by Jessica Cage
“Explain this,” Tethys demanded further as Iris remained still, almost lifeless in Delilah's arms.
“Iris, the goddess, was reborn and it seemed her soul found its way inside of this woman at a very young age, perhaps even before she was born. Whatever magic that was used to lock her inside was very strong, and it took a continuous source to keep it going, which is why I assume the bond was created between the two of them. Delilah was a power source for a very tricky spell.”
"She said she was born with that mark," Delilah spoke in a confused whisper.
"Perhaps that is what she was told, but as you see, that was a spell, nothing she was born with." Phoebe shrugged, clearly satisfied with herself for being correct.
“Does this mean the two of them are not connected anymore?” Asa's eyes fell on the somber face of Delilah. She knew what Iris meant to her, and what the bond that existed between them gave the orphaned demi-god.
“Oddly, not at all. The bond was in place for so long, there will always be something that lingers between the two. I cannot say how strong that will be, but it will never fully fade.”
“How long will she be out? We need to move; Themis is still at risk.” Rhea, was less concerned about the state of Iris and more so about the journey that awaited them.
“I guess we will have to carry her. She said that the vans are headed this way, eventually we’ll run into them.” Asa knelt beside Iris and lifted her into her arms. Delilah stared at her as she did but didn’t react. “I’ll take the first leg.”
Asa carried Iris half the trip before Delilah took over.
“Will she wake?” Delilah dropped her eyes to the face of Iris.
“I don’t know. I hope so. She is still alive, just sleeping.” Asa wanted to reassure Delilah, but she couldn’t. She’d never dealt with anything like that. She was in the business of killing gods not helping to awaken them.
It wasn’t long until they met the convoy. The women piled into the vehicles which transported them to the intended landing site for their plane.
They’d boarded the plane and flown half way to New York before Iris opened her eyes again. When the blurred vision settled, she saw Delilah, sitting nearby and staring at her intently. In the background she could hear the chatter of the others. Phoebe seemed to be enjoying the experience much better than her sisters had on their first trip. Hell, for their second experience, they still weren't at ease.
“Did you know?” there was an unmistakable tone of hurt in her voice.
“I did not, I swear it.” Iris responded. “I could never have kept that from you.”
“You are no longer bonded to me.” Delilah bit her lip and frowned.
“But, I still feel you.” Iris sat up straight in her seat. It made her head spin a bit, but she wanted to be on even ground with the woman who sat across from her.
“Yes, but not like before.” Delilah admitted. “I feel something there. It lingers, but it’s not like it was.”
“No,” Iris rubbed the back of her neck as she thought about what to say. “Dee.”
“Yes?” Delilah looked to Iris as though she wanted her next words to erase the prior hours and restore what they had lost.
“Do you trust me?” She met the wide eyes of hazel with slightly green tint and hoped like hell that the answer was yes.
“I want to, I do, but this is so much to take. I’ve never had this, what exists between us and so suddenly it's been changed, and I am afraid of what that change means for us.” Delilah was as honest as she could be with Iris.
“Nothing has changed.”
“You've changed, are you even still the same woman as before?” The question was a tough one, but it had to be asked. There was something sleeping on the inside of Iris, was it an entirely new being or just a part of the woman she already knew?
“Yes, I am,” she paused thinking as the feeling of magic that wasn't there before rushed over her. “I mean, I think so. How am I supposed to know? I feel like me, only, slightly not.”
"Slightly not, what does that mean?" Delilah shook her head. “I don’t know how to process that.”
"It means, my thoughts, my feelings, and my desires, they are all the same." Iris fidgeted and then folded her hands together on her lap. She took a calming breath before she spoke again. "Everything about me, is still me, but there is something more. I feel more awake, more in tuned with myself. I feel stronger, powerful, and like I belong now. With you, and the other women on this plane as we head into god only knows what. The only difference is my confidence in my ability to help you do what you need to do. But me, I am still me, I am still Iris." She reached across the space and pulled Delilah's hand into hers. "I need you to trust in that."
"You mean so much to me, Iris." Delilah spoke as she looked at their hands. "I told you before, how I felt. I tried. You are everything in this world that matters. Nothing else does."
"Delilah," Iris pulled the woman from her chair to sit next to her. "How do you think I feel about you? I've waited my entire life to meet you. I've felt everything about you for as long as I can remember. I've dreamt of your face, your smile, I've wondered what your voice sounded like, and it’s even more amazing than I ever could have fathomed. There is nothing that I have in this world that matters more than you. I am here, still Iris, still on your side. For as long as you want me to be, and maybe now, for a bit longer than we could have hoped for before."
"I'm hoping for forever," Delilah admitted.
"So am I," Iris inhaled deeply for courage as she leaned forward to the woman who held her heart and pressed her lips against hers.
The small plane made the illegal landing right on Liberty Island where the people from Oikos, Iris’ home, fought with more of the harpies they’d encountered in Africa. Before the engine could settle, Rhea pulled open the door and jumped out with a crazed look plastered across her face. The woman was starved for action. Phoebe clearly as entertained as her sister followed while yelling about how she wouldn’t miss out on the fun this time around. Asa and Tethys shared a look before they too headed out to join the battle leaving Delilah along with Iris.
