Moaga

Chapter 1.

The moon was high and bright. The night was cold yet light.

The witching hour had commenced, all was still and in suspense.

Silence.

Silence echoed.

Soaring through the vast expanse, her weary wings awoke, her soul finally danced - home. Mogana spied home. Exhaustion had plagued, but it had since paused. Caught by a gust of wind she soared into the familiar like a falcon in flight. Her cove was close, it was in sight. Relief.

Fleeting. The feeling of relief was fleeting. Closing her eyes, fatigue tried to sweep her away once more.

The journey had been vast and fierce. Answers remained hidden, dread had compounded as the land resounded of silence - nothingness.

Something had stolen sound and life… Something.

The question was “What?” The question was, “Who?”

Mogana needed to make sense of the senselessness she saw - if she didn’t, all would be lost, all would remain bound. She would remain stuck!

The gnawing in her soul would have to wait for the morrow, she needed rest. She needed sleep.

Drawing closer to her cove, a shiver went down her spine…

Something wasn’t right.

Fear pulsed.

Silence.

It was too quiet.

Her heart raced -

all was too still.

Darting her eyes to the the mouth of her cave, seeing its glint, her cleft in the cliff, she tried not to let fear take a hold.

Anaika, was all she thought.

Anaika, her only light.

Piercing through the Curtain Falls, shaking the spray from her scaly skin, her claws crawled. Someone had come. Someone had been.

Who?

“ANAIKA?”

…

“ANAIKA?” She bellowed again into the abyss.

Silence.

The only sound was the thunderous falls.

Terror tore through her and transformed into rage.

Unpalatable, rage blinded her, binded her.

The demon within her awoke.

Gone.

Anaika was gone.

Talons struck the moss cladded cave. A furnace erupted from her enraged soul. Darting to her left and right, seeing through the darkness with illuminated sight, she saw what her heart already knew to be true:

Her nest was empty.

Her daughter was gone.

Bitter tears escaped how she did mourn.

Her soul and heart cried.

Hope darkened and died.

Instantly.

Time had run out.

The lot had been cast.

The Gods stole her child.

They’d taken her fast.

Delirium threatened to take control, then she spied her fur…

Her daughters fur was left.

A token to taunt.

A token of pain.

A token to remind herself to point blame.

The God’s played an evil trick. Deceived she felt bitterly sick. She knew her child she’d now never see. The reality of that tragedy stole her last glint of humanity.

The glimmer of hope she’d held onto for Anaika, she held onto no more. Pain ravaged her soul. To it she surrendered all control.

The past taunted. All that was stolen, haunted her.

All goodness disappeared to dust, her hardened heart crusted with bitter lust for revenge. Revenge she vowed to have.

“Light will now

be forever black.

From this moment on

there’ll be no going back!

Death will reign

forever more.

Love, gone.

I proclaim war!

This I have chosen

as I now curse thee -

all Gods, all life,

for eternity.

I will hunt.

I will no longer be prey.

I’ll get my revenge -

come what may!”

Blinding light pierced through the night. Straight from her heart, it was quite the sight… all light it stole as it shot through the sky, nothing would be the same, all life would die.

Cursed.

She’d cursed all, as she had once been.

Once a stunning Queen, Mogana enthralled a realm unseen.

With power and light, she’d wielded with delight, the Spirit Sword, the Flaming Sword of Abu.

All had been wonderful.

All had been scribed in the Ancient Book of Time…

All had been, until it wasn’t.

The Gods, jealous of her power, bewitched her.

They stole her sword.

They barred her power.


They sent her away

in the witching hour.

No one knew until too late.

No one knew until her fate

was sealed.

Suddenly she was a Queen no more.

She was captive to their curse.

A creature of grotesque sight.

Mogana, the Queen of Light

was now a monster of the night!

She crumbled at the memory.

They didn’t know Anaika was in her womb.

The Gods.

They couldn’t see.

Blinded by their lust they didn’t know what would be once they’d transformed her into the one she now was.

They couldn’t hear her heartbeat.

They couldn’t see her light.

They didn’t know who Anaika would become -

Mogana’s hope and her delight.

They didn’t know powerful

a gift she would be.

They’d accounted not for love

Mogana wept at the reality.

Gone.

She wept into Anaika’s fur.

Knowing nothing could be done.

Knowing the Gods had chosen, had stolen her, Mogana surrendered to the night.

Grief mercilessly grew in every fibre of her being.

It gnawed at her soul until it turned black.

Her soul.

Darkness took a hold.

Darkness took power.

Fire ravaged her.

She let it overcome her.

The fire.

Knowing her fate would soon be sealed, she no longer cared.

What did it matter anymore?

Her only joy in the joyless abyss was gone, stolen, lost…

Gone for good, Mogana shattered like glass.

The demon within took ahold so fast.

Her power now his.

Finally.

