The Path of the Protector

Journey to Ahnkara

The villagers were not thrilled when nearly 60 fully armed Rogue Warriors entered, but the Commander of the Warriors had sent word that they dare not challenge the Protector of the Goddess. She had deemed her companions enter, and if they dared challenge her on it they were welcome too.

"Welcome Majesty, your guests are welcome as well. However we are genuinely concerned about what is occurring with them. I am Elder Jared, and welcome you to Shraydal, gateway to Ahnkara." he said warmly.opening his arms.

"Excellent, and your understanding is not necessary. All you must understand is they are guests under my protection, amd any attack against them is an attack against me. They will live under the same rules as you are our hosts. Should any of these men or women attack you, it shall also be an attack against me. Is everyone clear on this issue?" she demanded with her Alpha Aira daring them to challenge her further on the matter.

"We understand milady, but howncan you be so sire that they are safe?" he asked.

"I am more sure about her and the people following her than I am of this village at the moment. They have guarded me well these past 2 days, and ensured my arrival here. If there is nothing else, I believe we have a journey to prepare for tomorrow." Emily stated knowing they would arrive the day before the full moon. She however knew they would have to oreoare the temple, especially for the twin ceremonies they would be performing.

"That we do Majesty, if your Guardians will join the warriors, we will impart the final training lessons we have prepared for them. If you will follow me, there are a few things you must be informed of as well." Jared said ensuring that was indeed the end of it.

Emily spent several hours going over the ceremony with the man, and informed him they would also be performing a cleansing ritual. If it went according to plan, Josephine would stand for all of the Rogues in the ceremony. She knew the power required for bith would be immense, but sje also knew it was required if they were tonstand a chance. The feast that night was exuberant and well stocked, as the Rogues had foraged for the ingredients just after training.

The cooks had been pleasantly surprised, as they provided her with enough ingrediemts for several meals, and she had joined two of them and learned a great deal about the wild foods growing all around the village. It would allow her to supplement what they grew, because this village had been having a rough few years.

For hours after dark the Lycans celebrated, the supplies bought by the rogues eagerly shared with those they broke bread with. They seemed unconcerned about usimg the majority of what they had provided, as one of them said there was plenty of supplies to be gatjered the next day. Rogue villages were seasonal, mainly because they always foraged amd hunted what they could, as growing crops was not always the easiest of things to accomplish.

Emily trained with all of the warriors the mext morning, the Priests amd Prietesses making the journey before everyone else to open and cleanse the temple. As tje sun rose, the remainder of the village gathered with Emily's party, and they traveled north to where it had all began for Selene.

Emily felt Selene withdraw a bit as they neared the area, the flashes of memory threatening to overwhelm her as she saw the original attack that set Selene on the course to be the Moon Goddess' loyal Protector.

She saw that the temple was little more than a memirial of where the house once stood, all that remained was the smooth foundation and a chimney. She could feel something in the center of it, and knew that was the place it had occurred. The blood stains told her that it had permanently stained that spot with her worldly powers.

'I always hate this part.' Selene said to her as Emily looked around.

'I can tell why, we have to relive it?' she asked.

'In vivid detail, and it is not a pretty sight.' she said shuddering. The memory was stripped from her, as it had reweaved her fate that night. Her Celestial Powers were attached to it, and once she reclaimed the memory the fusion would be complete. 'You are the strongest soul I have been attached to, and you have suffered a similar situation to what I have. That pain will fuse with my powers, and I believe our fusion is going to be an event to behold.'

Emily went over to a rose bush, and was glad to see that they were in full bloom. She used a claw, and cut one of the stalks before she quickly trimmed the thorns off. She did not know why, but she looked at the Elders. "Take some of the Rogues with you, and harvest what you need from within a mile of this site. Nothing we brought with us will be used unkess it cannot be found." she ordered knowing they had the time.

She walked away from the house, and had them set up camp a short distance away. They had another day until the moon was actually full, and would be preparing the site for the ceremony.

They spent hours clearing the house itself, told to only clear the debris, that the stains in the foundation were not to be touched. Emily did not step foot near it again, Selene having a difficult time just seeing the surroundings. They kept enough of their attributes that she had flashes of memories everywhere she looked. She had lived here for many years with her first pack, and had been extremely happy.

By the time the sun set they had gathered every ingredient they needed for the ceremony from within half a mile of the site of the house. Emily smiled as they all prepared them in the ways instructed by the Priestesses. It took all evening, but they finished just before all but those on watch settled down to sleep.

Selene walked around the village, her children playing while she tended to her Luna duties. Everyone was on edge because of the attack of Vampires, it seemed that her mother would not accept her choice.

She was a very powerful hybrid, and Sehkmet had vowed she would end what had seperated her daughter from her. Her abominations had been proving their defenses for weeks, fortunately none had yet died during these attacks.

She had gone about her day, a sense of unease falling upon her as the day drew to a close. The Vampires were naturally Nocturnal, but could easily survive the sunlight. Just as the moon entered the sky, just as the sun dipped below the horizon, her father appeared next to her.

"Alert your warriors daughter, the attack tonight is going to be massive. Evacuate the children and eldery, anyone who can fight needs to take up arms immediately." Musaeus said deadly calmly.

"What us happening father?" she asked as Hyperion approached. He was her mate and Alpha of this Pack.

"Your mother and her minions have created true abomination that are marching to attack as we speak. They will be here within an hour." Musaeus replied.

"Why will she not live my life?" she demanded as she had sacrificed her godly powers to live a mortal life with her mate.

"She plans to reunite you with your powers by force, while her minions destroy everything she views as keeping you away from her." Musaeus informed her as his mother had warned.

Selene growled at the implied threat, and knew her mother was becoming truly twisted if she believed this would bring Selene into the fold with her. Her howl alerted the entire village, and they knew what it meant.

Emily woke in a cold sweat as the sun rose, the vision clear as it explained more of what had happened. Selene was unusually calm, and Emily knew what she was going to witness tonight was going to be equal to what had happened to her family. She walked away from the camp, and Josephine fell into step by her as they walked.

Emily didn't know where she was going, bjt could feel something calling to her just north of the property. She was glad that Josephine could tell she was in no mood to talk.

About 2 miles from the house she found a cave, and knew what she was after was inside. It was not very deep, and Emily could see an old chest mostly buried in the debris that had built up over several thousand years. She broke it open easily, and nestled inside seemingly untouched by the passage of time was an intricate golden box.

'Open it during the ceremony, we will need you at full power to pull off what you plan.' Artemis said to her, and it was clear the Selene was. ot aware of what she was doing. She was sound asleep, and Emily hid it in a bag before her and Josephine returned to their camp.

"Do I want to know?" she asked.

"Not even I am sure yet, I just know it is an important part of the ceremony for tonight. Its just a feeling." Emily explained as Josephine nodded.

"Should be interesting than." she replied as they walked through the forest.