Dark Moon

Chapter_12

There were a total of 21 elders. They tend not to have a lot to deal with. Usually, they discuss whether to intervene in pack affairs that may cause disaster to populations or packs that are getting out of hand with their unfair hierarchical rules. Overall, they were just a bunch of old men gossiping or just shooting the s**t, as they say.

At today's meeting (if you could call it that), there was an uproar. Some were just downright shocked at what Drake brought to the discussion today, while some were calling bullshit on it all. It took all Drake had to try and calm everyone so he could back up Keith's character and explain he wasn't one to go off on fancy flights of fantasy.

The Sigma's had grown distant from the Moon Goddess after what happened with the Queen. Guilt riddled and tainted them over the years. Only during pivotal moments did the council of Sigmas contact her. They'd seek her guidance on how to help the rest of their werewolf brethren. Aside from that, the Goddess was left in peace.

After nearly an hour of arguing among one another and Drake nearly giving up hope for Keith's request, civility came back to the council. A vote was cast, but not for Keith's request.

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21 Old, brown-cloaked men came through the doors of Schaeffer Industries. They were led by Elder McGrafferty a long white bearded man with pale blue eyes. The receptionist stood to halt the troop of men, but McGrafferty merely lifted his hand, quieting any protest as they made their way to the silver doors of the elevator. The doors opened, and they all shuffled in, the doors closed, and the heaviness that had taken over the ground floor left with them, leaving the receptionist stunned and confused by what he just witnessed.

The door opened on Keith's floor and he stood the moment the door opened. He wasn't entirely puzzled by this personal visit, but he hoped it wouldn't come to this. There was only 3 days before the full moon. His eyes looked them over and saw the apologetic face of Drake and gave a small warm smile. It wasn't Drake's fault. The old friend only did as Keith had requested.

"Keith." McGraffety breathed. The pale blue eyes narrowed onto the younger Sigma before him. "Where is this... so-called reincarnation."

"She was kidnapped, elder. SSCW have her in hiding from the Sorcerer. They got information that he began to 'come to life', so they took it upon themselves to take action." Keith informed him.

McGraffety hummed and began to stroll around the room.

"I know where she is. If you want to see her for yourself..." he offered. It was an almost desperate move on his part. In truth, a part of Keith wanted to meet this girl. It seemed all that had met her felt something from her, otherwise, why would they have abducted her?

"If she is the spirit of our Goddess and the Sorcerer is still in works..." the elder said thoughtfully, "Perhaps a group of Sigmas taking off together to her location would be unwise." McGraffety found himself looking at a portrait as he spoke.

Keith couldn't agree more, "True."

"If SSCW thinks she is something of note, perhaps it is worth looking into." The elder turned from the portrait, "Come to the elder mansion on the night of the full moon. We will talk to our creator and see what information she has on this....what is her name?"

"Inara," Keith added

"We will see what the Goddess has to say about this Inara," McGraffety said.

Out of the shadows came Isaac, "I'm coming, too!" He barked.

McGraffety turned to look at the young werewolf. His eyes crinkling at the edges, "..yes, of course. It isn't every full moon that we Sigma talk to our mother. All Sigma come, including the newest of us."

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The Elder Mansion was a few miles from where the Queen's castle was, but most of the werewolf population called it the King's castle. He remembered, now, after leaving Inara there, that it was from the old storybook of the 'Lonely King'. The story was about the King who died of heartbreak after the Queen never waking slumber. In history class, he learned the castle was abandoned, and the King declared the werewolves free to govern themselves after his Queen died in her sleep. Aside from the details of the King and Queen's rule, it was very vague on what happened to the Queen. Even more odd how the King and his lineage seemed just to vanish.

After his father's information, things were adding up in his head. Now they were all here in front of the mansion as the sun set.

Inside, there was a banquet. Isaac was amazed at the spread. His mate was locked in some damn castle, hiding from a Sorcerer while he was here at some Sigma banquet. His eyes coldly looked at his dad.

Reading his son, Keith explained, "Talking to the Goddess is met with celebration, as per tradition."

Isaac found a seat at the back French doors and sat looking out at the lawn that had symbols and glyphs burned into the grounds. McGraffety came silently up to Isaac's right shoulder. "I came to your dad to see his eyes. I see he is not a man of exaggeration. What I did not expect was to see the eyes that I was told about from through my family. The eyes of the Sun God."

