Weaver

War of the Weavers

                Athena was pouting again, but Styx nodded, “these terms are acceptable.” She turned to Athena, “you must swear on my name that it will be so.”

                Athena shook her head angrily, “I won’t touch your name, sister. It’s like poison.”

                Stxy glided forward, and the black mist suddenly curled up around the bottom of Athena’s dress, licking upwards, sinking into the white fabric and coloring it grey, “my river is poison to those who lie, foolish sister. That is all. But my name is only a name,” her lips parted in a venous smile, and for a split second Alice could swear she saw a flash of pointed white teeth, “unless you break your word.”

                “I don’t think I will swear on your name,” Athena folded her arms over her chest, “I don’t like your games. This isn’t even your business.”

                “My games?” Styx’s laugh was low and dangerous, “and, darling sister, if you don’t swear on my name, the competition will not go forward. I’ve made it my business now.”

                Athena’s eyes shifted around the shop quickly, as if she was thinking about trying to talk her way out of it, “I…fine. That’s fine, it’s not like she can win anyways.”

                “Swear.” Styx whispered, “swear, sister.”

                Athena rolled her eyes and chanted in a bored, flat voice, “I swear on the river Styx.”

                “You swear what?”  Styx hissed.

                “I swear on the river Styx I’ll leave Alice and all her…loved ones alone for the rest of their existence.” Athena grumbled, “now let’s get on with it, shall we?”

                It would be outside. Athena demanded that it would be outside and that she would weave first. She declared all this with the ease of someone who’d been doing these so called “contests” for a long, long time. Alice couldn’t help wondering how many other people she’d challenged. How many other people she’d killed because they’d lost to her. Had the goddess become obsessed with it ever since Shakra had beat her?

                Alice glanced over at the sorceress. Shakra was leaning against the brick overlay at the bottom of the shop window, misery etched on her dark face. Gabriel, Maya and Altair were standing beside her, and Azura was pacing back and forth on the sidewalk behind them.  

                “My turn first,” Athena said gleefully.

                “The referee will decide when the competition begins,”  Styx placed herself between Alice and Athena, “Are you both ready?”

                Alice swallowed, her throat feeling prickly and dry. She nodded to indicate she was ready, even though she knew she would never be ready, not in a million years. Athena threw her hands out, “I’ll start! I’m going to weave a spell like nothing you’ve ever seen, little witch. There is no possible way to best me.”

                “Constant nattering won’t get your spell started, “ Styx said dryly.

                Athena shot her an annoyed look, “very well. Let us begin.”

                The goddess of war tipped her head back and threw out her arms, her white dress blowing around her legs, the thin fabric whipping in the icy wind, “Watch and learn, Alice.”