The Elements

“This is one sacrifice I will not regret.” the witch dressed in blood-red spoke under her breath. The three others crackled, “Don’t be dramatic Hestia.” Yet they agreed. This child was the key to bring back their fallen sister. The only way to restore spirit to their circle. The sorceress in deep forest green silently asks the underbrush to make a path leading to the house they were looking for. The plants part- obeying. It reveals a small wooden cabin. Light could be seen all throughout the home.

“You know what to do, Anemoi? Gaea asked the young woman who was currently making the leaves matching her dress dance.

“Yes, yes, yes!” Anemoi practically shouted. Her eyes focused on the cabin, a great gust of wind came casing the house to go pitch black. Silence filled the grove. 

They silently enter the house, conscious, slightly scared to make any sound. They did not want to wake the parents of the child they were taking. They come to a door hasty painted purple. The creaks open, it’s hinges squealing in protest. They enter the room to see the child wide awake, her unnatural silver curls shining.

“I knew you’d be coming,” the young girl crawled out of bed, “ I seen it in a dream.” 

“What?” Hestia’s eyes bulged. The child walked over to Tethys and placed her hands on the large blue bump protruding out of her stomach, “A Child of sea and beast,” she moved among each of the witches, “A Woman of swirling wind with a swirling mind, a Warrior of might with powers shining bright, and a rooted weeping Widow. You all have come to save me from my mortal fate, have you not?”

“Um…. yes, we have come to… save you…” Gaea answered careful not to give their true intentions away.

“Since I know who each of you are I guess I should introduce myself. I am Constance Raye.”

Constance proved she knew much about the magick the four women welded. Yet how? This, this nine-year-old girl knew just as much as the sorceresses maybe even more. Constance never seemed to quit talking. She talked of all the things she’d seen and done.

“Will you just shut up?” Hestia muttered but either Constance didn’t hear or just didn’t care. 

They walked all night and around an hour before dawn they stopped in a small meadow. Gaea prepared beds in the flowers while Anemoi gathers wood for Hestia. Tethys stayed with Constance, waiting for the water to boil so she could make tea. She got five cups out of her pack.

“It’s sweet, but not like cake,” Constance said pausing for another sip, “Yet it’s, it’s savory… It's so...so…” Constance finally stops talking for once.

“She’s out,” Tethys said solemnly. All at once, without any more words, they pack up. Gaea weaves a small cot out of the wild grasses. They lay Constance upon it, and Anemoi makes it float.

They walk in silence. The sun starts to rise as they reach a giant willow. Gaea places her hand on the tree and mumbles a prayer. The earth opens up and Hestia takes the lead, her hands glowing. Tethys, Constance, and Anemoi follow. Gaea removes her hand and whispers another prayer. The opening closes.

The tunnel is deep with different paths to confuse unlucky trespassers. The witches don’t speak, they know where they are going. They enter the large room, the heart of the willow. Hestia goes and lights a fire near the edge of the room. A bit of light could be seen from the top of the room. Anemoi lets Constance and her cot down underneath it. They pull out other cots and drink their herbal teas, and they are ready to sleep.

About two hours before sunset the women wake. They begin to prepare for the sacrifice. Gaea braids butterfly weed together. Anemoi puts jade into the orbs of water Tethys has floating along the edges of the room. Tethys pours salt onto the floor in the shape of a star. Hestia puts a purple candle on the northern side, and working around clockwise, she sets down a blue, red, green, and yellow candle at each point of the star. Now they are ready… they just have to wait for the blood moon to rise. 

A few moments before midnight Constance wakes up. Her wrists and ankles are bound with the butterfly braids. 

Anemoi begins, lighting her candle, “Air, I invite you to join this sacred circle. Power of breath, wind, and mind, I ask you please.”

            Hestia follows lighting hers, “Fire, I invite you to join this sacred circle. Power of passion, flame, and energy, I ask you please.”

Tethys follows her, “Water, I invite you to join this sacred circle. Power of oceans, streams, and emotions, I ask you please.”

Gaea follows, “Earth, I invite you to join this sacred circle. Power of trees, mountains, and bones, I ask you please.” Gaea pauses and then continues, “Spirit, I invite you to join this sacred circle. Power of the unity of the one life force, I ask you, please. I ask you to rebirth our fallen sister, in turn, we give you this child.” 

A gust of wind blows out the fire entrapping Constance. The moon brightens casting red light upon her. She is standing now, her legs spread, her body taut.

“Why did you trick me? I thought you were going to save me.” Her voice changes, replaced with a deep demonic one. “You thought you could sacrifice me? You can not sacrifice me! I am more powerful than all you'll ever be! I am spirit, earth, wind, water, and fire. You can't destroy me, nor create me, nor sacrifice me. I am virgin, mother, and crone! You are nothing!”

 A burst of light envelops the room. The woman burn and fade. They are no more. Constance falls to the floor barely alive. A babe’s wails wake her up, strengthening her, giving her reason to live.

Constance seemed to age 10 years in one night. She picked up the babe, his green eyes being the most beautiful thing about him. His small body covered in dried blood and black hair. His face is distorted, mangled, but his smile was as wonderful as his eyes. That moment Constance claimed him as her own.