The Goddess' Path chapter 3

She woke up in a cave, alone.

            What happened to me she thought to herself.

            We helped you a voice in her head answered.

            Helped me? Why? She returned.

            You needed our help it told her.

            Then who are you she wondered.

            We are the elements it answered.

            How did you help me?

            We protected you from yourself; you are too weak for the power you were going to use.

          Where am I?

          You do not recognize this place?

          I think I know it, but I don’t know how.

            This is where you were born. It has protected you from your power since then and always will.

          When will it stop?

            When you can control your power.

          Where are my friends?

            Looking for you.

          How will they find me?

            It is not our place to tell how.

          Then who will?

            The one who loves you.

          Just then she heard footsteps, and Hephaestus came into view. He was wearing a fireproof leather vest, a deep red tee-shirt, and a pair of ragged old jeans  that were falling apart at the seams, the knees were so torn up they were almost nonexistent. Instead of the full grown beard you would expect he had a five o’clock shadow.

            “Where have you been? Everyone’s looking for you,” he complained with a joking smile on his face.

            “Do you know where we are?” Anya wondered.

            “Yeah, this is the birthplace for most gods’ children. All of us know it as a place of protection and comfort,” Hephaestus answered. “That’s why the elements brought you here. Have you their heard voices in your head yet?”

            “Yeah I have.  They told me they were the elements. I’m still weary of them though,” Anya whispered.

            “You say that like it’s a bad thing, it’s not! But it means you have too much power for you to control. You’ll need help learning how to control it, but you have to shed your human cover in order to do it.”

            “How do I do that?”

            “You don’t, you’ll kill yourself. Do you trust me?” he gave her that loving look that melts her heart.

            “Yes,” she answered a little too soon.

            “Okay, close your eyes,” he told her. She closed her eyes; he leaned in and kissed her. A rush of energy burst through her body and her mortal skin began to burn.  The two of them became engulfed in flames as their kiss deepened and they wrapped each other in their warm embrace. Soon enough her clothes caught fire and shriveled off with her skin.

            She gasped as she felt the last bit of heat lick her mortal cover gone.

            “What just happened,” she asked noticing her clothes were now a pile of ash.

            “I burned away your mortal cover,” he answered. She now had waist length wavy red hair still cut with widows peak bangs and menacingly deep hazel eyes. She seemed happy that her hair covered her breasts. “Wait here I have something for you.” He ran out of the cave and came back in an instant. In his hands he held a large present wrapped in fireproof cloth. It had a large red ribbon on the top. “I think you’d want to open it soon.”

            “Okay, thank you,” she tore off the cloth and opened the box. Inside was an earthy green dress, it was about knee length and had a floor length cloak in the same color. “Oh, it’s perfect,” she exclaimed and began to pull it over her head careful not to show her bare breasts. She put it on and got a better view of it. It stopped at mid thigh and was floor length in the back; the sleeves were full length with beautiful long flair. It rested on her with spaghetti straps; the tops of the sleeves were just off her shoulders. The trimming was gold woven in beautiful patterns.

            “I made it myself. That is real gold woven into the edges,” he gloated.

            “It’s wonderful, absolutely amazing. Thank you Hephaestus,” she beamed and gave him a big hug. Her skirt and hair billowed in the wind as he lifted her up.

            “Can I ask you something,” she curiously inquired.

            “Absolutely, you can ask me anything,” he gently set her down.

            “The elements told me the one who loves me would be the one to find me…” she began.

            “Are you inquiring that I love you?” he inturupted.

            “Yes, I suppose I am,” she said. His grin only got bigger.

            “Yes, I do love you. Would you love in return?” he asked.

            “Absolutely.” He began to kiss her again, but let go before they became engulfed in flame. He kissed her gently on the forehead and then wrapped her in his arms.

The Goddess' Path part two.

School ended sooner than excepted, the three of them met out by the dumpsters right away.

“What are you going to teach me first?” Anya asked eagerly.

“Nothing yet,” Anna whispered.

“At least not until we have you ready,” Jake added.

“Then what are we to do now?” Anya inquired.

“Get you ready,” Jake said far too early and much too loud.

“Shut up! You’re going to bring attention to us,” Anna hastily interrupted.

“So what do we do first?” Anya continued.

“Dressing,” the two said in unison sounding way overly gay.

“Do you have something for me…” Anya began

“Yes…” Jake said.

“No…” Anna said at the same time.

“What?”

“We can make you a dress…” Anna started.

