From Light to Darkness

6 - The Beginning

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Flashback

Medieval England - 1016 (the year Briana was born).

Eda Beake
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Standing on the open field, my skin absorbed the intense heat of the sun. I should have been working in the market but I had felt the urge to escape the overcrowded centre of the village. It had seemed like an eternity ago since I had last felt the beautiful presence of life and nature. I welcomed the smell of the wild flowers which were scattered around the clearing and the gentle breeze of the warm, summer wind.

I looked across the field to where my son was trying to enclose a butterfly within his small hands. When he caught my gaze, he beamed the most energetic smile and his jade-green eyes sparkled with delight. Running at a speed which his short legs could barely handle, Elric came towards me. Eventually, he lost his energy and he stumbled to the ground. My heart momentarily froze with terror and I ran to him. Picking him up from the dirty ground, I observed him for injuries. I was flooded by relief when all I found was a small graze on his knee.

"It's okay, Elric," I sympathised, wiping a glistening tear from his cheek. "You will be fine."

"But it hurts, mother."

My son's eyes, which had been engulfed with pleasure and joy just moments before, were now filled with dismay and fright. He was my only family - I couldn't bear to see him in pain, no matter how small the injury was.

Gently, I placed my hand over his graze and closed my eyes. After whispering a few words under my breath and absorbing a few moments of silence, I removed my hand and opened my eyes. Where the minor wound had been, there was now a smooth layer of skin. No mark could be seen and there was no evidence of the injury. I gave Elric a reassuring smile and he replied with another energetic beam.

"Is that better?"

"Yes, it is."

His wide eyes stared at me with pride and fascination.

"Mother?"

"Yes?"

"Someday, when I'm older, will you teach me your magic?"

I gave a deep sigh, just as I always did when he asked me such a question.

"Elric, magic is not something that can be taught. It is a gift. And just like every other gift, it can only develop with practice. I am adamant that you have such a talent but you must have patience. Your time will come to be the hero you deserve to be - I promise."

With that, I clutched hold of my child's small hand and, together, we began walking back to the village.

The sun was only just beginning to set and, yet, the village centre was ready deserted by any form of life. Everybody was anxious lately, paranoid of the rumours of the evil rising in the South. Nobody wanted to experience the blood shed which had occurred last time. Just thinking of the treacherous scenes made me shiver.

Approaching our small home, I couldn't retract the feeling that something was wrong. It was as if my subconscious was attempting to warn me of something in the upcoming future - something big. Yet, I couldn't figure out what it was. My inner magic often gave me warnings and premonitions of what's to come but, this time, it felt different. It made me anxious.

The sound of the door creaking open was eerie in the intense silence of the village. Once in the safety of the small hut, I felt I huge flow of relief. If there was any place in the world we would be safe, it would be here. Or, so I thought.