A woman crept through the darkness at the edge of the village. She was not a rogue, but the shadows were her element. Shadows was all she saw when she closed her eyes, her past, her future and her dreams were made of shadows... Maybe before darkness had not been her friend. She had seen many who behaved as if darkness was a danger in itself. But to Elsa Vargas darkness was an accomplice that made life possible. It enveloped her when she softly stepped closer to the village
She was holding her dirty and torn skirt bunched up in one hand, the other was held out in front of her to feel her way against the scratchy surface of an ill built house. She didn't know what the name of the village was, she was merely hoping for a warm enough spot to sleep in, somewhere where she wouldn't be found at dawn and chased away. The last meal she had had was a handful of sweet, red berries when the sun was still high, but she had little hope of finding something else tonight, the good people here hid their meagre resources too well.
Peering into the distance, she stood there, waiting for something she hardly knew what it was. But she was used to that, used to her body and subconscious knowing better and acting for her.
That's when she heard it. Someone was breathing behind her, a wheezing, hoarse sound where a second earlier had been only quiet and stillness. Turning her head slightly she could see nothing, only darkness and she didn't know what to do until she heard the distinct sound of steel slipping free and it went straight to some place inside her that she did quite have control over and...
-the world erupted in a flash of fire, a dark and twisted creature suddenly appearing, howling and stepping back. She was half blinded, but through her stinging eyes she could distinguish the dark shape moving an arm and something flowed through her, making her blood sing and her skin tingle and-
Lightning burst from her hands, again turning a small patch of night into day and, head reeling, Elsa Vargas turned and fled towards the village.