Being

Forgetting Divinity

"Dane!" Emmah tried to call for him, but it was too late. He was already gone.

* * *

"Eris!" Dane bellowed.

"Yes, Dane?" Eris replied demure from her usual chair, her nose in a book. Like nothing was wrong. Like she didn't do this.

"Stop the attack! I'm going to send her back. I know balance must be kept. Stop the attack now!" Dane was furious, but he was more than that. He was afraid. Genuinely afraid for Emmah. Even during the war of the gods, he was never scared for anyone's survival, not like this.

"Why? Whether she dies or goes back to her time, it doesn't matter. Balance will be kept as longas she's not in the past," Eris said, not looking at him.

"Why are you doing this? What do you want me to do? What will make you stop this?" Dane was getting desperate. He knew that's what Eris wanted, needed for whatever she had planned, but he couldn't help it. He didn't care either.

"Send her back. Now," Eris stood up and looked Dane in the eyes as she continued, "And don't leave her with any memories."

Dane's eyes started to water, but he would not let one tear fall while Eris was looking at him. She didn't get to see him that vulnerable. Not anymore. "Why? Eris this doesn't make sense!" 

"As long as she remembers, you will always go to her. You will always choose her," Eris's voice began to rise, "You will keep risking the balance for her! I can't let that happen!" Eris turned away from him as she said softly, "I won't let that happen."

"Bullshit," he spat at her. "You aren't doing this to keep the balance, you're doing this because you're jealous," Dane huffed a joyless laugh, "A goddess jealous of a mortal, what does that say about you?"

"A god who fell in love with a mortal," Eris retorted, "What does that say about you?"

Dane flinched, "I'm not-"

"Don't lie to me, or yourself," Eris hissed. "Send her back, or the attack will continue." Eris didn't say another word. Didn't need to. Dane knew he'd been beaten.

"I will never forgive you. Never." Then Dane left.

* * *

Emmah was definitely not hiding. She started passing out weapons to the crew members and was on her way to her room to quickly change. When she opened her door, there Dane was on the chair in the corner, head hung low, forearms on his knees. Emmah didn't care what he was going through, all she said was "Where the fuck did you go?" Then she heard the sniffle and saw a tear fall to the floor. Her face quickly softened and she went to him. She put a hand on his shoulder to reassure him and asked, "What's wrong?"

Dane sniffled again, and wiped his tears away. "I have to send you back. Now."

"What?" Emmah rose to her feet, "I can't leave when the crew is under attack!"

Dane still couldn't look at her, "If I take you back, the attack will stop."

"How the fuck does that make any sense?" Emmah said, harsher than she meant it.

"Eris," was all he said.

Emmah tried to think. Tried to figure out what was going on, but she came up blank. "Why would Eris, the goddess, send a ship to attack us, only to stop it if you send me back?"

"Because she's jealous," it was Dane's turn to stand. "She says it's about keeping the balance, but she's really jealous. Jealous that I-" Dane stopped himself.

Emmah stopped breathing. Not in panic, but anticipation. "You what?" she managed to get out. "I... I care for you, Emmah. A lot. And she knows it," he moved closer to her as he said those words.

Emmah was trying to focus on what was important, even though she was still processing those words. She finally said, "You have to send me back."

Dane let out a breathless sigh, as if saying she didn't know everything. "You don't understand."

"Then make me!" Emmah knew the attacking ship would be here soon, they didn't have time for this.

"I have to send you back and," he hesitated, he didn't want to say whatever he was about to say, "and I have to wipe your memory. If you remember me, she won't stop the attack."

Emmah's breath stopped again. This time it was panic. "You can't. She can't. I can't forget you! I..." she couldn't believe what she was about to say, "I care about you too! She can't just force you to do this!"

"But she can and she is," Dane gripped her hands in his, "Emmah I have to send you back now, there isn't enough time." Emmah started crying, this couldn't be happening, "Remember these words, even if you don't remember them coming from me: you will always have me with you. There's a little divinity in everything. Use your divinity. Use your bit of me. Make amazing things, take advantage of your creativity, build a legacy," he took a breath to calm his breathing. Emmah did too. It didn't help much. "Whenever you use your potential, you will be close to me. And I will be close to you. Can you do that for me? Use your divinity?" Dane looked at her, waiting. Emmah couldn't speak, so she just nodded. "Good." More shouts came from the deck. "We have to do this now," He leaned down and kissed her forehead, "I wish we had more time, but I guess it was all borrowed anyway." Emmah cried harder and she whimpered. "Emmah look at me," she did, "You have changed my life," he smiled as he said it, despite what he was about todo, "and even though you will not remember me, I will always remember you," he stepped back to get one last look at her, to relish in her sight, "My favorite mortal," he mused, "My favorite being." Emmah laughed slightly then looked into his eyes. She pulled him into a tight hug and Dane hugged her tightly back. That was the last time either of them felt the other's touch.

* * *

Emmah was woken up by the sun spilling into her room. She checked the time. What a strange dream that was. Emmah went to text Keely. Bruh, I just had the strangest dream, you will never believe it. Three glowing dots, then Bruh, tell me about it, I need some entertainment right now. Emmah laughed and did. Told her everything she dreamed about. She couldn't see the god that was leaning against her wall, arms crossed, admiring her. She couldn't see the god, tears in his eyes, gazing at his favorite being with a smile gracing his lips, as he would, for eternity.