The Dormant: The 5 Goddesses

~Bastet~ "Are you ready?" My sister's voice echoed in my mind. In the cramped room, the air was heavy with the sounds of panting and despair. ¨Empuja mi Amor, empuja mi leona¨ (Push my love, Push my lioness.) The two young people in front of us were saying loving encouragement to each other, the way they look at each other, brought a faint smile to my lips, knowing that this child would be welcomed with warmth, with smiles but above all she would be welcome with love. Looking around the humble dwelling where my prophet was to be born, my heart bled with the realization of how much my children had suffered, and they had suffered because of me, because of my absence. I had been away for far too long, neglecting my responsibilities, neglecting the reason I was put in this realm. In the next room, the crushing pain of my priestess announced the imminent birth of my vessel. Before stepping out to look at the miracle, my gaze fell upon a small music box, a reminder of the riches and royal heritage this family once possessed. As I opened it, treasures from another era spilled onto the table—an emerald necklace, a studded pearl ring, two hairpins, a picture of the couple sharing a tender kiss, and a letter from another one of my children. Small mementos that spoke of the couple who had been bestowed with the sacred honor of bringing me into existence. Turning back to my sister, I acknowledged her with a nod before making my way to the kitchen table where the birth was taking place. The beautiful woman, with her striking golden hair and yellow eyes, exhibited the signs of childbirth on her pale and blotchy skin, and the way she clutched her mate's hands until her fingers turned white, yet she possessed the regal strength of a lioness. I felt the strongest connection to her at that moment, knowing she was my beautiful lioness. Beside her, her husband, with blond, white hair and grey-blue eyes that looked like fresh snow, seemed brittle and weak. Both of them looked to be physically and emotionally drained. I hovered over the bed, attempting to lend them strength through this, the hardest of moments. Their bodies seemed emaciated, as if they had not been able to eat for weeks. Closing my eyes, I recited a small heartfelt blessing for them, seeking to lend them strength, lend them some of my magic as little as I had, because no one needed it more than them in this trying time and afterward for what was to come. When I opened my eyes, I was taken aback to find the woman looking directly at me, but I knew the meaning of her mortal eyes looking at an immortal being. A surge of understanding passed between us, and without hesitation, I moved closer and whispered reassurance into her ear. ¨You are doing great, my child, it'll soon be over, and you will have your kitten in your arms.¨ A solitary teardrop rolled down her cheek, and I kissed it away. ¨Don´t be afraid Azucena.¨ I whispered in her ear as her partner's voice echoed in the background, telling her to take a last push, that it was almost over. She roared and screamed, her eyes finding me again, lighted up by the love of a mother to her unborn child, they were two wildfires with determination. And at that very moment, I changed my divine form to become a guiding presence in her child's life, offering her strength and comfort as the child navigated the rocky path that would be her life and even if I only wished that it would be easy, I knew, this child would lead the hardest of fates. ~Selene~ Bastet materialized in the small, snow-laden hovel that these children were using as a home. The cold seeped through every corner and crevices, the shingles were falling apart, and the rickety ceiling struggled under the weight of recent snowfall, making sounds like a dying creature every once in a while. The room itself was a single space, serving as both a kitchen and sleeping area. At the center of the hut, on the kitchen table, a woman writhed in the middle of child labor. Her anguished screams echoed through the dilapidated hut, causing it to tremble and sway with wail. Standing before her was a man who, despite his once-handsome features, now bore the signs of severe lack of food and sleep. Yet, the love and determination in his eyes as he supported his mate at the moment she needed it the most were evident. Standing in front of her. The look in his eyes while helping her showed the full extent of his love for her, it showed how far he would go to make sure she was safe and happy. I could only fathom how much spirit was inside his weak body. Bastet positioned herself beside the woman, offering comfort and reassurance, reminding her that the gods were watching over her. In the woman's gaze, even while full of determination to getting through this, we both saw a flicker of fading light inside the golden-brown irises. It was then that I saw her fading condition and sighed, realizing the gravity of the situation. Childbirth was hard for a healthy young woman, but almost impossible for one as sick as the one lying on that kitchen table. There was no way this would have a happy ending. As I stood there, witnessing the intense labor, I gasped as the woman's gaze fixated on my sister, and Bastet whispered to me, "She's dying." A heavy sigh escaped from me, I knew seconds before I had realized that this sacred birthing process was going to take the last gift this woman was able to give. A tear trickled down the woman's cheek, but my sister lovingly kissed it away without touching her, offering comfort in her own divine way. The man's voice cut through the room, urging her to push with all her strength. The woman roared with everything she had, all her dreams, all her hopes and all of her love, and