Finding Me

Welcomed in Avalon

"We have no time, hurry," her sparkling silky long white dress is moving rough as she runs to her five years old daughter, Nata and kissed her on her head. "If we're caught, we'll be stripped off our powers and banned from Axis-Mundi," she explained herself to her help Krasha, who was staring at her in worries. She took a momentary brief thinking but shook her head off and she started moving. Loxy brushed her long black hair cleared off her back to her right shoulder and puts her cloak on. She was smiling now and then, whenever she locked gaze with her daughter who wasn’t understanding what was going on.

"I'll get Nata ready," Krahsha says to Loxy who was in a hurry and uneasy. "How soon are we leaving?" she asked her looking to her direction as she wrapped Nata in a blue cloak.

"What? No," Loxy walked to Krasha shaking her head with tears in her eyes. "I, I would never put you in this situation," she shrugged as she held her by her shoulders. "I have to do this with my family, you know the rules; if one in a family is a sinner the entire family sinned. If one disobeyed the rule, the entire family disobeyed it."

"...the entire family disobeyed it." Krasha completed the last words with her. "I know. I am part of this family,” she answered to her as she lifted Nata up in her embrace.

"Krasha, you will always be. Truth is that, you just gave birth to your baby girl and it's not going to be fair for me to take your life. Your daughter didn't even get a name yet," she was actually ashamed that Krasha was still standing beside her, despite what she did. Loxy was always a risk taker, but this time around all she was looking for ways to find way to make peace between the divided, divines.

"I have no one without you. My husband was killed in the fight..."

"And I am running away for I have healed the wounded Nephilim, those who came to attack us and maybe, one who killed your husband. Why would you run with me?" She may be naive as to hope she can change the Nephilim's mind but she doesn’t just trust in anyone’s loyalty. She knew better that somehow it is in everyone’s nature that change is inevitable.

“I didn’t say you did right,” Krasha presses her lips sadly. She swallowed her pride and turned to see her in her eyes. "You know I trust you, your decisions. You did it so to stop the war that's coming.”

“And I hope it works,” Loxy pressed her lips as she sat down by the edge of the bed.

“My husband died loyal to yours and I shall die to you. It is in my nature to serve loyally. I will anyway be considered yours no matter what. Do we have time? I should get Tyballa and meet you by the gate,” she pressed her lips in a hard line as she showed her that she won’t be able to change her mind.

Loxy took the moment to think about Krasha’s offer; to escape Axis-Mundi with her powers and children, she needed help. And if Krasha was that interested then why not. They really didn’t have time.

"If you say, get Nata to the gate and I'll meet you with Tyballa. I know where she is," she screamed the last sentence as she speeded out the house and marched to the woods.

She understood the high curiosity in knowing what’s forbidden but her older daughter Tyballa’s interest always disappointed her. She is used to spending her times with the witches, learning all sorts of crafts they would teach her. Loxy hoped she would one day drop out of the nonsense. It didn’t happen. She hoped she would one day understand how more worthy she was, more than the small powers triggered by the word of mouth. She hoped she would one day be ablle to woke up and understood she was also one of the sources of all those powers. She used to be disappointed for it felt like waste of time as it also was waste of power.

"Tyballa," Loxy rushed to her and grabbed her by her arms as she pulled her away from the young coven in the wood.

"Mother," she snatched her hand to herself feeling ashamed to what her mother did.

The coven’s teacher was teaching about the new moon from earth and in Axis-Mundi. The witches in Axis-Mundi were waiting for their time to head to heaven; some staid for a long time and the others have staid longer that they have started life in Axis-Mundi.

“The moon of earth is simple, we wait for one new moon and a ceremony, but the moons for Axis-Mundi are much more sophisticated and delicate. Time here is quite unlike earth. Time is simple on earth as is short...” the teacher is dressed in brown burlap cloak and she is in her mid-forty, but her short full gray hair gave her an even older look.

"I'm not a kid anymore. And I think..."

"We're escaping..." Loxy barked at the resisting Tyballa but ceased on her words looking to the passersby. She was breathing heavy for she ran all the way here and the fear of endangering her children’s life wasn’t making her feel easy. "To earth," she added as she spoke through her teeth and closer to her daughter’s right ear. She gripped her left arm with her right hand as she forced her to walk with her.

"What?" Her cheeks changed color and her eyes got watery. "No."

"Yes," she hugged her. "I did something so wrong, against the law."

"I'm not coming with you."

