The Unknown God/Goddess

Deity

Third Person's P.O.V

Rafaela couldn't perceive what she had seen. The mere thought of her eyes deceiving such a glorious moment would be absurd even to Rafaela. The long and big extended golden wings of August that turned into Austin. The sparkles it brought to Rafaela's eyes, and how Pharsa also came into view. 

Rafaela was being dragged away by her two best friends, who seem to know everything. Rafaela saw how Austin flapped his wings one time. How the feathers moved with just a slight touch from the wind, and how beautiful it was, like a peacock. 

Once the best friends had mustered a definite distance between the initiated fight, the two of them sat down and re-lived the moment when August decided to show her golden wings. It was beautiful, to them. Not either of them expected less but what they saw was more of what they actually thought. The wings were slightly bigger than Mine's and full of hope. If Mine's wings were portrayed as pure, August's were portrayed as hope and and opportunity. 

"You knew?" Rafaela breathes out. Her mind still racing from every possibility of how these moments came to be and how she was just shrugging off the existence of deities when one was by her side the whole time. 

Rafaela remembers vividly what the male student said earlier this day, golden wings fighting off lightning. Rafaela couldn't be anymore ignorant, is what she thought. 

"We kinda did." Earl answered, still in disbelief of how beautiful August's wings were. 

"What do you mean 'kinda'?" Rafaela turns her head to Earl, c***s her head to the side in confusion. 

"This isn't probably what you meant by 'you knew', so yeah. We didn't know August's wings were beautiful, we just knew that she is a deity, along with her two housemates." 

"You're right. And why the heck did you not tell me?" 

Sarah scoffs and rolls her eyes before flicking Rafaela's forehead. Rafaela yelps in pain, in slight pain, before rubbing her pulsating forehead where Sarah flicked. 

"The signs were there. Someone told you already, but you didn't believe. Plus, we even agreed to that student earlier." Sarah explains to her the many so moments of the truth slipping out and how Rafaela rejects to embrace the truth. 

Rafaela purses her plump lips together in admittance. She looks down at her thighs and felt guilty but then realizes something. 

"Wait, so Austin and August are the same person?" 

Earl and Sarah looks at each other, confused as to who she was talking about. 

"Remember? How August turned into a man at the same time her wings emerged from her back?" Rafaela explains further. 

"She's right. Yes, so that was Austin?" Sarah asks. 

"Yes! That was him. I told you. Gosh." 

"So this is what Mine meant when she said August has no definite gender." Earl nods his head to himself, feeling proud that he cracked the code that he was struggling grasping. 

"Even Mine told you that?" 

"There was a reason why she told us and not you. You're pretty dense and like an i***t sometimes." Sarah shakes her head in disapproval. 

"Come on. Spare me, The truth that I denied for so many years suddenly unfolds its wings in front of me abruptly in such a glorious matter. Help me out a bit." 

"Fine fine." Sarah answers, somewhat pitying her friend. 

"So, what is it?" 

"Mine didn't tell you because August wanted to tell you everything herself." 

"Is there more to her than just being a deity?" 

"If you listened earlier.." Earl trails off. 

"I didn't. I was too distracted by the huge wings laid out in front of me." Rafaela admitted embarrassed. 

"Same here." Earl pats Rafaela's back and his. 

Sarah rolls her eyes again, unbelieving that they were her friends but she knows deep she loves them dearly. Suddenly, Pharsa appears in front of them, alerting the three and jolting them up. They stand still, feeling like they weren't supposed to know what they just saw. 

"That was dangerous." Pharsa came off strong and harsh, even to Pharsa's own ears. Pharsa signs and massages her forehead. 

"Are you three alright?" 

"We're okay." Earl answers Pharsa with a smile on his face, making Pharsa sigh again. 

Pharsa looks at Sarah and sighs again but in relief that Sarah was fine. 

"His Highness asks for you three to return home." 

Rafaela's ears twitched at the statement. Upon realizing what Pharsa meant, Rafaela's eyes widened immediately, regretting every possible regrettable moments. Her rude behavior and her confusing actions, and how she ignored August earlier. Rafaela wanted to cry out loud. A goddess, and a royal at that. Rafaela wanted to bury herself alive. If she had known, she wouldn't be that complacent and comfortable around August and how dare she rejects the love of a goddess, and a royal. 

