Merrill looked to her for a moment. He didn’t answer straight away, almost as if he was carefully weighing up his options and the pro’s and cons of giving her his name. In actuality, that was exactly what he was doing.

”Merrill,” he finally answered slowly, looking at her as if he had just given away a large part of his existence.

”And you are?” he asked in turn.

Once Callie had decided whether or not to give her his name, Merrill continued, signing softly.

”I cannot stay here, do you understand,” he said now, looking at her with a desperate look. For all of the world he did not look his young years at that point.....

.....he looked like he had seen terrible terrible things and had the world on his shoulders.

”I......I don’t expect you to understand, but I will need to leave soon. But first.....”

How can I possibly explain that I will not be the only one who leaves here?

Sighing again, he closed his eyes.

”.........first I will need to show you something.”

***

Far, far away, in a small, ice-encrusted grotto, something ancient stirred. From high above, the snow rained down from the heavens. Neverending swirls of snow blew all around in beautiful circular patterns. All around, as far as the eye could see, all there was was a neverending plateau of snow, and of ice. A white carpet that stretched across for an entire eternity. An all-encompassing winter wasteland. No explorers, no adventurers came here to this frozen paradise. To do so would have cost them their very lives. In the sky above, blackness ruled over the world below. This blackness was punctuated by small, individual twinkling stars. 

This was a giant frozen, icy tomb. It was never daylight here, here in the furthest reaching, most extreme corner of the world. There was only ever night, eternal, everlasting darkness reigning supreme over the world and its cowering servants far below. The only creatures that roamed here were mindless, feral beings that existed only for the bloodlust that consumed them so. Yet these savage, primal creatures were not the worst things that roamed these savage wastes. Worse things dwelt here. Things that no sane, mortal being would ever want to lay eyes on.

Here, in this frozen world, there were deadly secrets that lay entombed under the sheets of ice that lay across its surface. It was here, in the icy grotto that something crawled into existence, wakened by events elsewhere. It was here, under the watchful gaze of the silver moon that an ancient, whispered sigh was heard by all who lived in this frozen world. Creature, spirit and all bowed their heads at its sound, offering their complete obeisance.

For their master had returned.

It was one such creature that stood in the center of this grotto. Leathery, gray wings were folded across its chest. Taloned hands jutted out underneath the leathery flaps of its skin. Red eyes glowed, reflecting off the moon's light. Around this creature, there was a slight movement. To those who were not sensitively attuned to the atmosphere around them, they would not have noticed anything. To those who were, they would have seen it. The shadows flitting around the creature grew darker and deeper. The already frigid air grew colder still. But most of all, the aura around the area carried with it a tinge of darkness and dread.

Faint whisps of shadow formed in front of the creature, becoming opaque before fading into insubstantiality. Fragments of nothing -- or perhaps something? Yet the winged creature bowed to one knee as the ghostly whispers of a voice echoed around it.

"Maleficence, first of mine and last to live, you were always my most loyal servant."

The creature's red eyes glowed ever brighter as it raised its head. "I serve, as always. What is your will?"

The shadows swirled. They were nowhere -- they were everywhere. 

"It has begun. They have begun to tap into their power. They must fulfil their destinies. The dark dreamer has awakened."

An audible crack echoed around the clearing.

The winged figure stands. It snaps its head from side to side, watching the ghostly essence flicker in and out of existence around him. The voice echoes forth once more.

"Go to Edhel. Destroy it. Do this for me, Maleficence."

It bows his head.

"Your will be done."

Snapping its head upwards, it unfurls its wings. Gazing to the sky, it flies once more, heading southwards. The creatures of the arctic vale prostate themselves at its passing, paying homage to its magnificence. 

It flies for blood. 

It flies to kill.