Hellsgate

Prologue

Their faint murmuring echoed in the cavern. Sift watched as the three witches stood around the stone altar, four candles lit in the four corners. A small bundle of swaddled cloth in the center of the slab.

He wondered how much longer it'd take when one of them answered.

"Have a bit of patience. Won't be long now."

Sift shuddered and admonished himself for letting his guard down. Closing the veil of his thoughts, his tone cold and harsh, said, "I'm warning you witch. Stay out of my mind. And get on with it."

"Eager to run away with rest are you," asked the second, unaffected by his unspoken threat.

"I'm not running away. Get on with it."

The third witch tsked. "That's the problem with you young ones. You lack courage and honor to stay and fight."

His jaw clenched. He lacked courage and honor? If he hadn't had such a dire need of their skills he'd run them through for their insolence.

"Besides," said the first, "the other side..."

"Will be no paradise," continued the second..."

"For creatures like us," ended the third.

Sift tired of this. He did not come here for their unwanted advice. He must get to the gate in time. The temperature in the cave dropped as ice crystals formed around his right hand until it form a brilliantly sword of ice.

The witches cackled in dry amusement. "To be that young," they said simultaneously.

Damn them.

They ceased their chatter and went back to their spell. Their voices raised louger and more guttural, like a packk of starving wild animals fighting over the last piece of meat until their voices were nearly shouting.

The bundle started squirming and soon the swaddling was kicked off. Showing two chubby legs and ten tiny toes. The babe started wailing, her cries mingling with the witches.

The air crackled with energy. Sift's heart started pounding as if outside his chest. And the air suddenly became hard to breathe.

Something wasn't right. He'd never heard of this happening during all the research he'd done.

One of the crones stumbled while the other two cried out in alarm.

"What is this?"

"What haven't you told us about this child?"

"You lied to us."

"Just do what I've paid you for!"

They finally turned to him and glared then turned back to the squalling child. A silent conversation passed between them. They must've reached a decision because as one they surrounded the altar in a circle, grasped their hands and started a new chant.

He stepped forward but a gust of wind immediately pushed him back. "What are you doing?"

"It's not what you wanted."

"But it's best for her."

"And you will teach her."

Hours later as he was passing through the gate on the top of the glen, he grumbled under his breath. Already he'd broken his promise. Instead of a binding spell, those damn witches only locked it away.

Damn it all, everyone knew locks could be broken, he'd told them.

"Of course it will."

"So you must teach her..."

"When that time comes..."

"And you will," they said altogether as they gathered the child and placed her back into his arms.

Their words of advice were the last of his dismal memories from his old world.