Current WIP-New Novel

[GoddessWolf]

It's been a very long time since I've posted something I've written here so any feedback will be very much appreciated.

This is a new novel (untitled as of now) that I decided to work on based on a character I made up during some of the weregames here on ww.com. I fell in love with Daughter Nature (Ivie) and really wanted to expand on her character. So I hope that you find the prologue intriguing enough to want to learn more about her too. :)





~*Prologue

Many moons ago, when the Earth and its wielders were at peace, a prophecy was born. Created from deceit before lovers of old a child, a daughter, would one day stand against her greatest enemy in order to save the Earth she vowed to protect. This young woman would find the strength and courage to restore malady with balance and reunite a torn and bloody legacy.

Meanwhile, Time, having finally reached his breaking point sought to enlist the aid of Zeus. If anyone would find the vile creations Nature had been tinkering with a crime, surely he would. Providing the evidence he’d gathered, Time begged for action to be taken against Nature and her experimentations. Instead, angered for being brought into a matter that was best left between the couple, the Elder God cursed Time with the eerie prophecy. A punishment he believed the wise man would never truly respect nor fulfill.

Embarrassed and fearful, Time returned to his home betwixt and between to devise a solution to Zeus’ demand. Should he fulfill the cursed prophecy no one would be safe from Nature’s wraith, least of all the babe born of their commitment. How could he in full knowledge of the outcome, betray his former lover? They may not have seen eye to eye but they had always remained honest with one another. More importantly what of the child? How could he raise a daughter in a world where she would never be at peace? Each question that arose only sprung forth more uneasy answers and the hours were slipping away. Focusing both mind and body Time transported himself in search of his once beloved.

“I wasn’t expecting you.” A beautiful and venomous voice chimed.

“You wouldn’t have seen me had I asked.”

“Touché’.” Nature sighed, tapping a restless hand against her golden, diamond studded, throne. Why would her former lover dare to enter her domain in the middle of their own personal war? How curious and yet how disturbing. Perhaps if she played her cards right all would be forgiven and she could continue her work. Flinging her floor length raven hair behind her, Nature moistened her ruby lips while awaiting his answer.

Time stepped forward, bowing slightly. “You loved me once, perhaps even love me still. I have no right to ask a favor of you but I am honor bound by Zeus and have no other option.”

“Zeus is a fool and fools forget their place. Now stop staling and tell me why you’ve come, Time.”

“I’ve grown tired and weary of the demands placed upon me. As much as I would like to be able to my powers prevent me from being in two places at once. I need someone to help me with my studies. I need an heir. I need a son.”

Twin emeralds of fury flashed in Nature’s eyes as she hissed out a single word. “Never!”

“Why would you refuse me an heir? You’re the one woman in all of creation that doesn’t need to birth a child to create life.”

“Have you foreseen that the child will be a son? I have no use of a daughter, or a son for that matter. I’m content with my position in this universe and to have a child would threaten that.”

Time growled, pacing. “What will it cost me to convince you?”

Laughter met the question as Nature stepped before him. This was her one chance and she would gladly take it. “If I agree to produce an heir with you, in return you will agree to allow me to perform my first trial of the Sureberc Virus on Earth. You see unlike the failed trials, I have perfected a strain that must be passed from mother to child. The virus becomes dormant within the offspring until a second dosage is administered. The mother, before you ask, remains unaffected and perfectly healthy. The only thing I require in return is that you swear not to interfere with this test.”

Guilt and shame filtered through Time’s conscious. The Sureberc Virus would literally lead to Hell on Earth. He’d been to the future enough times to see the wicked results. No one could control the virus inside them and eventually they all turned evil, mad, or died. Was it worth it to place so many lives at risk?

“Well?” Nature demanded with hands upon her hips.
“Do we have an accord?”

Knowing that his answer may both condemn and save, he nodded.

Clapping her hands in excitement Nature whistled as a young teenage girl hobbled up. Pale faced and clearly heavily pregnant and about to give birth at any moment, the young girl knelt before Nature, her head bowed low.

“What is the meaning of this?” Time demanded, the nagging concern in the back of his mind ever growing.

“I’ve been planning for this moment for nine months my dear. This young lady here has volunteered to be my personal guinea pig and so she shall be!” She smiled, pulling a small syringe from a box beneath her throne. Holding it up to the light she tapped the barrel gently, releasing a few small drops of clear liquid from the needles point. Looking into the eyes of her adversary, Nature plunged the needle contents into the pregnant girl before her.

