Agnes Rock

"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.

After Agnes killed the Wolf. Everyone in the village couldn't stop talking about it. The Wolf has been terrorizing them and even the neighboring villages, but this was all stopped by a twelve year old boy. All were happy, well except one person. Mary! She was glad Agnes didn't get eaten by the Wolf but Agnes would start questioning himself. She couldn't stop being bothered that Anapheus feared for her. "Mary, he is our son. He won't leave us." "No!! He will." Mary retorted back. "Sure he will. But he will still come back. He will have us in mind.

We are his parents." He paused, his eyes softening, he cupped Mary's cheek, "You are his mother." Mary hugged Anapheus and cried on his shoulder. Just behind the door, stood Agnes listening to all the conversations. ***Agnes @15 "Agnes come back here!" "No Mom." Agnes shouted. He ran fast into the forest. "Why are you doing this to me?" Mary muttered. Later in the night Agnes came knocking at the door. Anapheus opened and let him through. "What's wrong with you? Why will you keep getting your mother bothered?" Anapheus scolded. Mary stepped forward and held Anapheus by the arm, "Anapheus, stop it! Don't scare my baby." "Mary you've got to stop all these." Anapheus warned. "It's ok my baby." Mary cooed touching Agnes' hair. "No mom. I'm sick of all this. You kept calling me baby every time.. it's so frustrating because I'm not like every other kid." Agnes cried. Mary and Anapheus immediately became alarmed. "Why would you say that? Who told you that?" "No one did, I know so." Agnes slumps on the nearest chair. "I mean..I I'm not like every other kid. I'm bigger than all of them. I even look like their big brother." He whined. "No baby. You are not like that. You are a special kid. You should keep that in mind." Mary touched his chest. "You are going to be a great person." "Ok mom. But one more thing." "What is it my baby?" Mary asked. Agnes groaned. "Mom!! Don't call me that. I don't like it when you call me baby. I'm a man now." He pouted. "No. You are my son. No matter how much you've changed and mister you are not a man..yet." Mary declined. Agnes folded his arms and pouted. "I don't like it." Anapheus laughed. "Son you have to leave it like that. She won't change that. You have to live with that." Agnes stood up and went to his room. Anapheus laughed at his childish behavior so hard that he fell on the floor but soon silenced as Mary glared at him. "Do you really have to do this?" Mary asked with worry evident in her eyes. "I have to Mary. The child need some training and besides he is born a warrior." Anapheus replied. "Now how will you know that?" Mary crossed her arms over her chest, fake glaring at Anapheus hoping to change his mind. Anapheus being a former warrior wants to train his children some skills so they can defend themselves. He knew Agnes has the blood of a warrior in him. His posture and everything says it all. So Anapheus decided to start with the training once he clocks eighteen. "I know so. Babe you know I was once a warrior. I know a skilled lad when I see one and Agnes is a greater skilled lad." "Ok." Mary threw her hands in the air showing surrender, "Since you are so adamant about this. I want to tell you to take it easy on him. I wouldn't want him hurt, if not.." Mary looked around the house before she curse, "I'll fucking kick your dirty ass off the bed. And you will sleep on the floor for a month. Try me and see." Mary threatened. Anapheus gulped nervously. "Cmon babe if I go easy on him the enemies won't do that. But I'll try to go as easy as I can with giving him the strict teachings." "Better." Mary responded swaying her hips as she goes away to the kitchen to prepare something for breakfast. Anapheus shook his head and went out. "You have to anticipate your opponent's next move. You use the sword to shield and also attack." Anapheus said to Agnes who was frustrated with the continued training. He was disturbed in his sleep to start a training he didn't even need. "Dad I don't need this training. Why bother me with it." Agnes whined. Anapheus made his way to him, he held him by the back of his neck and used his forehead to touch Agnes'. "You don't understand what's to come in the future. There's more to you than you think. You are not like every other person out there. You are strong..more than a ferocious Lion or a mad Wolf." Anapheus released him and straightened up, "You can go back to sleep I won't disturb you anymore. But before that I want to ask you a question? Do you know why we use the sword?" "To protect our loved ones and our properties." "Correct. If I become old and weak. Who would protect our family? You? The son that refused to learn the way of the sword? Now tell me? You wouldn't want your kid brothers to die young would you? What would you do? What would you do when twelve year old Achilles or Nine year old Clement is in danger?" "I'm not waiting for your reply. I need it now." Anapheus added. Agnes picked up the fallen wooden sword and swayed it. "I'll fight." Anapheus smirked, "Good, now let's see what you are made of." Anapheus attacked Agnes.

It's been so many years Agnes has been training so hard ever since. Anapheus taught him everything he knew making him more stronger and skillful. 9 years later, Agnes was sitting by the waterfall looking at the big water fall off the tall and mighty rock. He moved closer to the water and was washing his face when his eyes caught a shining object. He moved closer to it and saw a golden anklet in the water. Agnes picked it up. "Who has this beautiful anklet?" He asks himself. 'I'm sure no one in this village has this, it looks so rich.' He thought. Agnes put the anklet in his pocket.

