BLOOD AND Lightening

Chapter 12

NIMAI

The warnings were clear but perhaps my curiosity took the best of me, do I really trust his majesty or do I feel I owe him this trust because he saved my life. I have been led into a coven that looks like it belongs to witches, have my temperament always been these lenient and easy to ride on, I don't even know myself anymore, I waited and waited for something to happen, till I felt it happening, it happened like a dream but I knew I was awake, my feet went weak and my heart rate quickened, I wasn't breathing fine, I held on to the walls of the mystery ball for support while struggling to balance my breath.

A wave of nauseousness, if I die, let it be known that it's solely for my foolishness and unexpected meekness, this time I found myself in an unexpected place, none of this was ever expected, my whole life for instance, my breathing suddenly steady and my vision clear, it felt like I was presence in my flesh and blood.

A castle like building, everything felt on purpose, every details and color around blue, my vision was beginning to blur from the excessive blue when I saw a familiar face, she was dressed in a warrior regalia, her red hair beautifully styled out of her face, she matched with a frown on her face approching me, she walked through me and then I recognized her, it was her the pregnant woman.

“Artemis! Artemis!!” I heard a voice call after her, “Artemis?” I couldn't help but call out the name too, an elderly woman emerged wearing a white regalia while following Artemis behind I followed them immediately till the older lady caught up to her.

“Listen to me child, your stubbornness won't change the fate of that child that you carry with in you”

My eyes fell immediately to the stomach of the younger, she was indeed pregnant.

“No child of mine shall partake in your plans, I will not endanger my own, mother, all in the name of a prophecy,”

“This fight began long before I was born even long before my mother was born, it's a fight we must continue, and the child within you shall give us the liberation we deserve, we shall stand against all creations like we are supposed to”

I watched them in confusion, what in thename of zeus were they talking about? A child, prophecy, ‘heavens come to my aid, mysteries I know nothing about keep happening to me’.

“ I have heard of you Almighty, mother said you are the answer to everything, answer my troubled heart for I am lost at the unexpected situation I have found myself in,” I cried out growing frustrated

“I will run far away with this child, neither you nor the man I married shall set your eyes on her, we shall be free from your evil plans, you are powerful so is my husband, gather thy swords and marge thy energy, proceed and go forth and win the supposed fight, I ARTEMIS VALDASH, the daughter of light, takes no part and neither shall a child of mine” the younger said while crying

“The fight of my forefathers wasnt for this, they fought to be accepted not to rule, the blue blooded creatures and us haven't had a fight in ages, they are stronger and lived longer, the hate between us started because of power, would the heaven cry if we all live in peace, all my life you trained me for this supposed fight and now you want to pass it to my unborn child, Tah!!! I rather die than watch that happen mother,” she declared before continuing while the elder woman stood watching her, her face held no emotion,

“Nothing can break the words of the great queen, although long died is still greatly feared by history, her tales are not died too, no one except the child can break it, not even the mother can break it” The old woman said with a smile before heading back inside.

I stood alone, for some reasons I began to cry, what if, just what if am really the child in her, what if she is my mother, was my whole life a lie? is this woman a lie? was it not a lie?..

I tried to open my eyes but I couldn't, I just knew it was happening again, time was changing, I finally opened my eyes to a familiar place, the first place I found the pregnant woman, a child was crying, again I saw the woman that looked exactly like Odede.

“She is beautiful”

“A replica of her father” the mother said

“It's too early to tell dear, she will bloom into a beautiful lady like you”

“She took nothing from me I tell you,”

“Give her a name,”

“Nimai, she is the child of light” The mother said

My world has crashed, “is that me?” I said coming closer to take a look, “is that me, are you my mother?” I asked making an attempt to touch her, she began to cry holding the baby dearly.

“My time has come” she said shrieking, “ I really don't want to leave you my child”

“What's happening?” I asked hoping they can hear me

“You can do this, hang in there for her, I can find help please, you have to raise her” odede said crying

“If a witch can't save herself from death, we really ain't powerful as the world proclaimed, once again the heavens are being cruel to me, they have come for me without mercy, at the end I am only but a passage to bring in another, but I shall go against the heavens too, I will lock the gates of energy of this child, she shall grow like a normal human, do not be scared, it won't hurt you” I watched with tears as Odede knelt with tears in her eyes and the baby which I believe to be me in her hands and the strange woman who I have come to know is my mother stretch out her hands looking up in the sky, her eyes began to glow and I felt my body shiver in fear, so did the face of Odede pale up.

“ I didn't ask to be born this way, neither did I enjoy the power which thee granted me, I have come to realize that I was only a vassal which thee used to bring this child to the world, you have been nothing but cruel to me, maybe for the sins of my ancestors, that I will never know, today as I die, I know you will pass my energy to my offspring, but I ARTEMIS VALDASH, the daughter of light, a warrior and a sorceress by fate, today i shall go against you and the heavens and prevent a calamity, I shall seal the energy of this child with my last blood” she said now facing the child and Odede, her hands began to glow and as the light went into the child so did I felt a surge of energy enter my body, I was suffocating, “ Help” I called out but I couldn't even hear my own voice till I felt somebody hold me.

“Your majesty” I called out looking at the man holding me before my eyes failed me completely...

*earlier *

Emperor Gildor had grown from confusion to restlessness,

“She is taking a lot of time your majesty” Nicholas said with worry on his face, he had joined the Emperor after growing tired from waiting outside

The Emperor's face held no Emotions nor concern, but he was indeed troubled, not for the safety of the maiden he had locked into a crystal glowing ball but for the fear he will become a normal human without power, and the fear of what might have happened to the soul of Alaska, ‘Could it be he found a body already? Or he found his?’ He thought pacing front and back with calm and calculated footstep. “No that is impossible” he blurted out gaining an angry glare from Nicholas.

The crystal ball began to glow more than expected and they both went closer only then did the Emperor opened and went in to see Nimai struggling to stand on her feet with streams of tears running down her cheeks.

He held her tightly to his chest and commanded Nicholas to fetch a carriage.

“You have to remember to breathe, do not give in to the weakness in your knees, it's all distraction,” he said directly into her ears trying to wake her up...

“You are awake,” Odede said immediately Nimai got up from bed, she helped her sit upright, Nimai slowly scratched her eyes and deliberately touched Odede making sure she wasn't dreaming nor in trance, realizing it was real, she began to cry surprising Odede.

“What is it that troubles your heart?” Odede asked holding her palms

“She is alright now right?” Asteria asked coming over to Nimai’s side, she has been with Odede waiting for Nimai to wake from her sleep and it's been two nights already.

“Don't cry sister, heavens be praised you are awake now, we have been left sleepless worrying about you, finally heavens answered our cries” Asteria said while crying

“Asteria, you are not helping” Odede warned the younger one “Now go to the kitchen and warm up a soup for her, she hasn't eaten for two nights,” Odede said with a stoic face.

“I have a lot of questions Nimai but I will save them for another day for you just awake, now clean your tears,” Odede ordered while looking at her, Nimai slowly cleaned her tears and smiled “it's been two nights already, it feels like just a few minutes ago I just saw everything,” Nimai said attempting to stand on her feet,

“Sit back down Nimai, you are not strong enough yet, we nearly lost you if not for his majesty....” Odede paused clearly furious about something

“ I need no food to be able to speak, I do not feel weak neither do I feel hungry” Nimai said calmy

“I need your help Madam” Nimai said after a series of heavy breathing