"Are you up to this?" Delilah turned to the woman whose skin danced with rainbows. It was a new feature thanks to the unveiling of her true self. The more excited she got the more prominent the colors became.
"Yes, I am." She stood and stretched. "For the first time since we started, I actually feel like I can handle this.” Iris found herself smiling then stopped when it was met by a frown from Delilah. “Are you okay with this?”
“With what?” Delilah peered out the window at the battle that took place without them.
“Me,” Iris touched her shoulder, bringing her attention back to her. “I’m not the same, not as fragile anymore. Are you okay with that? Are you okay with me being like this?”
“It isn’t like I have much of a choice, you are who you are.” With the awkward confession, she turned and exited the plane. Iris was right behind her.
Outside, Iris was approached by Thomas, a short man from Oikos who gave her a quick report about what was going on around them.
"Whatever they are after, it’s at the base!" He pointed to the base of the monumental statue. "There were men here digging! We questioned them, but they had been spelled, they just kept digging. I can only assume they got close to what they were looking for because all hell broke loose! Those things started spilling from the sky."
"We have to get in there!" Iris yelled over the cries of battle.
"So far, we've been able to hold them off. Took out the ones that were doing the excavation, but when it comes to these bird bitches, the more we take out, the more comes through that hole!"
"Looks like the skies are covered now," Delilah pointed to the titans and the siren who made it their point to join the fight against the harpies.
"I don't see your brother here," Iris looked around, "You think that's a good thing?"
"I don't know, perhaps his injuries were worse than we t
hought?" Delilah shrugged as they ran forward. “Either way, this isn’t going to be easy. Who knows what else Athena has up her sleeves. I doubt she stopped at Chrysaor.”
"Here's to hoping whatever it is, we can handle it.” She looked to the point where they had drilled into the base of lady liberty. "We need to get in there."
They continued their run, dodging the bodies that fought in their path.
“It’s open!” Iris called back to Delilah who’d had to fight off a harpy who swooped down from the sky. Iris turned and ran into the opening that dropped down into an underground cave. There she found the same setup as with Rhea. In the middle of a tomblike space stood a pillar marked with a pattern of a threaded tapestry. She examined the stone and tried to quickly decipher what she needed to do to open it.
“We have to hurry,” Delilah entered and stopped to examine the space. “Any clue as to how to get her out of there?”
“Not one. Usually the pattern tells us what we need, but this is a tapestry and as far as I can tell, its complete. It covers every inch of this thing.”
“We need to work quickly.” Delilah joined her in examining the pillar.
“You think one of the titans know how to do this? Tethys did have the stone for Rhea,” Iris asked.
“If they do, now isn’t the time to ask. We need to figure this out for ourselves.”
“I think I can help with that.” In the opening where they both entered the underground space appeared Chrysaor. His injuries fully healed and his golden sword in hand. There wasn’t much space where they were, but it was enough that he would be able to do some real damage.
“Try to get it open, I’ll hold him off.” Delilah moved towards Chrysaor.
“Oh will you,” he paused and laughed, “dear sister?”
“Make your move,” she matched the icky tone of his voice, “brother.”
Centuries of rage poured out of Delilah as she took to fighting her brother. Iris tried to focus on the pillar but nothing she did worked. She even tried to use the magic she could feel coursing through her but when she called it to flow out, nothing happened.
Outside their team's winning plight took a turn for the worse as another one of Athena's monsters emerged from the sky. Iris froze as she heard the name of the beast that was shouted out from one of the people from Oikos, "Geryon!"
Athena was really trying to mess with Delilah's head by pulling out every piece of her family she could. Geryon was the grandson of Medusa and the son to the brother she fought so hard to defend against. Geryon was also a fearsome giant who had three heads, six hands and feet, and a pair of massive wings that darkened the skies. Iris paused as she heard the screams, her family, the people from her home were dying.
"Go, help them!" Delilah called out as she dodged another blow from Chrysaor.
"I can't leave you!" Iris refused.
Delilah shifted, turning into a massive snake that filled the space and crushed Chrysaor against the wall. "Go!"
Iris ran out of the cave to witness the havoc that took place. Though the harpies were failing, the addition of Geryon meant her side was out matched. Asa and Tethys took to the sea, using the water to fight. Asa then shifted and in a bound left the water as the Sphinx. Mid-flight, she ripped apart the evil birds and devoured as much as she could, taking their magic into herself and making her stronger. On the ground Rhea fought with the people of Oikos. She cut down as many as she could, but Athena had an endless supply. Phoebe was nowhere to be seen. Iris’ eyes swept up the massive form of Geryon and instinct took over. She ran head first for the giant catching the attention of Asa who flew above her. That moment was all they needed.
As she issued her battle cry from below, Asa attacked from above. The claws of her lion paws tore through the right wing of Geryon and he cried out. Iris, full of new magic and strength, jumped from the ground, propelling herself into the sky and with a bright colorful light that shone from her, she blinded the giant.
