' At the dawn of time, there was a war between good and evil and light triumphed over the darkness. The evil witch-'
The rest was smudged and worn away, but I remembered all to well just what it said, having been there when it was written.
The evil witch, though conquered, could not be destroyed. Tis here she resides in eternal unrest awaiting the vessel for which to take vengeance.
Without a second glance I headed into the cave. I lifted a handful of dirt and let it run through my fingers. In all the annuals of my long life I had never been so confused, even in my befuddled and perplexing existence as Glitch. This creature, this witch had harmed everyone I loved, even me. Old friends and new friends all suffered alike.
"DG can't remember her own mothers name." I said angrily to the barren rock walls. The witch was dead I knew, but still she needed to know. This cavern had to ring with the terrible truths. And I needed to purge his soul. "Azka-ds terrified of her own shadow. Ahamo flinches at the very idea of coming to Finaqua."
His true home, Ahamo always called it. The place he was happiest.
"Cain wakes up screaming. Cain. Probably the bravest man I ever met. He wakes up screaming because of you."
I shook my head disgustedly. "But I suppose you would be proud of that wouldn t you? How even in death you would hold the O.Z. in your icy grip of fear." I threw a stone to the opposite wall.
"You wont win though. I'll see to it the sunslight reaches every corner of the realms, touches everyone s heart."
I sat on a boulder and witch s laughter echoed in my ears. It was a sound I knew better than any- the scornful laugh of the witch.
"You weren t always so horrible." I sighed, letting my rage and enery subside. " I remember so long ago when you were friends with the Gale."
How no one had seen through her, I could never guess . Most of all me. I knew her best. "I should have known, should have seen. Were you only ever after the throne? The destruction of the O.Z.?"
And to think in the end it was made possible by me, myself, with the sun seeder.
"Even as Glitch I knew. When DG came into this cave. As soon as I saw it I realized what happened. I should have guessed earlier, what with Az having always been such a sweet child."
I had said nothing of the witch for so many anuals. I told myself for ages it was because she had been banished, eradicated.
But hindsight is 20/20. I was much too fond of my position, of power, to reveal the darkest secret of my past.
My association with the witch.
And still I hadn t found a way to tell my best friend,My queen, the Lavender eyed Monarch who trusted me completely. Or DG, who had accepted me when no one else would. Or Ahamo who was a surprising ally to to me in the queens feisty youth.
Would they hail me as a friend and hero if they knew the truth?
"But I suppose you would find that humorous too." I spat out venomously to the witch I knew wasnt listening. "I should have found a way to end you centuries ago."
I stood resolute, with a plan...of sorts. I would tell the queen everything. All I knew of the witch and my shameful link to her.
Even if I were to crash in a fiery ball of destruction, so be it.
At least I could take away the last of the witch s power over the O.Z. as well.
I strode from the cave, never looking back.
The witch was gone and I would see to it her memory was cleansed from the realms
I wanted so much to hate her, but couldn t.
She was, after all, still my mother.