The Hidden Goddess

55. Unlocking the Door.

"Goddess, do you think that the Earth loves us?"

"I know not if the Earth can love. I do know that the Earth can create. Earth created us, we created humans and humans can love. Though, even they do not entirely know what that truly feels like," she answered.

He listened as he twiddled with her fingers like a curious toddler. They'd spend all their days like this. Tucked away in that little cottage she made originally for him. She made the nights colder so she could watch him start a fire every night for them and they'd talk. He'd speak of his years of travelling and war, she'd speak of whatever her tongue allowed.

Two beings tied together by one impulsive decision from momentary weakness. So how could two people who did nothing but talk end up like this? Simple really. Only one of them was unable to tell lies.

Eachann had one plan since the first time he laid eyes on her. He saw that she was made out of what he had always wanted. Strength and power. Since his days of being a young boy who's kind heart got him taken away from his parents instead of his younger siblings and been sold off to that demonic breed of human to be eatened or enslaved- he had maintained that wish. At the time it had been so innocent until he grew, learned, fought and been brought to death's door, then that childish wish had turned into a bitter promise of a vengeful adult.

Though, he didn't expect to fall in love with this power. He listened to power, questioned power, worried about power, laughed with power, slept- with power. It was just power, until she wasn't just power anymore.

He betrayed her in ways no being could come close to. Destroyed what was most precious to her all because of power. She hadn't known that her stories of the earth fueled his hatred. To hear what the earth once was, to see what those people had turned it into was beyond stomach churning. They needed to not exist anymore. To allow the earth time to restore itself to its former beauty. He would make her stories a reality once again. Even if she couldn't be by his side to see it. Her tales remained his wishes. He originally had no ending to his dominating conquest. She gave that to him, a purpose. He was grateful to her for it. It was a shame she still got in the way.

Spending years banging on the walls of his cage she locked him in -the same cage he worked to hook her heart so that he wouldn't end up in. He was thankfully strong enough to escape it over time and he knew his children would find a way to him. That was what he bred them for.

To see her again... To see those eyes that were so beautifully filled with pain. His greatest and most twisted satisfaction was that he was the one who made her feel something. The one emotion she knew how to feel wasn't originally hers, he'd given her his humanity. Then he would give her the world.

"Eachann," she said his name darkly. His head tilted and he hissed at the feel of his slumbering flesh awakening. She really did a number on this body. But as he mended, he felt it missing. He inhaled the air deeply. Ah, the taste of the Earth. It had been so long for him.

"Goddess," he whispered hoarsely. Ah right, she never did allow him to give her a name. He had always thought it was because she did suspect him somewhat and didn’t want to give him that power over her. Anyone who named her, could tame her. It was the way of the gods. Having power did not give you ultimate freedom. The simpliest thing a being could be given was a powerful being's chain and collar. He wanted that chain and collar. He'd have that chain and collar. Why? Because she is power, and power is mine.

□ □ □ □

"Selene!" she heard and her attention snapped back. "Do you hear that?" asked Erebus.

She heared the howling in the distance. She knew that howl, the reappearance of Eachann must've brought them to the area. Her four legged, furry worshippers, who helped her put him away the first time. But with Twilight Sulphur in the air, they cannot approach the hillside.

"You- you have a name?" she heard him softly stutter regardless of the distance between them. Her back straightened and she cleared her throat.

"I found someone worthy to bear the weight of who I am," she answered. His growl shook the field they stood in. His eyes shifted to Erebus who came next to her and wrapped a defensive arm around her waist.
Him? What is a child like him worthy of?

"Goddess is mi-," he growled.

"I will NEVER- be yours." Her words slashed him.

Selene feel herself being pulled back and rammed into a tree. Erebus and Eachann were fangs and claws out. Their punches thundered and Selene stood up and looked over to  limping and grinning Machar. She ran towards him and grabbed him by the collar slamming him to the ground. He choked on his blood.

"Tell me what you used from my domain to create that weapon," she demanded.

"You're done for. Father will take your heart and the Council will be rebuilt from the ground up." He spat at her feet.

"You foolish child. All you have done is doomed your kind to its end. That weapon will spread into every component it touches. The ground, the air, the trees, the animals. The Earth will be inhabitable for anyone with shifter blood, including you." Machar grimaced.

"As long as my father accomplishes his goal-."

"Enough of your insolence!" She growled. Silver eyes pierced into his soul. He looked back with frosted dark eyes as she forced every dark bit of information into his soul.

The gloss in his eyes returned. "No. He wouldn't. Father he- he would never do that. That's-." He looked over to his father pummeling the goddesses mate.

"She never said-."

"She would never ruin the image of the man you adore, foolish boy." She pulled him closer. "Now I will ask one more time. What did you use?"

"Ahhh!" She heard Erebus yelled. She looked over to find him under Eachann, fingers wrapped around his throat.

"Don't you dare move," Eachann threatened. "Give me your heart and you can have what's remaining of him." He was still incomplete without a heart and his strength was below hers.

"Your heart, or the pup dies."

She growled in response. Guttural, bitter noise rolled out of her throat. "If you kill him, I will destroy you," she said darkly.

"Destroy? DESTROY ME? You can never harm me. I am the Monarch of the Children I gave you. Every worshipper in this time that you have exists because of me!"

"I will not repeat myself. Release him," her voice went icy. Her hair strands tickled her scalp. Her cuticles  itched and she felt the lock she had on her anger melt.

"Let. Him. Go."