Blackwater Magic

The cold north wind was howling like a banshee and the front that preceded it had the scudding grey clouds spitting a cold penetrating rain that had all animals and magical creatures seeking shelter in the deep woods of Sanctuary. The lower part of the Morganza Floodway System commonly referred to by the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries organization as Area Six provides a hiding place in plain view for the magical community that calls their refuge Sanctuary. Area six is a haven for fish and wildlife in the Atchafalaya River basin and encompasses myriad bayous and freshwater lakes and is therefore a favorite haunt for both sport and commercial fishermen. Area Six’s very popularity makes it even more interesting in that it houses a magical community whose primary purpose is to protect the area from exploitation and ruin by uncaring human forces while it keeps itself invisible from the area’s inhabitants and visitors. Kenseth and his wife Gloriana (called either deep woods or woodland fairies) had been visited during the night with a very disturbing dream of foretelling. This very Halloween a new charge would be born to Anthony and Cecile Gateaux, two of the human keepers of Sanctuary. This new charge would possess powers not seen before in the Gateaux family of guardians. Dark times had been foretold for the future of Sanctuary and its magical inhabitants. The fey population of Sanctuary was well aware that they lacked the power to continue to protect their home. Evil demons had been foreseen possessing the local human population and not only causing the humans to kill each other, but also bringing about the destruction of Sanctuary and all of its inhabitants.

Through the sheeting rain, Kenseth saw an Osprey fighting the wind and dropping from the leaden sky to dodge the streaming Spanish moss of the sacred oak. The Osprey chose to land on a bare limb a few feet from where Kenseth and Gloriana were sheltered under palmetto.

         “Hello Chek,” Kenseth said to the sylvan as he dismounted from the Osprey. “Are you patrolling in this horrid weather?”

         “I wouldn’t ordinarily let nasty weather keep me from my rounds; but Martha just told me she is not going to fly up there anymore today until this wind calms down.  So, I guess I’m grounded until this mess lets up,” Chek replied. “I had a foretelling vision today. It seems we have a new charge born to Gateaux the younger last night. If the foretelling is accurate he will be the most powerful of the guardians to date.  I pray that it’s true as I have a sense of foreboding that I can’t ignore. We are in for bad times; I just can’t tell how far in the future they start. I trust that you and Gloriana will visit the young Gateaux as soon as practical to start his initiation into our realm.”

“Of course, even though we won’t see him for several years yet, we will visit him in dreams and become his imaginary friends so that we can influence the direction of his training. Fortunately, his father, mother and grandparents are all guardians and aware of the role and we must play in his upbringing. We have some more good news though; it seems that the guardians of the small refuge outside New Orleans are also expecting a happy event. The grandmother has told us that the new arrivals will be twin girls and they are destined to be not only guardians but also witches. That last part I am sure comes strictly from Grandma Thibadeaux, as she is a very powerful witch, as you know. I have also touched base with our guardian of the refuge at Cocodris. He told me that he has been experiencing an upwelling of black water that is feeding from the ground into the marsh. He assures me that the source is very powerful even though it is not very large.  Never fear Chek, we are keeping tabs on all the players and we will do our part to ensure our protection.” Kenseth replied with just a hint of exasperation.