by Bri Amari
“Good answer young Llŷr, and you are correct. If I'd felt your brethren were putting the oceans at risk I would have stepped in. I am glad that you have accepted your mistakes but you cannot truly learn from this without punishment. To teach you what you have made others feel I will also take away a resource from you. Your gifts will not be stripped but for the next year if you approach these shores they will be nullified. Keep your mind and focus on bettering your person and your relationships with those of the other races. When the year is up your gifts will be able to be used on land again. What say you to that Llŷr? Have I been fair?”
“Aye Goddess.” Llŷr backed away sullenly. He disappeared in the ocean like a scolded pup.
“Are there any others among you would stop your brethren from their right to the life giving waterways?” I asked the assembled.
No one spoke up and I assumed my point had been made. I waved my hand in front of my face and evaporated back to my pocket of the universe. Crisis adverted.
Back in my abode I started to wonder if I had done the right thing. Did I deal with this in the best interest of Gaia? I was not all seeing but I was rarely wrong. I was a Goddess after all. He was the only all seeing God in our pantheon. Thankfully he's never noticed me, never payed me any attention. He probably did not even know I'd been gone all these years. I would shine, in my own time. Maybe then I would be enough to grab his gaze.
Being in this humanoid form was taxing. There were so many feelings to deal with, I didn't like it but I was going to stay this way just a little longer, I wanted to check into where Llŷr went.
I waved my hand to create a looking portal to the sea, it locked on quickly to my target and came into focus.
Llŷr was swimming closer to the mouth of the river where the water flowed out to the ocean from the trickling waterfalls in the back of the ancient forest. Weaving between the rocks in the shoal water, the sun was able to fracture the sea's surface and gleam on his aquatic skin, reflecting different colours into the clear sea water.
He held his hand in front of him, palm outwards, and created a small, harmless current while he floated in place. He directed the small stream of water to enter the mouth of the river and I watched as it charged forward magically infused.
The stream came to a halt against the wall and inch by inch it disappeared into calm water. The young man tried again and again until I could see the drain in his face.
He sunk then, like a rock to the bottom of the bay. Sitting on the ocean floor Llŷr crossed his legs and sulked. He was starting to see that my word was law and as soon as his magic crossed the invisible line between the ocean and the shoreline his gifts were reduced to nothing, as I'd declared. Llŷr would not abuse his gifts again, I was sure of that.
Chapter 3
650 years after creation...
From the ether I could feel something important was going to happen. I came together in corporal form and willed myself to my pocket of comfort; home. I stalked to my chaise and made myself comfortable. I waved my hand in front of me and opened a looking hole to get up to date with what was happening right now.
Sitting together in the meal hall in the centre of the human settlement I found clusters of all my children. No one was working, or eating.
One of my children I had been keeping an eye on for sometime stood confident and addressed the gathered.
“I vote we appoint one member of each of 'ar races t' meet monthly to speak a trades, new ideas for advancin' our settlements and keepin' the peace between us.” Llŷr suggested. The clusters of my children grouped together, murmuring among themselves.
Nia stood as well. “We agree with the sea protectors, my people support this.”
Basanella a strong and compassionate winged soldier stood. “The sky people also agree.”
Only the forest dwellers and the humans remained.
“We will always stand by our brothers and sisters.” this came from the far end of the table where one of of Gaia's earth protectors stood. He was large for their kind. Where most of the forest dwellers strength was in their lean muscular bodies this man was built like the cat-shifters; all ample muscle, thick neck, chest and thighs. He embodied the word protector. I'd never taken notice of him before.
I allowed my magic through the small portal. Invisible to my children it travelled in search of the man who had piqued my interest. My magic touched his heart and delved into the very cracks of his soul. Once it had mapped out everything that he was, it returned to me and gave me that knowledge.
The humans of my brother's and sister's world thought of the Gods as all knowing, but if they would work together instead of against each other they would be able to build a world where everyone had the power to be 'all knowing'. It was easy as asking your inner magic to find what you need and being in tune enough with it for it relay the information back to you. My children were well on their way to figuring that out for themselves, as long as they continued on the path they were on now.
I searched inside myself for the new information loaded into my memory. His name was Ailis. Hmm, I pondered. His parents had named him Truth, interesting. He was first born son of three, to a pair of the originals; second generation. He had been gifted indeed, his strength laying with the flame. This man however had some how ended up being able to call upon the air as well. A deadly combination.
I tuned back in to the discussion and realized in my curiosity of the male child I had missed the humans reply to the suggestion. Everyone seemed like they were harmonious so I didn't bother with searching the past to replay it.
Nia still stood while all the others had sat back on their seats. She was clearly not done addressing the masses.
“Cat-shifters also have suggestion. We believe any thing under the Goddess's sky has a name. We name our kinds?” her speech had improved, not a lot but for a creature that spent more time as an animal than in civilization, her speech was much better than most of her kind.
