by Paul Simpson
Chapter 3
1st Witch / Element of life
Ffion and George approached the witch stones, their appetite satisfied with some toast, a drink of milk and a can of tuna they found at the back of a cupboard. Ffion held the antique pendent in her hand.
“I wonder what this does?” she said, and as they drew close to the stones it began to glow. “That’s odd, George, look at this.”
They approached the top of the hillside where her mother’s spirit began to appear within the stone circle.
“Hi Mum, how are you?”
Jodie smiled back lovingly. It had been just over four years since Ffion had been given the task to help a young Jodie, but the facility incident took place only a few months ago.
“Welcome home, my child. How are you?” Jodie asked, with that concerned tone that mothers hold.
“I’m fine thank you, and look I still have your necklace with the pumpkin heart!” There was a short, slightly awkward pause. “Why didn’t you tell me I was searching for you all that time?”
Jodie moved closer to the circle edge.
“Because you would have tried to save me sooner, or stop me from going to work that night. If you had changed my fate you would have changed yours as well. I would never have gone back and met your father and you would not have been born. The price I pay now is enough to ensure you also still exist and that is good enough reason for me to be here.”
Ffion smiled and moved closer to Jodie as if to reach out for a hug. With a clash of light the pendant Ffion carried sparked against the edge of the stones barrier that contained Jodie. Ffion opened her hand as the light grew stronger within the crystal droplet and a scream from within the pendant grew louder. Before them was a spirit orb that hovered as the energy it released began to form the shape of a face and body. Jodie looked on in horror.
“You!” The ghostly face turned to look at Jodie. “No, it can’t be, he killed you I saw you burn!” said the ghost of the middle-aged woman formed from the glittering magic emanating from the orb. The ghost and Jodie’s spirit stared at each other as one of the pillars of rock in the circle began to softly glow. The ghost began to be slowly sucked toward the stone as it absorbed the magic from the pendant.
“NO, this can’t be, it wasn’t supposed to be this way, you were never meant to come back. IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE US, NOT YOUUUU!”
The spirit of the woman was completely drawn into the stone. Like a polished marble the face of the woman was reflected on its surface as she became more haggard and old, as the ghost scratched at the under surface, trying to escape out of its new tomb, before slowly fading back to a glowing rock, silencing the spirit now trapped within it. The pendant in Ffion’s hand grew dim as she looked to her mother for answers.
“What did she mean? Do you know who that was?”
Jodie nodded, still a little in shock. “That was Catherine, one of the five witches from the coven, the ones who gave me up to the Witch Finder General. The day I placed the spell upon you. But that would mean the other four could still be alive.” She gasped as her eyes fluttered back and forth, as if remembering the events and the people from all those years ago.
Ffion reached out to comfort her but was met with a new problem. As her fingers reached the edge of the stones area, there was a spark of static energy which caused Ffion to pull back and shake her hand in pain.
“What’s going on? Why can’t I come within the stones?”
Jodie began to think, trying to concentrate and use the energy of the stones to get the answers she needed but there was nothing.
“I can’t link with the powers anymore" she said. "I can’t sense what’s going on!” She placed her hands against the barrier surrounding the stones, now trapping her from contact with the world. “Back when we lived together as a family, I read from Jack’s notes that the soul can be anchored in this world so it can find a way back to mortality. I anchored myself when I believed there was trouble coming by burying an object here at the stones. I protected myself from passing over by creating a shield so I would not be detected, but now I can’t feel that anymore or the gift of foresight it gave me.”
Jodie’s hand passed near to one of the stones and brushed upon its surface with her fingertips “I can feel. I can feel this rock, I’m part mortal again!” Jodie stared at her hand in disbelief as she took in the first sensations of the sense of touch after the past centuries of being able to feel nothing.
“Mother? Mother?” said Ffion, who was trying to get some attention. “MOTHER! Listen! If I just accidentally brought you one of the souls of the witches that helped to trap you and made you partly mortal, what would happen if I found the other four of them?”
Jodie tried to focus and think of an answer herself. “I know I found a way to break the spell, but I can’t remember how. My spell book. I would have written anything like that in there, to keep a note of everything. Find the magic book and you’ll get some answers, I’m sure of it. My other worry is that if I’m changing from the trade off, will the Reaper come for my soul, can they pick up on me? There’s a chance he might be able to sense and try to take my unprotected soul.”