When Geryon cried out in pain, the harpies flew to his rescue. The distraction was the upper hand they needed. Rhea and the others shot down the birds and Tethys threw the water around each of the giant’s heads, drowning him midair. He grabbed at his throat and face, trying to remove the restraint of the water but his body eventually went limp as the eyes of all three faces rolled back. With a massive thud that caused the earth to quake, he fell to the ground, with half his body in the ocean and the other laid at the feet of lady liberty.
Rhea, who’d been battling two harpies at the time, was hit over the head by one of Geryons’s hands as he fell to the ground. The harpies grabbed her body and started to fly towards the opening in the sky but didn’t make it far. Tethys shot water bombs that knock them from the air. Asa swooped in and caught the falling body of Rhea. She met Tethys on the ground with her.
“I got her, go help the others.” Tethys instructed her.
“Delilah,” Iris headed back for the base where the opening was. Delilah was still battling her brother below. She had to help her. She ran towards the opening but before she could make it there an explosion of light came from within.
“What was that?” Asa landed next to Iris.
“I don’t know.” The two started running forward again but stopped as Chrysaor exploded from within, wielding his sword with one hand and holding the limp body of the titan over his shoulder with the other. In a well-timed play he threw the body in the air and it was caught by a flock of harpies that flew for the exit in the sky. Asa took off after them but was pummeled by a line of feathered women. They unleashed their cries which had a lesser effect on Asa but the combined voices of the flock took its toll.
While Asa struggled above, Iris ran for Chrysaor taking him head on. His sword came down on her but bounced off a shield of light. He stumbled backwards but recovered. Instead of launching another attack he leapt into the air and was caught by two other harpies who carried him to safety. They had what they came for.
"Shit!" Asa yelled as she landed on the ground. "They got away, is everyone okay?"
"Yes, we are okay.” Tethys and Rhea walked up. Rhea was still rubbing the side of her head where she’d been hit.
“Delilah,” Iris turned back to the opening where the battered woman appeared.
"What happened?" Iris reached Delilah and instantly started to assess her wellbeing. “Are you hurt?”
“I’ve suffered worse.” Delilah straightened. "My brother, I was fighting him but then there was this bright flash and when my head cleared he was gone, and the pillar was destroyed. I lost her."
"Shit, they have Themis. How are we going to beat Athena without her?" Asa asked as she caught her breath.
“It is of no concern, without the fates, Themis is useless to Athena.” Rhea smiled about the secret only she’d known. “Themis has been separated from those beings for quite some time so not all hope is lost. Our task now would be to try to save our sister before Athena realizes that she’s made a mistake. Luckily, I know of two women would be all too eager to help us. The final battle is approaching ladies, we must prepare ourselves!”
"Who?" Delilah asked, clinging to the small ray of hope her grandmother had given them.
"Stheno and Euryale," Rhea smiled like the madwoman that everyone was beginning to think she was.
"Wait, you mean, Medusa's sisters?" Phoebe appeared next to them wiping blood from her hands. She too had enjoyed the battle.
"Do you think they still live?" Tethys asked.
Rhea pulled a small stone from her a pouch inside of her shirt. It shone with dancing lights of green and orange. "I know for a fact that they are."
"This is turning into one big family reunion isn't it?" Asa smirked as she nudged Delilah with her shoulder. “Your brother, nephew, grandmother, and now your aunts.”
"It seems so." Delilah squared her shoulders. “And here I thought I was all alone in this world.”
"You okay?" Asa lowered her voice.
"Just processing it all, a lot has chang
ed suddenly." Delilah leaned against the stairs to the plane. The clean-up crew from Oikos was fast at work but even they couldn’t remove the giant body from the foot of the Statue of Liberty before hundreds of cameras had taken videos and pictures. The godly attack had been posted and shared on the internet thousands of times before they were even able to catch their breath.
"Iris," Asa noted as they watched the woman round up her team and give them orders.
"Yes, her." Delilah found the dark flow of hair that flickered with the colors of the rainbow as it moved.
"How do you feel about her, in particular?" Asa handed Delilah a bottle of water.
"I love her." Delilah admitted and for a moment she relaxed. The words pulled a weight from her as they passed her lips. She opened the bottle and emptied it quickly.
"I can tell," Asa turned to her, "Has that changed? Now that you know who she is really, have your feelings for her changed?"
"No," Delilah shrugged. "And that terrifies me to know that I love her without condition."
"Why is that?"
"What if that love blinds me?" Delilah turned to Asa.
"Blinds you? What do you mean?”
"Yes, that kind of love has a way of blinding people to the truth. It’s what happened to my mother. She loved my father so much that it became impossible for her to know the truth about who and what he was. If Iris changes in any way, and I am so in love that it doesn't change my feelings towards her, what does that say?"
"It says she is the one. And when it comes to the one, we look pass their faults. But I can tell you from experience, that you will do what needs to be done, if it needs to be done.” Asa sat on the stairs as she remembered everything she had to do to heal her heart. “And it will destroy you in the process. But that’s how it works. We don’t get to decide how it ends. We only get to decide if it begins. Let’s just hope it doesn’t come to that. I don’t think that you have to worry about anything with Iris."
"She didn't get them!" Rhea approached with a cheer interrupting their conversation.
