Goddess Awakened (On Hold)

Chapter 7 - Goddess Awakened

It had been foolish. The thread of fate between the goddess and her priestess pulled thin as the distance between them grew. Yet, the bond remained. Already the distance was too great and the desire to close the gap overwhelming. She couldn't lose her. Not like her last priestess.

The coppery tang of blood flooded her nose as the memories fought their way to the surface.

No. Not now.

Dropping her hand, Antheia glared down at her bare feet. Grass tickled at her toes and the scent of fresh earth flooded nose. Her fingers twitched at her sides but, as depleted as she was, only the smallest daisy lifted its head at her command.

"Zeus, why have my gifts forsaken me? " She muttered, tilting her head back to glare at the skies."Why have you forsaken me? Why did you leave me to suffer alone?"

The dark clouds churned over head, rumbling discordantly before heavy drops of rain began beating against her from above. It was almost like he was still there - listening. Watching. And yet, even when Antheia closed her eyes, head thrown back and arms stretched to the sides, she couldn't feel his presence.

Zeus was magnetic. Even when he walked amongst the mortals unseen, there were always signs. An invisible charge in the air that both energised and inspired.

Yet, the storm was just - flat. His absence was like a gaping void in the very fabric of the world.

Dropping her hands back to her sides, she allowed her eyes to open. He was truly gone. There would be no help from him. No guidance. No comfort or reassurance.

Yelps and giggles filled the air and mortals, young and old, fled to the safety of their shelters. But, unlike them, Antheia had nowhere to go. No temple to seek shelter and respite. No home.

She only had herself and an inexperienced priestess vulnerable to their invisible enemy. An enemy out for blood.

Swallowing, Antheia glanced at the road the car had disappeared down. There was only one option open to her. With heavy sigh and throbbing feet, Antheia wrapped her arms around her body. And then, putting one foot in front of the other, she began the arduous task of tracking her priestess.

**

She walked for what seemed like hours. More of the metal boxes screamed as they hurtled down the roadways. It took miles before she made it to the first signs of civilization. Large stone structures, separated by bountiful fields. Yet, the longer she followed the thread between her and her priestess, the more crowded it became. The stone houses were smaller and packed closer to each other. More metal boxes screeched past her.

Until at last, she reached the dizzying centre.

Why was everything so loud?

Clapping her hands over her ears, Antheia's head whipped from side to side as metal boxes raced past as stomach churning speeds. Even with her poor attempts to drown out the noise, Antheia's ears were assaulted from every direction. Even her memories of Zeus's thunderbolt crashing into earth paled in comparison. They had never been quite as loud.

The ground was was covered in strange black stone in every direction and buildings towered overhead, so high it was like they were trying to touch the skies. When had the world become so strange? Even the air tasted strange.

Antheia pressed her lips together and wrinkled her nose. Whatever lingered in the wake of the metal boxes, attached itself to her skin in a grimy layer. It seeped into her pores and made her itch.

Still, she had to get closer.She would have to immerse herself in the filth.

The tether between Antheia and her priestess was infallible. She had to cross the sea of metal boxes. It was the only way. Yet, every attempt had left her heart racing and a tirade of angry mortals in her wake. The scowls on the mortals' faces had been reminiscent of the fury of Achilles. Antheia had no doubt they would be just a fearsome if armed and thrown into battle.