Hidden behind a densely grown forest, deep within the Siberian confines of the country of Russia, lies a town said to be lost in time.
Unpaved streets wove through the village, trapping the people of Millen like rats in a maze. Neighbors knew neighbors, children played with one another. All seemed as well as well could be in Millen. Other than the towns notorious, 'Raven.' No matter which direction the road was pointing towards, it seemed as though it had always wound up to the dark castle sitting upon a ghastly hill. The townsfolk had always gone to unbelievable limits to avoid a trip down the dark Boulevard leading up to Millen's castle. Or as the towns children often referred to, the Raven's nest.

Millen Castle had been there as long as most can remember. Seeming to spring up from the ground in one night, Millen Castle had always held that 'Scooby-Doo' mystery look to it. Sickly green vines, twisted and mangled, hugged the castle's outer walls and gates. Large, black gargoyles kept beady, unblinking eyes on the look out in case of unwanted guests. But it is what lives within that strikes terror into the hearts of the residents in Millen. Whispers could be heard throughout Millen, telling old tales and fables of the small town's thousand year-old guest. From the time Millen's castle had been built, young men and women, scaling from ten to thirty years of age, had gone missing without a trace, said to be taken by The Raven. Families would mourn their loss, have another child or two, and move on. This cycle had been going on for decades. Nobody left town, and in return, nobody moved to in. That is, until a twenty two year old English major decided to take a detour...

"The fuck..?" Alfred F. Jones, an English major transfer student from the states all but growled as his cerulean eyes scanned the foreign map clutched so irritably in his right hand. Sent by his professor to study Russian literature, Alfred jumped to the idea as was announced at one of his class discussions. It was an opportunity of a lifetime! To be able to study a county's literature in it's very birthplace was all but a dream. The young student had been working hours and hours at a time before he was finally chosen to take the three month trip to Moscow. After he had been late for his first flight, the blonde American had to take another plane to Saint Petersburg and drive the remainder of the way. The plane ride was smooth sailing, but unfortunately, the car ride proved to be anything but.
Alfred had been learning Russian up until the trip, learning the basic 'What is your name', and 'How are you.' But the map he held was written in perplexed Russian far beyond the American's knowledge. "What in the name of sweet Lady Liberty-" Alfred's face contorted into a complex mixture of confusion and frustration as he looked from the map to the road. He was so caught up in his confusion, that he hadn't noticed the large fork ahead. Slamming on the brakes, Alfred tilted his head the slightest, glancing from the right path to the left, then to the map. Holding the map upside down, the young student narrowed his eyes before sharply taking a left down a mist-shrouded, what seemed to be, scenic route. 'Haha! This looks like somethin' from one of those cheesy, totally not scary, horror films!~' He thought nervously as the mist and forestry all but doubled. It wasn't until hours and hours of driving and a sudden shift of road texture that Alfred had begun to notice something was amiss.

"Okay... This isn't right.." Alfred whispered in a panic tone, his eyes reduced to small slits as he desperately tried to look past the fog. A loud, seemingly harmful noise irrupted from within the car's hood. "No, nonononono HELL no." Alfred chanted in his head as his foot repeatedly stomped on the car's gas and brakes. "NO. I KNOW HOW THESE THINGS END!" He squirmed around uncomfortably in the drivers seat as he turned the key over and over again in attempt to re-animate the car, with no avail. A pained groan rumbled in the back of Alfred's throat. Very hesitant and cautiously, the seemingly cursed man stepped out of his safe haven, and out into the darkened forest after the car had been put into neutral. The car may have been a rental, but the suit cases within were not; And like Hell if he was going to carry all of that. 'Id rather push the car.' Alfred thought bitterly as he began to push the car at a surprisingly quick pace. Growing up, Alfred had always been unusually strong. At times it was a nuisance but could also prove to be a blessing at a time like this. 'Pleasenozombies Pleasenozombies-' He began to chant incoherently as what looked like house lights came into distance. "Fuck yeahh!-" Alfred shouted, feeling both relieved and quite victorious. After a good ten minuets, Alfred began to near what looked to be a small village. Retrieving a map, Alfred calculated the time and distance he had traveled to give an approximation where he was using the map. With an almost perfect coordinate mapped out, he began to skim the map, only to find himself to be in a nameless town. "That's funny.. The town isn't even on the friggin' map. NOW how am I gonna ever know where I am..?" With a strained sigh, he gathered all of his remaining bits of energy to push the car towards what looked like a large sign. 'Millen.' Alfred decoded in his head, cerulean eyes struggling to read the foreign jargon behind a pair of icy-cold rimmed glasses.