Beneath The Darkness

Memento Mori

    Jenny

    To be able to read my mothers journal and hear about the things she did and had to go through was fantastic. So I continued to read:

    The couple introduced themselves as Jack and Elizabeth. They had been members of the local witch circle for years and had never met a travelling witch. We sat down for a meal and I introduced them to Runa and Hymir. We chatted and traded stories until the sun came up. After they left Runa and I went to sleep while Hymir cleaned up around the camp. When we woke up and exited the tent Hymir was speaking with Jack and Elizabeth. When he saw me, there was a sadness in his eyes. He said something to Runa in Norse that I didn't understand and then walked away.

    ''I will see you later, love'' She kissed my cheek and followed after her father. I sat across from Jack and Elizabeth.

    ''What is it that you needed to speak to me about?'' I asked

    ''We need to ask you first, how would you feel about joining our circle?'' Jack asked.

    ''It would be fantastic. To be able to learn magic from other witches and be able to read stories and theories from others would be a dream come true.'' I responded. ''But I thought witch circles didn't allow non-pedigree witches to join.''

    ''Well, what if we told you we knew who your parents were and there is no issue with you joining the circle?'' Elizabeth said.

    ''How do you know who my parents are when I don't even know their surname?'' I retorted.

    ''Rohesia, that's because we are your parents.'' she said talking my hand in hers.

    I stood up and backed away from them. ''What? No, no. I don't understand. Why?''

    ''What do you mean why?'' Jack asked.

    ''Why did you leave me at that church? How could you just abandon your child like that? Do you have any idea the things I had to deal with before I met Hymir and Runa? Hymir was a better parent to me in the first hours I knew him than either of you could ever hope to be.'' I started to break down in front of them. I stood up and ran from them.

    After twenty one years my parents thought they could just walk into my life like they never gave me away. I was so angry and upset that I didn't really pay attention to where I was going. By the time I realized where I was, I was at the circles' altar. I ran my hand across the rough hewn rock slab. My fingers traced over the circles and figures drawn on the top surface. I started thinking about everything and my anger started to flow through the altar carving seiðr runes into the solid stone. The runes began to glow with purple energy and then the stone cracked in half. After the sun had set I started to to return to our camp, hoping that Jack and Elizabeth had left. When I exited the woods I found Runa waiting for me.

    ''How are you feeling, my darling?'' she asked walking up to me.

    ''I don't know. It all feels too convenient and I'm not to sure what to think.'' I said.

    ''Father told me about the choice you have to make.''

    ''What do you think I should do?'' I asked her.

    She shook her head, ''It is not my decision. But I will follow you no matter what you choose. You are my treasure, my horde, and I will always protect you.'' She took my hands in hers and brought them to her lips. I smiled at her and pulled her into a tight hug.

    ''I think I know what I need to do. Let us go home.'' I said.

    As we crested the hill I could see a group of people by our camp yelling at Hymir.

    ''Where is she? What have you done with our child?'' Jack yelled.

    ''I have done nothing. She simply has taken a walk to clear her head and think.'' Hymir said calmly.

    ''Don't give us that. We know what you are and don't you dare think you can get away with corrupting our child with your heathen beliefs. She belongs with her own people and learn the proper magics. So give her up or we will destroy you and that heathen girl that insists on hanging around her.'' Jack shouted back.

    ''I keep telling you that I have done nothing with her. It is her choice to make and I have no intention to interfere in it. I will support her no matter what she decides to do.'' I was surprised at how calm Hymir remained while being surrounded and screamed at by witches.

    ''What is going on here?'' I said stepping between Jack and Hymir.

    ''We have come to take you home, Rohesia. So that you may learn the proper techniques and spells, and not this tainted magic his people perform.'' Jack said holding his hand out to me.

    ''But I am home. And the seiðr I learned from them is a lot more powerful than anything you could teach me.'' I said pushing his hand away. ''Furthermore, I don't appreciate you insulting my family. If you truly want me to learn the 'proper magics' then you shouldn't have abandoned me.'' I turned around to head to the tent.