Watching in horror, Time caught the frail woman as she collapsed, her body convulsing as the solution permeated her system and unborn child. Nothing good could come of what had been allowed to commence here and now he was powerless to stop the wicked witch before him, or was he?

“Now for our child, Nature.”

Rolling her eyes, Nature clasped her hands with his. “By the power of the forces of nature and creation, I consent as Time’s lover of old to bring to life the heir he has foreseen. With light, shadow, and the stroke of midnight, we combine our strengths to create life.”

Thunder and lightning illuminated the palace exterior with eerie shadows as sparks of white light began to flicker. Bells and chimes rang, measuring out in twelve even tolls as midnight touched down upon Earth. Pure magic, the magic of life, gathered in intensity as twin cries echoed throughout the palace walls. Before the couple a baby girl wiggled a small fist in the air at an attempt to catch the lingering remnants of light and shadow. Beside her, resting in his mother’s arms, a baby boy wailed his annoyance to the heavens.

Nature, shocked at the sight and betrayal before her backed up, hitting her throne as a wave of panic swept through her. “You tricked me? You, of all the beings I know, lied? You?”

Time knelt grasping his wiggling daughter in his arms as he looked up at her mother. Guilt ate at his soul as he turned away. “The prophecy has been fulfilled, Mother Nature. Meet your new daughter, Ivie Alvera.”

In a flicker of light Time gathered his remaining strength and fled, taking the young mother and son with him and his daughter. While he may not be able to interfere with Nature’s trial directly, he could make her search to reclaim her prize.

“You may think you’re safe Father Time but hear my words! You’ve taken my end of this bargain so I’ll take part of yours! Twenty five years is a long time to live powerless in our world.”

Cradling Ivie in his arms Father Time cringed, wiping away a single tear from his eyes. Those words would be the bane of his existence and haunt him for as long as he continued to live. There was only one thing Mother Nature could take from her daughter for twenty five years and he could only pray to those who would listen that he would be able to keep her safe.

[GoddessWolf]

~*Chapter One



I peered up into the twinkling night sky and wished with all my heart upon the first shooting star that glittered past. All I wanted for my birthday this year was one evening where I wasn’t surrounded by someone or something trying to kill me. You’d think after twenty five years that it would be a small request. However, at the rate I was going it was more likely that I’d catch myself on fire before another assassin found me.

Cursing for the umpteenth time, I yanked the stick holding my flaming treat out of the fire. Poking the burnt marshmallow in hopes it was still edible I watched in horror as it disintegrated into ash. So much for a sugar rush to calm my fraying nerves because I’d already burnt the rest of the mallows into smoldering chunks of charcoal. It was a veritable marshmallow graveyard beside the stack of uneaten graham crackers and foil wrapped Hershey squares. Give me a hot oven any day and I could cook you a meal worthy of the Gods but give me an open fire pit and well, you get the idea.

I glanced up from my mess, half expecting to see my worry wart father, only to discover the glint of twin emerald orbs staring back at me. A shiver shot down my spine as I contemplated whether to face my adversary or make a run for it. I’d felt a presence earlier thinking that a deer had been curious and come a little too close and ignored it. My mistake or my reward, it could go either way these days. Some things liked to talk, some liked to attack, and some liked to talk before they ripped you into itty bitty pieces. I was really hoping to avoid the latter. Although with my deteriorating luck, choice A seemed to be more of a wistful hope than an actual option. Where was a meteor shower when you needed it? Surely wishing upon a stream of shooting stars would be better than wishing upon a single one.

“Oh goody, here to kill me are you?”

“Not all things unseen are evil.”

I cocked an eyebrow at the masculine voice resonating from the shadows. There was something oddly familiar but strangely different about it and that made me growl. So much for the so called trust and understanding my father had promised. Well if father wanted to send out one of his advisors to babysit me I could damn well make sure he’d never volunteer for the job again.

“You’re angry.” He whispered, stepping from beneath the branch of a blue spruce, “I can relate.”

I laughed, “I think angry is an understatement.”

The strange emerald eyed man bowed slightly before sitting on a fallen log opposite my own. I hated to admit it but the sight wasn’t all together unappealing. His shoulder length golden blonde hair glimmered against the firelight and only accented the muscles coiled under his dark brown t-shirt. If I didn’t know any better I would have swore he was a nature Demigod. Great, nothing like a reminder of how boringly human I was.

