The Iron Badger

Chapter 8

I figured... Less Si and his friends knew of me, the better. When I was alone waiting for Si, my husband, to return from his military duties, I would go off into the woods, practicing my magic. They were simple training rituals that Persephone had taught me. But most of the time, things would just happen with no knowledge on my part, which I would speak on later. But for now, I want to expand more on what Mother told me when blood flowed from me for the first time. It was then she warned me of my true self. I saw fear in her eyes as she spoke. Her hands tremble. I held her hands inside mine. "What is it, Mother?" I asked.

"It is who you are. And what your father is."

"Who was my father?" My question made my mother cry. "You have a sister... A half-sister. Your father's name is Caz. You will not believe me... And I am afraid to tell you."

"Why? Was my father an evil man? And who is my half-sister?"

"Your father told me when you enter womanhood, your half-sister will find you and kill you. My dear daughter, there is no one in this life that has not made poor decisions. I do not know what Caz did to his daughter that would cause her to kill anyone who made contacted with him. But you are a half goddess. Caz is a god from a different place--a place I do not remember. He fell from the sky... I swear I am telling you the truth.

I saw sincerity in my mother's eyes. Then remembered the crater by our home. I asked Mother about the crater, but Mother insisted it was only a sink hole that naturally filled in. "I know what you are thinking, daughter, and you will be right. The large indentation by our house was the crater made with his body. It was then I came to the Bible wondering if he was a fallen angel or an angel of God that was struck down by an unseen war we cannot see. It was later that Caz, your father, spoke of a war. There was not much spoke... Maybe it was the fall that made him not remember. I do not know. Or, perhaps, he did not believe I would understand, due to me not being from his realm. All I know is... He knew his daughter may come looking for you. More you grow more your gifts will grow."

And that was all that was spoken about my father. When the gifts of my father continued to grow within me, more I tried keeping it from escaping.

There comes a time in one's life when storms rage in one's life. I was fifteen when my mother was murdered. And fifteen, when I was uprooted from my home, it was then the storm first began--and still rages on to this very day.

The storm never shaped me, for I would not let it. I was shaped and molded by my doing, not by my sister's doing. I would not speak on behalf of Tara, but I felt it was Tara's turning point, but I would allow her to speak for herself.

The storm in Masa came without warning during the warmth of the day. Then the day grew dark and cold, then the snow fell... And fell hard. Days later, I felt the icy hand of death. It was the hand of my husband letting me know of his own demise.

2

It is best no one knows of their own destiny, and the path that one will walk on someday. One must make themselves ready before the path reveals itself. And when the path is ready to reveal itself, then only one question remains. Are you going to heed the call of destiny--and walk upon the hollow path--into the great unknown--with nothing strapped to your back? Or will you be afraid to find out who you really are--a coward or a fool? Those that listened and followed destiny's call--raised up their bows and swords--then charged into the great unknown, caring not for their own life, for it is the path that destiny has given them. It is their rebirth.

This only happens when destiny collides with the journey. It is up to whomever takes their first holy step onto the journey's path, thus changing them forever.