Charlotte first heard about it while trapped inside an iron cage, wrists chained up and the cold night air of the forest nipping at her aching body. She had been captured by a group of Monster Hunters, most of them sitting around a fire a fair distance away while two were left on guard to make sure she didn't escape. They all wisely kept their weapons on their bodies, these lands known for its mindless, bloodthirsty monsters that grew especially active at night.
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Despite's the distance, she could hear the other Monster Hunters talking around a small fire, the demon woman laying motionless on the cage floor since it was thankfully made of strong leather instead of iron like the rest of the cage. She could hear them speaking of their experiences, and their sights. She's seen plenty, definitely more than any other human, but it's always nice to hear the tales of others.
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She would occasionally sense the looks of the two men on guard to make sure she was still 'sleeping'. How they obviously had that strange look in their eyes when people glanced at her black wings, the unnatural whiteness of her soft and perfect flesh, before their gaze dragged over the wedding ring tied by a simple string to be a necklace, that has a faint red glow. She was used to the looks, but it still irritated her to no end.
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Charlotte's hazel brown eyes opened slightly as her attention went to the couple guarding her, noticing how their hushed voices turned sharper as one of them brought something up. She eavesdrops secretly, eager to hear the bickering of two lovers.
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“You’re kidding me, right? You’re joking?” The man closest to her asks, leaning close to his partner with eyes narrowed in annoyance. “This has to be nonsense!”
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“It’s not, I swear! We can check at the next village, the priest will tell you the exact same–”
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"Why did you take so long to tell me?”
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Charlotte opened her eyes fully as the two men bicker, getting so fired up to the point the elder of the two men had his hands gripping the other's shoulders. The younger of them was waving a paper around frantically, but Charlotte can't quite see what's on it, only red scribblings from what she can catch.
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It gets to the point of shouting and pushing, and at that point, Charlotte was unable to stop her laughter, black wings shifting out a bit as she sat up from her uncomfortable position on the floor.
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"Now, now, the both of you should calm down." Charlotte tells them, and they immediately hush when she gets to her feet. It's not unusual, Charlotte's always had that vibe. It could be the wings, she thinks, people seeing them and associating her with being powerful without even speaking to her. It could be the way she's obviously not human, when sometimes her eyes glint crimson in anger, how she is so supernaturally beautiful, and it gets to a point where humans can't hold eye contact with her and tremble, because she could easily switch from 'safe' to 'dangerous'.
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Sometimes it's annoying. Sometimes it works in her favor.
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The couple look at her distrustful with their hands reaching for their weapons when Charlotte leans forward in interest with a sweet smile on her ruby lips, her entire height barely reaching to their shoulders. One of them still held onto that paper, crumpling it up slightly in his grip. Curiosity burnt in her chest, knowing she would get something out of this, one way or another. Something good too.
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“Apologies, I’m just curious on what you’re fighting over? Surely you can work it out like civil people?” She grins, voice turning smooth as honey in hopes to lower their guard a bit. The two men glance at each other before looking back at her, who gave them a much too innocent look.
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She's able to figure these two out a bit, knowing that they've agreed to stay the night with this group of monster hunters. She knows they're close with each other, from the way they've held on to each other throughout the entire night. Something that would make them get in an argument, Charlotte feels like it's important.
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"Not that it's any of your business, but James... he's been hearing tales from the villages we've been visiting." One of them says, looking away from his partner with a sigh. "And he's only decided to tell me about the possible end of the world now."
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James, who held the paper in his hands with a hesitate face, looked up to give his partner an annoyed look. “It hasn’t even been long, we still don’t really know–”
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“What do you mean you still don’t know?! What part of ‘total destruction and despair’ is confusing to you?! Don’t try sugarcoating this to make me feel better!” His partner snapped, Charlotte finding it difficult to hold back a snicker from the way he yells it.
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“I’m just trying to be optimistic!” James snapped back, voice cracking a moment that he had to pause to clear his throat. He turned his attention back to Charlotte, who gave a sweet smile. “Listen, can I rant to you for a bit? I know I don’t really need to get your permission, but I want it anyways.”
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“Go ahead love, if it’ll help out with your relationship troubles.” Charlotte says soft, tilting her head at him slightly. James’ partner gives a glare for that, although she noticed with satisfaction that his cheeks were pink.
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James huffs, face red as he smooths out the paper in his hands. "Small bump in the road, I sometimes have a problem with delaying important details-"
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"-end of the world shit, yes. Definitely something you should just keep from me for two whole fucking weeks-" His partner mutters under his breath, James sighing loudly before continuing.
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" Okay , so, me and Micheal," James nods a head to his partner, who stares off into the distance with a grumpy face. "We've traveled past more than a few towns doing our, er... job. And each town, I tend to visit the churches, mostly because the priests there are usually kind, and I like a bit of luck and magic before we set off." James shrugs, Charlotte humming and affectionately stroking the red jewel of her wedding ring necklace.
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“Lately though, I’ve gotten a few stories that have been–well– overlapping between the priests and the more magical people of town. It’s been painting a picture that sounds ‘end of the world’ to me.”
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Charlotte leans back on her heels, feeling the chill of the forest on her arms and causing goosebumps to form. There's only been a handful of true tales and destinies written down in stone, and Charlotte heard them all before, they're all a part of life.
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The dragon that resides in the Darkest of Caves, the rare summoning of Elder Demons across the lands, the mindless, dangerous, nocturnal creatures that seek to only hurt, and the increasingly more common sight of people like Charlotte, human-like, but not entirely.
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It’s the way of life in their world, and Charlotte knows this fact far too well. The suggestion of something important being brought up isn’t something to look over.
