As I kept venturing forward, I heard noises. Magic clashing, thunder raging— the sounds of battle. We climbed a dune, and the sight below paralyzed my chest with fear.
Gods— thousands of them— were scattered along the shores below, and it was their blood staining the sea red. They warred with dark gods who were riding monsters, and the monsters were climbing out of the sea. They came from a black portal swirling within the water. There were so many of them I couldn’t count them all.
The many animal gods of the Hawkei pantheon were here, their bodies tumbling with the anthropomorphic forms of evil beings. Whale Spirit was in the water, using her large frame to crush a long worm with thousands of spinning teeth.
Alongside the Hawkei gods were other deities— giants who wore robes and capes, who were throwing massive spears and shooting arrows that were longer than my body at the monsters. I suspected these were the Titan gods of the merfolk. Alongside them were massive deer— the Seven Gods of the Fae— spearing monsters through with their antlers.
A woman in a black cloak tossed battle orbs over her shoulder that exploded on impact and shook the very fabric of time. By the magic she cast, I knew she was a witch, and had to be Mother Miriam. A tall monster with the body of a man and the head of a ram hurtled toward her, and I cried out a warning, but the dark entity stooped down and helped Mother Miriam to her feet before pushing her behind him, giving her time to flee. I knew it had to be Santos, Miriam’s husband and protector.
There were other gods amongst them, but I couldn’t recognize the others, because the battle was so chaotic. Therewas so much carnage all around me, and I was caught in the middle of it.
Ava, love, run!Coyote Spirit’s voice echoed over the sounds of the fight. I saw him in his animal form as he crouched beneath a monster, his back pressed against a boulder.Leave this place!
I turned to flee. Just as I did, the entire firmament quaked beneath my feet, and the spiritual plane I was on went dark. I tripped, falling onto the sand, though I didn’t feel it beneath me— it was as if it wasn’t even there. Oberi was hurtled off my shoulder and sent flying several feet away.
Screams from gods and monsters both filled the air, until light suddenly reignited the beach. I looked up and saw that cracks— like those that would fill broken glass— were scattered across the sky. The colors around me bled together, turning into a mess of shapes. I attempted to reach out and touch a seashell, but my hand went right through it, and the shell dissolved into a streaming mess that resembled paint.
Everything started melting, then. The spiritual realm, the gods, and the fight, until the only things that appeared stable were Oberi and myself…
Oberi said my name, though I couldn’t hear her. She put her beak to my third eye, and I felt myself tumbling out of the vision, returning back to where I came…
The stone altarbeneath me seemed incredibly stable. I couldn’t believe I could feel somethingsolidbeneath me, because in the vision, it’d felt like I was falling since I’d tripped on the beach.
Oberi lay on my chest. She must’ve passed out and fallen onto me once I’d received the vision. She hopped onto the altar,and the mystics helped me to sit up. The expectant faces of the Elves shone back from me all around the temple.
I trembled. The vision had felt so real, more real than this Earth was. Being there in the spiritual realm was true living. Existing here was like watching someone else’s life through a television screen.
It couldn’t compare— I’d forgotten since I’d come back, but now, I remembered.
“Did you see our goddesses?” the Great Mystic pressed. The other mystics leaned in to hear my answer.
How could I tell them? What I’d seen was horrible. I nearly wanted to make up a lie, because the truth was so heavy. But the goddesses had entrusted me with this information, and I was obligated to share it, my opinion be damned. In any other circumstance I’d do as I pleased, but this was different. This was my duty, so I would follow what the goddesses had asked of me.
I was able to interpret the vision instantly, without having to consider what any of it meant. “I didn’t see the Elven goddesses, but the spiritual plane was on fire with the blood of the gods. Every god I knew, and many I didn’t, were battling with dark gods and monsters. A portal has been made that connects hell to the Blessed Haven, and the dark gods are trying to take over. The fight is making the spiritual realm weak and breaking it apart. It can’t handle the disharmony between the gods. The entire plane is unstable. The gods are officially at war, and if it keeps happening, there won’t be a Blessed Haven anymore to sustain them.”
The terrified voices of the Elves filled the temple at my words. Emperor Cassiel rose to his feet to calm them. “Silence,” he ordered. “We must hear the rest of this vision.”
“Did you witness Idril and Caralyn in the fight?” the Great Mystic asked.
“I searched the battle, but the Elven goddesses weren’t there,” I replied. “Wherever they are, they’re not near the Blessed Haven, but somewhere else. Perhaps they’re hiding from the dark gods— and if they are, it makes sense you haven’t been able to contact them. Ophio Taurus has helped the dark gods create this portal to the Blessed Haven, and as the gods continue fighting, we’re going to see the effects here on Earth. This could damage more than our magic. It could end the whole world. I’m not sure if we could exist without the Blessed Haven, but I am sure that it’s in danger. We have to do all that we can to help the gods here on our plane, and that means doing whatever we can to stop Taurus and his followers from gaining more power… because the stronger they get, the less chance we have of the spiritual plane surviving this.”
An undertone of panic suffocated the room, but Emperor Cassiel turned to his people and said, “This vision foretells dark things, but it is still a blessing, for it gives us a warning. We have time to prepare and mount our attack. The gods need our help. Every Elf in Ilamanthe must be willing to lend themselves to the cause, so we can defeat Ophio Taurus.”
There was a murmur of agreement. Cassiel swept his cloak behind him as he faced the Great Mystic. “Valindra, what is your decision on consecrating the Princess of Ilamanthe into your temple?”
The Great Mystic hesitated as she pondered her answer, and for an awful moment, I thought for sure she was going to kick my ass out and say that I’d failed. “It is unknown to us why Idril and Caralyn did not make an appearance to our princess. Yet, shedidreceive a message from them, so I proclaim her to have passed their test. She is now inducted into our temple, and will be known as our messenger, the Holy Mother to our kind.”
“Hail to our Holy Mother, and blessed be her name,” the other mystics chanted.
The Elves in the congregation repeated their words, and Cassiel tilted his head to me. “Consider this ceremony complete. Well done, princess. You’ve made us all proud.”
Didn’t seem like it. I felt like a harbinger of doom.
The temple emptied out. Many Elves came up to congratulate and bow to me, though the mood was definitely dampened.
“Good job, pidge.” Charlie gave me a hug. “I knew you’d pass.”
“Thanks,” I said glumly. “I just wish I’d delivered better news.”
