Daughters of Le Fey Part 26

This is the story I've been editing. I reached the end of the work in progress and I've had inspiration to continue the story.

Thank you for following me as I edited it. I hope you'll continue to follow as I now enter the writing stage.

The links to the previous episodes are all here.

On with the story.

Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10, Part 11, Part 12, Part 13, Part 14, Part 15 Part 16 Part 17 Part 18 Part 19 Part 20 Part 21 Part 22 Part 23 Part 24 Part 25

Images from Wiki, Google (free to use) and Pixabay

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The black wraith swooped at Katherine but did not bounce off her guard this time. It went past her, avoiding the protective shield she had put up.

The lingering, cloying stench of death on the air followed it as it passed. In the breath of decay, Katherine could easily imagine thousands of people succumbing to its influence and she realised exactly what the wraith represented.

Plague.

The wraith swooped again and again, diving at Katherine and Morgana from all angles and at different heights and speeds. With each pass, the visions of people dying and suffering grew stronger and eventually, Morgana had to stand close to Katherine, whispering encouragement to her.

Katherine turned her head a little toward her mother to gain more comfort from her words, perhaps. It was the tilt of her head that gave Morgana’s position away and the wraith change tactic.

It came at them both and tried to split them. Mother and daughter stood firm and confident and the wraith exploded against their shield. Morgana and Katherine were both shocked with the intensity of the attack and defeat but not as much as the wraith as its attack did not succeed. Its screech of defeat hurt their ears and their souls.

Once they were certain the threat of attack had passed and the wraith was indeed defeated, Katherine fell to her knees, head bowed almost to the ground and she sobbed.

It took a few moments for Morgana to collect her composure and bend to her daughter because she too had felt the creature’s power.

“What was that, Mother?”

“Disease, pestilence, plague,” Morgana said. “It may take only years or it may take centuries for it to regain its strength, but as we both know, centuries in the human world of man can pass in the blink of an eye here.”

Katherine looked up, her face smeared with tears she had tried to wipe away. “Do you mean that creature has been in the world of man?”

“The creature is always in the world of man,” Morgana said. “Legends have built up around it, it is known as one of the four horsemen of the apocalypse and I am beginning to believe your husband has aligned with them in order to gain power over the world of man.”

Morgana took her daughter’s hands in hers and looked into her eyes. “You have a battle before you, harder than even I imagined, and I have limited resources to help you.”

Katherine nodded and kissed her mother’s hands.

“I know it. I must find my image in the world of man and have her destroy Dominic for good and all and then to guide her to my burial site and have her put my three parts together.” Katherine said as though to remind herself that she knew the steps to take.

“Should I be buried?” she asked.

“What a question,” Morgana said. “Why do you ask it? What have you seen?”

“I am not sure, it is unclear, but there is something about my burial that disturbs me and I need to be clear on what I must do to complete my tasks properly so that I may join you in your otherworld.”

“You must do what you think is right. I cannot help you for I do not know. I have never had a daughter go through this before.”

Katherine paused at those words. “You have other daughters? I have sisters?” Katherine looked up at her mother to see her face as she answered.

Morgana’s smile brightened her face and gladdened Katherine’s heart.

“My darling, all women are my daughters! They are all your sisters. Love them as I love them. Let not harm come to any, for your powers are growing and with great power comes great responsibility. You must protect when you are able to, and prevent evil at all costs.”

Katherine nodded. “I shall.”

Morgana kissed Katherine on the forehead, on her eyes and on her mouth and said, “I may come with you this once, to see what you face in the world of man. I have a little time left.” She took Katherine’s hand and they went to the human world together.

The sight that greeted them filled them both with shock and sadness for the state of humanity.

It was as though they could see all the world and all the world lay in deep mourning.

Though plague had been defeated, it had taken its toll on humankind. Civilisations lay ruined. Cities abandoned and countries decimated.

The world seemed empty of people.

Katherine took her mother’s hand as she used to when she was a small child – for comfort and reassurance. She looked to her mother and Morgana looked back. Both wept for the sake of humanity.

“Did I do this, Mother?” Katherine whispered, her voice hitching.

Morgana pulled her into her embrace. “No, my darling, you prevented this from being worse.”

“Worse? I cannot imagine worse than this.”

“I’m grateful that you cannot, but indeed it could have been and you have prevented Dominic’s demons taking control.”