"Wait! We want to know too if August is fine." Sarah answers to Pharsa, making Pharsa's heart beat uncontrollably. 

Pharsa cursed her own heart for beating for a woman when she herself declared that she will find a man. It would be favorable for her if it was Earl, but it was Sarah. Pharsa knows the struggles of courting a woman, she witnessed it with her own eyes, how the ever so great with women August got rejected by Rafaela. It would have been easier for Pharsa if her heart was beating for Earl. That was what she thought. 

When did this start? Pharsa asks herself. 

"I am," August suddenly appears before them in just a split second. They didn't see her approach and that was because she teleported there. 

August used the fastest method to make sure that Rafaela and the others were fine. Her wind was strong, she thought so too herself. They were humans, so it wouldn't be a rare occurrence for them to get hurt. 

"Where did you come from?" Earl asks. 

"Nowhere. Are you sure you guys are alright? Shall we escort you home?" August gestures her thumb to her and then to Pharsa. 

"Uh," Earl looks at Sarah, waiting for her to answer. 

"Sure? But you escort Rafaela home." Sarah smiles. 

"Alright, then Pharsa will accompany you. Speaking of, I thought you went to the underworld?" August turns to Pharsa, confused as to how Pharsa got there. 

"I sensed Ares on my way so I turned around." Pharsa answers nonchalantly, practicing to be stoic even when around Sarah. 

"You should ask your father too if he's okay with you being with me like this. It's dangerous. They even sent Ares." 

Pharsa scoffs and huffs. 

"I'm not Mine. I can make my own decisions. Let's go." Pharsa walks away and the other two followed. 

"See you tomorrow!" 

"See you later, August!" Earl and Sarah waves goodbye to the awkward Rafaela and the cool August. 

"Should we get going? Your father will get worried. I'll tell him myself." 

"Tell him what?" 

August's playful appearance was gone. August, no, Austin, turned cool and collected, like how his appearance would say so. He wasn't bubbly anymore, but he wasn't intimidating as well. Rafaela took this change as something unfathomable. The cool and collected Austin made unrecognizable impacts on Rafaela's heart. 

"That it's dangerous if you keep sticking with me." Rafaela's eyebrows twitched. 

"He knows?" 

"Yeah, he does. He recognized me the moment I stepped inside your house." 

"How.. the story about them meeting before we were born was true and that was how he recognized you?" August nods and smiles. 

"Let's get going before it's too late." 

The two of them start walking. August kept her guard up. Ares wasn't the type to sit idly after being defeated once. He was a proud god and a prideful. His ego was through the roof that Austin doesn't like him as a god nor as a war god. Despite Athena's controlling nature, August still liked Athena more than Ares. 

"Why isn't Mine with you anymore?" Rafaela decides to ask after mustering the courage that was nowhere to be found earlier. 

Austin took the question as a surprise. Austin had prepared himself for a silent walk home, but he was relieved to hear Rafaela utter word. 

"Just like I did, we have our own ways to tackle the phenomenon." 

"Hey, Austin." 

"You seem to be taking this well." Austin smiles to himself, feeling happy. 

"Why do you think so?" 

"You changed to Austin when you were with August earlier." 

Rafaela nods in understanding of what Austin meant. 

"It's like I don't have a choice really. Everyone around me seems to know already. It doesn't help if I keep on- you know what I mean." Austin chuckles softly and takes Rafaela's hand. 

"I'm either one of who you want to be with the most." 

Rafaela gulps, taking a leap of chances. 

"Can you, er, transform back to August?" 

Austin smiles and transforms back to August while still walking and holding Rafaela's hand. Rafaela felt how the hand changed to a small size. It was a bizarre experience that Rafaela kept on looking at their hands holding. They were indeed one person, but Rafaela was still grasping the truth, slowly embracing it until she can finally wrap her head around it. 

"Better?" 

Austin's manly, and low voice was replaced by August's girly, raspy voice. It was already dreamy to hear to Rafaela. She liked how August sounded, and when August laughed. 

"Mhm, better." Rafaela answers honestly. 

"I'm sorry if you were in the dark. I was surprised too when Mine told those two, but I understand too, why she told them in the first place. After all, humans are lovable, and they're who they are so all the more as to why Mine would." 

