“The death of a great warrior opens the gate to the birth of another” They used to say, or well..maybe I chose to say.

The tales of Agnes Rock being told to children were believed to be folklores, everyone believed it except few. On a sunny day, in the deep forest a cry was heard. A man named Anapheus and his wife Mary was going around picking up wild fruit.

Anapheus is a warrior but retired to be a hunter. He resided with his wife in a little village which was rich with good water, good soil and some sights breathtaking.

Anapheus told his wife to go back but was interrupted when they heard another cry but this time it’s a baby’s cry. Mary dashed forward ignoring her husband’s warning. After a while of trying to get where the cries came from, they saw bloodstains and not far away they saw a baby crying.

Mary gasped seeing this. A knife came toward her without a warning, Anapheus was quick to draw her away from the knife’s attack.

“Don’t you dare touch him.” A woman snarled. She was covered in blood. She brought out another knife but this time longer.

“Hey, we are not here to fight you. We only came here because we heard some cries.” Anapheus tried to reason with her.

The woman moved forward but immediately collapsed to the ground. “Please, I need him safe.” She pointed at the baby.

“I’m not su..” Mary cut him off. “We will do our best ma’am.”

The woman groaned in pain. She held Mary’s hand and muttered, “Take this golden ankle chain. That’s who he is.”

“Ma, you can save this speech for later you are heavily injured you need to survive.”

The woman nodded her her violently, “ No I can’t. They must not know he’s here. Please protect him with all you have.” Her grip on Mary’s hand loosened and her body went limp.

Mary stood up and covered her mouth sobbing. Anapheus went toward her comforted her.

They buried the woman’s body in the forest and took the baby to the village and named him Agnes according to the name inscribed on the golden ankle chain.

Years later..

Young Agnes stood at the bottom of a big waterfall. “Agnes!!!” Mary called out.

“Yes ma.”

“How many times have I told you not to stand there. It’s dangerous out there. You hear me?” Mary cautioned.

“Ok mummy. I’m just curious.”

“Curious? About what?” Mary touched his hair with her eyes full of doting love. Ever since Agnes came into their lives, things had been going well, even it’s very rare for their livestock to fall sick, she had also been able to conceive which was a big shock to all. She gave birth to two boys, Clement and Achilles.

“How come this mountain is so big?” Agnes asked.

“Well no one knows. It’s the doing of the gods.”

“Don’t you know what’s at the top of the mountain. I want to see it. Can you take me there mummy?” Agnes looked up at Mary who was already fidgeting.

She knew there would be a time Agnes’ true heritage would come calling, but she didn’t want to let go.

“Come let’s go inside. I wouldn’t want your Dad getting mad at you again for being out here alone.” She took Agnes inside.

“I don’t want him to go.”

Later in the night, Mary discussed about the issue that had been pestering her.

“Mary you know we can’t do that. Sooner or later he will start asking questions we can’t answer. And it’d be best if we let him go.”

“No!!” Mary began to cry. “I don’t want my baby to go.”

Anapheus hugged her tight “Honey, we have to let go. Let’s leave it all to fate.”

****************

“Mooom! Mom!!” Achilles called.

Anapheus and Mary rushed there but saw blood all over.

“Where’s Agnes?” Mary screeched.

Achilles pointed to a big wolf lying lifeless in a pool of blood. Mary covered her mouth and fell to her knees. “My baby is gone.”

“Mummy look.” There was a movement under the big black Wolf. A tiny hand came out in view, Anapheus with some villagers rolled the Wolf away and saw Agnes underneath it.

Earlier in the morning, Agnes being the eldest of the children wanted to play but Achilles kept disturbing him he wants to play too. Agnes and Achilles started chasing each other laughing, but unknown to them there was a Wolf roaming around. The Wolf comes early in the morning and eats whatever animal is left outside.

While the children were playing, Achilles fell to the ground just a few feet from the Wolf. Agnes quickly grabbed a sharpened rock and pointed it to the Wolf.

“Go and I won’t have to hurt you. Achilles go home and call Mom and Dad.”

Achilles got to his feet and ran home calling out to their parents.

The Wolf growled and attacked on seeing Achilles going but was blocked by Agnes.

“You are not going to hurt my brother. You are not going to hurt anyone. Ever again.”

Agnes lunged forward and attacked.

The villagers pulled Agnes up. Mary immediately stood up and checked his body for any injuries but there was none.