"You have no choice, you know the rules," she held her on her cheeks and apply a kiss on her forehead. She looked in her eyes reconfirming that it was the truth. Tyballa is so beautiful and bright. Unlike the young Nata, Tyballa took after her father; his electric-blue eyes and his platinum-blond hair. Her upturned eyes brighten her look and her too long hair added grace to her look. When she is under the sun her skin sparkles the brightest.

"What did you do?" Tyballa couldn’t believe her ears. They already started running their way through the crowd.

"Long story, but I healed the prisoners from the war." She whispered to her ears. Tyballa gasped in shock looking to her mother. “It is for the better to come. Trust me.”

"Why would you do that, what better are you hoping for, from Nephilim?"

"They were once angels. There’s got be something left in them,” she licked her lower lip as she looked over her daughter’s head, through the crowd. “It doesn't matter," she held her by her shoulder and hid behind a wall of a building as she saw royal gourds has approached their way. They covered their face and pretended as if they were busy about their business until the guards walked past them.

“You did wrong mother,” Tyballa uttered rather disappointed. “I just can’t make sense that you didn’t consider that I was promised to marry the prince of Savartálfr, for peace,” she shook her head looking at her. “You sacrificed the possible peace for the impossible,” she said to her and Loxy gasped air in shock.

“I’m sorry,” she admitted that this could bring the fall of attempt, that almost worked, to bring the two worlds together; the Myrkheim; world of darkness with Axis-Mundi; world of light between earth and heaven. “We should go now,” she said to her and Tyballa marched ahead of her.

“What about father?” she asked.

“He has made his choice, he won’t be joining us,” Loxy was in pain as she mentioned it but her daughter’s heart was broken. She wasn’t close to her father as Nata but she loved him.

On their way to the gate they got to their home so Tyballa would gather what was more important for her; her script on what she have learnt and also haven’t yet learned from the witches, but written from what she memorized while learning; also, some clothes and accessories. Once she reached to the way out, she saw her mother with an infant in her arms.

“What are you to do with Krasha’s daughter?” she asked her cheking if they are alone and unnoticed.

“Krasha said she would join us; she must be by the gate with Nata?” she frowned.

“Why would she leave her daughter here?”

“I don’t like this, but we’ll find out by the gate,” Loxy said to her daughter.

They started their journey to the portal gate way that takes to earth, but Loxy was busy with thoughts in her mind; If the royal guards were at their house, they would have found it sordid, but it was clean.

‘Where would be Krasha and Nata, leaving her infant behind?’ she wondered. She was gravely worried about the where about of Nata and Krahsa. She has no choice but to march forward to the portal gate, hoping to meet them there.

***

It was as usual crowded by the gate of the portal to earth, by most who would want to witness the sinned family members punishment; the process of power stripping and banishment from Axis-Mundi to earth. This ceremony took place, once in every blue sun that appears after three golden. In Axis-Mundi time is count based on the suns and moons; portals opened on every blue sun and moons. It appears for a brief moment and they used a witch gate keeper, on earth, to open it and then banish the sinners and close it until the next.

Once Loxy and Tyballa reached to the gate the sun was already up and the ceremonial gathering has already started. They had to walk through the crowd as they looked for Krasha and Nata. It took them a while but Tyballa saw Krasha in distance with a silky green cloak on her shoulders and a flower crown on her head.

“Mother,” she slowly brought her mother’s attention to the direction she was staring at. “Is that not Krasha?” she asked her and her mother gasped in shock. She knew something was off but she wasn’t expecting a betrayal.

“Where’s Nata?” she whispered as she walked to the open space to where the other beings who were lined for punishment were kneeing by. “Where is Nata?” she screamed as she was staring at those who were kneeling with their powers already stripped. “Where is my baby Krasha?” Krasha was jumpy to see her daughter in Loxy’s arms, but the higher court lady held her by her left hand to stop her from getting closer to Loxy or say anything to her.

“Father, Nata?” Tyballa was busy looking for her sister and father among the one who were ready to exit the shore of the opened portal.

“You families are waiting for you, in the right place,” lady of the higher court spoke to her. “For the greater good, it was decided to spare your older daughter and proceed with what was promised to the king of swarthy elves.”

“How could you do this, you’re a traitor, Krashsa,” Loxi shook her head.

“This is the right thing; your husband agreed to this. Give me my baby,” Krasha cried as she approached her very slowly.

“Yield to the law and you shall join your families,” lady of the higher court offered her a deal.

