Chapter 36: Behind It All

"I and the crew were heading to the river and fetch some fish for our wives but this chief, this disastrous and obnoxious scene appeared before us. We were so stunned, chief. That we had to head back as fast as we could." This lad was trembling upon uttering the reason for his call.

Indeed, what disastrous and obnoxious it was.

Way before the trees turned like this. Some were still unaffected by the plague. Now, it was madness.

Ambroz was shaking as he breathe through the dreadful pollution released from this occurrence. Never had he ever seen such a thing in his entire life. Instead of saying it was decayed, it was more of cursed and perished. Even the trunks seem to be vanishing some woods.

They roamed their eyes and saw not a single green-shaded leaf around. The sun was not even shining in and letting out its rays. Ambroz was petrified. Even his father from behind could never utter anything.

He gulped harshly. "What shall we do? If the goddess feels this mournful aura, she'll absolutely throw a fit. We can not let this sit still." He gazed back to his father and was waiting for what he decided.

But even after that, Logan himself was aghast and could not give him an answer. He became worried. Letting this stay longer than it already is, who knows what will the goddess bring upon their future.

"How about you men?" He turned to his men who were staring at him.

All they did was avoid his gaze in return. No one dares to give any suggestions. They know it wouldn't work and it will only worsen it.

He furrowed his brows and faced his father once more. "Father, we have to discuss this with mother. For now, I would like to request we all head back and think this matter through once more. Staying here and we're all doom." He hit the reins on his horse and wailed the stirrup iron. His horse galloped and guided his men out of the forest.

"Aye, chief!"

They arrived at the village with women gathering at the centre. They were all making a fuss and mumbling something he could not hear. 'What noise are they releasing early in the morning?'

He headed after them. "What's the fuss about, ladies?" He asked and pulled the reins to halt his horse. The rest of his men arrived behind him and also paused.

They all stared at each other and before they could answer him, he observed that her mother wasn't with them and there he heard something coming from their house. He gazed at it and his brows met, he turned his head back at them again.

"What is it?"

One woman stepped in front of him. "Chief, we heard about what happened in the forest and Fredeline here," she pulled beside her a woman who was lowering her head and had trembling hands. "She was supposed to call your mother but she witnessed something horrendous."

"Horrendous? Tell me, what happened and what did you see?" He got curious and these women weren't helping. "Nanny Fredeline,"

She slowly faced him and he met her eyes. It was filled with horror and eerie. As perhaps she has seen something that has never been shown in the land.

"I-i came up to her and k-knock on her door. S-she was silent so I h-had to open it myself. But when I did, s-she grabbed me on my shoulders and looked at me with those taunting e-eyes and told me that she will kill us all. C-chief," she rushed to his foot. "She's not your mother!"

Women widened their eyes and covered their mouths as they all gasped. They started muttering and blabbering. He was also thunderstruck by her words, however, he did not fall for it instantly. He took a breather and faced his people.

"Fear not. My mother's probably just sick. For now, let's all calm ourselves. A significant commotion is right in ahead of us. The forest is at sake, guard yourselves and these men shall tell you what it is." He glances behind him to look for someone. "Father, father?"

Yet his father was nowhere to be found. He wandered his eyes and no sight of his father, Logan.

"He heads to your house, chief." Someone said telling him where his father went.

"Alright, I'll head home. You men shall assist your wives." He demanded and head home. Tied his horse outside their house and scurried to her mother and father.

He was one to talk like that to the women when in fact his heart was rapidly beating. He was frightened that something he longed to know will be revealed in the worst way possible. When it's about his mother, inside his heart turns vulnerable.

"Mother, father, where are you?" He exclaimed right before entering their home.

No one answered. He assumed that they were inside her mother's room so he hurried and stomped his way through. He knocked three times with the back of his palm.

"Father, are you in there? Let me in." He exclaimed to the other side of that door.

"Son," his father called out to him. "Head outside and tell the others what you plan in mind with the forest. Your mother and I have something to discuss."

He furrowed his brows. How could they set him aside with this matter? He has to know this since he's the chief. More than that, he is their own son. They're trying to conceal information about what they know.

"Father, you should let me in. Women are panicking and I need to address this matter. What's there to hide? I'm also worried about mother—" he was trying to contain himself but his father interrupted him and he could never retort to it.

"This has nothing to do with your nor the women! Be responsible and think about what is best to do. You're the chief!" He shouted with a speck of anger heard from his tone. He was agitated.

Ambro was stunned. Not for a single lifetime did he ever witness his parents forbade him from something he also has to know. 'Am I not their son? Who am I to them?'

—

Thunder came striking through the ground as the grey clouds filled the above. The hues were not as fond as day. The robust surface has engulfed this unpleasant place. Beyond that was a covenstead.