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"What, is there a new type of world out there? Some undiscovered creature?" Charlotte asks, eagerness flowing from her words as she tries imaging what creature could cause such destruction.
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"Not yet? I think." James frowns, looking at the paper in his hands, and sighing softly in thought.
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Micheal reaches a hand out for the paper, and James gives it over willingly, Micheal skimming over the words and finally giving the story she is waiting for.
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"He's been collecting tales from people across the towns we've been traveling in. So far, what he's gotten is that something big is coming, an apocalypse type of threat."
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"What, a creature stronger than an Elder Demon?" She asks, leaning so close to the handles of the bars that her nose was nearly touching the iron metal.
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"More." Micheal says, face going dark. "Monsters specifically born to only destroy and hurt. But not mindless, like the nocturnal ones or Elder Demons. More like..." He trails off, eyes flicking to Charlotte.
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Anger swells inside her at the implication, her eyes glowing crimson red. The scent of burning flesh filled the air as she ripped open the iron handle bars and the two Hunters yell in pain as she throws them both into the nearest tree, her wrists aching as she rips the chains off her.
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Charlotte doesn't give any of the Monster Hunters around the fire the chance to possibly run over to see what the commotion was, black wings raising and soaring into the sky, flying over the trees and out into the night. Fatigue filled her body, and she knows she's pushing herself too much, but her curiosity burns, and she can only wonder with a slight motherly concern in her heart over the thought of something like this.
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Prophesied children born only to create destruction and chaos in their path? It sounds of a cruel existence, and Charlotte knows more than anyone that every monster or strange being she ever came across usually wants only peace and equality.
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She’s a lucky one, one of the nicer looking beings. Charlotte has seen people with unnaturally shapes mouths and unsettling appearances. People whose voice hissed obviously and jagged scars covered their faces. Yet those same people end up being the sweetest, kindest folks she’s ever met.
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Sometimes, people like her have to face ignorant people, people who are scared and act accordingly. Sometimes, the reputation of monsters gets hurt just from one stray tale of a desperate creature lashing out against cruel people.
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Charlotte knows she can't help them all, even if she's one of the lucky ones, even if she's one of the more 'approachable' ones that could easily hide her abnormalities, with features that makes most travelers admire her rather than be scared.
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But if this tale is true.
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If this story is true?
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She has to do something.
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So she flies, over the trees and into the night, set on getting to the nearest village. And once she does, she will ask, she will find details, she will find more and more words and stories passed around, and she will not stop looking.
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Because with a story like that, the first thing that a usual traveler might focus on is the threat. Charlotte can only think about the pain something has to go through to become such a threat in the first place.
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So she flies.
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_____________
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She arrives to the nearest village as the sun comes up, the air starting to warm around her as she lands in the grass far off, choosing to walk the rest of the way through the field to the scattered buildings. She steals a stranger's cloak to cover her wings, pulling the hood over her dark curls to remain further hidden.
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The grass is slightly wet underneath her shoes, and her wings aches from flying the whole night, but she only yawns and tells herself that rest can wait, once she's sure of this.
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There's only a few people walking along the street when Charlotte gets to the village, and a few give her the usual glances onto her beautiful face, and she can't help the relief she feels when their eyes are full of awe rather than distrust or jealousy.
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Even her face has that effect. She's glad it does.
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She makes a beeline to the church building, the bells ringing out across the small town as Charlotte stalks down the stone path, hazel brown eyes set ahead with a sense of determination in her walk. People go to move out of her way when she gets close, and usually she would lighten up her tone, as to stop being so fierce, but she needs to know.
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She knocks against the wooden doors of the church three times, sighing as she feels fatigue creep up on her. She rolls her shoulders back and raises her chin, satisfied when she hears a click of the door being unlocked, and the creak of the wood moving.
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The church is quiet, dim, and warm. The priest is kind and soft-spoken, not even giving a glance to Charlotte's ring or of her aura that she knows he could sense. On another day, she would be grateful. Instead, she gives her questions as soon as they're both inside.
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She gets an answer.
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It's not the answer she wanted.
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_____________
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Sleep became a scarce thing in those weeks, Charlotte flying from town to town, checking as many people with all sorts of magic, visions, and supernatural feelings. She carries a journal with her to write down the details of it all, wishing to craft a proper telling of the prophecy as to prevent even the the smallest of details, from being lost to her.
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As she expected, she isn’t the only one, because the stories spread. Hunters, travelers, common folk, royals and conquerors, the stories are heard by everyone in the lands as Charlotte lays it out for herself.
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Within a few weeks, she’s met dozens of different people from each village, all telling the same thing.
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Four abominable children are to be born in the years to come. Born with unimaginable abilities, powers that could destroy so easily. If left to grow and mature to adulthood, the world as everyone knows it, will fall into chaos.
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As fear runs through the land, so does a rushed panic. Based from stories, visions, and tellings, the first child has already been born.
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Everyone rushes to find it, as to put a stop to something terrible. Put an end to it before it makes a mark.
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People are desperate in the way one fights against a dangerous beast so it’ll stop ravaging their home. In the way one rebels and defends with nothing to lose but life itself.
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Charlotte grows more desperate and even more determined however, thankfully being the first to find a lead in the first child. A small girl said to have wild red curls, eyes the purple of wine, and conceived by a God of Wine and a simple woman. Charlotte split the throat of someone that night, knowing the human would only spread the news further to whomever asked, but only because she’s desperate to stop the destruction that everyone is terrified of.
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But she will not end it through killing a child.
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She prays to a God she knows died long ago, only hoping that she can find the first child before anyone else does.
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(And she will.)
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