GOING UNDER (THE LAST LUNA) S2

DEATH

Werewolves didn't seem to have any real lore hypothesizing about what came after death. Humans would think that they should be cast into hell, their entire self being, as a creature opposed to the ways of their natural law. But they didn't have any thoughts or values on that.

For werewolves, they wasn't sure also for what they had expected for when they died. But only their beliefs that passed from their elders, that they have a powerful goddess of the moon. The powerful one, to embrace them, and lead them into some pearly gates of heaven.

But for Stella, the Luna who had much sacrificed for the Pack, had abandoned her life in death, like a useless soul. She could only assume her love and faith but the truth is, no one knows what will happen on the search of after life.

It was cold. There was no light. Stella surrounded by darkness. She stayed curled up for longer than she could say. It felt like days, or even years, but time didn't seem to move the same way there. Hell, for all she knew, it could have been only seconds that had passed in this eternal abyss.

Suddenly, light surrounded her and she began to fall.

Around her, was the images from her memories, floating the past to her as she dropped. She saw her childhood, her mother tenderly caring for her. Her father smiling as he watching her.

She saw Richard, on the very first time smiling, as he was staring at her.

She saw Thea, her air-headed facade as she always smiled at her.

She saw Sophie... betraying her.

And she saw her death. It was replayed over and over again as if trying to make her go insane. She would see Richard lift the blade, the sound of the sharp edge eating into her flesh, and then the darkness... the silent cold darkness. It continued to repeat like a broken pieces.

"Please... stop...," She begged to the empty.

Stella didn't know if anyone could hear her voices, but she couldn't handle this anymore. If this wasn't hell, then it was damn close. She closed her eyes tightly, pressing her balled-up fists against her ears to block out the images and sounds, but they continued to drill themselves into my brain.

Why...why was I being punish like this? She said.

"My child..," a melodic voice called out.

ringing the peace of silence with it.

Stella opened her eyes wearily and saw a woman with brilliant golden hair and silver glowing eyes. She recognized her immediately. She was the woman in the forest whilst she was shifted.

Who was she? Stella asked the question in her mind, but she already knew the answer deep down.

You.. you were the Moon Goddess, but what is your name? Stella said

Her presence was overwhelming, to make Stella feel so strange in this time. She was warm but she was cold. She was was empty but she was full. Just looking at her, can remove all unbearable pains. Stella wonder though, why was she finally showing herself now?

"I .. I am the mother of Mindaza, your ancestor. I can sense your turmoil inside, even your disdain for me," she said.

"I know you have many questions and I know some of these answers will not satisfy your anguish."

Hearing those words, felt Stella instantly embarrassed, those confliction inside. How could she worship someone who had let her suffer for so long?

"Why...," Stella said, her voice wavering and betraying her emotions,

"Why did you do this to me? You made me as Richard's mate when he did not love me. Didn't that mean you wanted me to become Luna? If so, why would you abandon me?"

"My child, I never left you," she said gently.

"I have watched over you since the beginning but there are some things I cannot interfere with. I never wished for you to experience such hardships."

"Then what's the point in worshipping you?" Stella said a little too harshly. She was expressing her anger, in somehow, she can get better.

"I prayed every night to you for years until I eventually had convinced myself you either didn't exist." Stella added. But the goddess said

"I do not ask my children to worship me. I am merely a mother to you all. I give you all the tools to bring you immense happiness in your lives, but if something interferes with that I cannot intervene."

"Are you saying that this all happened because something changed your divine plan? If that was the truth then, what had happened to change the course of destiny?" Stella said. She felt that the goddess wasn't telling her the whole truth.

"You are one of my favourite children, so intelligent and strong, but I cannot change the future in the ways you might think."

The goddess gently grabbed her palm and with her other hand caressed her cheek. Stella wanted to flinch from her touch, but her presence instinctively made her want to give herself to her entirely.

"If you care and nurture a child, give them the best education and family, only for them to grow up and commit grave crimes, would you blame the mother? I wished for you to have the best life, full of love and happiness. However, if things change from my original plan then there is nothing I can do until it has run its course."

"'Run its course'? You mean I have to wait until I die?" Stella clarified.

the goddess nodded her head.

"Your death in this instance would have triggered something far bigger, something that cannot be allowed to occur. And so I intend to send you back."

The goddess replied. Her silver lovely eyes were speaks the truth. Stella had a strong hunch that she wasn't joking. It makes her hard to disagree with anything she was saying.

"And if I refuse..?" Stella asked hesitantly. But the goddess replied

"Then you will remain in the Abyss, forever reliving your earthly memories."

Stella recalled the images that had tormented her, on earth, showing her death, over and over again.

"Then I don't want to be Luna again... and I don't want to be Richard's mate,"

Stella said, surprising even herself that she was bargaining with a Goddess. But she couldn't shake the feeling something seemed off.

"That is the fate I have chosen for you."

"Then I don't accept," Stella argued, removing her hand from hers.

"I think there is something you're not telling me. A reason why you need me to go back so badly." Stella said.

The goddess remain silent in a while, her eyes is so weary.

"So I am correct," Stella said, taking her silence as confirmation.

"I cannot rewrite a fate that was established during your birth, the ramifications of such a thing could potentially change your entire being and identity. Your mate will be Richard, just as it always has been. But I will give you a gift. I will gift you the ability to choose your own fate, your own destiny. You will need it for your future battles."

Stella watched as she gently kissed her forehead, tingles erupting from where her lips met Stella's skin. It was like a rush of energy flowed through her all at once, opening herself to emotions had never felt before. But she need an answer

"What battles? You haven't even told me what I need to change yet."

All the goddess told Stella, was she needed to stop her death. But how could she possibly know exactly what she needed to change in order to reach that goal?

"I have given you a part of myself," she said, her voice sounding oddly strained now.

"With this, you can stop your death. You must not die at all costs. The future of all werewolves will fall when you do."

She was beginning to flicker, like a candle struggling to stay aflame.

　　"What's wrong?"

Stella tried to grab her hand but it went straight through her.

　　"The pieces, I have given to you shall made me weak, I must rest. But I will be with you and I will be watching over you. There is no reason for you to feel alone this time."

After what she said, the goddess vanished before Stella's eyes. She was gone into thin air.

And with that, Stella woke up in bed.