Isaac's brows creased together, and McGraffety laughed.

"Ah, so you don't know."

Isaac looked at him expectedly.

"The Moon Goddess is loved by the Sun God. It is why she shines so brightly and is full of life. The darkness tries to dampen her. Like a dance, the darkness puts her out, but she fights back to find her love, who brightens and cheers her spirit once more so she may see her children again. He will never let her go dark for long." McGraffety puts his hand on Isaac's shoulders. "I see that he blessed you." He smiles at Isaac, "Not too surprising that he'd seek to bless a Sigma of Fire."

Isaac watched the old man as he shuffled off. His mind was blown away by that small encounter. So much was dumped onto him, and he had so many questions for the elder.

At 11:45, the Sigmas all made their way to the back lawn. Keith came to his son's so they could walk out together. McGraffety took up the center of the large round circle, "We are here, brethren, to find out if our Goddess has once more chosen to live among us. We have a brother who believes she may be among us. I see in his eyes he does not take this lightly, so we grant him a conference with the Goddess, our mother.

We all want to talk to her, but our time with her is brief. Let Keith ask his questions...and we have one more." His hand extends out toward Isaac, who looks around in shock.

"I see him, the Son...he too must have time with our Goddess. She will want to see him. We must not interfere if she chooses to call him and talk. We are here to witness and to bask in the love our Goddess gives to all us wolves. Remember to be respectful to the time we have with her."

Keith looked at his son with puzzlement. What had he missed? Still, there was no time; the gates would open soon, and their time with her was brief.

Everything around them seemed to disappear as a light blue glow took over the center of the circle. The mansion and the lawn were gone as if they were suddenly transported to another plane. Once everyones eyes adjusted, they could make out a giant whispy translucent woman in the center. Her forehead had light outlining the phases of the moon, and her eyes were featureless. She would have been intimidating had it not been for the feeling of overwhelming unconditional love coming from her.

Isaac stood dumbfounded, in awe. The elders and the other Sigmas, including his father, were bowing on their knees, faces to the ground. The Goddess looked to him, the outlier, and put out her hand. "Voodoo," she whispered. Isaac felt the love and care in her words, making his heart heavy for her. He walked forward and placed his hand in her offered hand. His hand was so small it only fit on a fingertip. The moment their hands touched, a rush of time, history, and information flooded him.

She leaned in and kissed his forehead, and a bright light erupted between the two.

Keith looked up when he heard the Goddess call him, "Steel"

Her eyes then looked around to all her Sigmas, and they rose to look at her as though they all heard her call to them. Her voice was a ghostly whisper as she addressed them all with what they desired to know and what was needed to know.

"A part of my spirit walks among you. She has already faced pain and heartache. She is not without blemish this time. But she is stronger for it. She will learn how to harness my spirit soon and become the new goddess reborn. Learn from the past mistakes, and the darkness that threatens her can be conquered forever."

"Steel, take your son to the temple of the Sun. He needs to learn the ancient ways of your clan." She leans down to him and kisses his forehead. His mind was flooded with the information he needed so their journey could be complete, and then everything was white.

The sound of crickets filled the ears of the Sigmas as they all slowly came to. Keith rose and found his son still unconscious. McGraffety came up to Keith as he bent down to wake his son, "No...he had more information to gain than all of us."

"What do you mean?" Keith said, confused.

"Have you not figured it out yet?"

Keith gave him an impatient look.

"Your clan was always rumored to be made by the Sun God to show his love to the Moon Goddess. An appreciation of sorts." His eyes crinkle as he smiles.

Keith looks at McGraffety, waiting to get where the old man is going with this.

"You two are a lot alike, you know. It shows..." the old man then sighs, "He has been given the spirit of the Sun God...he's practically the Sun God walking among us!" He jabbed Keith in the stomach with his walking stick. Sighing, McGraffety shakes his head, and then he walks away from Keith, mumbling to himself.

Keith rubbed his stomach and watched the elder walk away before looking back down at his son with amazement.

His mind racked around from the history his grandfather told him about their sect of Sigma and really didn't recall anything about their firepower being of the sun, but then his mind recalled all that the Goddess shared with her, and it was like the history of their bloodline was washed through him. The temple he was to take his son to had so many glyphs and history.

This mere disappearance turned into something so much more powerful and monumental to the entire wolf population. How was he going to navigate this with the Alpha!? He had to appease him somehow.