Grisha

5 YEARS B.M

Lekovoski POV

DUSK WAS CREEPING over the small village on the outskirts of the big city, Varagrafena. I took hurried steps to my mother's alcove and found her standing over the small deck overlooking the tree of life which was just a few feet from where she stood! The tree has been my mother's fortification for years and it continued to give her the power she needed.

My mother, Cersei Morozova was the renowned witch; the greatest of them all. she has cured the sick, protected the weak, and blessed the cursed. she was by far the only person I looked up to.

"Come here child!" she intoned in her usual calm voice. I took hurried steps and stood by her side, then joined in on the staring contest.

"It's time!" 

"Mom, you don't have to do this! How am I going to survive without you?" I desperately begged and tried to convince her not to continue with her plan,

"It has to be done, child! I see a great future awaiting you. You have to embrace the blessings that I and other witches before me bestow upon you! Only with my death will you come to be the Greatest Lekovoski Morozova!" She said all these cupping my cheek with her warm hand.

I wanted to man up and be the strong guy, but the thought of my mother sacrificing her life for me, a weakling; that did not sit well with me.

she claimed that she saw the great future ahead of me, that I was going to be the king of the world! But how was I going to do it without her? She was my embarkment!

"Isn't there any other way? A different way to make it? There has to be a way! Why must you sacrifice yourself for me? I cant! I don't want to bear the guilt for the rest of my life. Knowing that my power came from your blood!" by now, my voice was trembling as tears escaped my cheeks.

she just gave me a small smile and leaned in to give me a soft kiss on the forehead! And with that, I knew the decision has been made.

Cersei Morozova was as stubborn as a mule and there was no changing her opinion once her mind was made. even I couldn't bring her to change her decision.

After that, she took my hand in hers and led me to the small stone-paved path that led to the tree. we walked in silence until we stood in front of the giant tree. she turned and looked at me with the look that stabbed me hard in my chest. This was the last time I was seeing her in my life! She was really leaving!

"I love you child! You are the best thing that has ever happened in my life! Don't you ever forget that!" she informed with a warm smile.

Before I could respond, she pulled out a small dagger that was stuffed inside her long-sleeved, blue floor-length kefta! she gave me one small smile before slitting her wrist open with the dagger, yanked my wrist, and did the same; then connected the two wrists so that our blood mixed.

So much power coursed through me rendering me weak in the knees. I stumbled backward but she was quick to pull me with her other hand.

"Stay strong child! You have to be strong!" her voice sounded like some harsh claps of thunder that made the earth tremble from deep within in its core!

I closed my eyes as what felt like millions of needles bit through my body, went to my head, and pricked my skull painfully. Vision failed me and all other senses. everything became blurred and white noise was all I heard! I screamed.

A strong gust of wind tornadoed around us, causing the dry leaves to dance violently in a circular motion, enclosing us in a small circle.

the numbing pain went on and on, minutes turned to hours, as her essence of life was sucked into me. 

I couldn't see her, or hear her. But after a long minute that felt like a whole eternity, she dropped to the ground and everything stopped.

I opened my eyes to find her looking so pale and ashen on the floor, with her body drained of every single drop of blood. I looked at my wrist to find it already closing.

The pain I have never felt in my whole life engulfed me when my eyes made the sight of my lifeless mother laying right in front of me.

One thought crossed my mind; I had killed her! That was the only explanation I could come up with! I killed my mother.

I fell on my knees and crawled towards her still, cold, unmoving body. she looked so beautiful even when her eyes were closed. I held her close to my chest! And cried!

I don't know how long I sat next to her corpse, but I did. Cold winter night fell, freezing the two of us, but I sat there under her tree, with her limp body cradled against my chest!

Hushed footsteps were heard as some witches walked towards us. I didn't care if they saw the next leader of their coven in such a compromising state. I had just lost the most important factor of my life and other's opinion mattered not.

the witches created a circle around us and began chanting their spell, the spell which was taking her soul to rest. 

I was consumed in the spell when all of the sudden, her hand caught mine in a tight grip and her eyes abruptly snapped open then stared intently at me! The chanting stopped and everyone fell into the golden silence! Her mouth opened slowly:

"Grisha! She is coming to destroy everything you have built! She holds greater power than all of us combined! She is going to destroy you!" She informed in a voice far deeper than her usual calm and warm tone!

Her eyes slowly fluttered close, her grip on my wrist loosened and her body went limp!

Leaving me confused, hurt, and baffled!

The chanting of the spell continued; until they said the final words.

'May the devil rest her soul'