SWITCHBACK - CHAPTER SIX

PLEASE START WITH CHAPTER ONE, published on February 16th, 2013. This is a rough draft of a fictional fable.

Tanis’ sorcery was only diminished when she was in physical pain. During the birth of each child, I was required to provide extra protection from her myriad enemies. The labor with the newest baby was especially difficult. Tanis began to bleed excessively before the child crowned. The blood poured out of her womb as the baby began to emerge. Her spirit was struggling between staying in her body and leaving. Without thinking I grabbed Tanis’ partially detached soul and the evil energy shattered as her body died. A shard of her wicked essence plunged into the baby and wrapped around the child’s innocent soul. Unwittingly, I had created the first Hexenbiest and was severely punished for the death of the mistress.

Enyo, Tanis’ child survived birth and was raised within the malevolent confines of the coven. She was even worse than her mother and grew into a cruel authoritative tyrant. All her children were Hexenbiests. The vileness of Tanis’ soul augmented their negative magic and each bore a dark birthmark on the underside of their tongue. I remained a slave and Enyo’s son, Ares, raped me. For the first time, my child lived. Agrimadios was torn from my arms as an infant and taught total allegiance to the Hexen-tribe. Ares and his brothers continued to sire my children.

Enyo was disappointed that her grandchild was an average youngster with the exception of few illnesses and healing quickly from injuries. As he entered adolescence, Agrimadios became uncontrollable. He would not or could not listen to the demands of his elders. I was finally permitted to spend time with my eldest child. I was to teach him how to be in command of his emotions and transformations. For his own safety, I taught him the Fledging process.

It became clear that he was neither a Changeling nor Hexenbiest. He was extraordinary Blank. Though he could not physically convert, he could take on many of the characteristics of any Changeling. His senses were more developed than a human, he was strong, fast, and intelligent. Enyo was delighted. All my offspring were brainwashed to protect their full-blooded Hexen relatives and serve as paid mercenaries. The insidious nature of enslavement forced Agrimadios, his siblings and half-siblings to incestuously copulate and raise an army of warriors which became known as the Royal Guard. I became despondent.

After many years, the League managed to breach the security of my prison. They paid a guard to leave my cell door slightly ajar and I escaped. I transformed into a bird and flew as my own progeny tried to kill me. My heart was breaking because my offspring would forever be attached to the Hexen. I could not change their fate. I located a group of Changelings who remembered the story of Pha-al though they somehow inverted the name to Al-pha. We stayed far away from the Hexen and my manipulated children. I cried bitter tears and regretted my yearning to become a parent.

NEXT CHAPTER TO BE PUBLISHED SOON.
© 2013 Ima B. Musing