A Witch's Destiny

by E. J. Bennett

  She noticed that a thick mist began to cloud her legs, turning into a dense fog. It wasn’t natural and her mind went into instant panic.

  She had a sense that someone or thing was watching her, the hairs on the nape of her neck prickled. All the horror movies she had ever watched flashed in her mind, it gave her a sense that something was a little off but she continued the journey down the bleak part, until she heard the soft footfalls of something or someone behind her. She turned sharply her eyes doing all the work. Her heart began pouncing almost hitting her ribs. The unidentified object or thing ran past her swiftly, and then a branch fell off a nearby tree. That was all she needed. Her heart leapt in her chest rattling against her rib cage as her breath halted in her throat. For a second she was rendered immobile. Glued to the spot in utter terror.

  ‘Run, run!’

  She spoke to her legs, which jumped to action. The wind rustled past as she was making her way through the woods, she needed to get away from whatever it was. Behind her, she could hear heavy footsteps getting closer and it only propelled her to run faster. Sooner than she thought, she burst into a clearing, she paused to listen. Nothing.

  Then just as she was about to take a step, the torch in her hand exposed a face having a saber-tooth like that of a tiger. Then it was all bleak and blank.

  Divina had been passed out for three hours after she had seen the inhumane figure. Darren who was manipulated by Blackclaw to achieve his own ends held a smug smile. It had been easier than he had first thought. Infact he hadn’t had to lift a finger. Only to carrier her to her cell. Of course he picked the smelliest and one out of them all. He wanted her to suffer.

  Blackclaw entered the cell that Divina was placed in and he smiled. He couldn’t believe his luck. Prophecy had foretold that she would be very powerful even for him. But he had little or no problems in capturing her. It was indeed game time. He moved closer to her and sniffed her examining her closely.

  “She is quite beautiful,’’ he said aloud unexpectedly.

  He recovered sharply from the sincere admire he had to curtail himself from giving his prisoner any further compliments, after all she was condemned to death. If he didn’t need to kill her to ensure his own survival she would have indeed made a great pet. General Blackclaw collected the bucket of water Darren had and rained it hard on Divina.

  “Jeez,’’ Divina exclaimed suddenly regaining consciousness.

  “Welcome to the party prophecy seeker!” Blackclaw said mockingly

  “Where am I? Who are you?” Divina asked as tears began to well up in her eyes. She had never been so afraid in her life.

  “Where you are . . .?”

  “I wouldn’t bother about that, lil girl’’

  “Release me please, I have not done anything wrong,’’ she pleaded.

  Blackclaw let out a sinister smile.

  Divina caught a glimpse of Darren her ex with the corner of her eye and she turned swiftly to confirm.

  “Darren, what!” Divina looked perplexed.

  “Hello Divina,” Darren replied emerging from the corner of the room with a smirk on his face.

  “Finally, I got my chance to pay you for what you’ve done. An eye for an eye,”

  “Please, Daren untie me,”

  “Untie? You really don’t know who you are. Just as innocent as you look,” he grunted.

  Darren was still a jerk. Just a bigger one than before. Divina couldn’t believe at one point she loved to be on his arm and to be called his girl. Now she looked at him in disgust.

  Blackclaw interrupted both of them and instructed that Divina should be kept under lock and key until he was ready to deal with her. Divina got a chill down her spine with the way Blackclaw had said “Deal with her,” like she was nothing but a piece of property.

  BACK HOME AMY WALKED into the house after a very long day. It was indeed a very long day as she was moving from one store to another getting the right ingredients for the rite of passage which would bring to the fore Divina’s powers. She strutted into the house and laid the groceries on the kitchen table calling out to Divina.

  “Hey pumpkin am home,” She said turning to go to the kitchen.

  Amy had spent several minutes in the kitchen arranging the groceries without any reply from Divina. She called out the second time

  ‘’Divina dear, Mum is home,’’

  Still no response from her daughter, Amy decided to go check on her. She climbed upstairs and she knocked on Divina’s door. She got no response.

