Lost Souls

Chapter 13

Chapter 13

*Cheyenne*

Cheyenne’s eyelids felt heavy as she awoke to darkness. Shadows over whelmed her brain making her groan from the grogginess. She found her eyelids were so heavy she couldn’t open them, her whole body felt numb actually. She could not even feel the shiver run through her body until her teeth clacked together. She was freezing, it felt like ice replaced the blood in her veins. Whimpering she tried to unclutter her brain and get a grip on reality. Finally prying her eyes open she balled her fist at her sides still unable to feel her fingers. Sitting up her dark hair swished over her shoulder as she looked over at Ajad only to find she was staring at herself. Biting back a scream, she realized she was outside her body watching herself sleep. She jumped looking around balling her numb fists more tightly at her side.  The others were fast asleep she realized, then she turned back to her own body. This wasn’t possible, was it? Head spinning she got to her feet. Fogginess overwhelmed her brain. Still unable to feel her limbs she looked down at her arm, her skin was bone white. Wide eyed she cried out dropping her hand back to her side and whipped around feeling another presence. Light blinded her, it cascaded over everything in the room making the warmth return to her body. Shielding her eyes she heard a rich honey sweet voice.

“Cheyenne, my warrior.” The voice called alluringly. Cheyenne opened her eyes fully,  they adjusted slowly and  there the goddess stood in all her beauty. She smiled and the color returned to Cheyenne’s chalk white skin. Cheyenne stumbled back stunned but caught herself. The murals on the wall did her no justice. Her hair shone like pure spun gold, her gold eyes burned so bright and warm, they rivaled the sun. Her skin was tanned to sun kissed perfection and when she smiled it was like the earth stopped turning. A white dress flowed over her like a second skin, and the sash fell from her shoulder to her hip like molten gold.

“G-godd-ess.” Cheyenne stammered as she fell to her knees. The Goddess chuckled and it was like the most beautiful bird song.  She seemed to glide over the tile as she rested a hand on Cheyenne’s shoulder.

“Rise.” The authority in her voice made Cheyenne rush to comply, never had she felt such power. The Goddess smiled again brightening the whole room and then stepped back clasping her hands in front of her. “I am in need of your assistance my warrior.” her golden eyes captured Cheyenne, they burned into her very brain it seemed.

“Anything my Goddess.” She bowed at the waist. “My sword and I are at your disposal.” she came back up seafoam green eyes caught up in the Goddess once more. The Goddess’s gaze left hers and flew over the pallets to where Ember slumbered. Slowly she walked over to her and leaned down, her gold curls slid over her shoulder and skimmed Ember’s face right before her lips did. Her golden eyes seemed to be captivated by the girl. The kiss seeped into her cheek and gold light flared under her skin flashing over her whole  body. The girl smiled like she was having an amazing dream.

“My daughter, now that I have claimed her as mine-” She brushed Ember’s light brown hair from her face looking at her with so much love. “Will need your protection.” She stood and addressed Cheyenne once more. Her golden eyes were serious now as she made her way back over. “Her Father would wish for nothing more than to destroy her.” Cheyenne watched the Goddess as she moved back to where she first stood..

“Her Father? But my Goddess why would he wish to destroy his own daughter?” Cheyenne asked bowing again as not to seem disrespectful.

“You and I have different meanings of destroy.”She lifted her head her mind elsewhere for a few moments before she turned her burning gaze back to Cheyenne. “Her Father is a mortal fool, and he wishes to turn her to his own will.” The Goddess turned to the opposite wall behind Cheyenne and motioned for her to look. “Also my brother would love to destroy anything that is mine.” The mural on this wall was much darker. Depicted was a handsome man his features were like chiseled stone so painfully beautiful it hurt Cheyenne’s heart to look at him. His whole being radiated darkness though and his full lips  were curved upward in a wicked smirk. His hand reached out in a fist crushing whatever was in his grasp causing blood to drip between his fingers and slither down his arm turning into snakes at the end. He was garbed in black robes that looked like shadows. His skin was tanned and his eyes were a dark silver, and the evil they held looked so real it made Cheyenne gasp.

“I have never seen such a picture in this temple.” Cheyenne stepped back as the picture chilled her to the bone. The Goddess stepped in front of her golden eyes lost in his silver ones.

“It was covered long ago when I defeated my brother.” She turned golden hair radiating light as the power in her voice doubled. “But he is back and you will protect my daughter.” Cheyenne could do nothing but nod her head and bow once again. “You are my warrior. I picked you from birth for this task.” She laid her hands on Cheyenne’s shoulders. Her golden eyes burned into Cheyenne’s once again but they were soft now, welcoming even. “I graced you when you were young, you are my champion.” Tightening her grip on Cheyenne’s shoulder she kissed both her her cheeks. Power surged through her body making her go rigged under the Goddess’s warm gaze. “Now I awaken the power you were born with just as I awakened my own daughters.” Her seafoam green eyes flashed gold for a moments before settling back to their old color, but the flash left specks of gold behind. electricity still tingled in her fingertips making her jumpy.

“I do not understand, why me?” Cheyenne looked up at the Goddess her skin twitching.

“Your family is an ancient bloodline, the first of the four kings of this land you've  had this power all along I have just set it free.” Cheyenne nodded she knew the legends, she was the descendant of the first king of the Aes clan. One of the four kings of each clan that were once gods themselves. The Goddess and her brother were the most powerful gods and therefore the most remembered but there were many more less powerful gods. There was only one Goddess though the rest were males. The four kings were once just as powerful as the great Goddess, but they gave it up to come to earth and set up the four clans.

“I thought that was all just a legend.” Cheyenne whispered. the Goddess shook her head slowly.

“Aes named after the most powerful of the four kings, once the most powerful warrior god.” The Goddess reminded her, Cheyenne had grown up hearing this. Most wrote these stories off as folklore though. “You were born for this job my warrior. There is no other who can protect her like you can.” She dropped her hands from Cheyenne’s shoulders and turned walking away from her. “Now I must go, I can only keep you on this plane of existence for so long before you loose the grip on your body.” She looked over her shoulder golden curls hiding her face. “I will speak to you again soon.” She spoke softly and then stepped into a shard of light that pierced through Cheyenne’s eyes.  When she unshielded her eyes the Goddess was gone and her eyelids felt heavy again. The power racing through her skin seemed to settle as her body went numb once more. Darkness engulfed her mind and she lost consciousness.