I wondered what my children would decide. Again the groups came together in discussion. After a few tense moments and a lot of opinions each group had made a decision. One after another each race agreed that they were each deserving of a title that tied their kind together, to make them a part of a whole. The humans bowed out of this as they had already classified themselves.
Nia who was still standing proud, giving more life to the nickname I'd given her, held her hand in the air and those around her quieted at the silent demand. She was a born leader but she was also a born nurturer, protector and warrior. She did not crave power and for that reason I would not step in knowing my children were appointing members to be the voice of the people. I would let this play out.
“Cat shifters be known as Bajang. My people say I be the voice of Bajang.” Nia stated, no one denied her statement.
Llŷr stood and I approved of their choice. He still had fifty years to serve his punishment and in those years he would not be able to abuse the power he was being given now. “Tha sea protector will be known as tha Leviathan, an' I will be tha voice of arr' people.”
“The sky warriors will be known as Succubus, our male warriors will be known as Incubus, I will be our voice.” Basanella noted proudly. That was a power that I may have to keep an eye on. Her pride may run away from her.
Ailis stood then. “My people will be the Urisk, and although they have asked that I be their voice I respectfully step aside. I would suggest my fath'r, for he is the smartest man I know and I am no' ready for the responsibility.” He bowed to the older man beside him. “If you would fath'r.”
The man beside Ailis stood as he took his seat again. The new voice of the Urisk was as tall as Ailis but much more lean and sleek like the majority of their people. His hair was long, braided down the centre of his back, the sides shaven clean. “I ken my son willna admit it but he is the best choice. I will do m' best. I am Puck Eolande.” The man took his seat again as the human representative rose from his spot.
“My name is Reid, son of Wren,
son of Solomon and I will be the voice for the humans.” He bowed his head and placed his fist over his heart. “In the name of our Mothers, Unity!” he cheered.
All of those present followed suit and made their plea for unity unto Gaia and myself. My pride in my children could not have been brighter.
I shut the portal with faith in my creations ability to take care of themselves and decided it was time to visit my sisters in the Pantheon's temple. I had to keep up appearances after all. They could not know what I was up to until I was ready; until it was time to prove I did know how to raise a race, and I was a good patroness to my children, my champions.
I willed myself to be in the garden of my sister where I knew I would be able to find her. I knew she would feel me arrive but it was impolite not to announce ones self. “Rhyannon, I am here!”
“Sister! There you are. It seems you've been gone forever. What have you been up to?”
“Oh this and that sister. Us lesser Gods, always looking for ways to im press Him.” I replied, knowing Rhyannon would assume I was making a joke. I was enjoying the fact that I was telling her the truth and she was too ignorant to know it. “What about you, Rhyannon, what has filled your days?”
The Goddess before my looked sullen, defeated. She did not wear it well. “The Ullagr have destroyed another forest, all that life, gone. I will be very busy making Earth fertile again after this latest attack. If He doesn't do something with his children soon they will be the end of our planet sister, don't you agree?” She asked.
I wasn't sure if this was her looking for me to be blasphemous against our God of Gods, or if she honestly was starting to see the things I had seen for the past six hundred years. I would not play my cards yet, it was not time, but maybe I could find an ally in Rhyannon when the time came. I made like I was interested in her plights and played nice.
I may need this sister in the future but the sight of the high class Goddess now made me crave the day that I would be more than her, more than even Him; the day when they would defer to me. I deserved it after all my hard work.
Chapter 4
700 years after creation...
As I suspected the power given to Basanalla was going to her head. In the past fifty years she had done one thing or another for selfish reasons. I gave her the time she needed to change, to grow into a selfless leader but she did not take that path of her own choosing. It was time I stepped in.
I wondered to myself what would give the woman the Succubi had chosen as their Voice a reason to stop being selfish, a reason to think of others instead. Her kind had been made with primitive carnality and would never be monogamous however that did not mean they could not have life partners. I would give Basanalla a reason to think of some one other than herself, I would give her the one person that would provide her with all the qualities she lacked and make her happy for all of her days. He would give her children and she would be a fierce mother. She would care when she was gifted with the feeling I felt everyday, the gift of love for your child.
I allowed my senses to search for the soul that was the perfect fit for hers. In the mountains working the land for precious gems for trade I found the male I was looking for. This man would teach Basanalla the values of family and give her something that was much more important than power to focus on.
I was at a loss for magic that would bring them together quickly enough for her not to be lost to her greed. I was going to have to make this man see the importance of this mission, make him want to fulfil it immediately.
I willed myself to the mountains and appeared directly behind the man I had chosen.
“Omino Libidine, rise my son.”
The young man jumped at the sound of my voice and dropped his primitive pick axe. He turned in place, his wings spreading, ready for flight. When he laid eyes on me he dropped to his knees. “Forgive me Goddess”
“There is nothing for me to forgive my child. Rise.” I held my hand out to the Incubus.
He looked at his hands, filthy and calloused from work, he hesitated to take my hand. “I do not wish to mar you Goddess.”
“I am not so supercilious my child.”