  “Sleeping are we?”Amy said peeping into the room.

  Amy received the greatest shock of her life, Divina’s bed was empty and there was a note indicating where she was.

  “This can’t be,” she thought.

  “I begged her not to go outside, I told her it was too dangerous,” Why didn’t she listen?

  Immediately, panic set in as thoughts of different events happening to her daughter came rushing into her perturbed mind. Hastily she picked up her phone and dialed the only one person who she knew was very good at finding people, her ex husband.

  “Hello Aiden I can’t find her,’’ she said dejectedly.

  “What! Amy I thought you told her the dangers involved in going out?”

  “Believe me Aiden I did but,’’ she couldn’t continue as tears rolled out effortlessly and sobs escaped from her mouth. She felt helpless.

  Aiden knowing full well how emotional his ex-wife was, knew better than to push things further.

  “Calm down Amy, I will find our daughter. I promise you,’’ he reassured her. Amy didn’t have the same hope she heard in his voice. The fight with Blackclaw could be the one they couldn’t beat. Divina wasn’t ready.

  “Please Aiden, please find her,’’ she begged trying to latch onto his hope.

  Aiden after ending the call set to motion immediately. He put a call through to Vanir and he wasn’t too surprised with the outcome.

  “He has her man,’’ Vanir said.

  “Am gonna kill Blackclaw if he lays a finger on my girl,’’ Aiden said clenching his fist.

  “We will have to work together brother,’’ he continued.

  “Are you ready to battle Vanir?’’

  “Hell yeah man. I want my daughter’s back,’’

  “Good, am gonna update you soon,” Aiden said dropping the call. They both wanted the same thing. Their babies home and safe. They would fight to the death to ensure that happened.

  IT HAD BEEN TWO DAYS since Divina has been kept in Blackclaw’s company. She noticed other girls in other cells being murdered and she was tired of being tied up. She decided to make a frantic effort to get herself released.

  “Hey Darren are you happy to see me like this?’’

  “I thought I meant something to you,” She did mean something to him but that was a long time ago. Nothing she could say could change his mind. Daren’s soul had been buried in evil. Divina wasn’t the cause for all those but an external force. He yearned for power more than he could get or control. Being who he was, was a blessing which he enjoyed and cherished. To him, Divina was just another pawn.

  Darren moved closer to the cell and gave Divina a hard look.

  “Oh don’t play yourself Divina, that trick isn’t gonna work,” he said turning his back on her.

  “What happened to you Darren, you were once good, kind and-”

  “You broke my heart Divina, that’s what happened and am going to get my revenge now,’’ he strutted away.

  “I gave you everything Darren but I don’t know you anymore, killing those innocent people. . .’’ she said tearfully.

  “No one is innocent Divina. We all have black stains on our heart!” he yelled at her his cheeks puffing out with uncontrolled rage.

  “Stay away from the girl,’’ Blackclaw entered and declared with a female behind him. Divina knew it was a female by the pitter patter of her heals on the stone floor.

  Divina noticed that the lady behind Blackclaw was trying as much
as possible to hide herself from Divina. She stayed behind Blackclaw with her face turned to the shadows.

  “I would like to introduce you to....”

  “My mum?’’ Divina said as the lady left Blackclaw’s shadow.

  “Your Mum indeed,’’ he said drawing the sinister laughter from the rest of the group.

  Divina was confused, she had seen this woman before in her dreams and she looked exactly like her Mum. Different questions roamed her mind. The lady reading Divina’s mind gave her the needed answers.

  “I am your Mum’s twin sister,’’ she said without blinking.

  “I abducted her when she was young and raised her to do my biddings,’’ Blackclaw said with glee.

  Oh yes Divina could now remember that her Mum and Dad had bruised the idea of a twin sister when they were disclosing the truth about her kind to her.

  “So you too just kill innocent people like him?’’ she inquired.

