Midgard Land of the humans
It was still dark in the early morning hours when Stephen , Amarog and his brothers left for the outskirts of Midgard.
Bonnie was sitting by the window deep in thought. Repeating her conversation with Amarog over and over again in her head.
"Bonnie?" Caroline said softly behind her.
Bonnie turned around and said. "I can sense you have something important on your mind."
"I can feel your pain and maybe I can help you with it or maybe with what I'm about to teach you can make it worse." Caroline said carefully.
This intrigued Bonnie's curiosity. "Teach me."
"Bonnie this is one of Anvard's ancient and sacred rules." Caroline sigh and continued. "During the forty one days of darkness the Goddess Inanna was desperate and grieve stricken with all the death and destruction the war brought upon everyone, so she looked for answers to stop the war before there was nothing left."
"Then this is what I must do Caroline. Show me." Bonnie said in a hopeful voice.
"By doing this you will have to enter the land of the dead Bonnie. Willingly." Caroline said softly.
Bonnie turned back to the window. The rain falling hard outside. It has been raining for days. Bonnie can't remember when last see saw or felt the sun on her skin. Its as if this part of Midgard were separated far from the other realms ... separated from life.
"I will enter willingly." She said at last.
-X-
Caroline placed candles around Bonnie who was laying down on her back. She carefully light each candle. "Calm your thoughts and heart Bonnie." Caroline said softly and closed her eyes.
Nothing happened and Bonnie turned her head to look at Caroline. "Why is nothing happening? "
"The old language of the witches will come to you and you will chant it, I can't opened my eyes and look, Bonnie, for you will enter beyond where no elf, human, werewolf or vampire can enter.
-and-
You must remember this, do not set your eyes on the dead unless you are willing to embrace your own death by doing so."
Bonnie swallowed hard. Was she really sure and strong enough to go through with this. She closed her eyes and when she opened her mouth the words came out of her mouth as if she knew the old language all along. The flames of the candles begin to flicker wildly. Bonnie opened her eyes and she was still in the apartment looking up at the haggard ceiling. Her lips were moving and it was as if she had no control over what came out of her mouth. She closed her eyes again.
She slowly opened her eyes when everything around her went quiet. She sit up quickly and her heart almost stopped. Bonnie found herself in a field of white flowers as far as the eye could see. See touch the flowers softly just to make sure her eyes were not deceiving her. The flowers was real and so was their sweet smell that filled her nose.
Bonnie got up to her feet and looked around her in disbelieve.
"Bonnie?" A voice said behind her. A voice she dreamed about and cried for every night.
A sob escaped her mouth. Tears welled up in her eyes. "Mother?" Bonnie said breathlessly and turned around.
-X-
Ara'Manth land of the Vampires
Lucian found Giuseppe in the west wing of the castle screaming out orders at the trembling servants around him. Lucian smiled coldly. He never trusted Giuseppe or liked the man, but Giuseppe will do almost anything to get in the good graces of the Empress and her kingdom and now its time to use the pawn again.
"I see you made yourself at home." Lucian said and enjoyed the bewildered look on Giuseppe's face.
"Well er... er ... my son and the Empress wanted me close by." Giuseppe blatantly lied.
... and Lucian knew this. Oh he knew a lot about Giuseppe's deceit and the lengths he went to cover up his son's relationship with the witch.
"Your son is madly in love with our empress. They do make a lovely couple I would say." Lucian said with a smile.
Giuseppe never feared any man in his life. That's if that man is not Lucian. He knew Lucian was not here to have a civilised conversation, no this was something Giuseppe feared the most.
"I know about your son and the witch. I know everything. You see, you didn't cover all your tracks."
"My son would never ...
"Silence your filthy tongue or I shall remove it. Very slowly ... bit by bit." Lucian said coldly.
"He is in love with the empress. He was not in love with the whore he just used her. My son slept with many woman and she was just one of them. He don't even remember her that's how unimportant she was to him." He said desperately.
Lucian smiled and said. "Desperation does not look good on a man... It was a witch who took his memories and ... its only a witch who can give it back to him."
"That witch is dead." Giuseppe screamed out in anger.
Lucian laughed cruelly. "You didn't kill her, well you tried, but you didn't kill her. Now here is where things gets interesting. The withes name is Magda. A powerful witch, and is a member of the secret witch council. She erased your son's memory right before she safely send the witch to another realm. How do I know this? Well Giuseppe you old fool its because I have the witch here. Been having loads of fun with the witch and guess what ... she is finally willing to give loverboys memory back."
Giuseppe's face had a sickly grey colour after Lucian's confession.
"You don't look so good Giuseppe. Need some blood?" Lucian asked with mock concern.
Giuseppe sit down on the nearest chair. His legs unable to carry him anymore. "You ... you can't do this to them Lucian. The empress is really in love with my son. You are only going to break her. For once she is truely happy can't you see?"