"Mother! We have lived for so long and yet we have not found a single trace of Maurelle?" Ravyn asked in frustration. She got impatient, the older they become the more restless they have turned.

However, the truth to the vulnerable time they have cursed and played a trick on, they never age. It was as if they'd evolve into immortal beings. Swallowing souls and manipulating the minds of the people. They have long succeeded. But now, Gwydion set course to her treachery.

Gwydion had her hands holding the crystal circle stroking it and activating it. Her eyes were smoky white as she used her evil spells to seek the land of where her daughter is.

"Silence, Ravyn. For they brought me nothing but madness, I have brought them destruction. They are facing my wrath and they shall suffer from it. Filthy happiness and dirtiest fate, how dare she escape from me and followed that man? Grew a child and lived in a place where we abhor?" She said with rage escalating through her core.

"Place we abhor, mother?"

"Yes, a place where she found herself smiling. When I was the one who raised her, not even a single grin was spotted."

Ravyn suddenly avoided her gaze from her mother. After all, she was the one who let them escape and gave her sister hope for the world that she desires.

It has been years already. Years have passed ever since she last saw her little sister Maurelle. As to where her sister went to? She has no sheer idea. But it seems her mother has found her.

'I still haven't had the chance to be seated in the thrown for the greatest witch? Now it angers me, I should have killed you Maurelle. I should have slaughtered you. Till then I would never have an unworthy rivalry. Now that you're pleased with your fate, you should please me back.'

"Ravyn, you're silent. Do you know about her whereabouts?" Suddenly, Gwydion was suspecting her movements. She had her eyes still cursing the land.

Ravyn gulped and turned to face her. "W-what are you talking about, mother? She escaped from us, remember?"

"The way you're acting for the past years. Wanting to steal the throne from her, is this your scandal? Befouling her reputation? So you, could have my blessing? Is this it, Ravyn?" Her mother yelled at her and she witnessed her grip tighten up the crystal circle.

"Mother, no! I can never do this to you. Long before, Maurelle was the one who hated you. Hated our covenstead. She escaped all on her own, don't you see? We have looked for her many times until now! How could you suspect me when all I have done was help you?" She made a huge fuss with her response. Her face was filled with sweat as she looked at her mother with a worried complexion. Her usual pale hands were cold and soaked.

Gwydion was not delighted. "Hm, truly you're not lying behind my back?"

"Again, I could never do that to you, mother. You can even ask Glinda. She was there, she also knew that Maurelle escaped all on her own. You don't even believe me." Her retort was all a massive lie. A white lie to save herself. If her mother does believe in her then she could at least lower her rage to her. No one would ever know what she has done. Except for her sister.

"Quit your blabber, if you don't know. Then so be it. Now that I have found her, nothing matters but her punishment." Said Gwydion with a grimace.

Glinda entered that chamber and heard her mother's last statement. She furrowed her brows and twitched her nose. "Punishment, mother? What punishment?"

She came from the land under.

"She has her own son. A poor son who doesn't even know of her mother's identity. I have only planned for this spell to be used with these nobles from us. But it appears that I won't be using it with them anymore." She responded, smiling like a fool.

Glinda and Ravyn looked at each other and gulped harshly. If it's that spell, then surely it must be something powerful and out of their reach to create. Whatever it could be, they have to know.

"What spell exactly, mother? Please spare us the concussion and reveal it to us." Ravyn said almost whispering.

Glinda stroked her crystal and let out an evil smile. She then bursts a sneer. As the second passed, it gets louder and louder. Making Ravyn and Glinda gaze at each other, thinking how crazy their mother has gone.n

"I pity her family, the son and most especially that traveller. They have gone to limits and I will perish every single one of them. Bring fire and flames to turn their body to ashes." The crystal she was stroking showed people screaming and whining as they were followed by a series of fires after their back.

Glinda widened her eyes and gasped while Ravyn turned fierce. They seem to have an idea now as to what their mother plans.

"I will curse their son and succumb that man's death so that she will have no choice but to obey. I can only do that with the help of these obnoxious humans we manipulated. With their ships, we will find ourselves there." She responded with a wicked voice. Gwydion, for years, this is what she schemed all along.

Ravyn took a step closer to her. "There?" She nervously asked.

The smoky grey eyes of her mother turned clear as she released her hands from the crystal, her violet pupils showed and radiated from the small light emitting from the torches. She scoffed.

"Maurelle atlas, I found you!"

—

The sky was dimmed. It had a tinge of red and black hues with it. It created an unpleasant mood and the place was engulfed with evil. The palace that was once stringent and alive has now veered round and appeared to be HELL. The nobles and the people following them now has a hazy perspective of the place. Unaware of who did this, they reign a new leader to obey.