The man looked at me confused by the word I had used. “You are as important as I am son, you are not unworthy to take my hand, as I not so superior that I can not get my hands dirty. Come now,” I assured him.
He took my hand and rose to his full height.
“Child I have much planned for you. You are important and I need you. Will you help me my son?”
“Yes Goddess, whatever you need of me!” Omino promised in his musical tenor voice.
“There is a woman that has been created as your perfect match. You must find her and give her a family to love. You must cherish her, she is special to me. Do you understand Omino?”
“I do Goddess, but how will I find her?” he asked.
I placed my hand over Omino's heart and implanted the picture of Basanalla. “Your heart will know when you see her. Travel south, closer to the settlements. Take your goods, find one of your brethren to make them into a gift. Present it to her and make me proud my son, you will not fail. I have faith in you.”
I could see the tears being held back in his eyes. “You have much more faith in me than I do Goddess but you bestow me with a mission, a reason to live; you give me the opportunity for perfection in love. I will never be able to repay you Goddess, thank you!” I nodded at Omino and willed myself back to my pocket dimension, I would watch over his travels from the comfort of my own surroundings and I still had one more visit to make. I waved a looking portal into the air and sent it in search of Basanalla.
The Succubus was resting peaceably in her hut. It was much more comfortable than those of the others, which was okay but she should be out trying to make others as plush as hers in thanks to them for working on her abode to such a degree. Being the Voice did not make her anymore important and those around her.
I willed myself into my child's subconscious, I would meet her in her dreams. I brought her from whatever dream she was having into a room of my own imaginations creation. We dream walked into a throne room where I strolled forward to sit in a throne made of glass with my child standing before me.
“Basanalla, my daughter. I am disappointed. You have taken much more than you have been given.”
I watched as my daughter looked around bewildered and disorientated. “Goddess?”
I was not going to explain like I had with Omino, she was smart, she would eventually understand. “I am giving you one more chance before forcibly giving your seat of the Voices away. Do not deny him.”
With the last words past my lips I willed myself back home and out of the mind of the Succubus woman. I had to have faith.
Chapter 5
720 years after creation...
The darkness that tried to edge it's way into my subconscious was weak, frail and wholly ineffective. Although it was no threat to me I had to look into it, my curiosity peaked. I concentrated inwardly and searched out the miniscule thread. Once I had a lock on it I followed it back to it's source.
I willed my physical form to follow. Feeling myself converge onto Gaia's soil, I opened my eyes. I was in one of the many small Urisk camps scattered throughout the forest. Keeping myself concealed I watched as a mated pair argued in their harvest garden.
“I willna stop, Lochlan. We will have a wee lass this time.”
“Mairi ye trouble with magic that is not pure. None of the Goddess's magic involve blood, my wife! It is all inside,” the man, Lochlan, pounded on his chest. “Be true Mairi, is it that you willna stop, or you cannae stop? Is ye're mind all yers?”
“Aye Lochlan I have control of me own mind ye daft man. The gifts the Goddess give me willna help me here, I need to make me own. Is no harm I'm doin'. Th' blood is of the already dead, our dinner each night, aye?” The woman stood holding her stomach, rounded and ripe with life, “Ye want the wee barin to be a girl, aye?”
The man walked to his mate, e
mbracing her he murmured, “Aye Mairi, ya ken I do, but only if the Goddess blesses us so. Please Mairi, do no' mess with this magic again. We been blessed with sons fo' a reason maybe?”
The woman nodded to her husband and he took her for her word, but I could see into this woman. She would not stop, she would burn the blood of the dead every night in prayer for a female offspring. I would not allow my children to follow that path. It lead only to darker magic and destroyed hearts.
Allowing the concealment around me to drop I walked gracefully from the edge of the foliage and into the sight of both Urisk. The male dropped to his knee as I'd come to expect. The female still stood, but acknowledged me with a small bow. I was willing to accept this as she was swollen with child. However that all changed when she raised her head and the look in her eyes spoke not of reverence but of malevolence. I would not tolerate such a blatant insult.
“Lochlan, my child, you are wise to advise your wife against playing with such magic. It is dark, it is black and it is wrong. It will taint her soul and that of your child. You are however not wise to take your mate at her word. Her promise to you just now was false.” I waited for his reaction.
He stayed kneeling in front of me, looking away from the woman he had vowed his life too. “For your wisdom and only because of your wisdom, I will grant you one small favour. I have found great displeasure in your mate but you have impressed me.”
I turned to the scornful woman and allowed my powers to manifest in the form of the wind and the static of the air popping in little charges. “Mairi, mate of Lochlan, know I will not tolerate ungrateful children, children who try to live beyond their reach. You are but one of thousands, no better, no less. If you feel you are entitled to harness the power of the Goddess, than deal with it's consequences. If you stay the path, if you continue on in earnest with the light I will give you your daughter, for I am merciful and your mate deserves his desire. However, if you taint yourself with the death magic once more before the child is born, you will find on the day you birth your child it will be thrice your darkest worry, and you will not be alone, you will have cursed all the women of your race. Do not choose wrong.”