War Inside my Heart // Achilles

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DARKNESS. Selene could only see darkness, it was as if she suddenly lost her ability to see. The quietness is too deafening as she stretched out her arms, finding something to hold on as she felt her legs started to shake in fear.

Where is she?

That is the question that she couldn't answer. This place is too dark for her to know where on Earth she is. Is she dead? Is she still alive?

Everything is just too confusing..

This went on for days...for months......for years..

For the first few months in being in this dark, quiet place, she was surprised that her sanity still remained. She never felt hunger... or thirst... but she felt tired.

She would always walk around in what seemed to be a circle and she's getting tired of it. She just wanted to rest instead of being in this place. She would pray to the gods to save her but none of them granted her prayer and she was starting to feel hopeless.

"What have I ever done to deserve this?" She cried, clutching her aching chest as she felt warm tears rolling down her cheeks.

She was confused.. aside from not knowing where she is, she doesn't know why she's there.

"My sweet sweet child.." A soft kind voice called making her look up from the ground. "Who is there?" She called in alarm, wiping her cheeks with the back of her hand to dry her face. Her heart started to beat faster than usual as she tried to look around for the person who just called her. Have the gods answered her prayer?

"You know me well, child"

"Reveal yourself" Selene demanded, trying to sound strong but the Titaness heard her voice tremble making her smile.

Selene gasped as a bright full moon appeared above her, slightly illuminating the whole place. Her eyes widened in awe as she discovered that she is in a small beautiful island with thousands of golden flowers. She cautiously moved to touch the flower with her fingers but quickly retreated her hand back when she heard the voice again. "It is beautiful, isn't it?"

She completely forgot that she wasn't alone making her look up from the flowers. A soft gasp escaped from her lips as she saw a beautiful young woman with a pale face. She is clothed in a flowing white robe and a pair of long white wings is attached to her back that looked very soft to the touch. Her gray hair and huge silver eyes that almost looked like the moon shined as she looked at Selene intently. The moon headdress that decorated her forehead gave it away that she is truly the Titan Goddess of the Moon.

"My lady?" She said above whisper as she looked at the goddess with wide eyes before kneeling to give respect. Goddess Selene? Is this really her? How? And why is she here?

"You were placed here for you have died for the wrong purpose, my child.."

"Wrong... purpose?"

"Yes, your highness. You were not supposed to die from the guard's arrows"

Selene's eyebrows furrowed as she watched the goddess move towards her gracefully. "You were supposed to die because of your brother's arrow"

"What?" She asked in confusion as she stared at the goddess in disbelief who just had a small smile on her face. Her brother? Paris' arrow?

"Your dreams were not clear, my dear." Goddess Selene said. "You were supposed to save the golden warrior from your brother's arrow"

"But, my lady.. where am I?" She asked, not minding the goddess' first statement. She knew that if she minded what the goddess said, she'd slowly loose her sanity and that's the only thing that's left in her.

"You were placed in this island because you are going to be given a choice, my dear"

"A choice?"

"You can go back to your previous life.. you can live as a queen or you can live as anything you want to be.. you can rebuild your city again with Paris, if you want.. you can watch Scamandrius grow, you can watch him grow to be just like his father... you can be with them again, Selene, if that is what your heart desires" The Goddess offered to her making her heart skip a beat. She can live again? She can be with her brother again? With Paris? With Achilles?

"But if you do not want to live as a mortal ever again.. you will be given the chance to prove yourself if you are worthy to be the protector of all humanity. You will be reborn but not as a mortal, but as an immortal goddess... If... only if you proved yourself worthy of that position.."

The young lady stared at the Goddess in shock. A goddess? An immortal goddess?!

Holy Hades!

Her whole body froze as she tried to process everything. Does she want to live as a mortal again? Does she want to rebuild her city? Does she want to be with her family? Of course, she does! But being reborn as a goddess? Being reborn to be the protector of all humanity? Who wouldn't want that?!

"You were born to be a great leader, Selene. You survived in your mother's womb because you are the protector of all mankind. I saved you from death because I knew someday, you will be a strong leader who will save anyone without worrying for her own selfish reasons"

Her chest ached as she avoided the goddess' eyes and just stared at her feet. It was a tough decision to make and she has to choose wisely.

Sure, she wanted to be an immortal goddess but what about her family? What about Paris? Scamandrius? Andromache? Briseis? And her love, Achilles?

She promised to protect all of her Father's people and she knew she failed that when she died but now that she's being given the chance to live again.. does it seem selfish that she thinks of considering the second choice?

Her eyes hardened as she remembered her broken promise to her brother and to her father. She didn't want to disappoint them ever again. Both of them wanted her to fight and so she will do whatever they want her to do. Her Father wanted a chance to see her rule over Troy one day before he passes away and Selene promised him that he will. Now, if Selene chooses the second choice, even if her Father's dead, she will break that promise.... again..

She shakily took a deep breath and ran her fingers through her long greasy gray hair before looking at the Goddess who is also looking at her quietly..

"I'll take it. I want to be a mortal again, my lady.. I want to be with my family, again." She said, her voice cracking in the end as she looked down and played with the hem of her dirty gown nervously.

"Very well, your highness."

"But there is one thing you should know.." The Goddess warned making her look up. "The golden warrior will forget who you are. Your name, your voice, your laugh, your eyes, your relationship.. He will merely know you as Paris' older sister..... as a stranger whom he will only know by name"

It was as if she was struck in the chest with a sword as soon as those words left the Goddess' mouth..

"Now, choose wisely, your highness"