“But you wont be able to see it until midnight,” Jake finished.

“Where’s the issue with that?”

“So you’re okay with that?” Jake stated

“We can make it and present it to you tonight, right,” Anna cleared.

“Sure, I have no problem with that.”

“Next we need to figure out who’s in our circle,” Jake stated.

“Apollo and Artemis are always air and water,” Anna reminded them.

“Are we going to stick with Hephaestus for fire?” Jake began.

“Or do we need to find a mortal to do so,” Anya continued.

“Nice, you’re already catching on,” Anna remarked. Anya returned a big and bright smile. The twins glanced at their watches and then suddenly gasped in unison.

“Oh my Zeus,” they said together. “We have to go now.”

“Go where,” Anya said.

“You’ll see,” Jake told her. He grabbed her arm and pulled her to the other side of the dumpsters. There was the outline of a door, and from the edges it glowed.

“Go ahead,” Anna pressured.

“Push it open,” implored Jake.

“And then what,” queered Anya.

“You walk in,” Jake and Anna encouraged in unison. She did as she was told. She opened it and the glow became as intense as the sun, but she continued out of curiosity.  She stepped in and the sunshine became a snowy forest, and she was in the clearing. A huge fire was lit in the middle and three other people were walking around. She glanced down at herself and what was her heavy winter coat was now a thick green cloak edged with ermine fur. Her knee high leather boots were deer skin and trimmed with the same fur as her coat. She wore a corset of the same material as her boots and her skirt was the same as her cloak. It just above her knees in the front but swooped down to the ground in the back. Her normal necklace dangled just above her breasts. The other woman there wore similar ensemble in blue with beaver fur and seal skin. The man next to her wore a pure silk shirt and matching parachute pants. His boots were obviously squirrel skin and his was entirely made of cockatoo feathers. The other man opposite of the circle was beautifully brawn. His clothes were of the same pattern but his looked more peasant like. It could be because everything was either burnt or covered in ashes. He had no cloak and what was not touched by fire was a beep red. To a mortal he would have been ugly but his inner beauty was too strong to be over ruled by the flaws of his face.  Who had been Anna and Jake were now clearly Gaea and Uranus wearing very similar ensembles as the others. Gaea was wearing the same thing as Anya but in purple and with unrecognizable furs and pelt. Uranus was covered with different pelts trimmed with the same fur. His cloak had a hood and barely touched the ground. They no longer were albino but they had perfect black hair and abnormal purple eyes.

“Places,” Anna barked. “we need to get started.” They took their places and all Anya could do was just stand there. The woman stood to the left of the fire, Anya caught a glimpse of her eyes and they were almost an ice blue. The brawn man was on the opposite side of the fire, he had brown eyes that melted her heart the second she saw them. His gaze was mysterious and yet enthralling. The smaller man stood opposite of the woman. He had nearly gray eyes with a touch of blue that would remind anyone of a storm cloud. The booming voice silenced all thoughts.

“Welcome to the most powerful night of the year!” Uranus proclaimed. “Before we start the circle we have introductions to make.”

“This is Anya, Anya this is Artemis,” Gaea gestured towards Anya then the lady in blue.

“Apollo, and Hephaestus,” Uranus pointed to the feathered man and then to brawn guy.  “Now the circle may begin.”

The two walked to Apollo. “Being the first element we touch it feels correct to call air to our circle first. Air please join our circle,” Gaea said. The moment she finished a mini tornado formed around the three of them, it made a short trip around the circle drawing a line in the dirt before returning to Apollo.  Gaea and Uranus walked to the left and stopped in front of Hephaestus.

“It heats our hearts and lights our way, fire is next to join our circle. Fire please enter and embrace us,” Uranus began to glow. Hephaestus suddenly caught on fire and when Anya gasped he began to cackle.

“Was that too much?” he wondered.
            “Absolutely not,” Gaea answered. The fire from him followed the small trench air made scorching the grass. Gaea and Uranus continued through the circle and stopped at Artemis.

“It cleans and heals us it is waters turn to join us. Please come and heal us with your presence water,” Gaea said. Artemis was suddenly in the middle of her little rain storm. The water that didn’t soak her clothes or hair settled in a pool at her feet it took only seconds to pass through the circle and heal the scorched earth. When lightning flashed her eyes sparked. Gaea and Uranus continued to Anya.

“Are you ready dear,” Uranus eagerly asked.

“Yup I am,” Anya returned.

