Chapter Six
2384 Words
Pain was all I could feel. Burning, tearing, stretching pain. Like my body was being put through one of those taffy stretchers, just to be folded over again and again. The friction of the movements burning like fire, scorching my insides to cinders. I felt as if I was being torn into pieces, ripped apart little by little. Even when Hades moved me, I screamed. His touch however gentle felt like acid being dripped onto my skin. Alethea’s emergence was nothing compared to this. Even the loss of Tristian was a flickering candle in comparison. And I couldn’t contain it, I couldn’t hold it in.
I screamed my agony over and over, feeling like if I could just scream it away, everything would be okay. But it wasn’t. Soon, my throat had gone hoarse, and felt as if I had swallowed fire every time I drew in breath. I could hear Hades whispering something to me but he sounded so far away, I couldn’t make out what he was saying. Then I remembered Hades and Cassius. I could speak to them telepathically.
“Cassius.” I groaned, calling out to him in a pained voice.
“Rose?! Are you alright what’s going on?” His voice was panicked.
“It hurts Cassius.” I cried. “Make it stop.” I begged.
“We can’t get to you Rose. What’s happening?”
“Hades…he..he’s my mate too.” I rasped, another spasm of pain hitting me. “We…we wer..were talking..abou..about it.” I drew in a hissing breath. “Then pain. So much pain.”
“Open yourself to us, let us help.” Cassius pleaded.
“Can…can’t. To…too much. Hur..hurt you.”
I groaned, unable to keep talking mentally. I still heard Cassius screaming at me in my mind begging for me to let them help. But I couldn’t it would be too much for them.
“Trust our men.” Alethea hissed through her teeth. Obviously able to feel the pain too.
I struggled to open my eyes, but I did, and looked up into Hades anguish filled gold ones. He thought he caused this. How could he ever think he could do this? Or that he would? “Not you…your fault.” I stammered. “Som…someth..something wa..wants ou..out. Ripping, tearing.” I hissed through my teeth, squeezing my eyes shut again.
“Share your pain modicum Rosa.” I heard Hades’ plea as well. I had to trust them, trust my men. So, I did as they asked. I opened all bonds fully, letting my pain spread in six different directions, including me. Even so the pain did not ebb, but I could feel the pained yells of my men as it hit them wave after wave. I could even hear Hades groans from beside me. I was hurting them. No, I can’t, I won’t hurt them. They didn’t deserve to hurt, to feel my pain. It wasn’t their burden to bear, it was mine. If this killed me, I would not allow any of them to follow. So I closed off the bonds, blocking them from the pain I was enduring. I however did become coherent enough to drop the wards on the door. I felt the guy’s presence around me instantly. But one of them touched me, fire scorched from where their hand touched making me scream.
“What’s happening to her?” Ryker’s voice drifted through my ear like a soothing balm.
“She is awakening.” Hades answered, though I could feel his eyes never left me.
“What the hell does that mean?” Aaron demanded; his voice was harsh, promising punishment.
“You stand no chance boy.” Hades growled towards Aaron. “Rose was chosen in the time of the titans. All the gods agreed, that should a time arise when Olympus may fall, when the realm may fall and when the fates leave us, a child would be born. Once blessed by all gods. Though my brothers and I gave more than just a blessing. We gave the essence of a titan soul. Once we all mixed our essence with the titans we left it up to the fates. When the child of the gods awakens, the fates will abandon us, leaving us on our own.”
“What does this mean for her?” Phoenix was the one to ask.
“It means she will be powerful. There is no way to know what power will awaken in her with the essence of all in her.” Hades sounded sad about this, regretful. “If I had known that child would become my own mate, I never would have given my blessing.”
“What do you mean by mate? And why wouldn’t you have given her your blessing if it only made her stronger?” Caleb’s questions made sense.
“Just as she is your bonded, she is my mate. It is different with a god than a mortal. This will change her. She will become immortal, a being higher than even the gods. That was our intended purpose. To create a being that could stop any god necessary.”
“But she’ll still be her. She’ll still be Rose.” Cassius sounded confident in his statement.
“Yes, only her power and mortality will change.”
“Then I don’t see a problem.” I could hear the pride in Caleb’s voice. “It just means we now get eternity with her. None of us will ever have to worry about losing her.”
“And you think you losing her would be the problem? She is immortal, unable to be killed even by gods. What should happen if she were to lose one of us? We have all seen her and her struggle with the boy. With the added power Rosa could destroy the realm with the snap of her fingers.”
“No, she would never.” Ryker’s voice had lowered, he didn’t believe Hades. I didn’t know if I did either.
Another wave of pain. Shot through me. Making me scream again, my hands reaching for anything to grasp onto. A hand fell in mine and I waited for the pain but none came. No, the pain went ebbed slightly, the coolness of this touch soothing the roughest parts of the pain. I relieved sigh left me, my tightened body leaning towards the touch.
“What are you doing?” Cassius’s voice was lighter.
“I don’t know.” Ryker whispered. So it was Ryker who was holding me with no pain. I was grateful for that in the moment.
“Keep doing whatever it is.” Phoenix pleaded. “It’s helping.”