She was now his for eternity.

It was done.

They were one.

She had chosen.

The death she longed for, she became.

The Angel of Death they would be named.

Blinded by bitterness, by betrayal, Moaga leapt into the abyss - goodness failed.

Light failed as she took flight.

Her world would now be forever night.

Mogana she would be no more.

The woman of hope she would ignore.

There was none.

Hope.

Mogana now she would never be.

Moaga for eternity.

Unleashing a otherworld cry, her ferocious wail echoed throughout the land.

Terror stirred.

Land and sea knew the demon was free.

A shockwave shot taunting calamity.

Nothing would ever be the same.

No one would ever be safe.

It was done.

Moaga, they were.

The time had come.

Chapter 2

“Mama, she won’t be safe.

Mama please let her go.

Please.

MAMA.

Take me instead!”

Crying after her mother, pulling on her robe, the Witch of the Wood was on a mission.

A sacrifice she had to make.

A sacrifice of innocence.

A sacrifice of love.

Running to catch up, understanding not, Polly stumbled in the darkness.

“Mama, listen to me. Stop. Please. MAMA.”

Tears cascaded down her cheeks. Her attempts were futile. Polly knew Anna’s fate was sealed.

Silence.

Her mother continued in silence.

Not knowing what possessed her feet, Polly plowed into the ground in complete defeat.

She knew she had lost.

She could no longer move…

“MOTHER!!! ANNA!!! ”

Bellowing into the abyss, Polly wept where she lay.

Anna was gone.

What else could she say?

Pain, hideous pain took over.

Her mother blocked her, stopped her, blinded her.

Bitterness, betrayal lingered in the air.

She’d lost.

She was lost; in grief, in darkness, in bitterness. Crumpled, alone, they were gone.

Chapter 3

Carrying her infant in her arms, hearing her oldest daughter cry, Wilma wept in her heart.

She knew this was the only way. She knew no more could be done. She just prayed it wasn’t too late, that it would be swift, painlessly so.

Fear, laced her soul.

She knew not why.

Clouded.

Her senses clouded.

She could no longer see what was to come.

The prophecy, the vision she’d hoped was a dream, she knew now was not. It was sealed, true. Whatever she did from this moment on would dictate all, for all.

Chilled.

She was chilled to the bone and broken of heart.

Dosing her daughter with a sleeping draft, of dreams of beauty, with peace a plenty, Wilma shuddered wondering what was to come.

How could she leave her little girl, her baby?

How?

Blocking the crippling gnawing of horror, Wilma continued.

She had to.

There was no other way.

They were all dependant on it.

The forest started to clear, she knew she was close.

Dread deepened with every step.

Looking at her precious daughter, tears slipped down her cheeks. Caught on her skin, becoming a shield, she prayed her tears would magically heal all that might wound her, that might cause her unrest… she was trying to do her very best.

Pain. It hurt.

Humming the lullaby she’d sung her from birth, with her mind she proclaimed a spell for the curse. Protection for her child, and the memory of them reconciled in eternity.

That would now be her only place, to see her child, to kiss her face.

Dreams.

Encasing her child in a blanket of love, she knew the time had finally come. They’d arrived at the place, the sacred land, she would surrender to her visions command.

Placing her girl on the bed of green, her hands touched the earth, she called to the unseen.

“Mother Earth, I call.

I beseech thee,

protect my child into eternity.

Please, Mother hear my cry,

answer me this very nigh.

Do not let my child

taste pain or fear.

Always stay close.

Remain near.

Teach her what I

can now teach her not.

Please, I beg of you

may I not be forgot.

My child I’ll give,

my precious delight…

With a heavy heart

I’ll return to the night.

Alone.”

When all was uttered, she could speak no more. Stolen. Her breath was stolen, her soul sucked dry.

The wind around them blew.

As the Ancient Oak stirred life - magic too.

Power seeped from the Mother’s core.

From her roots to her leaves, her Spirit left and did soar above them high, danced in the sky, power propelled into the night.

Her siren song started.

The resounding sound woke the spirits around. No longer bound, they too joined her song, the time they spent sleeping was finally gone.

“My child, I see

The significant cost.

Your Innocent One

will never be lost.

We all do vow

to protect her soul.

No darkness will steal

or take control

of her heart or flesh,

of her mind too.

This promise we all vow to you.

Anna with be

for all time

protected by all those divine.”

With the song of the Spirits sung, the blinding light stole the last of the night.

Wilma looked up with her tear drenched face. The Spirits had taken her daughter in haste.

Gone.

She was gone.

Alone by the Oak, she wept where she lay.

She stayed and remained the rest of the day.

Tears freely fell and watered the ground.

Her cries were all heard, her grief did abound.

Gone.

Her daughter was gone.

Chapter 4

Tearing through the darkened sky, Moaga shrieked a blood thirsty cry. Power and pain shot through the land. This was not what she had planned.

