Moon Cursed

18. Guide Me Moon Goddess

Sylvia Vermillion

I felt a pang of crushing guilt. Why did I always have to cause trouble? I'd left the castle behind me, and I was running. Running to nothing, just hoping the Ienyacki would follow me. Part of me knew they wouldn't, but I hoped they would... If they didn't, it would bring the downfall of everything.

My feet left heavy indents in the snow, I didn't cover them, why should I? It would just make it easier for them to find me. Or my body.

The sun was high in the sky, but the trees created black spears in the sky. The trees cleared unnaturally, a ruined building stood before me. Its spires reached just above the tree line. The green dome had several holes in it, and the windows were thin slits. At some point, there would have heavy opal doors, that covered a now empty archway. The opal had no doubt since been stolen.

I let my run over the mossy stones as I entered the Church. The floor was a mosaic of interlocking crescent moons. I could just imagine it when it had been in its full use. Incense would hang heavy in the air, and candlelight would beam in the darkest corners. The columns were the only thing that didn't look as if they'd break. I slid down and rested my head on it. At least when facing them, I'd be in a house of the goddess. Hopefully, it would offer me some protection. Maybe, they were like Vampires and couldn't enter holy ground. Some part of me whispered, that, that was false. Sitting there, I let my mind drift into peace.

When I woke, the sun had begun its descent. I felt a tug in the world. Something was pulling on my magic, calling me to them.

There was a swirl of silver and navy. The world tilted until a woman stood before me. Her navy hair had specks of silver and floated around her, just like the Ienyacki's did. Her eyes were pools of silver, that seemed to shimmer violet. Her skin was grey but held darker patches. She clasped her hands and moved closer, "So, you're one of the Moon Blessed who we are destroying the Ienyacki this time, there's never been two before. But, I suppose there's a first time for everything."

"Who are you?" I asked. Her flowing hair made me feel queasy. She laughed lightly, and her smile tightened, "I'm you obviously," she raised her hand to silence me, "Well, technically, you're me. You're part of my primordial being, it peels off every couple of centuries? No, no it's millennia, isn't it? Yes. Your brother was an unexpected addition. You see the Sun God, and I take it in turns to fight the Ienyacki but, this time neither of us had any control over it. You looked confused again, what is it?"

I, my hands moved to push myself off the ground, "Who are we then?"

She laughed again, "I'm the Moon Goddess obviously, you know, it's been so long since one of the Moon Blessed managed to contact me. It's weird seeing myself in a mortal form. Oh, I remember the times we roamed freely on the Mortal Plane." She took my hand and turned to look at the back of the Church. Suddenly, I felt forlorn, and I watched as the silver in her hair died out. The silver in her eyes stopped moving, "You're in the Immortal Plane, now." I watched as the Church began to brighten. The stone regained its strength, and the Opal doors slammed behind us. She smiled down as tears pooled in her eyes, "The whole world used to look like this. Beautifully filled with peace, but no more." she let out a breath. The Moon Goddess turned and held both of my hands tightly, "You need to make it back to Windgate before the Ienyacki come. You may think you can take them, but you can't. Countless incarnations of us have tried, and they've all failed, but you might just be the one to stop it. You need to converge your power with Vladimir's, it's the only way to defeat them. The only both of you can survive."

Her hand tucked my hair behind my ear. Her smile was so weary, but her eyes were that swirling silver once more. She kissed my cheek, and the world titled again. I found myself back at the Church. I was panting and covered in sweat.

I rushed to my feet and began incarnating a spell to get me back to Windgate. I landed hard, on the landing leading to Raymund's office. I crumpled to the floor with force and began to pick myself up. The castle was abuzz, and as I looked down past the railing, I saw people racing around the floor. Shouts filled the air. I could almost smell the tension, and I loved it. I loved it, even if it was our demise. I sensed Raymund coming out of his office, he walked past me. I didn't even think he wanted to see me, and even if he did, there was no time for it now. I, however, had to speak to him. I followed him, his pace was relentless, but dread filled me as we reached his destination. He'd come to see Claudia, I wasn't surprised, but it still cut me. Claudia almost fell into his arms in relief. She held him tight like I never had, kissed him like I never had. She did everything we never did, and it would be a lie to say I wasn't jealous.

Raymund Seaxe

My toes tingled as Claudia kissed me. She was angry and scared, but I was happy to have her near. I tilted her head up to face me, she pulled out a shaky smile, "I love you, Ray."

Every time she said it, my heart filled with joy. The wolf the prowled within, was happier with her then with Sylvia.

"I love you, Dia, and once this is, over I'll reject her, I promise."

She held me tighter, and we stood in total harmony. It felt as if the world slowed, but it had to stop. I had to fight, "I need to check on my father,"

Claudia waved goodbye. I turned to see Sylvia standing in the shadows. Her lips were pressed tight, and I spoke first, "I'm sorry Sylvia, I just-"

"I suggested it, right? That you reject me, and you just have. It's ok, but you could have told me first." She snapped. Her eyes fell to the floor, and she began to scratch her neck. Sylvia raised her head to meet my gaze, "Listen, I like you. You're talented, pretty and funny, but-"

"She's prettier, smarter and the without a ton of baggage?" she laughed gently. I ran my tongue over my teeth, "We tried right? I protected you from a lot of stuff-"

She stretched her fingers, and I saw the anger on her face, "Ray, shut the fuck up. I don't care, I don't want to be with someone because they feel fucking bound to me, ok? We'll leave it at that, ok? I'd rathered not get angrier than I already am."

She turned from me and marched through the hall. It flooded with people, and I was left alone in a sea of them. They whispered quietly, they'd heard everything then...

I stood alone for a while. Trying to fix whatever went wrong in my head. The throng of people coming up the stairs stopped. Dark clouds spread through the castle, I watched as its occupants fell. I ran to the battlements. Watched as the soldiers lay on the ground. No blood had been spilt, yet they lay like the dead. I crouched to check on one, there was a heartbeat and breath. The beats of their hearts soon became a loud drum in my ear. They arrived on dark horses, and I noticed the group of people standing. They stood outside the gates and were armed to the teeth. I jumped off the battlements and landed beside them.