“This will be like I will be sold to the elf’s and my family will never be around when I need them,” Tyballa cried to her mother’s ears. “Mother, I rather die,” Loxi turn to look into her weeping daughter’s eyes and gasped. She turned to Krasha who was steps away from her. Her heart was broken, but Tyballa was right. It won’t be right to leave her daughter behind. They won't be able to see her ever again.

“You took my child away,” Loxy whispered and Krasha tried to jump and snatch her child, but Loxy screamed, creating a pushing air to the royal guards that were approaching her silently and also pushed Krasha as well. Everyone got shoved to different direction.

Both Loxy and Tyballa looked around them; to where the families were kneeling by.

“I Loxi of Axis-Mundi, seeker of peace between every being and divine, one who would walk the land of man with her power, who will grant you your powers back and free you from this punishment is asking you to join her.” She spoke with her voice projected.

Tyballa walked to the gate and lock gaze to the witch that held the portal gate open. She appeared filthy; her tooth brown, her hear messy and her clothe dirty and ripped. She seemed to have lived occulted behind the weak figure; barefoot and old women, she seemed weak but she was able to see her strength.

“Stop her!” lady of the higher court ordered the royal guards that were rising from where they fall by.

“Run,” ordered Loxy and the rest of them as she handed over the child of krasha to one of the families started their journey in speed to leave Axis-Mundi.

“My baby,” Krasha runs to her but Loxi hit her with another weave and she faced difficulties to breath as she was spatting blood while coughing hard. Once again Loxi weaved her hands in the air and formed a dome with the weave she created; blocking a way anywhere near to the gate of the opened portal or any of the others that were passing through it. offering safe passage for everyone with her. She turned her face and started to walk to the gate.

“Loxi,” lady of the higher court got close to the dome and Loxi turned her head to see her. “Don’t. Don’t do it,” she utterd to her in disappointment brushed by fear, to stop Loxi from doing what she would do, if she was in her place.

Loxi ignored her and walked through the portal gracefully swallowing her sorrow.

“We will come back and we will find them,” Tyballa uttered through her teeth as she leaned on her mother’s right shoulder. Just as she walked her way through it, she made sure the gate flowers that kept it alive was dead with her touch as the wall of the gate was cracked so it won’t be used again.

There was a rough blow of air as the gate was roughly gone and everyone covered their eyes from it. Tyballa covered her eyes on her mother’s shoulder as her mother simply closed them.

“Welcome to Avalon,” the old witch uttered. “Except you two, I would say the rest of you are as good as hum...”

“I will restore their powers,” Loxy uttered through her teeth.

“We will follow you, no matter what,” a woman uttered as she hands her Krasha’s daughter back. “What do we do now?” she asked her.

“I would suggest new name and life, but the lady master seem to know best,” the old witch uttered. "My last job seems to help you be disguised behind a man skin, so everyone cansimplyfit in," she added.

“Fine,” Loxi agreed to her thought soullessly. “What name would you suggest for me?” she asked her.

“I would say you have a noble strength. Shall I call you Audra?” She pressed a smile as Loxi nods.

“I am Audra and you are?” She asked for her name.

“Isla,” she smiled. She turned to look to where the gate used to appear by and pressed her lips. “I think I just run out of my job, I only know few tricks and that was the bigger one.”

“You will serve me from now on,” she answered to her. “I would like to find a king I can give fortune and power for,” she uttered. "Will you fine me one?"

“I have lists of them,” the women answered to her. “First, I should help these get identities, if they wish. Truthfully speaking, your real names are no good in this world, it can be used against you,” she added and Audra nodded.

“I will teach them this knowledge, also you,” Tyballa uttered to her as she pointed to her script.

“I guess that, finally come in hand," Loxy breathed a smile and Tyballa smiled back but sadly.

The old Loxy the new Audra, took the moment looking at her small numbers of peoples and turned around looking down at the infant in her arms. She pressed her lips as she wept for her Nata but the infant in her arms smiled to her.

"This isn't your time," she whispered to her and threw her in the air. She clenched her hands and a box of glacier formed, boxing the infant's body in. She breathed to it while it was floating and spread her ten fingers to the ground that it sank in, deep, quickly.

"Mother, she was just a child," Tyballa screamed.

"Indeed, " she elevated her eyebrows. "I am very sure it won't be easy for us anywhere here on earth. It's no time or good condition to raise a child. But when it is, I will rise her and properly," she answered to her assuring her that the infant was safe.