But it was what now was.

Her wings were hard, they mirrored her heart. Light disappeared, hope did depart.

This was now her reality.

She was cursed for all eternity.

Coughing a furnace, she flamed the land, an ash cloud followed at her command.

Bitterness sealed her wounded soul. The demon within laughed, in control.

“Call, the cloud to cover the sea - see the power you have with me. Watch what you and I can do.

It will all start and end with you.”

The haunting voice taunted. The taunting voice haunted. Moaga had changed, transformed to dark. Mogana was dead she now bore the mark of Death.

Death now followed wherever she flew. She no longer cared what she might do. Her heart, it hardened with each passing day. The demon grew stronger she was His prey.

Days they did pass. Time continued on, His voice grew loud, she now sang His song. It dripped with such darkness, the haunting melody, was soon known by all - on land and sea.

Life had but changed. The Gods watched it too. They waited to see what Moaga would do.

Would such destruction now forever reign… Or would she remember and face her pain?

They waited.

They watched.

They saw.

Chapter 5

On a night like all others, Polly shot out of bed. Dread pounded within - what the dream said, gnawed of foreboding for her sister of three… They needed to help! Such tragedy was coming, was looming…

Terror, pain, from evil so pure would find Anna and try to lure her into the darkness, straight into doom. Polly called for her mum as she ran into her room.

Empty.

Her room was empty.

Spying her mother out in the dark field, picking flowers for potions that healed, she cried out her name while the moon was so high,

“MAMA, COME BACK.” she screamed and did cry.

Wilma turned. Terror laced Polly’s voice…

She too had seen - they both had a choice:

Trust Destiny’s hand, that all would be fine. Trust that the Mother divine, would protect her babe like she'd promised to… They could wait, or they could try to rescue Anna from darkness, Anna from hell…

Time faded fast, she needed a spell, to clear her mind, to give her more sight. They had much work to do that very night.

“My child you must tell me all that you saw. Not one little detail you can ignore. Something’s not right, for Anna, for us. You need to speak now. Don’t dally or fuss!”

Polly was shocked by her mothers response, disarmed and alarmed she expected nonchalance would be her reaction - but it was not! She shared her dream with not one thing forgot!

“Mumma I saw Anna by the Brook,

where we go - but a monster it took

her far away into a distance place…

It was dark, cold and dreary,

I could see not her face!

I’m so afraid that,

she’s laden with fear.

Her cries I heard.

Her cries, her tears.

What can we do with what I did see?

Mama I’m afraid for Anna’s safety!”

Scooping girl in a warm embrace she knew what they both had to do in haste!

“Get me some Bluebells, some Thyme and a seed, from the old Oak - we must intercede! I’ll go and prepare, for we’ve much work to do. Anna will remain safe! That I promise you!”

With that, they both left. There was much to be done.

It had to be finished before the rising sun.

Chapter 6

Dancing and doting, in the fields of colour. Anna giggled with joy - enjoying none other than the Earths subtle laugh, the Mothers nurturing sigh… It was magic to her, the day and the night.

The toddler delighted in all she could see, it was magic to her, her spirit ran free.

This morning however something was wrong, the Brook she could no longer hear its song.

It was silent.

It had stopped.

Running into the shallows, splashing around, she hoped it might help the music resound.

Nothing.

The stillness, it started to make her sad, she toddled back out and became quite mad. She went to the tree that had been full in flower but it too had died that very hour!

Shocked, the child knew not what to do. She suddenly felt so alone, this feeling was new.

Tears started to well, soon they did spill. The atmosphere changed to a foreign chill.

Darkness invaded, like a thief in the night. Terror started to mount, she’d lost her sight.

Blind.

She was now blind.

Screaming and crying, in complete distress, the child crawled into a ball trying to repress whatever was coming, whatever stole light.

Suddenly day had transformed to night.

Chapter 7

Moaga transformed more each day: her scaly skin hardened, she, no longer prey, was feared by the land, likewise by the sea. Wherever she went, there was tragedy. For all.

Her rage had stifled all light and love. She cared not. She soared above cliffs and valleys, into foreign lands. Soon they too would be at her command.

Soon.

The beauty would soon all turn to dust. The demon within laughed with power and lust. He couldn’t believe his time had come, to devour the world, everyone.

Moaga spied a small crystal lake. It glimmered, it shone - that was a mistake! She would soon change that reality. She gnashed her teeth, and dove down with glee. Soon ash would taint the water so clear. Soon it’s melody no-one would hear.

Soon.

Chapter 8

“Polly, listen to all I say. Time is out. I just pray we aren’t too late - there’s much to do. Crush that thyme - the oak seeds too.”


Grabbing the mortar and pestle to start, they grinned in silence and soon a bright spark flew from the cauldron it was time to see if the spell they did cast would bring liberty.

