She was now deemed by her protectorate to be ready for the transformation, the critical time had come, unknown to Raven all the necessary preparations had been made long ago. She was different, that she knew already, her senses had always been keener than other children, she had always been quicker, brighter, more mentally agile than most others including many adults. This fateful night would see the beginning of her transformation from a seemingly normal young woman into an incredibly powerful entity. For many years know her father had told her she had a mysterious latent ability which some day would be revealed. Recently in herself she felt different, a new fire burnt within making her feel more alive and vibrant and more stronger. Lately she had found increasing difficulty sleeping at night and had spent many dark hours awake nursing a strange insatiable hunger that dissipated oddly with each dawn.
Near to midnight on this the eve of her eighteenth birthday her father came to her in her rooms. Raven noted how he seemed strangely disturbed and agitated as he asked her to come to his study at once. Her father indicated he had something very important concerning her past to disclose. Hand in hand they walked hurriedly to his study, Raven found that could sense his emotions quite easily. His thoughts were full of anxiety and discomfort; she could not imagine what could trouble him so. Over the past few months she had found herself growing increasingly adept at reading other peoples thought-trains, at first she had dismissed it as chance but she came to realise that her budding ability was factual. She had started using it to her advantage, she could tell when a person was telling the truth, or lying, quite adeptly, all the signs pointed to her father's sincerity.
Seating her in his own favourite leather chair he began to quietly relate the truth about her origins. At first she sat stunned in disbelief but as he talked things began to fall into place; seemingly unrelated or odd incidents took on a new perspective. Speaking to her quietly and soberly he told of how she was no mere mortal, how within her a power of unspeakable magnitude slumbered. Revealing the truth about her mother's abduction by the followers of a demon in Siam and her subsequent rape and pregnancy. He tearfully told Raven how her natural mother had died at the moment she was born and how the temple had looked after their welfare since. Openly he spoke about everything even of how the temple had made him marry her stunningly beautiful stepmother Lien who was barely five years older than herself. Now Raven realised why Lien had always been so excessively attentive to her stepdaughter. Finally he spoke of the great things she could attain and the incredible power that was hers for the taking if she desired it. He added at the end that her power and abilities would come with a heavy price, he hoped she could harness the temptation and use the power that would be thrust upon her wisely, but he would support her anyway should she err.
Normally she would have dismissed all he said as rubbish but tonight something deep inside her had stirred and recalling other recent phenomena she knew instinctively what he told her to be true. Her mind raced as the information sank in; excitedly she toyed with new enthralling possibilities as she struggled to fully appreciate exactly what her father had just revealed to her. When he was sure that Raven understood him, and she calmed down a little he told her tonight was to be the night her power was awakened, in a way it would be her first test.
Crossing the study he revealed to her a door that was cunningly concealed in the rich oak panelling of the wall. Ancient and well worn stone steps disappeared downwards into the inky darkness within. Without any light he beckoned for her to follow him into the darkness. As they descended Raven noted how she seemed to be able to see well despite the fact their was no light. Slowly she began to appreciate just how acute her senses had grown as faint whiffs of incense and other deeply sensual aromas caught her sensitive nostrils. Straight on past the perpendicular junction of two other passageways they went down a passageway with many closed doors on each side. The large double doors at the end were open and they passed through them and descended further still down wide slowly turning staircase for some time. As they went Raven began sensing the emotive force of the massed gathering of people long before they came upon the chamber excitedly she felt the exquisite hunger beginning to gnaw at her insides.
At last they reached their goal, they entered through a great stone arch Raven stared down upon the gathered throng from the high vantage point at the top of a steep flight of stone steps. All around the tiered D shaped chamber she swept her eyes over them as they fell to their knees in sudden silence. Respectfully many of the throng close to them bowed low in reverence then came forward one at a time up the staircase. In well-rehearsed manner they knelt to kiss her slender hand and swear enslavement to her. Amongst them were her oriental stepmother, several relations, friends of the family, their servants and others Raven knew not.
Sensing a strange commotion growing within herself as some deeply buried force fought its way out Raven realised the innocent teenager of yesterday was being driven out by something unknown and very powerful. The chants of the adoring throng encouraged her acceptance as the transformation sped up. A bolt of intense pain burst through her unprepared nervous system as the first true stage of her metamorphosis occurred and she screamed aloud. About her a great murmur of concern and excitement rippled, as the pain receded Raven cautiously relaxed a little and gazed about her, suddenly as if through new found eyes she perceived her surroundings differently. An intense ache of eager anticipation for the as yet unknown power she had been promised spread through her unchecked.
Casting her new found gaze over the chamber eagerly she absorbed every minute detail even noting the ornate tapestries hung on the walls. All were adorned with symbols and runes which seemed to come from many races and cultures histories. She felt as if she was searching for something until her eyes fell on the great fabric screen hung high about the rear half of the sunken central area of the chamber between the supporting pillars of the chamber roof.
It was not what Raven saw drawn upon the ornately embroidered screen that stunned her for set in a large niche in the wall behind the screen a life size gold female statue towered dominatingly. Though she could see but the top third of it the image she perceived shocked her incredibly for her own countenance stared back through sightless gold eyes over the gathering. The statue was naked as far as she could see over the screen and huge golden wings towered to the high roof of the niche behind it. Without instruction she descended the steps to join her stepmother Lien and several others who had gathered on the chamber floor before the screen.
