Palindrome

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Why did I even bother? I had only a mile again to my house when I heard the rustling from the sky, and the chillness is my bones told me everything I needed to know about who it was. I was so tired, I didn’t feel like a Goddess at all, barely a Witch. I wanted to see William, I wanted to curl up beside him and fall asleep, and when I woke all this would have been a dream, just a bad dream. I was cold, blood seeping from my feet, and I had nothing left inside me to fight Ophidian now. I needed to recharge, to see my family. All the anger from before was replaced by fatigue and exhaustion. I turned blindly to the Beast lingering over me like a vulture waiting for the weakest to die. Despite my tiredness, I could feel small sparks of lightning coming from my fingertips when I flung my arms out, screaming out my agony to him.

“LEAVE ME THE FUCK ALONE!”

My voice cracked at the end from the emotion.

I heard a cackle from the sky, I was amazed his battered wings could keep him up.

“Oh, Goddess...” He used the title mockingly.

“All the stories about the Devil have a source. He always waits to the perfect moment, when the person is at its weakest, its most vulnerable. You have lost your consort…” He saw my quick look and laughter more. “Yes, I know. His body is laying lifeless on your pathetic altar-like a worshipped God. Sad to lose one of my sons, but it was for a greater cause. Look at you now. I bet you didn’t know that killing takes away some of your magic? A little bit of yourself disappears with the soul of the dead, like a tax.” He was circling me slowly. “Even if you are the perfect mix of elements.”

I almost wanted him to just be done with it, why did old men always have to blabber? I raised my arm and pushed out a more effective lightning, but even that one he dodged easily.

“Sweet Palindrome, I haven’t lived this long just to be defeated by a little whore. Before you run away and hide you have a job. Eve. BRING HER BACK.” His clawed feet were low enough to scratch my head, the nasty toes tangled in my hair. “I need her to start a new line, one who`s better than this one. Filled with dreamers and soft pussies.” He spat the words out, he was finally revealing his true self.

“Did Noah know this is what you wanted? To take him out of the line, creating a new one?” I tried to distract him while I prayed for some strength to come my way.

“Noah was a fool, but a helpful fool. He died for a good cause.”

The loud sound of a gunshot flared through the night, scaring me. It was dark, but the streetlights were still working, and by the road ahead of me I could see a man, he was dressed in dark, heavy clothes, holding a rifle in his hands. He stood in the shadows, whisking out his features, but when he spoke, I felt a cold in my heart, he needed to get away.

“You leave our Hannah alone, you imp from Hell.” Evans` voice was strong and determined, but Ophidians only response was a hiss as he watched the hole in his wing.

“Hannah looks after us, we look after her.”

I heard rustling of feet, and more and more people appeared. I saw Mr Peters, Mary, my boss, neighbours, friends of my parents, old friends I went to school with. Where did they come from? Almost all the town was here, even the vicar. They looked tired, pale and thin, marked by the last months. And yet they stood here, facing the Devil. For me. I had always sworn to protect this town, and now the town protected me. Some had weapons, and others had grabbed just the closest pointy object.

Ophidian cackled again.

“Oh, pathetic souls, I wonder how you have survived this long. Do you know WHO I AM?” He roared over the crowd; I saw them flinch in fear, but they held their ground. Evans took the lead, pointing his rifle up to the Beast and fired again. The bullet hit him in the shoulder, knocking him back, but Ophidian only got angrier.

“You will burn, you will burn together with this Witch. I will watch all of you scream in pain, burning at the stakes. God`s vengeance is upon you all, and he has chosen death.” I saw the vicar shake his head in shock and he raised the cross he was bearing.

Something came hurling through the air from another direction, it looked almost like a harpoon. It latched on to Ophidian`s right leg.

“You have nothing to do with any Gods, you abandoned them a long time ago.” Samuel’s voice was calm as he reared in the rope hanging to the harpoon. Seeing him made me fell to my knees, and I tried to speak. “Please, I need to do this, leave now.” He glanced my way quickly before concentrating on the Beast. “Don’t be silly, Hannah. You need to remember that you are not alone.”

But I was alone. I had meant to use my magic to command William back to life, sure I could will him on his feet again, but I was drained. There was so little magic left in me, the insecurity filling me instead, alongside despair and heartbreak. All that was left for me now was to kill Ophidian, save the world for my family, and meet up with William in the afterlife. Maybe we could be reborn again as lovers, our fate getting a happy ending sometime.

Another whistling sound, and Natan stepped forward. Where had they found the equipment? Natan smiled at my face and tipped his head in the direction of an old man I recognized from the café. “Old Mr Callahan there was a whale hunter in his early years. You can thank him.” My heart skipped a beat when I saw Belinda behind him, her tears running freely from her eyes begging me to forgive her. I looked down at her stomach, her hands cradling the small bump. Had I done anything different if I was in her place?

Benjamin and Oscar backed up Samuel, and Bridget ran to me, wrapping her small arms around me, somehow feeling like a giant when she hugged me, engulfing me in love.

“You`re a town witch, Hannah. Where do you think you get your strength from?” Her bright voice forced a smile on my face, and I looked around me at the display of community and love. Benjamin helped Samuel with the harpoon, Ophidian started rustling, realising he couldn’t scare them. He hissed and rambled in different languages, casting all kind of curses on us. My heart nearly exploded with pride, I knew the people looking at this thing, this Devil, had to be terrified, yet they stood their ground, gathering around me in a big circle. Samuel and Natan struggled with the ropes, Ophidian was still strong despite his age. How was we supposed to kill him? There was two Beasts here, and me, but I knew I would lose all the life in me if I had to do it. Slowly, they got him further and further down, until he trashed just above the ground. Asking the Goddess for advice, I got up and took a harder grip on the knife I still had clenched in my hand. I didn’t care, I had to do it. Save the town, the world and then join William. Leaving the world a better place for my niece or nephew.