“Together we stand,

side by side.

Together we ask you to guide

Anna into safety,

the devil - chase

away from our child.

Do it in haste!

With bluebells of beauty,

the thyme has come

to bring forth a crop:

rise with the sun.

Seeds you have sacrificed

your life for mine,

to you, we both plead

help - divine.

Do not ignore

our cry and our prayer.

We call out to you in despair.

Mother Spirit,

please come through

on your promise,

may it be true.

Our Spirits, join

yours tonight.

We know you must face

a terribly fight.

All that we are,

we now join with you.

Take us to my child.

That I do beg you.

With the gift of our blood,

with the tears of our soul,

to you we surrender all our control.

As two we go,

to fight for three.

Take us with you now,

So mote it be.”

When the spell was cast, lightning shot through the sky.

Soon they were flying so very high.

Chapter 9

Darting down, she kissed the earth. Bloodthirsty and ready, Moaga wanted to curse the place of great beauty, she let out a cry,

“This place of delight, will wither and die!”

All went silent.

All went suddenly still.

A child’s cry carried.

A chill struck her heart and shot down her spine. Anaika, remembered. Her child divine.

Her heart beat suddenly started to beat. Blood coarsed through her veins from her head to her feet. Hearing the infant, she broke down and cried. She remembered her child - that memory died.

Or so she thought.

The devil within, enraged did scream, Moaga mourned her babe unseen.

Her cries, grew louder. Wails turned into screams, Moaga, the dragon was brought to knees. Slowly she crawled across the dark field… Closer she needed to go to shield the child from such terror, the child from such pain. But how could she when the monster did reign?

The demon screamed louder, his power grew weak… Moaga untamed finally did speak,

“Demon be silent. I beseech thee. Your terror will no longer reign in me!”

Moaga ignored the demon within… the child came into sight, she started to spin.

Light and dark,

good and bad…

terror and peace,

being happy or sad.

A battle then raged in her heart and mind.

Seeing the child so pure made her completely blind.

Love.

She remembered light.

She missed her small babe.

She mourned what was lost.

Looking at the child she knew the great cost.

A voice then boomed across land and sea. The Spirit Guides appeared with Wilma and Polly. Disarmed she cried and flew high above. Sudden she felt a fierce firey love.

The love of a mother.

The love so pure.

Terror tore through her skin and soul.

Moaga was loosing all control.

“Demon I know you are not all dark.

I feel your soft heartbeat,

I know there’s a spark

of light and of love,

something that’s pure.

Feel it again - it is your cure.

Anna, my daughter,

you heard her cry…

You followed her voice

in the darkest night.

I see your tears.

I feel your pain.

I know you were once

a Queen that did reign.

I saw you in power,

your beauty too.

Do not forget

what they did to you.

They stole your daughter,

your precious light.

They sent you into the darkest night.

I feel your pain.

They asked for mine.

Anna Louise, my child divine.

Moaga,

my child is my gift to you.

I know you are good -

I know you are true.

I need you to know

I’ve seen what’s to come.

You won’t remain like this -

you’re The Chosen One.

The Angel of Death,

she will be no more.

Take my child, change.

My voice, don’t ignore.

I know you are hurting.

I know you are sad.

Know that Mogana

life is not all bad.

Remember.”

Slowly Moaga’s feet touched the ground. When they kissed the earth, there was an almighty sound. Something had burst from deep within.

She wept from her heart for all that had been.

She remembered and saw. She softened and cried,

Anna ran up to her. Darkness then died.

The demon screamed as the child touched her face.

A dragon no more did encase the Queen of great beauty, she transformed in their sight.

Overcome with emotion, with utter delight.

She ran over to Wilma, swept her in an embrace.

“Thank you coming

saving all in haste.”

Tears slid down their cheeks that were rosy and fair. Touching the ground blossoms bloomed everywhere.

Music started to play, joy then did resound.

Finally Mogana was set free and found.

She saw so much love. She also saw fear… but the sacrifice was what she mostly did hear.

Wilma’s voice.

Wilma’s heart.

She too had felt it breaking apart…

The Gods then came down in an almighty scene… Anaika was with them it was just like a dream.

Mogana swept her up in an embrace.

She thanked all the Gods, and did so in haste.

“This was a test, to see who you’d be, when you were faced with such tragedy.

All will be restored. For your heart remained true.

This also is our gift to you.”

Placing a ring on her finger, a bond was sealed.

Her child returned, the land and sea healed.

All was restored.

All was brand new.

Stunned and amazed it was all true.

Wilma too wept, Anna in her embrace.

Tears of great joy filled her small face.

A song of great joy soon filled the land.

This was what the Gods had always planned.

Moaga the Angel of Death was no more.

The demon was banished, there was peace from war.

Love did abound in the long years to come.

Love did abound for everyone.