Alera felt a shudder down her spine as she guided her rusted car down the winding road through the woods. She drove an old 1993 Volvo 240 in a rather sickly pale green. Rust wore around the edges of it and one of the tires look like it would fall off at any moment. The dirt road had become muddy thanks to the recent storm, which made persevering through the forest more difficult than the young woman would have liked. A steady rain pounded against the hood of the vehicle, making a monotonous white noise that rendered the driver weary. The majority of the storm had passed by now, but this wretched rain still lingered as though to mock the traveler.

She should have stayed in town. That was all she could really think about at the moment. There was no telling where this road would take her or where the forest ended. When she last stopped for gas the storm was just blowing in and the gas station attendant had urged her to stay in town for the night. She might have taken him up on his offer if he hadn't been leering at her through cracked glasses. Aside from the overall dreary atmosphere of the townsfolk, Alera had other reasons for moving on. Why risk staying in one place for too long anyway? After what happened...

The young woman shook her head to clear her thoughts of the past. That was something she didn't need on her mind right now. After all, she had the future to look forward too and if she could get away from that shadow following her that's what she would do.

A clearing in the trees up ahead woke her from her dream-like daze. She had to pull over for a while, even if that meant just catching a few winks in the car. As the reason for the clearing came into view, Alera caught herself staring blatantly. The large manor before her looked as though it were right out of an old Gothic novel. Her vehicle slowed as she approached; dull blue eyes focusing in on the large iron gates. "Holy cow..."