-Errant.” He said with a stutter, for Kyle did not plan on going back to be a part of his fathers house. With a look of wisdom and not a hint of surprise the Raven continued to address Kyle. “Knight-Erraaannttt….. You are no Knight-Erraaaantttttt, you are Kyle Avondale, son of the Duke of the Violet Duchy, Knigghhttt of the Raven.” It whispered in a smart tone. Embarrassed once again, Kyle tried to explain himself to the Raven. “Well…I do not ever plan on going back to my father’s house, so why keep the title, me think.” With almost a mocking expression the Raven squawked an answer to Kyle obscured reply. “Indeed, however; time will tell your future, Kyle Avondale ‘Knightttt Erraaaanttt’. In the mean time, I have an eraannttt for you,” The bird squawked, which seemed to be its laugh (for a bird can not laugh the same as humans can). “You will go north, to the Desert of Khem. There you will find the ‘beginning’ of your future.” The birds Scarlet eyes now seemed to glow a ghastly red that burned into Kyle’s soul, and before he could ask even one question, it parted with Kyle in one word, “Nevermore!”

Much I marveled this ungainly fowl to hear discourse so plainly,
Though its answer little meaning - little relevancy bore;
For we cannot help agreeing that no living human being
Ever yet was blessed with seeing bird above his chamber door -
Bird or beast above the sculptured bust above his chamber door,
With such name as `Nevermore.'

Kyle now found himself in the never-world of dreams, while his body lay deeply sleeping in a clump of grass, his mind now wandered into another dark nightmare. Before he realized it, Kyle was back In the same dark hallway he dreamed about not a week ago in Greyvale. There before him, just like before, were the bodies of his four sisters and mother. However this time instead of falling to grief and death, he began moving forward. As if some force was taking him somewhere. Without a choice in the world, Kyle was moving down the torch lit hallways. The Violet curtains on either side of him draped plainly on the walls. Soon Kyle was let go and there he stood farther down the hallway. Before him was a wolf and a rabbit. The Wolf had dark grey fur around its body and dangerously Sharpe teeth, Its claws were like swords, and its eyes like fury. Opposite him was the snow white rabbit, an innocent animal with little pink eyes and a big fluffy tale. Soon the Wolf took notice of this small little rabbit and began growling furiously, its teeth gnashing and his tongue licking its chops. The rabbit however just sat in fear, its body trembling with nothing else to do. Without warning the Wolf attack the rabbit, ripping and biting and murdering without fear. Kyle stood and watched helplessly, he could not do anything to help the poor animal for some force had locked his arms to his sides. He could only watch the carnage that ensued, and soon the rabbit was no more. With a face covered in blood the wolf licked its lips, its eyes still filled with fury, his teeth filled with slop. Without second thought, and again without warning, the wolf attacked Kyle in the same fury. Gnashing and biting and tearing and ripping, Kyle stood defenseless. As the wolf ate him up, Kyle stood in pain, nothing to do but to bleed and die. And die Kyle did, there in the same hall as before.