at that very moment, a profound bond was forged between God and child. As the child emerged into the world, she opened her eyes and screamed for the first time, revealing a mesmerizing sight—Bastet's technicolor eyes reflected in hers. Within those big cat-like eyes danced a universe of colors—yellow, hazel, gray, blue, and a subtle hint of emerald green. It was a sight to behold. At that moment, it was evident that she was truly a descendant of a goddess—a divine child born of both my sister, Bastet, and her mate. As I walked to where the baby girl was cocooned in her father's arms, I whispered words of blessing and protection, knowing that her path in life would be woven so strongly with the godly forces that had brought her into existence. The room was filled with an air of wonder and awe as everyone present bore witness to this extraordinary child. She was a symbol of hope and promise, a ray of light in the middle of all the darkness inside that humble house. As I looked at her, I knew that she carried within her the strength of a lioness and the grace of a goddess—a powerful combination that would shape her destiny and leave an indelible mark on the magical world. It was already written so. As the child lay in the man's arms, I crouched down beside them, whispering tenderly in her mind, "Child, I bless you and protect you. I will walk with you on every step of your journey, for you are as much mine as you are Bastet's." I knew that this child carried the essence of the nature spark inside of her, and her life would be hard but hopefully safe and protected. That was the reason I was here to take this family under my protection. The man gave the child to the mother and, with a gasp, the woman looked into her daughter's captivating eyes and whispered, "Catalina." It was a name that carried weight and significance, symbolizing the profound moment of her birth and the true nature of her being. But as she uttered the name, exhaustion overcame her, and she collapsed onto the table, unconscious and bleeding profusely. The man acted swiftly, cradling their newborn daughter and laying her gently on the bed on the other side of the room. He rushed back to his mate's side, desperate to stop the imminent bleeding that was quickly taking her life, and perhaps save her. However, before he could reach her, the door swung open, it banged against the door before its hinges broke and, with a loud bang, fell to the floor. The dark figure hovered outside the opening where the door once stood. Like a shadow, the black outline quickly traveled to where the couple was finally reveling itself as a vampire. With his index fingernail, he inflicted a deadly gash on the man's throat with lethal precision, the wound gushing out blood in rivulets at the feet of his unconscious mate. I rushed to where the baby was and shielded the defenseless child, covering her with my own divine form. The vampire then turned his attention to the agonizing pass out woman, pulling her by the hair, yanking it by the roots and exposing her vulnerable neck. With a sinister display of fangs, he sank them into her flesh, drinking her blood, her life force, draining her of her vitality and the last ounce of her life. The vampire stood up and started walking to where I was protecting the child. As the creature attempted to approach us, his movements turned weak and unsteady. He managed to take only three steps before collapsing onto the floor. Black blood oozed from his mouth, and a piercing shriek escaped his lips, causing the entire house to tremble, and both Catalina and I to shiver in fear. I watched as the beast was now succumbing to a mysterious force beyond his understanding, it was a force beyond even my understanding. He convulsed uncontrollably, and his once-pale skin began to shrivel, resembling rotten fruit. His malevolent red eyes turned black, and little by little, he disintegrated before our eyes, leaving behind nothing as evidence of his existence. With the danger now fully gone, I stood there watching the c*****e inside the dilapidated place, the man on his knees, one hand clasping his mate's ankle, his eyes open looking at nothing, the woman on top of the breakfast table, pale with no blood or life inside of her. I picked up the baby and held Catalina tightly against my chest, then wasted no time. There was no life to be safe in this place. I ran out of the house, seeking some other place where the baby could be protected. Utilizing my divine abilities, I apparated. Exhausted and heartbroken, I found myself back at my prayer clearing, where the weight of the recent tragic events pounded inside my brain in a macabre staccato of death. But my sorrow was soon joined by the cries of Catalina, her wailing a sure reminder of the vulnerability of life and the responsibility I now carried to protect her, to protect Bastet, to protect the balance of nature. I closed my eyes taking deep calming breaths, gathering myself, I cradled Catalina in my arms, trying to soothe her small baby cries as I walked deeper into the forest. The surrounding trees seemed to offer a sense of comfort and solace in the middle of all of these horrible events. In my heart, I knew that I could not face the challenges that would come alone. ¨Aine, if you are out there, appear now.¨ Calling out to Aine, I commanded her presence, and The Fae Queen didn't disappoint, as she appeared from behind a tree walking towards me, her purple dress resembling violets—symbols of both sorrow and hope how adequate of her to unknowingly dress accordingly. My youngest sister looked at the child in my arms and then directly at me. Shock and anger were evident in her gaze, she opened her lips and could only say ¨ She did it again?¨.