Chapter 5
Glaston Township, State: Percival, Republic of Shantu, Continent: Barat Year: 2040, Planet: Grimoire
The beautiful and large meadow sprinkled with flowers, buzzed with life. Butterflies abounded, large ancient trees with gnarled limbs covered in new light green moss and leaves swayed overhead, granting precious shade from the glaring sun. Anara, Holly, Jennifer, and Sapphire regarded the sight of the newborns resting on the different heights of stone with some apprehension. They noticed that their brothers, Harper, Sherpa, Daryl, and Ambrose weren't too sure about this situation either. When a picnic was suggested earlier in the week, this hadn't been quite what any of them envisioned. However, since it was going to happen, they were more than pleased to be a part of it.
"I shall name the nearest girl," Anara didn't care to check if it was the first of them born. She just went with her gut. "I will call her Pepper Periwinkle." The name suited her because she appeared to have a peppery nature and her eyes were a blue color.
Soft laughter followed Anara's choice, but no one decried it. The rest followed her example. Thus, seven more babies earned interesting names: Harlan Birch, Stormy Ashlynn, Leroy Garrick, Gladiola Jane, Merrick Fir, Abner Moss, and Justin Michael, though they seemed dubious about whether the names would stick or not.
Davina named three more, "Flora Leigh, Myles Chayne, and Gabriele Lilac." She yawned as she did so.
Joan called out three more names, "Amaryllis Helen, Giles Owen, James Shane," She glanced at Marcus with a sigh. "This is more challenging than I thought it would be."
Marcus shrugged. "Well, depending on how many are left, the children can do another few names." He tilted his head. "Seven left to go."
The children glanced at each other and shook their heads. "Naw, we've done enough."
Joan shrugged. "So, it is up to us." She looked at Davina who was quietly resting. "Or rather me and Marcus."
Anara nodded. She wasn't all that anxious to do any more naming. it just didn't feel right.
Joan exhaled. "You go first, Marcus. I need to think about what else names would be good."
Marcus grunted. "Daniel Branson, Leticia Gale, Abraham Gordon, Norman Dale," He came up with four without a problem.
"Hmm," Joan frowned slightly and tapped her lips. "Lily Eliza, Elias Jessop, and Kimberly Lois." She blinked. "That should be twenty-one. I hope someone was recording the names."
They jumped when a new voice startled them with a soft sigh. "Indeed, they were all officially recorded." It was Hermina Marten. She'd been very quiet indeed when joining them.
Anara was feeling much comforted at the sight of her. While she was gruff and aloof, she had a kind heart and was more than willing to listen to Anara and the others when they had concerns, they didn't want to worry their mother about when she'd gone through more difficult times. Though now this was an extremely difficult sight to go through. Anara wasn't sure she would be able to avoid breaking down.
*
Although she'd run interference to prevent nosy individuals from finding Davina's current location, Hermina didn't think her efforts would last long. Therefore, she'd done her level best to join the now extremely large group of adults and children. She'd come upon them just in time to begin recording the names chosen first by the children and then the adults afterward. She couldn't have come up with a better selection of names really.
"Well, do you remember how the receiving of blessings occurs?" Hermina looked at Joan and Marcus Whitcombe inquiringly. If they did, she wouldn't interfere. That was one of the reasons why they'd come since Terabithia and Samuel had chosen to refuse any and all responsibility as guardians for all the children, not just the newborns.
Those losers evidently hadn't received a blessing which would explain their disgustingly condescending attitude toward nature and Davina. Although, Hermina wasn't entirely sure why Davina wanted all the children to receive a blessing. Maybe it would endow them with specific abilities that would give them a boost later in life?
No matter the reason, Hermina was willing to do whatever it took to make Davina happy even while her life force swiftly dwindled away. Hermina sighed. "There's not much time left." She watched as Davina's entire body began shaking from lack of energy and blood.
That statement and Davina's strange shaking shocked everyone into action. As Hermina said there really was no more time to waste. They gathered into a circle, the newborns in the middle, the teens surrounding them, and the adults began chanting:
"Greetings to the deities and elementals of Grimoire. Please gift these new youngsters the wisdom and practicality to survive."