Ffion stood defiant. “Not if I have anything to do with it he won't,” she declared, “We need to make you mortal again.”
With the detection barrier down and one of the stones aglow with the trapped soul of the village witch, they knew it would not belong before the Reaper would sense Jodie and her unique power.
From their hillside vantage point they watched as rays of light began to shine down. Usually associated with a cloudier sky, there weren’t any to be seen. They knew and could feel something was about to happen. The rays of light raced over the ground like spotlights searching before they came together to form one beam as it moved even closer. From above, a shadow of a large bird creature cast its shadow upon the ground as it began to fly down to land. As the beam of light faded it was easier to see what was before them. The creature had landed in a kneeling position, its head bowed low and its wings outspread with a bladed weapon held within its hand. Slowly the hooded figure rose to its feet and began to straighten up.
Dressed in a robe that was tatty and torn at its base with large buckled belts tied around it from its knees up to its chest, the creature looked only toward Jodie. As it raised its head the face was that of a skull with no lower jaw, too clean and smooth for bone, more like an armoured helmet. In its skeletal grip was the distinguishing weapon of the scythe. It bore outstretched wings, each easily five feet in length, slowly and unusually lowered, not backward like a bird but forward over its shoulders and wrapped around under its neck and down its body, forming a long feathered robe.
The Reaper had come for the soul it could now sense. It slowly glided over to the stones while George and Ffion watched on in amazement.
The Reaper seemed to ignore them as if it considered itself to be invisible to the living, but that wasn’t true. Ffion had magic in her veins and she could see everything quite clearly as she watched it glide by. George watched as well, proving that animals do indeed see more than any person could imagine. Nearby, a spirit orb that had been following them edged away from the Reaper and disappeared out of sight, hiding from the creature's gaze in case it decided to take it as well.
Standing by the stones, the Reaper gazed at the barrier that Jodie stood within. Neither made a sound, pondering what the next move might be. Without provocation the Reaper raised its scythe and took a blow at the barrier, the spark shocking Jodie, who fell backward onto the floor. Again another blow came but this time Ffion was already on the offensive as she charged the creature. Not thinking her a threat, it ignored her while it prepared for another strike.
In a hit to its side Ffion took down the Reaper with a heavy tackle and they rolled over the ground, scrabbling back up to their feet. The Reaper stood up and looked squarely in the eyes at Ffion as the realisation that it could be seen by her sank in, It prepared itself, getting in to a fighting stance, scyt
he in hand.
Ffion powered up and sent a blast hurtling its way. Deflecting the blow from its blade the Reaper swung the scythe at her as she moved, dodged, and weaved around each quick and fluid movement, waiting for her chance to strike.
Quickly jumping a low sweep, Ffion landed and took her shot, knocking the Reaper to the floor as the blast hit it in the chest. The Reaper seemed confused and it stood back up.
“You’re human," it said. "How are you even able to see me? And you command powers that….. can it be you are a? But how? Be it known that I have only come for this soul, to take it to its rightful resting place before they come.”
Ffion was confused. “Before who come? You’re the Reaper, the angel of death, so who else is going to come for her?”
The Reaper laughed quietly. “You possess such power yet know so little. I am this soul’s protector and I must take it before it’s too late,” it commanded.
Ffion became angry. “You’re nothing and my mother’s soul is not yours to take or protect. THAT’S MY JOB!” She scowled as she sent a bigger blast of power knocking the Reaper off its feet and down the hillside, rolling to the bottom.
Climbing to its feet the Reaper looked up at Ffion, still shocked that she could best him in a fight. Moving backward and away from her, it raised its mighty wings as a ray of light shone down upon it. As it flew up the shaft of light it kept watching them until it disappeared into the sky and the light faded. Ffion powered down now the threat had subsided, and she turned to George.
“What was that all about and who else is coming? If angels watch over me from above, then who’s down here with me now?” questioned Ffion.
George shrugged, none the wiser either. “Well who or whatever it was on about, it’s bad enough to warn us about. Whatever happens let’s sort this before anything else comes our way, ok?”