Ophidian saw me stand up and he laughed madly. “Really? You almost died by killing Noah, and you think you can survive taking my life?”

I brushed the dust from my knees, once again clad in a filthy and torn dress.

I sighed heavily, “Who said I wanted to survive?”

Natan looked at me with panic in his eyes, and it hurt. Knowing I would leave him so soon after I`d gotten him back, not getting to know him again. But my fate was with William, and I yearned to meet him in our Avalon, our eternal Eden.

I saw the shocked look in Ophidians eyes, he couldn’t fathom the desire to give up your own life to save others, he`d fought all his everlasting years to stay alive, to keep his bloodline alive, to get his mate back to life. The idea of someone giving up on life that easy seemed to drive him mad. He growled, spat and trashed, pulling at the ropes. I knew I had to act fast, they wouldn’t be able to hold him for much longer.

I closed my eyes,

Goddess, grant me the strength to help my people and family. Let me sacrifice myself so that they can thrive and get old. With all the powers embedded in my, gifts from you, help me cast this evil out. Cleanse the town, let it heal.

I knew you should never ask for something personal, but I thought that maybe I had earned it.

Mother Goddess. Let me see William again. I give you my life, I just want to see him again. Guide my soul to his, let us have another life together.

His face the first time I saw him flashed before me, and more moments followed. I used my last strength to push out a wave of love, saying goodbye to my family. Natan screamed, but the voice was dulled by the sound of my pulse beating hard in my ears. The last thing I saw was Ophidians eyes going white before I saw no more.

The soft moss beneath me worked well as a mattress, and I wanted to just turn and sleep on, but it was something I had to do. Someone I had to meet. Warm and comfortable, I lingered before opening my eyes, wondering what the fuzzy feeling inside me was. Ah, William. I was to see William again. Not the pale body lying on the ground where I left him with Belinda, but William as he was meant to be. Glorious and alive. Or not alive, but here with me. Was I back in Eden?

I was not back in Eden. I was in my own backyard, my back to the cold stone altar. It was light outside, but it was a thin light. A small sprinkle of snow covered the ground, and it was untouched. I turned my head to the other side, and William stared at me.

My heart sank.

Oh no, not this, was I not dead? Was I stuck in limbo, forced to spend my days with William`s body? What had gone wrong, didn’t the Goddess think my sacrifice was enough?

I heard bells, and a giggle. My brain buzzed and I heard a voice.

Hannah, my sister. You have forgotten the basic training. What are one of the cardinal rules of a spell?

I got hurled back to my childhood, mum lecturing me after I had tried a spell and gotten sick. Her soft voice sounded clear in my head.

“Sweetheart, you must remember that with each spell you must give something. You are asking for a thing, then you need to offer something in return. It`s all about balance.”

Balance?

Yes, Hannah. Your last thoughts were in fact a spell, or a prayer as some like to call it. And you did the right thing, you gave something in return. Your life essence. A life for a life.

Her voice rang in my head, a life for a life…

I turned again to William.

“Is this real? Are we both alive? Are you really here?”

His smile was breath-taking.

“I`m as real as you.”

I huffed, that was the problem, I didn’t know if this was real. The last thing I remembered was all the life pouring out of me at the same time Ophidian`s black soul vanished, his body now a heap of dust on the ground.

William smirked; the whole situation was unreal.

“Do you remember the first night?” His voice was sultry, waking things in me I had no time for now, but the images flashed before me anyway. William taking my virginity on the same altar we now were stacked together on.

I must have been a little bit alive, the blood rushed to my cheeks.

“How can you talk about that now? You were dead, I was trying to die. Did I die?”

William put an arm around my waist, tugging me closer, a shine in his purple eyes.

“I met your Goddess. I understand your devotion to her. At first, I was scared and embarrassed, thinking of all the shit my kind has done to her witches, but she made me forget all about it. She showed me… Well, she showed me things. And as we were walking in a forest, it might have been Eden when I think about it, she suddenly burst out in laughter and said something like “I knew she would do the right thing” and then I was back here, only now you were beside me. I couldn’t move until you woke, but I have watched you for so long. Hannah… I love you.”

I moved stiffly, my body and mind wishy-washy.

“So this is real? Is this the real world? This is my regular backyard?”

Right on cue, the door to the house opened and a cluster of people poured out. They started running towards us and William sighed, “I had hoped to have you alone for longer, but I guess we`ll have time for that later.”

My family jumped us, hugging us and crying. I wept as well; I had been sure I wouldn’t see any of them again. I stepped back as I watched Belinda, she was huge. I pointed to her stomach and she smiled. “Go ahead, say it, I`m a whale.” I gaped, “How long were I… Out?” I couldn’t say dead.

Natan put his arm around Belinda, caressing the swell. “You have been “out” for three months. It`s almost February, Imbolc is right around the corner.”

I frowned, if William and I kept on loosing time like this we would soon be old.

“Shit.”

Benjamin laughed, “Hey, you are alive, show some joy.”

He was right, I was alive, William was alive. The town was saved, and the worst of the Beasts were dead.

I turned to William and met his purple eyes, his smile making me finally feel alive for real.

We had the rest of our lives to make Magic together. I would continue to spellbind him, and he would continue to fly me to the stars.

Epilogue coming…