DISCARDED: The Ones The World Did Not Need

One

There are 9 types of magic. Period.

The bashful sun peeked out at the world from behind the hill.

The subtle morning warmth greatly comforted Himiko.

Her legs ached and she felt fatigued from climbing up the steep path.

Her husband tried to stop her from accompanying him on the journey but she would not give in. She wanted to see it.

She wanted to see when her child was dipped in.

Himiko looked down at her child whose eyes seemed to drink up her surroundings.

She was just 6 months old but she was beautiful.

Her eyes were the most enchanting green.

It pained Himiko to admit it but her eyes shone brighter than the ones she fell in love with.

She turned to look at her husband who turned to her with a worried look.

"We can rest for a while if you're tired."
Himiko shook her head
" I want to get there as quickly as possible. I can't wait any longer Aaron."
Aaron laughed quietly at her childish excitement.

She held onto the baby so tightly that he was surprised she didn't scream in discomfort.

He looked forward as they began to descend the hill, holding onto Himiko's shoulders so she would not loose her footing.

They were almost there.

Almost at the enchanted spring.

...

It wasn't Himiko's first time visiting the spring, but it felt as breathtaking as it was back then.

The clear water was perfectly still and the even white sand on the bed of the spring was so apparent that one would think that they could just reach and touch it.
Himiko knew though, that the spring was much deeper.

"Let's get started, shall we?" Aaron asked standing besides Himiko who nodded and went closer to the water.

She hoped that it did not turn pink.

Hypnosis was her magic and although it was powerful, people were always wary of those with hypnosis.

Himiko looked down at her daughter again for a while, took a deep breath and gently dipped her into the spring leaving only her head out.

The child was shocked by the cold water she was dunked into but she did not seem to mind much. She moved her hands and squealed with glee as the water splashed about.

Apart from the child playing in the water, the spring was perfectly calm.

And perfectly clear.

Just as Himiko began to worry, the water began to stir.

Aaron let out a sigh of relief.

"You worry too much." Himiko said still holding her child in the spring.
"Well for good rea..."
Before Aaron could complete his statement, the stirring stopped.

Black ooze that seemed to pour out of the child tainted the lake.

The crystal clear water had been replaced with black tar.

For a moment, the couple could do nothing but stare at the child who looked even more pleased as she looked around the spring and giggled in amusement.

Aaron dragged Himiko up and took the child from her.

"Aaron, what are you doing?!"
"Getting rid of this abomination." His eyes widened in fanatic urgency.
Himiko stared at him in disbelief.
"What? No, she's my child!"

Aaron threw the child by the spring and she began to wail.

"Stop it!!"
Himiko was about to run to the child when Aaron caught her by the waist and dragged her from the spring.

"You'll have other children Himiko, forget that one."

Himiko screamed matching the child's wailing as her husband dragged her away.

"Let me go to her! Please!"
The child cried even harder as the screams of her mother faded into the distance.

...
Racheal had given up on her worn out sandals and left them behind.

The grass beneath her cooled her feet down.

She had been walking down the hills searching for berries or mushrooms or anything that was edible but her basket barely had anything in it and she was about to give up.

The sun was about to fall behind the horizon and it would take Racheal a while before she got back to the temple.

She promised herself that she would go back home once she had checked the banks of the enchanted spring.

She hated the spring.

Everytime she went into it, it remained clear.

Not even a dull glimmer.

Because of that, she had to live alone and fend for herself.

She could not get work because no one hired people without magic.

She had been alone for her entire 15 years.

Racheal took a deep breath and tried to stop herself from thinking about it.

"Come on now, you have to hurry up." She said to herself doing a small sprint.

When the spring was in sight, she ran even faster so she would be on her way before the sun set.

Racheal stopped abruptly almost tripping on her own feet.

The orange tint of the fading sun bounced off the water which gave the scenery a different look.

She was about to start her search when she heard a small whimper.

She looked round; a small child laid dangerously close to the spring.

Utterly stunned, Racheal quickly walked towards it and carried it.
She was a beautiful baby girl.

Her face was sheet white and her eyes were puffy and red.

She had been crying for a long time.
"Hello lass, what're you doing here?" Racheal asked sitting on the floor and searching for something in her basket that the child could eat.

She squished some berries with her fingers and gave it to the child to suck on, chewing on the dried flesh when the baby was done with the juice.

After a few berries, the child seemed satisfied and preoccupied herself with staring into Racheal's eyes.

"Why did they leave you here? Did you not have any magic?"

The child yawned quietly and Racheal considered putting her into the water but decided against it.

The sun had already set and it was going to be dark soon.

Racheal got up with the child in one hand and her basket in the other.

The child held on to her and rested on her shoulders.

Racheal looked up the hill and shuddered at the thought of how long it would take for her to get home.

"What shall we call you lass?" Racheal asked the child who she presumed was sleeping due to her heavy breathing.

She pondered on what to call the child as she climbed up, swinging her basket softly.

"What about Enid, that sounds nice doesn't it?"

The child cooed in her sleep.

"Enid it is then."

No type of magic makes the spring turn black...