“Is that what he told you?”

“Look, I don’t know who or more importantly what you are so I’d appreciate it if you stayed out of my thoughts.”

The bastard had the balls to chuckle which only irritated me more. If he didn’t act on whatever it was he wanted to gain from this conversation I’d throw my marshmallow skewer at his smug face. Patience was absolutely not one of my virtues and imagining burnt sugar stuck to his forehead was oh so gloriously tempting.

“I don’t read minds.” He shrugged, “But I do read people rather well.”

“Bully for you.” I grumbled, “Now can you please get on with it and tell me why you’re here?”

“My name is Eryk, and I’m here to ask for your help.”

I raised an eyebrow at that, a woman holding a stick or a cocky man with muscles? If you stood the two of us side by side and asked us who would win a fight even I would have voted for him.

“I think you have the wrong girl.”

Eryk sighed, kicking a nearby pebble in agitation.

“You don’t know who I am, do you?”

I pinched my arm, jumping at the sting. Nope, I was definitely awake. How on Earth was I supposed to know who this strange man was just by a first name?

“I should have known better. The name Osgood isn’t exactly a favored one among your parents.”

If Zeus himself had hit me with one of his lightning bolts I would have been less surprised than having just learned the last name of the man before me. It was a name I’d heard my father speak of on more than one occasion, a name he warned would bring about my death or my freedom. Freedom was never truly what it seemed and death was just a wee bit to permanent. Where were the gray areas when you really needed them?

“So you do know who I am?” He asked.

“I recognize your last name but I don’t know who you are exactly.” I replied, “Should I?”

“I’m one of four sons born to a woman whom was tricked by Mother Nature. Father Time, your father, was there when the deception took place and my eldest brother was born. He hid our mother away for as long as he could but eventually Mother Nature learned of our whereabouts and tracked us down. We were each given the choice to join her side or suffer a fate worse than death. When we refused, she killed our birth mother in a fit of rage and promised us that our pain was far from over.”

The feeling you get right before someone’s about to tell you something awful consumed me. First rule about dealing with those who could squish you with a pinkie finger was to never piss them off in the first place. If my father were involved it would explain a whole lot about why I’d had a price placed on my mortal head.

“After our mother was killed Raydin, also my elder brother, sought out the council of Father Time. If anyone would listen and offer us aide it would be the very person who tried to help us in the first place. Your father in return told us that his daughter, created by Mother Nature herself, would soon come of age. As much as we would need her, she would need us too.”

The secret that had been kept from me for so long chased the breath from my lungs. Mother Nature, the very immortal who had placed the price on my head, was my birth mother. A million thoughts filtered through my mind as Eryk’s words sunk in. My twenty fifth birthday, the year that the contract for my life’s payout doubled, was only minutes away. The arrival of Eryk and the truth about my mother seemed way to much like a coincidence and in my experience coincidences often meant one of two things. The fates were either toying with you or warning you. Sometimes, for whatever the reason may be, it was a combination of both.

Just as I was about to ask him for more information Eryk jumped up, clutching his chest as the strange glow in his eyes increased. I sat there memorized, transfixed by his gaze.

“Don’t move.” He warned.

I heard the pained gasp as he turned away, struggling to catch his breath, while I made my way to his side. I placed a hand to his forehead, hissing as the heat from his body burnt my palm. In a matter of seconds Eryk had gone from healthy to severely ill and I had no idea why. How do you treat what you don’t understand? It left me feeling helpless.

“Stay away.” He pleaded, “I don’t know what’s happening to me.”

Eryk’s face was growing redder by the minute and I knew that if he didn’t cool down things were going to get very ugly very fast. Yanking the bucket of water Id saved to douse the camp fire with I threw its contents in his direction. Steam rose in sheets as the water made contact with boiling flesh. I prayed that the water would help and not worsen his condition.

“Eryk?” I called out, “Are you alright?”

I stepped closer, waiting for the answer that never came, which is exactly when the sound of thunder decided to wake me.

[GoddessWolf]

Chapter two to follow in the next couple of days. Any feedback on prior chapters would be great!

[GreyWolf16]

this is the best novel i have read. i would not make any changes. keep up the good work!!!!!