“It is where we go once we die so it is only appropriate that is one of the last elements called. Earth please join us,” the twins said in unison. Anya became a stone statue instantly, from her the trench filled itself with earth, which was before it engulfed her.

Can you guess what happens next?

Dark Night

Clearly the empty night had no protection,

For the few who travel within it

There was no concealment for

The dangers untold and unknown

The depth of the darkness hid the dangers

Until it happened

The evil struck out

From its hidden cover

It has dissipated

From the memories that could hold it

It has changed lives

And broken bones

Brought tears to eyes

And tears to souls

It will strike again

No one knows when

This poem is about the crash I was in on 11-11-11; it changed everything in my life. I ended up moving to where I live now and leaving my memories and friends behind. I even moved away from part of my family.

The Goddess' Path

The years have crawled by, moving slower each time its noticed. 25 years have passed and much has happened.  I fear the world could end if too much more happened. But I cannot stop it even if I wanted to. I am just a human vessel through which the goddess lives. I can only tell her story hoping that one more powerful than I would hear and bring about an end to this. I suppose it would help if I told the story from the start.

             Dethroned by his own children the sky god, Uranus, gave the last of his power to the one other who would know what to do with it. He gave all his power to his sister the earth goddess Gaea. She took it knowing that one day she would return it to him. Many years later she found him. He was hanging onto his life by a thread, knowing he would not be able to live much longer she healed him. She placed him in a human vessel and gave him half her power so he may rise up again. Unfortunately, it back fired. She had to find a human vessel for herself so she could live on as well. Then I came along. I helped her the only way I could I allowed her to use me as her vessel. I was stupid. I had no idea of how much it would change my life.  Soon I began seeing ghosts and fey folk that should only be imagined. I figured it was like the fine print on a contract, the catch on a good deal. I knew there was something she wasn’t going to tell me when I met her this was definitely a thing she should have warned me about. 

            The days went by, and soon I began to hear her voice in my head. At first it was only faint whispers in the back of my mind but her voice grew louder. Now her voice blends in with my own thoughts. Gaea is open and happy about it; there are no secrets between us. Her brother is very different. Uranus does not stay with the same vessel and moves to a new one very often. He sends messages every time he moves. He thinks he owes his sister his life now that she has saved his. He does everything for her even if she doesn’t ask. He makes each day perfect for her; from the sky patterns to the friends she meets. He waits for her to leave her school before interrupting her thoughts.

            War is going on in the human world it has become an amusement for the gods. They don’t understand any of it. My world is falling apart and they will do nothing to help stop it. Hades has encouraged it by sending in his demons their endless rage lasts until they fall. They destroy anything or anyone in their way. Their empty minds and hearts care for nothing but destroying those still alive. The only good thing that comes from this is the power. Gaea and Uranus feed off the power they live on it. Both have become powerful enough to live on their own, but they are too worried of what will happen if they leave their vessels. Gaea has become a part of me; she is more than half of my soul. If she leaves I am certain that I will die; but because she stays I am little more than her human form. 

            There is not much more to tell you of the past so let’s continue on with the now.

            It is 9 am on Friday the thirteenth in the dead of winter. A normal school day, well as normal as it could be with the war going on. Gaea can feel the power swelling up, almost to its peak. Most people are afraid of this day, but she is not. She fears the power could be used by the dark gods, such as Hades or Ares.

            Could someone in this very room be one of them? She thought to herself.

            “Anna? What’s your opinion?” Mr. Grunkles asked interrupting her thoughts. His graying hair was balding into a monks ring. His nearly black eyes seemed to stare a hole right through Gaea.

            “My thoughts on what?” she puzzled. I am an albino; red eyes, snow white hair with bangs to her eye lids. Hidden in the white were streaks or red, yellow, green, blue, purple and black.

            “Since you have decided to pay absolutely no attention to the discussion would you care to tell the entire class what you’ve been so lost in thought about,” he demanded.

            “Certainly, Mr. Grunkles, I would love to,” she replied. “I was thinking about stuff “that if you knew you would surely want to put me in an insane asylum.”

            “We are waiting,” he spat. As if on cue the bell rang out loud and clear

            “Bell was saved by the bell,” she proclaimed.

            “Your homework is on page 94, class, I expect full sentences,” Mr. Grunkles seemed to glow when the herd groaned.

