Hello again. This is my third story so far. This chapter is kind of a tester. If you guys don't like it, I'll delete it straight away. I don't blame you if you don't like it, though. I'm not too confident about it myself.

Well, here goes.

Raven stared out of the window, a sign that showed she was concentrating on something. This time, something that disturbed her greatly. Her father had vanished anonymously, now her mother was gone too. Raven blamed the stupid war.

Azarath’s king, named Trigon the Terrible, had tried to invade Verennia, a neighbouring country ruled by the wise King Grayson and his elegant wife. King Grayson withstood the invasion and won the battle. Enraged, Trigon sent most of his army, declaring a war. King Grayson had no choice but to accept and start offense instead of just trying defense.

Thousands of Verennian soldiers poured in the area every now and then and would drive their swords into the nearest Azarathian. Recently, her mother was one of those too near to the soldiers and they killed her instantly.

Something rustled. Raven looked up, her white pigeon Serena in sight. It landed on her shoulder.

“Hello”, she greeted her pigeon. It crowed back at her obediently.

“I’ve been thinking,” Raven muttered. The pigeon cocked its head to one side. “About how no one that cares about me is still alive.”

But your father might still be alive, Serena echoed in her mind. Raven wasn’t surprised. She found out she could read minds and emotions just like reading an open book recently and could also could communicate mentally.

Raven laughed bitterly at Serena’s response. “My father?” she repeated incredulously. “He doesn’t even want me! He left Mother and me alone before I was even born!”

Don’t be so pessimistic, Serena replied. Perhaps he had his own reasons, one he would rather keep to himself.

“Perhaps?” echoed Raven. “Perhaps? It’s always that word Mother uses to cover up ‘Father’s’ endless mistakes! No one will tell me anything, no one…” She sighed. “I miss Mother dreadfully, Serena.”

Serena suddenly flew off, returning with a black feather.

Write a letter.

Raven froze. “To whom? I don’t have anyone else in the world!”

“Hey Raven! Talking to yourself like that, people would think you’re crazy! Oh, wait… you already are!” a high voice commented rudely outside her window.

Raven felt her blood boil exceeding its limits. She knew that voice so well, one that she loathed. “Katherine,” she whispered dangerously, dripping with venom. Katherine laughed and tossed her sickening yellow hair which only irritated and angered Raven more.

“Shut up and get lost, Katherine,” Raven hissed at her, fully knowing that daddy’s girl hated the use of her real name. Ever since they met, Raven had not liked Katherine’s show-off personality that involved dinner parties, fancy dresses, pink ribbons and others of the sort. For a very long time Raven always wished that the owner of the high-pitched, screechy voice would die by getting whacked on the head ninety nine thousand nine hundred and ninety nine times with a burning hot smith’s hammer, then burn down her house in front of her, then drown her in a pot of boiling lava.

“Well, I have something more important to do, Rae-Rae. Father said that he’s found this dress with lace and glitter and I intend to check it out.” With that, she resumed her strut around the city. Raven shuddered, then turned back to Serena, talking mentally this time.

Write a letter to whom?

To someone you don’t know. Be pen friends, and you might not feel so lonely then. I’ll send it myself. Serena nudged the black feather quill towards Raven. She sighed.

“Fine, but I still don’t see anything useful in there.”

Raven took the quill, dipped it in ink, and started scribbling on the piece of paper laid out for her by Serena.

Author's note: Ok, that's the end ofthe chapter. Please tell me what you think through the reviews.

The Shadow Phoenix