Love Through The Dark

The Heart of Pisces

"It's beautiful" Jundiin claimed standing in the garden. "If this is paradise sign me up" Bastet laughed at her daughter was stood in awe at the beauty of the garden in which they stood. "This is paradise Jundiin this is heaven well a heaven anyway" Jundiin turned her head in confusion soaking in the silky yellow light of the sun. "A heaven?" She asked not really focusing on her words. "Yes Jundiin there are many places people can go after they die. Some go to Valhalla, some go to the Underworld, others to Tian it really depends on which gods you favour. We are here in.." Bastet was interrupted by one of the most beautiful women Jundiin had ever seen. "Elysium" the woman spoke with a voice so sweet it was as if a thousand hummingbirds were singing in unison. "Aphrodite my old friend." Aphrodite looked at Bastet with tears of joy rolling down her cheeks. "Bastet you beautiful one and this must be your daughter Jundiin was it?" Jundiin didn't reply she stood with her eyes wide staring at the goddess of love. "Jundiin hello? Is anybody home?" Aphrodite waved a hand in front of the woman's face. Jundiin snapped back into attention. "Uh.. hello" Aphrodite laughed like a hundred soft bells ringing at once. "Bless her, do not worry I have this impression a lot. I just cannot help being beautiful." Bastet looked around confused she was still adjusting to being out of a rats body. She decided it wasn't for her after all so she stuck with her human-cat hybrid appearance. "We were sent to The Heart of Pisces?" Bastet brought the matter up to Aphrodite "why are we in Elysium?" Aphrodite's face grew serious as if she had matured within a second. "I am Pisces."

It took Bastet a while to wrap her head around the idea that her old friend was the final beast. "It is true I am afraid. Even beauty can be the beast at times. It started when my son and I were being chased by Typhoon, Zeus saved us by turning us into Koi Fish. A majestic creature but the longer I stayed in its body the more it infused with my being." Aphrodite sighed in shame. "What does that mean?" Jundiin asked as thoughtfully as she could. "In short I do not know but it is almost as if I am torn between two states of being. A goddess and a fish." Jundiin knew what it was like to be torn between two beings. At times she forgot she was a demigod or even a princess. She still felt like the little girl who her Father seemed to despise. "You are beautiful Jundiin" Aphrodite smiled placing a soft hand on the woman's cheek "you have been through so much. Elysium is the end for most and it will be the end of me." Jundiin's eyes widened in shock "what will happen without you will all beauty be lost?" Jundiin asked panicked. "Do not fear child I am not the only god of beauty, besides beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Everyone was born beautiful and they would be still even without my existence. Now I know this is not how this usually works but after you have sacrificed me to my brothers and sisters and uncles and well you get the idea. Accept my gift. It is the gift of love." Jundiin saw no reason why she needed love she already was in love with Amante this was what her entire quest had been about. Rescuing her lover. "I understand Jundiin" Aphrodite began reading the demigods thoughts "this gift won't make you fall in love it gives you the power to see love for what it really is. No one truly understands love it is a mystical force but with my gift not only will you be able to fully understand it you will be able to wield it. Allow others to understand it too. Enemies especially." Jundiin still wasn't sure she entirely understood but she bowed her head in a gesture of thanks. Bastet smiled warmly at her daughter and Aphrodite nodded that it was time.

The goddess Aphrodite walked backwards towards a lake that glittered with gold. Opening her arms she fell backwards into the lake fully embracing the water around her. When Jundiin next saw Aphrodite she was a golden dragon. "I thought she was a Koi Fish?" Jundiin asked in shock "she was" Bastet explained "it appears that Koi Fish changed into a dragon." Jundiin pulled out her dagger and felt bad for having to kill such a beautiful creature. The dragon blew blue fire in Jundiin direction throwing her off guard and scorched her clothes. Jundiin's left arm had been burned and dark red boils began growing on her skin. The woman screamed in pain and shock. Jundiin watched in horror as a boil grew under her charm bracelet heating the metal so it was red hot and burning her wrist. This entire journey Jundiin had never truly been hurt. Not like this. She had died it was true but she hadn't been in pain. Not pain like this. As the bracelet burned hotter on her wrist she watched in shock as the silver melted into her flesh and sent silver rivers flowing through her veins. Jundiin's eyes glowed with blue fire as all her previously earned powers appeared at once. Her horns and her muscles. Then Jundiin's neck split into two growing another head. A claw replaced Jundiin's arm as her skin thickened with what was now a protective pure silver layer. Jundiin's body disappeared leaving only a bright silver shell and her blue eyes visible. Jundiin could see everything far beyond her realm. She saw a thousand worlds, a thousand dimensions she could judge everything and everyone within them. The belt magnetised to Jundiin's metallic body as its items also turned to silver. A large stinger grew from Jundiin's back and loomed over her head. A large arrow placed itself in her hand as she grew a golden mermaid tail and grew to giant size. With just one tap of the tip of her tail Jundiin killed Aphrodite. Her heart flew from her body and placed itself in Jundiin's chest glowing red with love. The symbols of all the charms glowed gold on Jundiin's left arm. The Symbol of Pisces glowed in her heart.

Jundiin was now a full goddess. "What am I?" Jundiin asked in a deep inhuman voice. "This is your true form Jundiin." Bastet shouted up at her. "You have done it your quest is complete you are the goddess of The Realms." Jundiin looked down at her mother "No my quest is not complete." Jundiin's voice boomed across the entirety of Elysium. "I did this to save Amante and that is what I will do." Jundiin scoured the many realms she could see looking for her lover. "I can not find her" Jundiin said confused and distressed. The goddess saw the wizard Stefan alone in his mirror and without thinking she was in front of him. Human sized and form now but still with the symbols glowing on her arm.
"What have you done with her?" Jundiin demanded to the wizard who looked startled by Jundiin's sudden appearance. "Where is who?" The Wizard in the mirror asked. "Amante where is my lover?" Stefan laughed maniacally. Jundiin pushed her arm threw the mirror and squeezed Stefan's face almost crushing it. Stefan was horrified never expecting Jundiin to become so powerful.

"She.. she does not exist sh.. never.. has" the wizard choked as Jundiin let go and stood back in shock. Did her lover truly not exist?