by Dee King
Zack leaves quickly, Sebastian stays seated, putting his arms in the air as to say, ‘don’t shoot’ and I refuse to back down. Standing over his body I won’t move till my children are back in my arms.
“You knew that us taking on these roles was going to be hard, we have to do what’s best for the worlds, not just us. You get that right?”
“You think I care about any of this? My children, OUR children, are what’s most important to me. They want to kill themselves then so be it, but I will not be like them. Do you get that?” My words pierce the cold air that surrounded us.
“Selene, you think I don’t care?” He stands before me now, making me back up from him.
“You think that I’m not doing the hardest thing for me either? I’m doing what’s best for them. Keeping them safe. That is and will always be my number one priority. So, don’t question me on how much I love our children and or you.” His face turning a dark red as his anger builds inside.
No more words were said in that room as I awaited the arrival of our children. Cato had pulled Sebastian to the side as I paced. I could hear them whispering, but I didn’t care if they thought I was crazy, I just wanted my babies in my arms. No one would ever know what it was like to fear having your children be taken away from them, and I hope no one would ever know that feeling. My anger towards Sebastian was growing. How or why would he have ever thought this was the best plan? What did he know that I didn’t? Why did everyone I love and trust keep disappointing me? Was anyone ever going to be truthful with me? Who did I trust if I couldn’t even trust Sebastian? How? Why? I wanted to understand what our parents were doing, but my heart yearned for our children. To keep them safe and wrapped in love.
“Selene.” I hear Colin’s voice, turning around quickly, seeing him holding both of our children in his arms.
Taking them from him, kissing each of them a hundred times, holding them tighter than I ever had. My fears falling to the wayside.
“This is a bad idea, Selene. You have no idea what they could do, and you never take the advice given which is going to get someone killed that you love if you don’t figure this shit out.” Colin tells me.
“Me? You want to put this on me? Colin, I’m sorry, but I don’t trust you with our children. How could I trust you when all you have ever done is hate me, go against me, and work against me? You may have saved me and Alex, but we both know how you truly feel for me. Why would my children be any different?” Holding the twins in my arms, trying to remain calm as I spoke.
“You don’t know half of what you think you do, Selene, and Sebastian was right. They aren’t safe here or with either of you for the time being. You know in your heart that I will protect them with my life. Alex would do the same. One day you’re going to have to learn to trust me, to trust us.”
“Yea, well that day isn’t today.” I turn my back to him, now facing Sebastian.
“Whatever you know, Sebastian, you better tell me right now.” My eyes glaring at his blue eyes.
“I know that they want them. They want to raise them. They believe…” His voice cuts off.
“That’s never going to happen.” I tell him, handing him our son as a peace offering so to speak.
“No one can fight them the way we can. You and I both know this. You will have to choose. We can save our children and the world, or we can save just our children and the hell with everyone else, but the choice will now be yours.” His face looks down at our son, who is now reaching for his father’s face.
The fate of the world was once again being put on our shoulders, having no real answers. All I wanted since the day these two beings were in my arms, was to protect them. It’s all I knew now. Being a mother was all I knew and all I had wanted for months now. It didn’t seem possible that we would have to fight so hard to keep the peace. It didn’t seem possible that we were here again. Choices to be made that would tilt the fates, yet again. Why couldn’t anyone just let it go? Why was this throne so highly sought after? Hell, I didn’t even want the job, but here I was… Fated to make a choice. My eyes filling with tears as they stung my cheeks, I adoringly search my children’s faces, trying to memorize everything about them. Kissing our children’s foreheads, I hand the twins over to Colin. Tears streaming down both of our faces, Sebastian grabs me with a passion, threatening Colin that if a tiny hair is out of place on our children’s heads, he will be the one to answer to it. Colin nods in agreement, making his way back out of our house, with Ian and Cali following. Falling to my knees, crying over our children, I just prayed we were making the right choice. If we were to be the rulers of the worlds, we were going to have to make sacrifices. But this one was almost too hard to bare.
“Let me take her…” Hearing Chris’s sweet voice over my head, as he pulled me up from Sebastian’s arms.
I collapse into Chris, letting him hold me, while his fingers brushed through my hair. He was trying to console me, as he had always done.
“Will you go with them…” My voice timid.
“Already done.” He whispers into my hair.
Chris steps back from our embrace, staring at me.
“You… You’re the one… you’ve always been the one that would save the world. You were meant to do this; this is who you are. Now, go kick some ass, sister of mine.” He leans down, kissing me gently on the cheek, as he leaves with Iris.
I stood there in silence, for the words were not coming to mind. Why was this my life and why did we keep having to make the hardest choices? It didn’t matter anymore, Chris was right. This was who I was, this was who I was meant to be. We were going to stop all this madness. No more lies, no more deceit, and no one was ever going to make me second-guess myself again. This was finally the time for all this to end. They were no different than Zeus had been, if not they had been worse. Believing that they could still be the ones to rule the worlds, to still be able to play me like a moving chess piece. Enough. To hell with the rules. It was time for us to show them that we would no longer sit idly by and let them do whatever they pleased. Growing tired of being their ever-moving pawn in this game. It was time for me to be the goddess I was meant to be.