Lucian's laugh sounded hard and cold in the room. "The empress love will always be for her kingdom. Your son is already down in the chambers with the witch. The show is about to start and you don't want to miss it."
-X-
BONNIE NO! Altheya screamed at her daughter. "Do not set your eyes upon me my child."
When Bonnie turned to her mother, her eyes were closed. Her facial expression that of someone who was in immense heartache.
"Can I .. I ... embrace you mother?" Bonnie asked in a soft lost voice.
"My daughter." Altheya sobbed. "Not in the land of the dead"
"How easy it will be just to open my eyes and see you again. To feel the warmth of my mothers bosom like that of a little child."
"Its not your time my child. You seek answers that I can't give, but know this, I always loved you right till the end and I never stopped loving you ... you are stronger then you think you are. Do not doubt yourself when others around you are in doubt."
Everything in Bonnie snapped. She felt anger and helpless. "Why did Inanna cursed me with her power! What's my purpose? What's my destiny! I have come to love and care deeply and to know that one of them might die for me is ripping me apart! I'm scared of failing my people! I'm scared of failing those around me ... I'm scared mother ... I'm scared of losing all hope when others look to me for guidance and hope."
"Bonnie" Altheya said softly.. ... "It was by my magic that Damon ended my life ... A mother's last foolish act to make her daughter decide on which side she belonged. Please forgive me ...
Bonnie felt utterly tired.
"Embrace your gift my child. You have come a long way and the ones that are with you will carry you when you are weak. They will be with you till the end."
With a sob Bonnie ran to her mother and threw her arms around her mother only to grasp air.
"I am nothing but air to a mortal." Altheya said painfully.
Bonnie reached out her hand to Altheya and placed it on her chest. Bonnie's fingers went through Altheya. "You always placed my ear on your heart whenever I was upset or not feeling well. Your heartbeat are my lullaby for my own inner demons." As soon as Bonnie said that she could hear her mothers heart beat under her fingers.
-X-
Bonnie slowly opened her eyes. "I spoke to her. My mother."
Caroline nodded in silence.
-X-
Giuseppe were begging and pleading with Lucian all the way to the chambers and Lucian was enjoying every moment of it.
They entered a dark chamber with a few candles against the walls. Damon were chained up against the wall his head hanging down.
"What did you do with him? The empress will have your heart on a plate when she finds out about this!" by now Giuseppe was red in the face with anger and desperation.
Lucian's fingers itched to grab Giuseppe's heart from his chest, but he wanted Giuseppe to witness this. So instead he just laughed.
Lucian went to a haggard looking Magda and smacked her hard in the face. "Let the magic begin witch." Lucian said coldly. "Release her!" he snapped at the four soldiers.
Once released from her chains they helped Magda to where Damon was chained up. She was too weak to stand or walk on her own.
"Look at her? How can she possibly perform such a powerful spell?" Was Giuseppe's last attempt.
Magda stood infront of Damon. How many moons have passed since that last day she stood in front of him like this? Magda gently pushed the hands of the soldiers away and in a soft voice she said. "Thank you. I can stand on my own now."
The soldiers looked back at Lucian and he nodded. They can leave the witch.
Magda closed her eyes. She can already smell the sweet white flowers. The pathway into the kingdom beyond.
"Your powers are growing weaker and weaker Magda." A voice said softly in the room. No other could hear this voice only Magda.
"I have been holding out long enough for this day Inanna. I longed to see my dearly departed friends again. My flesh are weak from being tortured. My life force are leaving me slowly." Magda said softly. Lucian and the others saw Magda's lips moving but no words or sound came out of her mouth.
"Your place awaits you in the kingdom beyond.. You will be welcomed by the ones you so long to see again."
There came peacefulness over Magda's face. She can finally be set free.
"With my strength we shall give him back that what you took from him ... and then ... he is to be send to Midgard."
"Yes Inanna" Magda said softy. She placed her hand on Damon's head and begin to chant.
Giuseppe's eyes narrowed and he got worried. He remembered the witch doing this exact same thing that day. He saw it all from where he was hiding. "Stop her!" he panicked.
Lucian who had enough of Giuseppe grabbed him by the throat and threw him hard against the wall.
"She ... she" ... Giuseppe croaked out
When Magda was done Damon opened his eyes. His eyes wide as saucers.
There came a satisfied look on Lucian's face.
"Bonnie? Bonnie" ... Damon said breathlessly. Anger twisted his handsome face when he saw Magda. "What did you do to her? Where is she?!" he screamed.
Giuseppe looked on in terror.
Damon remembered Elena ... He saw Lucian with a sick smirk and cold. "Where is Elena?"
"I am so deeply sorry Damon. This was never my intention, but what must be done ... must be done." Magda said.
"Now Magda."
Magda begin to chant again.
What is the witch doing? "Kill her!" Lucian screamed at the soldiers.
Soldiers found themselves unable to move. So was Lucian and Giuseppe.
Bit by bit and piece by piece Damon disappeared right in front of their horror stricken eyes.