    ''I see he has already corrupted you and turned you away from the right path. Don't you worry, Rohesia, we will fix that mouth of yours. After we kill this heathen and his hell spawn.'' Jack began to recite an incantation and the other witches began to follow.

    I waved my hand and a rune of protection appeared in front of me as their spell finished. A streak of white energy shot from each of the witches and crashed into the rune I created. Once the light had faded Jack's smug face quickly turned to shock when he noticed that we were still standing perfectly fine.

    ''I am the Witch of Fury, the protector of the weak and angry, and the decider of my fate! You can not threaten me, nor my family, for you are far beneath us!'' I shouted. A bunch of runes appeared on the ground and the rest of the witch circle appeared on them. An aura of pure anger radiated from me and the witches were forced to the ground, except for Jack and Elizabeth. ''You people are not my family. Hymir and Runa have taken care of me more than you could ever imagine. Now leave this place.''

    Jack and Elizabeth looked at me in awe. I could barely see Elizabeth's hands and lips moving as she tried to cast a spell at me. In the blink of an eye I stood in front of her with her hand in mine. Her magic coalesced in her hand and with no outlet began to backfire, blowing her hand off in a gratuitous display of gore. She sank to the ground screaming in agony clutching her bloody stump. Jack raised a knife and charged at me, only to be met with Runa's foot planted firmly into his chest knocking him to the ground.

    ''Be glad she didn't say to kill you.'' she growled at him. Jack struggled against the weight of her foot on him. I looked down at Elizabeth, I placed my hands on either side her head and black energy made its way through her veins. She began clawing at her throat with her one good hand as her life began to fade from her eyes. I walked over to Jack, who started to struggle harder to get away. I leaned down and grabbed his head and forced him to look at me. I could see the fear in his eyes as the black energy began to course through him. ''As long as I draw breath on this earth I will never allow someone to hurt my family.'' I stood up after his life had faded from his eyes.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Shadow

    Sigrún, Runa and I were walking through the forest back to the Aesir lands. We were still a few hours away from the edge of the territory when we heard the sound of a war horn. Sigrún and I stopped dead on our tracks and looked at each other.

    ''You heard that, right?'' she asked.

    ''Gjallarhorn.'' I replied. Then we took off running towards the village center. When we arrived, there were fights between the einherjar of the Aesir clan and the einherjar of the Jötunn clan. 

    Sigrun turned to me, ''You and Runa help who you can. I have to join Havi as one of his valkryies.''

    ''I know my love. We will see each other after the battle.'' I said and she turned stretched her wings and flew towards the battlefield.

    I drew my sword and Runa and I began fighting the Jötunn's that had infiltrated the main camp. After the last warrior fell, I turned to Runa and sheathed my sword.

“You know, you’re too late to save the one you truly love son of Hel.” said a masculine voice behind me. I turned to see a modestly dressed man walking towards us.

“Loki,” I growled. “What did you do?”

“Me? Nothing, but I can’t say the same about the rest of the Jötunn warriors. By now they’ve finished killing all the Aesir that met them on the battlefield. Listen, you hear that? That's the silence of after war.” He smiled coldly.

I turned towards the battlefield that Sigrún flew off to, grabbed Runa and ran in its direction. When I arrived at the edge of the field my eyes fell upon a sea of Aesir warrior corpses, the ravens having arrived moments before. I dropped Runa’s hand and picked my way across the field until I found Sigrún. She was barely alive. I pulled her head to my chest.

“Don’t cry for me. I promise to save you a place at Odin’s table, right next to me. And you promise me that you’ll never stop fighting for our daughter and for every child in need of help.” she whispered to me.

“I promise. I will fight until I join you in Valhalla, my love.”  She smiled weakly and slowly let out her last breath. I pulled her closer and kissed her bloodied lips for the last time before standing. I looked in the direction the Jötunns must have gone, my vision reddening.

There was a loud knock on the door and Misery got up from the bed to answer.

“The Council of Elders requests the presence of all the Sins at this time,” said an official voice.

“Why?” Misery sighed.

“It’s a matter of council emergency. They're calling any expert they can for help.” they replied.

“Okay. We’ll be there.” Misery said before closing the door.