Check mate, assholes.
Chapter Thirty Two-
Part three
And so, the true story begins of how it all started…
Long before any of us were born, our parents had been the ones to rule all the worlds. They used to walk among the Earth, people in awe of them, people bowing to them. They enjoyed every minute of every day as the Gods of the worlds. But with time comes great sacrifices. Brother against brother, which lead to a brother sending one to the fire pits of hell, and the other brother to guard the seas. This wasn’t what brothers should do to one another, but this was how they were. Each one battling their own demons, each one making life more miserable for the other. Then as the years turned into centuries, making their own plans, having others do their bidding. Each brother making a life for themselves, cheating their ways into places and people that they shouldn’t have. Two brothers feeling so betrayed by the one brother, they evolved a plan to make that one pay for all the pain they had felt. As their plans became more realistic, they schemed and plotted out others’ lives just as their brother had done to them. Never paying any mind that these were someone’s lives, never paying any mind to who they could hurt or destroy in their wake. If these two brothers got what they had so desired, the hell with everyone and everything. Children being born to these brothers was following right along in their plots to destroy the brother whom they had believed took everything from them. When wives were no longer of importance they kept them trapped, trying to make sure, they would follow along in their demise of the brother they now hated more than loved. Two women had given a sacrifice of giving up her child, unknown to anyone but the fathers. Only one of those children were going to rule the worlds one day. One of the mothers, schemed right along with them, for she wanted the power too that they had longed for. Another problem came as their childre
n grew older, they didn’t want the power. They didn’t want any part of this wicked plan to take down the brother they hated, they wanted their own lives. As time went on, the fathers of the children felt their opportunities slipping away. But then their brother fell right into their trap. He died for trying to defend this throne that none of the children wanted. They had learned that with taking the power of the worlds wasn’t something they longed for as much as their parents, but the parents couldn’t stop themselves. They kept playing the game, moving pieces on the board, getting closer and closer to the win. Underestimating their children, they learned quickly that their plans for all these centuries were falling apart. As their children grew, and had children of their own, they learned that these children, twins born to the most powerful couple in all the worlds; would one day hold their rightful place at the throne. They would be cast away as their brother had done to them so long ago. They couldn’t let it all slip away when the prize was so close. Only one needed to win, only one needed to be the victor in this game. Unfortunately, for them, their children had found a way to disperse of this plan. The children had always wanted to do what was right by everyone, not just one. That’s how you become a ruler. You fight for the rights of the ones who can’t. Not lie, cheat, and turn everyone against you, making you now the tyrant that people feared. No, a good leader would sacrifice much for the greater good. This is where Selene and Sebastian find themselves in this journey. They didn’t want the crown or throne, but it was theirs. Everything and everyone was about to see a very different world come to life. With their children now safe, they were going to win the war, no longer one battle at a time. They were about to embark on a journey that only the gods could do. They would have to stop the chaos on Earth to save humanity, to save their friends on Earth, and at all costs their children. This would be no easy task. However, it was the journey they would have to take. This time the odds would be in their favor. Love would truly try to conquer all. You see, you can’t truly make someone love someone when they don’t… and you can’t take something that was never yours to begin with… And so, our story begins with these words… It was never what we wanted, but it was ours nonetheless. We would fight for what was right, we would fight for the ones who never had a chance, and we would let love conquer the gods as it once had.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Cat-woman, snakes, and all the little things in between…
Preparing for the journey back to Earth was becoming a task that I found harder and harder each day. There’s something about being on the Mount that traps you into wanting to live here. My children were here; my life had finally begun. Now, I had to go back to a world I was unfamiliar with. A life I had left behind. It was something that I wasn’t sure I even wanted to do at this point. Weighing the options of what was the worst that could happen on Earth became a thought that never left my mind. Maybe whatever my parents were doing would help? Maybe they weren’t doing this for the throne? Maybe they were just trying to make the worlds a better place? I haven’t been in human form in many years, I feared that everything I left behind would wash over me, and it would be hard to come back. But one thing was never too far from that thought, my children held the invisible string to me. They were here. Our children would never even know that Earth was like this magical place in a way. They would never know what it was like to see devastation at all costs. No, they won’t see that, Sebastian nor I would allow that. We had to make the worlds better. It was now our job, no matter the cost.
“Love?” Sebastian’s voice deep and tender in my ear.
“Yes?”
“Ready?” It was time to face the demons I had hid from.
“Now or never, right?” Smiling up at him, as he takes my hand in his.
“Pretty much.” His smile lingering as mine becomes contagious.
We walk hand in hand out the door, while the entire Mount is standing outside waiting for our departure. I wasn’t even sure anyone knew, but it’s clear that everyone does. As we walk down the golden streets, people are bowing at our feet. There’s a silence among us, among them, they knew that whatever was going to happen on Earth was about to change their lives forever too. Zack and Cato follow behind us, as does the rest of everyone who has decided to travel with us. As we reach the gates to the boat to take us to Earth, we turn slowly, waving at everyone, showing no signs of discouragement. In my mind, this was a totally different scenario that was playing out, but I couldn’t show any signs of weakness. Not today, not ever again.