  “No one is innocent little girl, life is unfair,’’ she remarked.

  Words were thrown at each other and Blackclaw told her that she would be history tomorrow because tomorrow was the full moon and it was the perfect time to drain her power and kill her.

  “Dad, Mum-where are you guys?” She sobbed quietly.

  “No one can save you little witch,’’ the witch twin sister said with disgust.

  “Such a weak and naive little girl,” she added.

  BACK HOME AIDEN BEGAN gathering the necessary items for the little expedition to save his daughter. He knew the task at hand was enormous and he also knew that it would be very tough to kill Blackclaw at first strike but he was determined to do whatever was necessary to save his girl and Vanir’s daughters. Blackclaw had destroyed one family too many and messed with the wrong one. He would see to his end if it was the last thing he did.

  “Got everything?’’ Amy said with anxiety.

  “I think so I can’t think straight now,’’ he replied to her with a disturbed look. It was be the most important battle he had ever gone into. If anything happened he risked losing everything. Even his sanity. This time he had to think things through. Be smart. His baby girls life was at risk and he had no room for errors.

  Amy had seen Aiden in that situation before whenever he was about to embark very dangerous situations. He would always wear that disturbing look on his face. She knew she had to keep Aiden in one piece if she ever wanted to see her daughter again.

  She moved closer to him and gave him a warm embrace whispering in his ears which prompted a smile from him.

  “I have never doubted you and you know I love you,’’

  “Exactly the motivation I needed,’’ as he held tightly to his ex wife. He knew why he loved her, he always had. Even a divorce couldn’t change his love.

  “Oops wolf bane-almost forgot that,’’ he said scratching his head.

  Amy shook her head and motioned to him to get the antidote.

  “I am sure where going to get through this together,” she said smiling, relishing how an embrace and words got to him easily. She indeed meant what she said to Aiden. She loved him so much.

  “Yeah, I got this,’’ Aiden said emerging from the kitchen. What a funny place to keep the things he wondered.

  “Bring back our daughter,’’ Amy said kissing him on the cheeks.

  With that Aiden exited the building and got into the car that had Vanir in the driver’s seat. He looked back one last time at Amy who looked lost and afraid. He wouldn’t fail her.

  In no time they zoomed off heading for Blackclaw’s protective mansion. Both of them held a knot of fear and anxiety in the pit of their stomachs. They knew full well that not all of them would come out of the battle alive.

  Chapter 14

  Aiden and Vanir arrived at Blackclaw’s compound around nine pm of the full moon. They stayed at a considerable distance in order to monitor the movements and devise a plan on how they would get into the building and save their daughters. Like any powerful man the place was surrounded with guards. However it wasn’t the first time that Aiden had snuck into an heavy guard place.

  ‘’I see three guards manning the gate,’’ Vanir said using the telescope.

  “It won’t be wise to go through the gate,’’ Aiden responded.

  “Plus there is six guards walking the perimeter and four in the watch towers,” he added.

  “I agree,’’ Vanir said looking surprised at Aiden’s observation.

  “What about the walls?’’ Aiden chipped in.

  Turning the telescope towards the walls, he noticed a gap and he swiftly notified Aiden.

  “We can use the walls Aiden,’’

  Getting past the wall was no problem for Vanir. The problem was what lay inside the walls. He knew they would be jumping into a compound where they would be outnumbered and the thought of jumping into a trap baffled him.

  “We will use the wolf bane to nullify them,’’ Aiden said as if he was guessing what was on Vanir’s mind.

  “Are you sure it will work Aiden?’’

  “I know how these things work trust me,’’

  “Well I have no option,’’ Vanir said quietly doubting their plan. Who else could he turn too?

  They disembarked from the vehicle and moved towards the building.

  Inside Blackclaw’s building, there was a celebration going on. Blackclaw was feeding happily on the people he instructed his followers to get from the prison. He was especially delighted that he was finally going to evade the prophecy by killing Divina and draining all her powers. He would be the king of all kings. Every supernatural being would kneel before him.

