CHAPTER 1

At the fall of night during the cold winters of Selfoss, a cabin built by River Olfusa, surrounded by thick dark thorns, mystical ornamentals hanging by the ledges of all corners of the house; black Ravens gliding above the roof. On the door a crest which says, ‘Hail the gods of the dark light’. Voices echo out profusely through the walls of the cabin, dishes crashing to the floor.

Like an insane lioness, Jasiri swings an arm, hitting the remaining dishes from their previous standings.

“Calm down Jas, it’s not what you think.” Ari Thompson gives a crooked smile, holding her by the hand in attempt to calm her nerves. She swats it away.

“Stay away from me, I hate you. Who is she? Tell me, who on earth is the lady I saw with you? Countless times, I’ve spotted you with her, but never cared to ask. But with what I saw today, there’s more to your relationship with that hag.” Jasiri yells.

“Why you won’t listen to me, " Ari says. He picks up his coat, placing his hand by the knob of the door. Instantly it turns red hot. He screams.

“What! Why did you do that? What’s wrong with you?” He asks.

“Where do you think you are going? You will never leave this place alive," Jasiri promises.

“Then watch me go back to her”, he says.

Jasiri is filled with rage. Her aggravated tone causes a turbulent tremor within the cabin. A dark cloud arises creating a shadow on them both, accompanied with bolts of lightning and echoes of loud thunder claps.

“Stop, Jasiri, stop. You promised never to use your magic on me, you promised.” Ari cries.

Her eyes come into sight, looming crimson red as her voice echoes, “You’ve hurt me for the last time.” Ari levitates from the ground as he struggles to gain balance. He cries aloud, feeling his heartbeat slowing down, like a wall clock with low batteries.

“Your soul shall walk the Earth in time to come, wandering for a lost love you will never find. I curse you this day.” She says, as bolts of lightning began to strike him spontaneously. He falls hard to the floor, enveloped by smoke. He wasn’t burnt on the outside, but he was fried up from within, still breathing faintly. “Please," he says. She picks up a knife by the sink and stabs him in the gut, up, down, up and down. She plunges the obedient blade deep into him, as she laughs fiendishly. The ravens outside her home disperse in the wind. She goes in search of the young girl she saw her lover with earlier.

“I shall hurt you in ways you can’t possibly imagine!” She says. She rings the door bell and waits patiently for her to answer the door.

“Hey, It’s you.” Hannah kisses her on the cheek and pulls Jasiri in for a warm hug. “Jasiri right? My brother told me you were both coming for dinner.” Hannah says. She leans further from the door, looking out for her brother. “Where is he?” She asks. Jasiri is stunned by the uprising turn of events.

“Are you his sister?”

“Indeed, I am. Its ok, I just moved into town and he never mentions me to anyone. I don’t know why, even to you.” She laughs. “So, where’s he?” she asks again. Consumed by grief, Jasiri’s heart begins to bleed. She gets a hold of herself.

“I have no idea where he is. That’s why I came straight here. We were supposed to come together. I guess he forgot.” She says.

“Forget, that’s unlike him. Let’s take a walk to his place, shall we?” Hannah says.

Jasiri decides to pull some magical strings. “Let’s take this route. It’s faster”, she says. Walking on that street, they see a body lying on the floor, surrounded by a crowd. His body is nearly buried in the thick snow.

“Oh no, it can’t be.” Jasiri runs in-between the crowd, recognizing the body. Hannah follows behind. “What happened, who did this.” Hannah says. Both grieve on the passing of their lost love. The paramedics and the police come to the crime scene. Jasiri cooks up a good story, convincing and misleading the local police on her lovers’ murder. Days pass after his funeral. Jasiri dresses in black clothing, appearing to mourn, covering her face with a remorseful dark veil; she stands in front of his grave and takes a blade out her bag. She cuts deep into her palm letting her blood rain on the headstone gliding down to the very depths of the Earth to where the casket laid. “I cannot undo my curse, but I leave you with this gift. As the river of time flows, a time shall come, both our souls shall reunite under the dark blue sky. I love you.” A raven flies and rests on the headstone. Jasiri disappears and is never seen again. In the dark eyes of the raven, she watches over him.