“You do know this isn’t going to be like anything else we’ve ever done. This won’t be easy for any of us.”
“Really? You don’t say? Wait, fighting isn’t something we’re used to?” Laughing at Cato, it was hard to take him seriously as if I didn’t know what was at stake.
“You know what I mean, right?” Ignoring me, he stares at Sebastian.
“Cato, we know.” Sebastian rolls his eyes at him, shaking his head.
Pretty sure that everyone who boarded with us was as nervous as we were. The ship takes off in a hurry as I try to control the ocean to let us make it there smoothly. Our parents should be busy, not knowing we were coming. It should be smooth sailing from
here on out. But as usual, just when I think that it’s going to be easy, it’s anything but. My father must have an idea we are on our way as the ship is rocking up and down with the seas.
“Everyone brace yourselves.” I yell out, seeing the wave coming for us.
Taking the reins so to speak of this vessel, we rise above the wave, almost floating above it. We were coming for them, and this time we had the power that could destroy them. Crashing down hard on the wave, water flowing in all sides of the ship, everyone is still standing holding their own. A devilish smile creeps across my face, as the words ‘bring it on’ cross over my mind. They didn’t know this daughter; they didn’t know this person I had become. I had more to fight for this time. Not only humanity, but my children. And that phrase, “hell hath no fury like a woman scorned” was meant for me. As the water starts to slow down, we finally reach our destination. Earth. It had never looked so beautiful and yet so sad all in one. The ship docks slowly, as we all make our way down the now old, rusty dock. Changing into our human form was harder for me this time. My clothes changing into a tight body suit, colored in black, with stripes of gold on the shoulders. I looked like warrior. My blonde hair had been flowing around me for so long, that now it was in a very tight braid all the way down my back, and it felt very awkward. Scratch that, I felt like a blonde version of ‘Cat-woman’. I begin to chuckle at myself, till I saw Sebastian. He’s dressed in a white linen shirt, black jeans, black boots, and his eyes were as blue as I had ever seen, as his dark hair falling a little past his ears. Swiping his hair out of his face, the sun slightly grazing his chin, he was beautiful. More beautiful than he had ever been. Becoming awestruck, my mouth gapes open, as I just stare at him. He looked like a male supermodel, and I looked like… well, I was ‘Cat-woman’. As usual, feeling very out of place with all of them, you would think by now that I wouldn’t feel this, but they all looked ravishing and I looked like female warrior. It was very real how much I wanted this all to end, and my clothes were defining that feeling. Dear gods, I needed to change my clothes. I was sticking out like a sore thumb compared to them. There would be no way that I could go unnoticed looking like I could climb walls or something in this outfit. Feeling very over dressed, crossing my arms over my body, trying to hide my wardrobe. Suddenly, my charm bracelet is back on my wrist, Sebastian’s gold diamond anchor necklace was back around my neck, and I was wearing cut off shorts, a black mid-length t-shirt with specks of gold in it. I guess it was true what they said… A snake could really shed its layers; I was about to strike at them without them ever noticing that I was there all along.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Shedding the layers of who you are, can become the calm before the storm…
Staring down at my bracelet, grasping o
nto my anchor necklace tightly, reminds me of a time that now seems very simple. Even though it wasn’t, a flood of memories of all that had ever happened on Earth begin to seep into my mind... Closing my eyes for a moment, relishing in memory lane of Sebastian and me. Our first kiss, our first surf boarding rendezvous together, the creepy house, and so many others. Remembering the first time I wore the charm bracelet at the party and how much it all meant. Something so simple as a charm bracelet had changed my life forever. Back then, all I had to do was make a choice to love someone. Now, the weight of the world was placed upon our shoulders once again.
“Why are you wearing that?” Cato asks me, pulling my mind away from the trance I was in.
“What?” Staring back down at myself.
“The bracelet? You shouldn’t even be able to have that on?”
“What do you mean? When we are on Earth we have to camouflage our powers.” Shaking my head at him, shrugging my shoulders, how did he not know that?
“No, Selene, you shouldn’t be wearing it. You and Sebastian shouldn’t have anything holding you back anymore, ever.” He points down at Sebastian’s hands.
Dropping my hand that was holding the anchor necklace, I take Sebastian’s hands in mine, searching for his ring. All he had on was our wedding band. Where was his ring? How was I the only one wearing something that could hold our powers back? Searching Cato’s and Zack’s hands also, they weren’t being held back by anything, only I was. Shaking my head back and forth, it didn’t make sense.
“Your Dad did this…” Sebastian says quietly.
“What do you mean?” I start tugging at it, trying to pull it off.
“I mean; he is binding you. It’s his tie to you. If we can’t get that off…” Sebastian starts pulling at it too.
My wrist becomes red from us trying to break this thing free from me. My father was already one step ahead of me. How did this even happen?