            “Hey sis! Wait up,” a hidden voice exclaimed. Uranus in his human body rushed up from behind and linked arms with Anna. His dark auburn dyed hair trimmed to stop just before his eyes was swaying with his every move. His beautiful albino eyes seemed to glow within the dark of his hair, his gay opposition was very controversial to his dark appearance. “Can’t you feel the swelling power? I can’t wait till tonight.”

            “Why you’re the one casting the circle, I’m just your earth Jake,” Anna replied.

            “No, you’re casting it with me.”

            “Then who’s going to be earth?”

            “We’ll figure it out please,” he drew the word out; “I can’t do it without you?”

            “I don’t have another option; or do I?”

            “Nope,” the glowing boy left, almost dancing down the halls. As soon as he left a girl came to speak with her. The girl had long black hair resting on her shoulders and her bangs were cut perfectly with a widow’s peak.

            “Hey Anna, I know I’m only a mortal but I believe in Wicca, and I might be able to stand in for earth in your circle,” the timid girl uncovered her necklace. It was a star within a circle, entirely covered in forest green. “You see earth is my element, and I can offer you my blood to use on this powerful night.”

            “Meet me out by the dumpsters right after school and we’ll see if you’re worthy enough, okay Anya.” Wow, silly mortals. It could cost her, her life.

            “Thank you,” she whispered as she scampered off.

             Silently, Anna walked to her next class. Oh great, gym.

            It was hockey; Anna automatically assumed the position of team captain and goalie; scoring and blocking every point. She was yelling out directions to her team, and before they could react she had already done it. She was recognized as the most valuable player for the school; mastering anything she did.  Gym ended soon enough. Yeah, lunch time.  Jake met her just outside the locker room with their lunches, a notebook, and a pen.

            “Ready to plan this thing,” he asked although it sounded more like a statement.

            “No, but what other choice do I have,” she remarked and took her lunch. They grabbed their sunglasses from their pockets before heading to the outdoors section of the cafeteria. No one else was there so it was the perfect place to speak of their ritual. Just as they sat down Anya approached wearing her big winter coat.

            “Can I sit with you guys?” she timidly questioned.

            “Yes…” Jake started.

“No, she can’t,” Anna interrupted, and began to stare her down.

“Why can’t she?” Jake said pulling her arm back as she started the death stare.

“We don’t need a mortal screwing this up,” Anna hissed.

“How do we know she’s really mortal; could she be like us? Just take a second look,” he demanded. They closed their eyes and a third eye seemed to appear in the middle of their foreheads still hidden by their bangs. They faced Anya and fell back off the bench. When they recovered they spoke.

“H-how…” stuttered Anna.

“It’s amazing, just wonderful,” he practically sung the words and he did a little twirl of joy.

“What…” Anya began to ask.                    

“He just loves to surprise us, doesn’t he?” Anna retorted.

“Oh shut up,” he told Anna then turned to Anya. “She’s just annoyed because Zeus had another child and failed to tell us, again.”

“Wait are you saying I’m a goddess?” Anya asked even more confused.

“Oh hell no,” Anna put a huge emphasis on ‘hell’.

“Yes you are, but if certain people find out your daddy’s gunna be in big trouble,” Jake stretched out the word.

“Then who are my parents, what god and goddess?” she inquired.

“Did you not here my brother, he already said who your dad is, ugh,” the ignorant cover began to wear off.

“Your element is earth, well then which goddess has enough earth power to rule over your genetics,” Jake pointed out.

“We’re talking about Greek gods,” Anna reminded them.

“Hmmm, Demeter, goddess of the harvest,” Anya guessed.

“Ding, ding, ding we have a winner. Demeter is your mom and Zeus is your dad.”

“Don’t have such a down mood about this; it hasn’t happened in thousands of years.” He motioned for Anya to sit as he started munching on a bologna sandwich. “I’m so excited to train you,” he mumbled between bites so it sounded more like ‘mm shoo xited to strain you’.

“I am too but I’m still not thrilled that Zeus didn’t tell us,” Anna said before taking a bit of her peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

“So how did you guys know who my parents were; can you like smell them?” Anya questioned.

Jake swallowed his bite before answering. “You know how there is like a third eye that can see magic…”

“Yeah and…”

“We closed our regular eyes and opened that one, we saw their essence all over you,” Anna finished.

“Could you teach me how to do that,” Anya pleaded.

“We kind of have to,” Jake replied.

 “Really?”Anya asked.

“Yeah, we have to teach you everything we know.”

“When do we start?” Anya said

“Sundown,” Jake and Anna responded in unison.