Before this story begins, I would like to warn you about two things:

1.) This story is being written, in the hopes that it will eventually be published. As a result, I may switch things around, or change parts of a chapter-I may even add in new ones. If this does happen, I will definitely inform you.

2.) Due to this being a novel, I hope to get the chapters to a reasonable length (2000 words?).

You have been warned! :p

Obsidian irises, talons like knives...no matter how far I ran, it was there, penetrating my  thoughts, my mind. My very anatomy? The darkness' oppressive chains had forced me to fight, to kill-to murder; murder those I loved, those I valued above all else...How? How had this happened? They were supposed to protect us, shelter us from the darkness...they had failed.

      Black flames, screams of strife. A young, fragile girl stood amongst the chaos, pupils dilated in terror. Slowly she crept towards a stiff, pale corpse. Body quivering, she drew closer,  kneeling at the woman's side. She held the woman's hand tightly and began to cry, oblivious that her life was in mortal danger. A large, solid object smashed into the girl, knocking her into the air. She landed on the stony earth with a crunch. A pained cry  escaped her lips, but it was quickly silenced. A large, humanoid  creature stood above her; dagger like fingers, pointed ivories, giant, reptilian wings, and a large, festering wound in its chest-hollow to the core. It was one of them...one of the Corrupted.

      I woke, panting loudly. One hand gripping my neck, the other shaking profusely.  Once again my rest had been interrupted by frightening dreams, though I  would not call them 'nightmares'.

      "Excuse me?" a soft voice whispered.

      I stare blankly at my feet. My mind momentarily lost in a dark, endless abyss of fear.

      "Ma'am?" the voice was now demanding.

      Weakly I raised my head and was rewarded with a skull splitting headache. "Mhm?" I muttered.  Slowly, my mind drew back to reality. My eyes scanned the cabin around  me: red paint peeled off oak wood floorboards and a thin maroon blind covered what I could only imagine to be a window. It was at this point that I realised I was riding aboard no ordinary train. Unlike those of  the modern day this one featured: hard wood seats, faded red cushions, and cabins. It was classical, a train built for tourists. So why...? Why  was I riding aboard it? I was no tourist...Or...Or was I? My heartbeat  began to accelerate, and my hands shake. Why...Why can't I remember? I began to panic.

      "Ash...A-A-Alex." the woman began in a commanding tone. "You must follow me."

      I shrunk back into my seat, frightened, not by her tone but by her face, her body, how unfamiliar she was. "Who-Who are you? W-what do you want with me?" My tongue felt knotted.

      Her eyes rolled upwards in annoyance. "Professor Blackrun wishes to speak with you." With that she strutted out of the cabin, a jet of hot air  following in her wake

      My muscles relaxed slightly. Professor Blackrun...Now that was a name I certainly recognised.