An Etherworld Story Prequel Short Written By: S.A. Sickels Copyright 2012 S.A.Sickels In Association with Piddley Bug Productions Thank you for downloading this E-Book. Please respect the intellectual rights of this work protected under the DMCA (Digital Millennium and Copyright Act). Do not decimate this work in any way. Please do not distribute, or share this work for any commercial purpose whatsoever. This book is a work of fiction and any resemblance to persons living or dead is purely coincidental. All characters are works of fiction and all names are as well except for those that have express permission for their names to be used. The cover work for this Novella was designed by Corey T. Sickels in association with Piddley Bug Productions, all artwork is protected , under the DCMA. Thank you to wife Rachel and son Ethan for your support in everything I do, it means so much to me. The two of you are my life, you are my inspiration to be better and to excel in exploring my dreams to matter where they may lead me. Thank you also to my brother Corey for the Wonderful cover art and for encouraging my imagination. The long talks and ideas we have passed back and forth over the years have given me great material to write! Prologue May 22nd 1693 In the center of the Village of Ipswich the villagers gathered around the few market trailers purchasing and trading for goods as needed. Others went to the public well to retrieve water for their homes. Suddenly the doors to court house flew open and a young boy ran out, the sound of a muffled bell clanged against his trousers as he ran towards the village square. When he reached the center of the square he climbed atop the stone walls that support the opening of the public well. Releasing his bell he began the toll of the town crier…. “Hear Ye, Hear Ye. The court of our neighboring city Salem has announced that four more witches have been brought to justice through the Trial, failing all test the suspects were proven to be in practice of the dark arts, blasphemers of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” Hear Ye, Hear Ye The World Renowned Witch and Paranormal Hunter William Griggs has announced that Salem is clear of evil, and by direct command of the Church in Europe he has announced that the settlement of Salem shall suffer severe penalties, of deprived shipments of goods and medicines. Blasphemy will not be tolerated within the colonies. He leaves one message….Hear Ye, Hear Ye, , the courts have now declared that William Griggs and his team of hunter are to set off to Ipswich” Chapter 1 It was getting late well past the witching hour, usually Aidan was back from his patrol by now. Being pregnant my powers were weakened, so I dare not venture into the wilderness just outside our cabin. The new world has proven very dangerous already, out settlement has lost many in just this first winter alone. The humans have it worse, but even the magic folk that made the journey are struggling. No as much as I was worried I knew I had to stay put until the new days dawn arrived. Walking across the dirt floor to the fireplace I add another log to the glowing embers that had lost their flame. Stirring the embers I managed to re-stoke the fire and instantly I felt the fresh new heat envelop me. I went to the bed that Aidan and I share and found the heavy woven blanket that we traded for with the natives. Wrapping myself with it I sat in the rocking chair, and rocked until my eyes grew heavy; it took longer than usual, but sleep still came for me. My dreams were dark there was an evil man, he hunted my kind, brutally torturing them stretching out their pain only to let them die in the slowest most excruciating ways. In my dream there was a girl running from the evil man and his henchmen, I knew somehow that she had to hide something from them, but I wasn’t sure what it was. All I knew was that her safety was the least of her concerns. She was terrified for the safety of someone else, but for whom? Suddenly she performed some basic spells that sent the evil man’s henchmen flying to the ground. One was split clean in to; it was a most gruesome site to say the least. Eventually the girl had gained some ground on those who pursued her, either that they had backed off. Which it was I wasn’t sure. The girl now wandering the bed of a meandering brook found an alcove in the wall of the bank; it was just beneath a great oak tree its roots shielding the entrance to the small cave. She pulled back the roots, and slowly turned to face me…to my surprise the girl was me, and in her arms she held a child that had been carefully strapped to her chest, she loosened the sling and released the child into her arms. She kissed the child on the forehead and then said something I couldn’t hear. Slowly and carefully she slid the child into the alcove tucking her in tightly with a small blanket. She re-arranged the roots of the great oak to help conceal her infant. It then appeared she wept a single tear before forced her hands up to clear it from her cheek. She then turned back to me determination in her eyes, and pride in posture she gave me a strong wink, and then returned to the woods running. I started to move towards the alcove when I heard a voice, it was a faint voice, but it seemed to be getting louder. The world of the dream started to fade around me everything was getting foggy. Then I felt the shake and jolted out of my sleep and back into my cabin. Standing before me with tear soaked cheeks was Anis, my husband’s half human, and half witch sister. Still half asleep I was a mess I tried wiping my eyes clear and trying to reclaim my bearing after such a vivid dream, but I was still groggy. Finally though I was able to clear my throat and ask Anis what was wrong. But as I finished my question she dropped to the floor sobbing, it was only then that I noticed the mud on her boots and the blood on her jacket. “Anis hunny what is wrong” I asked, She was hugging my leg like a child as she tried to explain what happened, but through her racking tears her words were indistinguishable. I managed to help her up and sat her in my rocking chair. I carefully wrapped my heavy blanket around her, and then retrieved a goblet of warm water from the kettle above the now cool fire. She took a few sips of the water , and wiped the tears from her now blood shot eyes, she looked up at me fresh tears building at the edges of her lashes, her lips were trembling she was about to speak when it hit me, I knew exactly what was wrong…. Normally Aidan would have jumped to protect his little sister, but he hadn’t because he was not here frantically I turned around scanning the small cabin, but there was no sign, not one that he had returned over the night which only re-enforced my first, and worst fear Aidan had been late before but never had he not returned before dawn…. “Aidan” I whispered now mortified. Anis shook her head yes, before she buried her face into my sleeping gown. “I’m so sorry Abbey; he was killed last night trying to fight off a bear that had attacked Mr. McCreary the farmer on the north side of the village.” I sat there staring at my sister-in-law for what seemed an eternity, so many thoughts were running through my head, mostly memories sweet, sweet memories of his soft touch, romantic kisses, his playfulness with me, his natural smell of cinnamon and sandalwood, his aspiration of being a strong proud father….Anis stirred me from my thoughts when she started sniffling back fresh tears. Coming back to my senses I knew it was my task to go identify his body. Regaining a sense of duty I stood up and calmly went to our cedar chest, I found a good hiking dress, insulated boots, and my heavy winter bonnet to help me prepare myself for the trek to the north side of Ipswich. Dressing for protection against the cold Massachusetts winter air that lied just outside my door was a must no matter what species you were. The sting of hearing that Aidan is dead made me numb, even after an hour of walking I still had yet to shed a tear for my fallen love. I was thinking to myself that perhaps I needed to see him to come to terms with the loss of my love. As we wandered along the main road in the village I barely noticed the town’s people shying away from us as we approached them, but Anis did. “do you think they are backing away out of respect?” she said. “I’m sorry I wasn’t paying attention, what did you say” I replied. Anis repeated her question, but all I did was scrunch my shoulders, because I actually had no idea why they were acting this way. Usually it is customary that when a family member of the recently deceased comes thru town people in the village share their condolences, some even offer gifts of sorrow to help ease the burden of the loss, but not today, today was different. “But why” I questioned in my thoughts.
Posted on: Thu, 13 Jun 2013 16:30:11 +0000
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