At that point, Davina murmured. "I offer my dwindling life force in exchange for my children's freedom to move about the planetary rotation." Her convulsing body stilled, and she became lifeless.
There were stifled sobs, and then gasps of shock.
Joan and Marcus had placed nine more babies around Davina's body. However, these children clearly hadn't managed to survive the birthing process.
Now though they squirmed with life and shrill cries filled the air. "Let all these new lives and youngsters survive the coming trials and tribulations that will forge the paths of their powerful lives ahead of them," Hermina murmured.
"So, mote it be," All of them uttered the words.
Power swirled around the meadow's grounds. Elemental spirits rose into visibility, shocking Hermina, Joan, and Marcus. Not once had they thought it possible to become part of such a sacred sight. Now they realized it wasn't just the children who received a blessing.
"That is right." A shimmering female spirit addressed all of them. "Davina knew what her fate would be. She also knew that you would be persecuted for assisting her escape from a necromancer who specializes in demonizing all living creatures to her bidding."
What a horrible fate lay in wait for all of them. Hermina was horrified.
"However, now that Davina fulfilled all the requirements. You're all freed from the bindings that the matriarch instilled in the very food and water you've drunk within Glaston all this while."
There was a brief pause before the spirit warned.
"However, the window to escape that fate is very short. You've twelve hours in which to leave this section of Percival. You would be advised to enter another state entirely to prevent that hag from dragging you back."
Well, that was unfortunate, but Hermina knew that leaving Percival completely was out of the question for her. The others might have different possibilities, but she didn't. "I'll remain, but the rest of you should leave," Hermina told firmly. "I don't have the wherewithal to start anew elsewhere."
Joan grunted. "You may think you don't, but I can assure you that Davina made all kinds of arrangements. She included something for your future as well."
Huh, well, Hermina would wait and see. Unlike the others who were optimistic, she was somewhat pessimistic despite having seen many miracles right then.
The spirit shrugged. "I've delivered the information I was asked to pass on. I'll take my leave of you all. Good luck." The unspoken part was rather obvious. Don't waste the precious gift that Davina bestowed upon them all in her last sacrifice.
*
Davina drifted away, but she wasn't displeased with how the situation turned out. True she had regrets, but it wasn't enough for her to long for a second chance at life. Rather she was encouraged to know that her children, including the nine that hadn't survived the birthing process, would now be able to have better options with the blessings bestowed upon them.
Truly all she'd wanted to do was ensure that they weren't tied and bound to the land around Glaston. Now that Davina achieved that goal, she was happier than she had been in a very long time. While drifting, she arrived at a crossroads. Much to her bemusement, she faced someone she hadn't seen in quite a while. "Hello, Sonrai." She called out the nickname.
Sonrai glanced at her and smiled. Unlike how he'd died, Sonrai had his original appearance restored. "So, you honored the conditions to maintain the lives of your children safely." He greeted her quietly.
"Yes, I did. It wasn't a hard choice to make, really." Not when Davina knew what horror would've faced her as a vessel for that creature. "I just hope that they chose wisely." It was something that they could very well refuse to do.
Sonrai shrugged. "Would you like to watch over them for a bit? See what they decide to do?"
Davina was tempted but she shook her head. "No, I have to let go of them now." She smiled faintly. "They have to make their own choices, if I remain to watch, it might influence them into doing something foolishly stubborn."
Sonrai nodded. "Very well then." He looked at the two crossroads. One led to beautiful light and serenity, and the other led to a dark unknown. "Each of these paths is for those of us who wish to either reincarnate or rest."
Ah. Davina smiled wistfully. "I'm certain I don't wish to rest." She knew he'd been waiting very patiently for her.
A faint smile flickered across his face. "No, I have no wish to go wandering about while you are exhausted." He took her hand gently.
"So which path will we go down together?" Davina found that it was reassuring indeed.
"The sunlit one." Sonrai escorted her without either of them looking backward and vanished into sparks of light.
The end of the first Volume