Another coolness touched my sweat drenched brow, but somehow, I knew this touch was different. Not Ryker’s. And again, I felt the pain lessen. One by one I felt the touch of my men on some part of my skin, until the pain was all but gone. Just an echo in the back of my mind. The memory of it sent shivers down my spine though.
“It is over.” Hades murmured; his voice close to my ear. I felt as he kissed my temple. I hummed under his touch. He just chuckled. “Rest now, Rosa. We will not leave your side.”
His words comforted me, but I regardless tightened my grasp on whomever was holding my hands. On instinct I knew one was Hades, just by the sheer size. The other, I knew was Ryker. I really didn’t care who they belonged to as long as they didn’t leave me. I was tired exhausted and barely able to move, but I found the strength to open my eyes and look at all of my men. “I’m sorry.” I rasped, my throat sore.
They all cooed at me and whispered at me to rest, we’d talk about it later. I just nodded, allowing my eyes to flutter shut. As I felt myself fall deeper and deeper into sleep, I felt my grip let go of my men. I tried to hold on but I was too far gone. But if I was sleeping, why was I still able to think? It was like my mind was awake while my body rests.
“It is because your new immortal body needs time to rest and adjust to the changes. You are different now young one, new. Your mind however was sent here to me, where we always planned for it to go while you adjusted in the living world.” Her voice was soft, like a melody I couldn’t quite grasp.
Turning to look at her I was stunned. She wore an ankle length flowing white gown that seemed to billow in a wind I couldn’t feel. Her raven hair flowed and flared behind her with the wind. Her skin was as white and glowing as the moon, and her eyes so bright and silver, they glowed. She was stunning.
“I am Nyx, goddess of the night. We all agreed when you awoken you would need calmness, peace, while also being taught about your new gifts.”
“Why me?” I asked. “I am nothing but broken, how could I have ever been the best choice?”
“You are special Rose, you were born so. You are not just a bridge between the underworld and earth, but a bridge between the underworld, earth and Olympus now. You are greater than a god but lesser than a titan. Immortal and unable to die even by the weapons of the gods. You are now capable of great or terrible things.” She warned.
I looked down shocked to see my body and my men gathered around me. “But I am so full of rage back there.” I whispered, before looking back up to her. “I don’t want to feel like that anymore. I don’t want to be full of vengeance.”
“Don’t worry child, I will cleanse your body. No anger or vengeance will consume you again. You will be free from it all. Truly back to who you were.” Her voice was kind, but I could only think of Hades. I looked down at him, his face crippled as he looked down on my too still body.
“Could you help him? Help Hades?” I asked turning to her, a silent plea in my eyes.
“You love him?” Nyx questioned.
I smiled. “I do.” I nodded. “There is so much more to him than what he shows. He was imprisoned unjustly; he’d done nothing wrong. He doesn’t deserve the pain and anguish he is in.”
“I shall cleanse you mate for you child. Now come, we must talk.”
I smiled as I followed her into the darkness until a world seemed to come out of nowhere. The silvery moon was bright and full in the sky. Vast forests spanned as far as the eye could see. Wolves howled in the distance, while some came and greeted Nyx.
“This is my realm.” She motioned around her proudly. “And these are my children.”
At her words, the wolves shifted into men. Very big, and very naked men. My eyes went wide and I spun around so quickly I got dizzy. “Werewolves.” I breathed; my breath still caught in my throat.
“Yes.” Nyx laughed. “You carry my essence child, and so you carry my power. Though you may not be able to shift, you can grant others the ability to do so. Just as you are now able to create your own children, your own realm.”
“But, your children are created based off what you are god or goddess of. I am goddess of nothing. How would that be possible?” I asked, still not turning towards the naked men and Nyx.
“You are wrong young one. You as I said are special. You are the goddess of power and shadows. Your children will be a new and unknown species, one superior to all others.”
“I’m not sure if I like that idea.” I muttered.
“In time you will want children, a species to carry on your legacy.” She assured me. “Now. You know you can create just about anything your mind can conjure up. Let us talk of your destructive abilities. You as I have said are powerful. You can not only create worlds but destroy them. It would be nothing but a flick of a wrist for you to end your realm. So I urge you to be careful, be wary. Think carefully before you act. Your souls will help you, as will Hades and your men. Listen to them, let them guide you.” Nyx sighed. “I do wish I could tell you the extent of your power but alas none of us know. This is something you must discover on your own. Turn and look at me child.”
I did as she said, but I felt compelled to walk towards her. Everything she told me was mind blowing, but I know she was here to calm me, not to overwhelm me. Her realm was eternal night, eternal full moon and sky of stars. Beautiful. “Thank you.” I whispered, her silver eyes gleaming back at me.
“You’re ready child. Remember, be wary and think.”
I nodded. I could never allow myself to become a monster, not like the one I was before. The one I almost became. I was ready to reduce the world to ash. But now as my mind settled into its new self, the loss of Tristian didn’t feel as painful. Don’t get me wrong, the pain was there. It just wasn’t so all consuming. I knew he was at peace; he was happy and that was enough for me now. It was an amazing feeling. To be free once again of the anger, to feel like myself again, but also feel more. I felt as if my emotions ran deeper, rougher if that makes sense. But overall I just had this massive sense of awareness.
- Writer