People were moving as if they were dead. Running errands around the ship, moving barrels, carrying canyon's bullets, and other iron weapons. They had inhuman eyes. They have never slept and all is controlled by one certain wicked leader.

"Bust your bumpers! The queen's here!" A man who was carrying a barrel shouted when he saw something fly across the sky.

The people heard him and they scattered to finish their work. One after the other, placing the materials in their place and standing straight. Waiting for the mentioned queen.

This queen and her two alibis arrived and dropped themselves off on the ship. They removed their cloaks and revealed their faces. It was her, Gwydion and her daughters. The newly reigned leader. The root of all this ruthlessness and the multiple curses.

"Where's Frederick?" She implored to them.

"On the other ship, my queen." A man answered.

Gwydion gaze at her daughters and tilted her head. Suddenly, they flew to the other ship with their brooms. Her head turned back at these men and they all flinched.

"When is this ship ready for take-off? I have given you enough time, haven't I? This should be ready now." She trace her way up and went to the steering wheel. Stroked her pale long fingers on it and gripped it hard with both of her hands. She saw that the men were just staring at her and it made her angry. "Quit cramming and work, will you?"

They all dashed and head back to work. While she was smiling wickedly. All her plans were finally paid off. It has to turn into a fixed puzzle and she has finally found her daughter. It wouldn't take long before she could finally perform her recreation to Maurelle's power.

Yes, she manipulated the nobles' men. In the past few years, while Maurelle was having the most of her time, she was occupied in planning for her discovery. The people in the palace and in the village were all cursed from her very own hands. They lost sight of whom they should follow, even the King himself, Frederick Douglass II, was being manipulated and bowed to her reign. She slaughtered those who opposed and made as slaves for those who never dare to resist. The land that was still touched by the sun never once saw it anymore. It seems as if the weather was brought to a still. It was all her doing, her evil treachery.

"Unleash these ships and lets all sail!" She shouted at the men loitering around.

Ravyn and Glinda arrived taking the King to their grasp and throwing him in front of Gwydion. This king slump on the ground and puked as he was not settled with flying on high grounds.

"Filthy wretch of a scoundrel, you are. Dare to burst your vulgarity on my guard? You shall follow my demands and set this ship to course, I no longer have the patience to wait." She exclaimed and head down.

Men started to lower the sail and pulled ropes to steady it. Others went down below to untie it from the fence. They were all in a rush as per her instructions. The other ships followed it too.

Ravyn went towards her mother after letting Glinda guard the king to manoeuvre their ship. "Mother, where exactly are we headed off to? You told me last time that she is not on our grounds. How did you spot her when she's inside a world we don't even know that exists." She complained to her mother.

She received a glare. "Annoying brat. I tell you where she is, it's a land. A lively and boring land. There's a border separating that world from ours. And with enough spells and control, I can manage to destroy that border. I have already brought upon their land destruction and saw their faces. Maurelle's finally feeling my wrath." Her fist trembled in anger as she looked at the vast sea. For so long, she just found her daughter now and knowing that she even created her own family. Her head was filled with vengeance.

"But are you sure you can cast this spell?"

Gwydion faced her. "You don't trust me, do you? As much as I don't trust you. Indeed, you have made use and created an idea on your little head to manipulate these people. But none of that matters, after all, you were the reason that I lost sight of her. It was your lack of wisdom." She insulted her and everyone heard it, they all laugh.

Ravyn was pissed and almost threw a fit but, hissed at them instead. They went silent and faked a cough.

"Fine, mother. We shall sail and carry on with this." After she let go of that statement.

They all were in the move and the ship started to ascend away from the land. There were five-ship in total and were all loaded with canyons.

While sailing, Gwydion discussed about her plan with her two daughters. They listen carefully and implied it inside their head.

But, Ravyn, she was never in favour of it at all. Getting Maurelle back is the last thing she would ever do. That's why way before her mother could discover Maurelle's whereabouts. Her head has settled a plan. Created a potion for her plan.

With that potion, she could have the power all to herself.

"My queen, we're here." A man called out to her mother.

Gwydion came out of the cabin and so did both of them. In front of them was nothing but rainy and thundering clouds. All waiting for a slight push to let go.

Gwydion smiled. "Stand back you men, this will be a hell of a hit." She demanded and they followed. Grabbing her wand inside the cloak and waving it after uttering these words. "Upon your guard, you shall perish, with a wave of my wand this border turn it into pieces!"

The magic landed on the clouds and it thundered. Immediately, she yelled at Frederick and asked him to sail fast. He did and their ship went across that weather. They grabbed the railings of this ship until they could finally arrive. It felt as if they were being pushed.

The place changed and what has revealed to them was another land from afar. They saw light, the sea was radiating it towards them.

Ravyn didn't realize what even happened. All they know was the magic worked. They were brought to another world.

"See us coming."

———————

ABYSSCESS