"What do you mean by that?" 

August c***s her head to the side as she turns to Rafaela. 

"You don't know this but you three are the most welcoming beings that we've known. You drew our hearts nearer to you without you three doing anything." 

August turns up the sky. It was already dark, and the stars were visible. They were beautiful, much more beautiful than Olympus and its cloudy state. 

"I like how the human world has stars and a moon to look at every night." the gentle manner in August's voice made Rafaela to look up and gaze upon the never ending streak of shining stars. 

"You live in Olympus?" 

"Yes, I do." 

"Pardon me for asking, but are you of royalty?" 

August laughed at the question, taking her aback for a moment before the outburst. Rafaela listened to August's outburst and smiled to herself. She wanted to hear her laugh all day. 

"Did you learn anything from Greek Myth?" 

Rafaela tries to think about it. She looked at the trees, searching for the answers and then her eyes moved to the stars once more, hoping to finally find the memory. 

"Yes? Uh, Zeus rules Olympus?" 

"Uh-huh, and?"

Rafaela's eyes widened when she connected all the dots together. Her head whipped to the benign August. 

"Wait, you're the ruler's offspring!" she exclaims. 

"Yes, but keep it quiet." August giggles at how cute Rafaela exclaimed it. 

August noticed how Rafaela's eyes sparkled when she realized everything. Rafaela's slender figure, Rafaela's hand in August's, and how they were sharing a moment together under the shining, twinkling night. August didn't feel so burdened anymore with the truth. Now that Rafaela knows, August listed a few plans she wanted to do with Rafaela. 

"But why are you here in the human world when you're the heir to the throne?" Rafaela couldn't help but ask. 

"I'll tell you soon enough. I like a little bit of suspense." August teases Rafaela. 

"Fine, fine, Your Majesty. I shall wait." August pinches Rafaela's cheek softly. 

"Don't do that." August says. 

"I won't, I won't." 

"I don't want us to change. I was afraid you might treat me differently once you knew about me." 

Rafaela felt bad, because that was what she thought so too. Rafaela thought everything would change once something big happens. She doesn't want to lose August just because of a major event. 

"I thought so too but I'm glad none of that happened. But really, you have nice wings, and Pharsa's are unique and Mine's look so pure. I was dazzled when I saw it, I couldn't even hear your conversation." Rafaela admitted so fast and so honest. 

"Do you not find Pharsa's wings disturbing? You did hear that I mentioned the Underworld, right?" 

"Mhm, but you know, Pharsa isn't that bad. I actually think it's the opposite. She seems timid to me." 

"Look at you. Weren't you two fighting just the other day?" Rafaela laughs, remembering the fight- fights. 

If Pharsa had meant harm, she would've done so the very moment Rafaela didn't do Pharsa's wishes of not touching August, but she didn't. Pharsa was passive about the both of them and that instantly meant something to Rafaela. Rafaela can't deny Pharsa's doll-like beauty. 

"We were, but that was it. She's Hades' offspring?" 

"That's right." 

"Her wings are unique. Black and white. It was truly beautiful. are they soft too?" 

"You want to touch?" 

"Is that okay?" 

Rafaela felt excited. She couldn't believe August was letting her touch her wings. Rafaela could imagine how soft it was. How it was going to feel nice if her hands touched them. The magical wings that she was so curious about was going to be touched by her, by her own hand. Rafaela almost couldn't contain her excitement. 

August saw how pumped Rafaela was and couldn't help but think how cute Rafaela was being. The child-like fidget and subtle jumps. The denying smile that's about to emerge made August smile. 

"Let's hide." 

August drags Rafaela softly by the hand and went behind a giant tree. August looks around to make sure no one was around. August turns around, walks a few distance away from Rafaela and then, in slow motion, August's wings spurted from her back ever so slowly. 

The night was only enhancing August's wings. It was glowing, the wings were glowing. But the wings weren't the only ones glowing. Even August was glowing herself, like a holy entity right before Rafaela's human eyes. It seemed holographic to Rafaela. 

"Can I really?" Rafaela stood stunned, astounded by the beauty of the wings. 

August turns around and smiles at Rafaela. Rafaela's eyes were glued to the wings. 