He has to know who has this. This all mean something he's been curious about since his childhood. Is there really some people living up there on the mountain? Agnes went back into the house, while eating he decided to ask a question. "Mom, what would you do when eventually you get to know there's some life up that mountain?" Clement chuckles then mumbles, "There he comes again. He thinks the impossible." Anapheus laughs teasing Agnes. Mary looked at him and sighs. "We've talked about this." "No mom, I'm just asking." He whined. "Agnes Don't you think it's time you start having the plan on getting married. You are old for the gods' sake." Achilles teased. Everyone laughed, well except Mary who knew Agnes is up to something. The next morning, Agnes was having his usual training when Achilles came to report something to him. Agnes dashed off to Mary. "Mom you don't have to do this." He tried to reason with her. "No. Since you are stubborn I have no option than to resolve to this." Mary declined stubbornly. "Dad talk to her." "Sorry I can't. She's doing what she think is the best." Anapheus replied. After Mary thought about it all night, she decided to visit the village Shaman. She wanted Agnes to stop worrying about things that would make him go away. It's really selfish of her but she doesn't want him going away, he might die. Just the thought of it kept her awake all night. The Shaman told her to appease the god of Sea, Poseidon by drenching his statue for one hundred and one times, after then whatever she has in mind Poseidon will grant. Mary was given a small bowl to do this. "Mom." Agnes collected the bowl from her. "I'll do it for you." "No, I have to do this myself." Mary shooed him away. "Then I'll keep the statue wet forever." Agnes went in and brought out a shovel and starts detaching the statue from the ground. "Don't do it Agnes!" Mary shouted at the top of her lungs. "No mom." Was Agnes' reply. He detached the statue from the ground and took it up leaving everybody in awe. He took it to the waterfall and placed it there. He looked back at Mary and smiled, "Mom you see now you don't have to worry about getting to pour him water anymore. You can just ask whatever you want." "What!" Mary was shell shocked. The priest came forward and touch Agnes' head, "You are really blessed. No one really has to fetch water anymore." He turned to the villagers, "You can all ask whatever you want at anytime. Agnes you do the honor of praying first." Agnes smiled, he touched his pocket and brought out the golden anklet. "I want to solve the mystery behind this. I hope Poseidon grants it." He said. "Now it is granted." The Priest said then turned to Mary, "You want to say something ma?" He asked gesturing for her to come forward. Mary declined and walked away with tears breaming from her eyes, Anapheus got away from the crowd and looked for her. "Hey bro." A guy chimes putting his hand over Agnes' shoulder. His name is Jason. He is one of Agnes' childhood friends. Agnes has only three friends; Jason, Pete and Marcus. "Hey." Agnes greeted him back. "That was a good show back there. So what's the anklet all about?" Jason asked. "That's none of your business." Agnes glared at him. Jason fake gasped and held his chest pretending to be hurt. "Why must you hurt my feeling? I was just asking like a regular guy. We are best friends, right?" Agnes sighed, and said, "I saw the golden Anklet by the waterfall. I have a hunch it fell from the above." Agnes replied looking at the mountain. "Okay. Now let me see." Jason demands. "No." Agnes declined immediately but Jason already snatched it from him already. He threw it in the air and someone caught it. "Well look what we got here." The person laughed. Agnes glared at the person "Marcus don't be dick and give it to me now." "Hmm I don't think so." Another person person came out and answered. Agnes groaned and massaged his temple. "So now you are all ganging up on me now? Even you Pete." Pete raised his hands in surrender laughing. "Did Mom send you guys here? I know she's the one." Agnes mumbled. "Agnes you don't have to be stressing her. Just do her wish. She's sad because of your quest to do things that will eventually get you killed. There's no life up there, even if there is what are you going to do?" Marcus fired at him. "And yo.." Agnes was cut off by Jason who shouted "This is a fucking expensive anklet. We should sell it." Agnes walked to him and snatched it back. "No. I'm not selling." "That's a rare anklet. Don't you think we should visit the blacksmith? He might know something about it." Pete suggested. "That's right." They all agreed with him. Out of the boys Pete is the most calm and collected guy, Jason is the funny and hilarious one. Marcus is the angry and impatient one and Agnes is Agnes. They all went to the blacksmith to check it out. "It's a rare Anklet indeed." The blacksmith whose name is Reece said. "Ok..so what does that mean?" "Calm down Marcus he's still talking." Pete cut him off. Reece used his tongue to touch the anklet, he took it to a device and tested it. After awhile he came to the boys and said "I've not seen anything like it before. It shows it's a very expensive chain, and the way it was crafted and designed it's obviously.." Reece the blacksmith trailed off. " what!" Agnes questioned. "It's obviously from a far, far away land. Tell me where'd you see it." "At the waterfall." "Hmm I'm beginning to think you are not insane after all. Maybe you are right. There's a life up there." Reece pointed at the top of the waterfall. Later in the night Agnes was on his bed thinking about what the blacksmith said earlier 'Hmm I'm beginning to think you are not insane after all. Maybe you are right. There's a life up there.' 'I'll do whatever it takes to get up there. Something magnificent is up there. Im sure of it.' Agnes vowed in his heart.