Part 1:
With ink stained fingers, Freya finished writing her final invitation. She placed her hands over the parchment and whispered "absconditum". The words slowly faded, invisible to all except its intended recipient. She rolled it tightly and tied it to the foot of a solid white pigeon.
Freya's study was high in the tower with views in every direction. To the north, the mountains, once beautiful were now covered in thick black fog. The only reminder of what was, snow capped peaks standing tall above the hovering darkness. The darkness, people were calling it, was slowly making its way east, through the edges of the enchanted forest. It was this way she would be sending her birds. She gave a slight wave with her hand and the latch on the window released sending it swishing open. A gust of air blew through the study, sending bits of paper flying in a circular motion. Cage in hand, she walked to the window. Below, a long line of horse drawn carriages stood waiting for her signal. She opened the cage and out flew the pigeons. Within seconds the carriages were sent on their way.