"Go ahead." even August's voice sounded heavenly to Rafaela. 

Rafaela reluctantly reaches out her hand to the magnificent wings in front of her. She slowly reaches out her hand, little by little, her anticipation grew. Each second that passes by was making Rafaela exhilarated. Rafaela closes her eyes and finally goes for it. 

The moment her hand touched the wing, Rafaela moaned at its softness. She feels each feather on her hand, how silky smooth it was. Rafaela didn't regret closing her eyes. She felt the softness the fullest when her eyesight was not in use, enhancing her sense of touch. 

"Is it that smooth?" August teases the happy Rafaela but Rafaela wasn't disturbed by the tease, and instead, she slowly hugs one wing, but it was too big for her to wrap her entire body around it. 

"You're glowing," Rafaela breathily says, like she still couldn't believe. 

"I could sleep on this." August couldn't say anything. She was contented with how happy Rafaela was because of her wings. 

"You could." 

Rafaela snaps out of her fantasy and backs away immediately, regaining composure. The wings were softer than her own bed and warmer and cozier than any piece of clothing that Rafaela wore. 

"Sorry, I lost myself there." Rafaela apologizes, tucking a some strands of hair behind her ear. 

August clears her throat and retracts her wings, removing also the glow that she was emitting. 

"I think you three had the same reaction." 

"That's great. That shouldn't be so embarrassing then." 

"Come on, let's go." 

August takes Rafaela's hand again and they start walking. Rafaela opens the door and they got in. Rafael Wilson was watching television, waiting for her daughter. When Rafaela and August got inside, Rafael smiles. 

"Mr. Wilson, good evening." August greeted warmly with a kind smile. 

"Good evening, August." 

"Dad," Rafaela calls out, a hint of warning in her voice. 

"What is it?" 

August stops Rafaela by placing a hand on her lower back. August steps up and tells Rafaela to wait for her in August in her own room. Rafaela wasn't sure what was there for her to not be allowed to listen but still, she abided August's request. 

When Rafaela shut the door to her room, August turned serious all of a sudden, making Rafaela stand straight. 

"Mr. Wilson, I think Rafaela is safer if I'm away." 

That sentence made Rafael know. 

"She already knows?" 

"Abruptly and without notice, yes. Ares came by and was looking for me, ready to fight me just so I could go back to Olympus." 

Rafael slowly sits back down, evaluating the situation. He was without a doubt happy that The Prince of Olympus picked his daughter but he wasn't so sure if he was ready to risk his only daughter. He was ready to accept anything if the situation was alright, but this wasn't something that he thought of. If August just hadn't ran away, Rafael would surely agree to August bringing his daughter to Olympus for them to live there and live happily ever after. 

There wasn't any happy ever after in real life. 

"I.." Rafael was out of words to say. He couldn't possibly say what he was going to say. He was afraid that August will hate him. 

"Mr. Wilson. I do not also want Rafaela to get hurt because of me. So I will move and until I've settled everything, I'll come back for her." 

"Your Highness," Rafael's weak voice entered August's ears as gratitude. 

"It won't be as easy like right now, but I'll try hard to get her back. If she chooses someone else, I will gladly accept." 

The two exchanged a few more words before August turns around, ready to leave. 

"I'll see you once everything is settled, Mr. Wilson." 

"Take care, Your Highness." 

August heads to the door and opens the door. August hesitated. She didn't want to leave Rafaela without a word of farewell like last time she went home, but the situation was worse than before. They had sent Ares and that calls for emergency. 

August finally closes the door. She takes a few steps, her wings slowly appearing.

"NO!" Rafaela bursts through the door and tackled August to the ground. 

August's wings stopped August's fall to the ground. Rafaela hugged August tightly and buried her face on August's neck. 

"No! You can't go again. Those two were were enough." 

Rafael was inside and was smiling. August looked at Rafael with confusion in her eyes. Rafael gave her a smile and thumbs up before closing the door behind him. 

"How did you.."

"You were so ready to leave me again when you haven't even heard me answer you." 

"Huh?" 

"I like you, dickhead! And if you think you can go away and leave me behind, well you better think twice!" 

Rafaela detaches her head from August's neck and looked August straight in the eyes. 

"If you're going to war, I'll go to war with you."