  “Drink people and be merry,’’ he said sapping hungrily from his victim as his other followers joined in.

  “Today, I make myself a god,’’ he said to the cheering crowd while he held a gleeful smile.

  “We will kill the girl at midnight and evade such a stupid prophecy,’’

  “Bring her out,’’ he instructed. Divina was dragged from her cell. Her sneakers scraped against the stone floor. She was tied to the pillar at the centre of the courtyard with the moon overhead purring in.

  “Please don’t do this,’’ Divina begged. At that moment she wished she had listened to her mother.

  “Aunty, Darren please help me,’’ she continued as both turned deaf ears to her plea.

  “No one can help you lil girl,’’ Blackclaw said happily.

  Due to the amassed presence in the courtyard the prisons were left unguarded and Vanir had no problem finding his girls. He moved swiftly in order not to notify the other guards and he was in no time in front of his daughter’s cell. He peered in and he was filled with shame. They had been mistreated because of his mistakes and they look like thin brooms. If his wife could see what have become of them, she would be turning in her grave tossing insults and every curse available to her. He had never felt so ashamed of himself in his life. What had he done?

  “Bianca b, b,” he called out to the three girls the shame and pain he felt evident in his voice.

  “Daddy?” the three girls chorused in words that were more like a whispered croak.

  Hearing his girls weakened voice moved him to tears.

  “A-m s- o-rry s-o sorry,” he stuttered as he broke the lock and entered the prison. He rushed towards his girls and embraced them. He squeezed them tightly to his chest. He had been afraid. Seeing them in the little flesh they had left moved him to tears of happiness and guilt. He became angrier with himself for allowing the horrors to happen to his girls. Yet he would make Blackclaw pay for the hand he had played.

  “Am so sorry girls,’’ he said as he broke the chains used to tie them. They shattered easily with one yank at his supernatural strength.

  The three girls were too weak to talk as they continued to sob quietly, moving swiftly he carried them out of the cell. One on his back the other two tucked under each arm. In no time they were resting peacefully at the back of the vehicle Vanir and Aiden had left nearby.
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  BACK INSIDE THE COMPOUND Aiden moved swiftly using the wolfsbane to neutralize the guards. As he moved towards the courtyard where Divina was held, the celebrating was in full swing. Blackclaw raised his hands up and the courtyard fell silent.

  “There is an intruder here,’’ he said aloud as his minion scampered around trying to sniff out the so called intruder.

  “Be on your guard,’’ Blackclaw said ending the celebration.

  He moved closer to Divina and reached out for his knife.

  “It’s time to go little girl,’’

  “No, no please leave me alone,’’ she tried to struggle against her restraints as sheer panic set in.

  Hearing his little daughter scream was unbearable to Aiden. He broke out from his hide out and rushed towards Blackclaw throwing a dagger at him. Blackclaw with his super strength and vision was able to maneuver his body successfully to avoid the dagger but he wasn’t too fast to miss the dagger completely as it scraped his forearm. He rolled to the other side and had a good view of his challenger.

  “Oh daddy I knew you would come,” Blackclaw mimicked a teenage girl.

  “Am here baby,’’ Aiden said straightening himself up to face Blackclaw with his eyes fierce and ready to fight to the death in needed be.

  “Father of the Lycan godmother, you are quite famous,’’ Blackclaw said heartily.

  “But you are no match for me,’’ he added as he showed off his well-toned body and muscles.

  “I have heard about your exploits but you are outnumbered 1-42 or 59. I don’t really know,’’ he said gleefully.

  “No he is not, Satan,’’ Vanir said appearing from the shadows holding a bottle in his hand.

  “Vanir? Nice, that makes it two,’’ Blackclaw said.

  “I regret not feeding on your daughters but definitely I would take pleasure in drinking your blood,”

  “There is only one person dying here today and it is you Satan.’’ Vanir said as he smashed the bottle of wolf bane on the floor.