The unrestrained shadow

When I opened my eyes, I found myself in a forest blanketed with snow. It was the dead of night, the only light coming from a pale, reluctant moon barely visible through the dense clouds. The air was sharp, each breath scraping against my throat like shards of ice. I couldn't remember how I got here-or why-but a chill deeper than the cold around me gnawed at my core.

The woods were eerily silent except for the faint creaking of branches weighed down by snow. I took a hesitant step forward, only to notice the trees ahead were strung with what I initially mistook for wind-blown debris.

But these weren't fallen branches or forgotten nets.

They were carcasses.

Dozens of them hung grotesquely from the boughs, strung up by crude ropes.

Blood had frozen mid-drip, the crimson stains seared against the pristine white snow below. Some of the creatures were unmistakably dead, their lifeless forms swaying in the faint breeze, but others.... others moved.

They twitched, struggled weakly, their pathetic flaps sending soft whispers of sound through the air. As I pressed forward, carefully pushing the dangling bodies aside, one of them thrashed harder. Its movements caught my attention.

It was a small, raven-like creature. Its black feathers were matted with blood, and one of its wings hung at an unnatural angle. Against my better judgment, I reached up, loosening the ropes around its fragile body. As soon as it was free, I tried to release it into the air, hoping it would fly away. But it plummeted like a stone.

I caught it mid-fall, holding it in my hands. Its small eyes met mine, glinting with something close to desperation.

"You're a mess," | murmured, examining the broken wing. "But I guess you're my mess now."

I placed the creature on my shoulder. It shifted slightly, finding a perch, and nestled close to my neck. "If you're staying, you'll need a name."

It croaked weakly in response.

"Ravenna," | decided.

The bird made no protest.

The path ahead seemed to narrow, framed by the skeletal remains of trees, before it widened unexpectedly, revealing a cabin. The sight of it brought no comfort. Its door creaked on its hinges, swaying open and shut with the wind.

Cautiously, I stepped inside.

The interior was worse than I imagined.

Blood smeared the wooden floors, leading to a gaping hole in the far wall.

Shattered furniture lay scattered across the room, the remnants of a violent struggle. I scanned the area for any signs of movement but found none.

I closed my eyes and snapped my fingers. From outside, the faint sound of creaking ropes abruptly ceased. The bonds holding the other creatures vanished, their tortured existence finally put to rest. A faint smile tugged at my

lips.

"Rest easy," | muttered.

As I exited the cabin, the forest began to thin. The cliffs that had hemmed me in finally opened to reveal a sprawling view below. A grand castle loomed in the distance, its spires cutting through the snowy haze like jagged fangs.

Nestled beneath it was a small village, its flickering lights struggling against the encroaching dark.

The sight was horn mesmerizing and foreboding.

I made my way down, moving with careful precision until I found myself atop the roof of one of the village's sturdier houses. From my perch, I observed a man battling against creatures that could barely be called human anymore.

The monsters swarmed him, their grotesque forms darting through the snow with unnatural speed. He fought valiantly, dispatching several of them with a mix of skill and desperation, but their numbers grew with each passing moment.

Finally, overwhelmed, he collapsed. To my surprise, the creatures didn't finish him. Instead, they retreated, slinking back into the shadows as if summoned by an unseen force.

A suffocating pressure descended upon the village, something ancient and oppressive. I held my breath, remaining as still as the corpses littering the surrounding houses.

Then came the toll of a bell.

The sound shattered the silence, reverberating through the snow-draped village. Slowly, the weight of the presence lifted, leaving behind an uneasy stillness.

The man stirred, dragging himself toward the path leading up the hill.

Curious, I followed from a distance, staying to the shadows. His destination became clear-a castle unlike any I had seen before.

Along the way, he fought more of the creatures, his strength wavering with each encounter. A carriage, half-buried in snow, forced him off the main path and into the overgrown grass, where two more monsters emerged. He dispatched them with a ferocity born of desperation.

Ravenna stirred on my shoulder, her claws digging lightly into my coat. "He's persistent," I said softly, brushing a finger along her feathers.

She let out a soft caw in agreement.

I didn't follow him further. My interest lay beyond the man.

With a flicker of intent, I vanished from the shadows of the village and reappeared atop the castle's walls, the bitter wind biting at my face. The sight before me was both magnificent and daunting. Towers stretched into the sky, and the massive front doors loomed like a gaping maw.

Ravenna shifted, tilting her head toward the entrance.

"Let's see what secrets you're hiding," | murmured.

In a single, fluid motion, I slipped through the castle's grand doors, leaving the bitter cold and the haunted village behind.