A Night in Lonely October

Prologue 1

The cold arctic air ruffles the outer layer of feathers of a lonely owl as it searches the snowy landscape for prey. It’s keen eyes pass over miles of terrain, and eventually spot something odd far below on the snow covered rocks. Its mind becomes conflicted. A voice inside it’s head tells it that what it sees on the ground is ‘mouse’, but its eyes try to tell it’s brain otherwise.
It circles the object confused. But the voice in it’s head is insistent. “Mouse, mouse, mouse...” Finally the owl dives down, claws extended, to capture it’s prey. At the moment of contact, a voice screams in it’s head, “MINE!” and the owl crashes to the snow covered ground, dazed.
“RISE”, the voice commands, and the owl obeys, its will shattered. “SOUTH”, the voice says, and the owl spreads its wings, and flies off into the night, southward bound.

Prologue 2

Chrysalis, former queen of the Changelings, trudges her way through the Everfree Forest. With no place to go, no love to draw on, and no drones to do her bidding, she had been forced to hide out in the wilds.
She was currently carrying a load of sticks, back to the makeshift shelter she had been building, and cursing to herself, as the rain began to worsen, soaking her mane and chitin.
Suddenly, it seemed as if she heard a faint voice in her mind. “There”, she thought it said. Moments later a snowy owl crashed down on the path before her. It’s emaciated frame was clearly dead, but there was something odd clutched in it’s talons. Something red, and black, and pointed.
Curious, Chrysalis reaches down and picks it up. As soon as she did, a voice shouted in her head “YES!” before causing Chrysalis to black out.

Prologue 3

I live! Those fools thought me destroyed, but they have underestimated my powers. A fact that they shall pay for over many years of torture, once I regain my former glory. However before that can occur, I must replenish my strength and magics.

This body though, is unlike any creature I have ever encountered.

“My body.” A voice cries out weakly.

Ah, I see that your mind hasn’t been completely subsumed. Good. It will make it easier for me to sift through your memories. Rest assured though, the process will be quite painful for you.

“AIEEEEE!” Chrysalis screams, inside her own mind.

Hmm, I see, you are called a ‘Changeling’. And a queen no less. Perfectly ironic. You have the ability to change your form, very useful. You can channel magic, good. And you can draw power from others, excellent. But from ‘love’? Bah! Love is a fickle and inconsistent thing. We can do better. Oh yes. Allow me to help you my dear.

The former queen’s horn ignites, as energies red, black, and purple course throughout her form, both beings inside her writhe in pain as fundamental changes take place, but in a moment the spell completes itself, and her body is still once more.

There. MUCH better.

“Wh-what did you do to me?” Chrysalis asks weakly.

I ‘fixed’ us my dear. No longer will this body feel the need to feed on the weak resource known as ‘love’. From now on we shall feed on FEAR! And I guarantee that soon we shall be feasting quite well.