Chapter 22

Sashema strolled through the garden under the rising sun. After an odd dream she had tried since the night before to enter the Sacred Garden in which she had longed to see. Often she had heard the Moonchild speak of it and its many hidden powers, and since then had yearned to touch it. So have many humans before her, but she believed that she truly had a purpose that was unselfish.

Unfortunately whenever she felt that she was close to the Sacred Garden, she ended up right back where she started. She was not alone to feel humiliated either; Luna often could be found watching her a few paces away as if laughing and then disappear in a blink of an eye. Her yellow eyes would glow with animalistic amusement.

“If you know the way, then show it to me.” Sashema said as she grinded her fist into her hips in frustration.

The wolf tilted her head as if she did not understand. Or maybe it was for the fact that she was talking to an animal. Sashema knew better, the wolf understood quite well what she was saying.

Sashema arched her eyebrow expectantly. Luna let her tongue hang to the side as if laughing and then turned around and begun to walk. At first it was just a walk, and so Sashema was able to follow her easily. However the wolf was not going to make it easy for her, and so she suddenly bounded off past a boulder, then through a bush of flowers.

Sashema did not want to ruin the garden so she had to run around and try to find where the wolf had gone to. The wolf would reappear after Sashema would stand in bewilderment. She was finding difficulties following the wolf’s tracks when they were almost inexistent. The wolf was having her fun while she struggled to not to loose her temper.

Then the wolf ran off in front of her. Sashema did not hesitate to follow, but the wolf was a natural born long distance runner, and no human could possibly compete. Sashema quickly tired out, but she was not going to end her search there. She knew that no matter how far the wolf was, she would still be able to hear her voice.

“Slow down friend, your too fast for me.” Sashema shouted as she leaned over and placed her hands on her knees to gather her strength.

Maybe you are too fast for her?

Sashema immediately looked up. Puzzled she bolted forwards in search of the one who spoke. After a moment she realized what she was doing and had ignored what was said. She came to a quick stop and turned around.

Sure enough the wolf stood on top of a rock at eye level. Luna gazed down at her with that amused expression that put Sashema on edge. If only she paid attention more to her surroundings. The wolf did not out think her. Sashema moved in haste, and did not keep her sense alert as she was always taught.

“Don’t mock me.” Sashema warned.

The wolf’s yellow eyes changed from amusement and into quiet calm. Her threat could not phase her. Luna was finished fooling around.

The wolf bounded off the rock and trotted in front of Sashema in a deliberate slow pace. This time the wolf was easier to follow which gave her the chance to catch her breath. The breeze was cool as it caressed her face and hair. The smells of hundreds of different varieties of flowers washed over her nose. She let out a sigh and listened to the birds sing their pretty songs. She found it quite relaxing to wander with the wolf.

After some time they both came across a path that somehow Sashema had missed. She studied it, and new that she had not seen it before, though she had wandered this part of the garden several times.

The wolf trotted down the path, and Sashema quickly followed. Not long did she notice symbols made of stone on the ground. Each symbol was different; and coloured differently. Sashema slowed to a stop and stared at one of the symbols on the ground. She could not see the purpose of them being there.

Luna barked, jerking Sashema out of her thoughts. She nipped at her hand a few inches away from snapping it in half. Her eyes read of impatience.

“Alright I’m coming.” Sashema sighed as she gathered herself together and continued walking down the path.

A doorway opened up before them. It was completely covered in vines with small red flowers blooming under the sunlight. She could not see the inscriptions on the doorway due to the clustered vines. What she did see where two large statues of a wolf. Both sat on either side of the gateway as if guarding the entrance. Yellow gems were placed inside the eye sockets to increase the power of the gaze. At some point Sashema thought that if the moon shun down on it, the eyes would glow and come alive.

The wolf was the first to move. She touched her nose to the paws of both of the stone statues. She then took a few steps into the doorway, and then stopped to look back at Sashema. It was clear that the wolf was blocking her path.

Sashema laid her hands on either paw of the statues. She looked up into the eyes that somehow seemed to be looking down at her. I wish to pass to the Sacred Garden. She said inside her mind. Something passed through her that she could not begin to comprehend. She looked at Luna after a moment of silence for approval. The wolf made a soft whine and continued down the path through the doorway.

Sashema hesitated. Her first small steps were slow and unsure. Realizing that nothing out of the ordinary was happening and the wolf was giving her a strange expression, she continued on with confidence.

The end of the path was illuminated by a bright light. What she saw below the edge where she stood made her blink twice and still she could not believe what she was seeing. Such things were painted as a picture of the imagination of beauty that did not exist. What she looked upon was a painting that was real. A glorious wonder no artist could paint.

She stood stalk still looking down from a forest covered canyon at the most magnificent garden. It seemed like a lost piece of paradise in her eyes. Completely untouched by the darkness that plagued the world, but filled with serenity and peace.

The Sacred Garden opened up to a beach in which led to an endless sea. Rare types of trees and other plant life she had never once seen before made a border between the sand and the grass. There were two waterfalls. One was large that created a river into the sea with a stone bridge crossing over it. The other was much smaller in the corner of the garden where both sides of the canyon met. It fed a small mysterious pond that seemed to have captured her interest.

A small ledge looked over the pond with the waterfall flowing just beneath it. Driven by curiosity, Sashema flew down the path that led down the side of the canyon and into the garden. She had forgotten the wolf, and did not notice when she disappeared.

Sashema stopped just at the bottom and looked over at the sea that lapped over the sand. The sun hung just above the horizon line casting orange and yellow over the waves.

Sashema sighed deeply, taking in the sweet untamed air untouched by pollution. “How could anyone enter here and not find a deep sense of calm?”

Again the growing curiosity drove her towards the mysterious pond. She crossed over the stone bridge over the river. The mist from the waterfall cooled her body off from her light perspiration. It mingled on her skin like rain and evaporated under the morning sun.

She continued to head towards the pond, only briefly taking note of the exotic flowers and stone statues.

She bounded to a stop and took a deep breath in wonderment. The pond shimmered brightly as if the surface was made of glitter over clear blue water. It had a sweet scent that reminded her of tears. Flat stones lined the pond with an obvious intent for sitting. Around the cave wall grew moss, vines and exotic trees.

She looked back to the pool. It was that pond that she was drawn too. Something about it reached out to her as much as she wanted to reach to it. She took a step closer to it, and then another.

“You may drink from the pond, but you’ll never go back.” A woman said from behind her. Sashema spun around and immediately groaned as she quickly covered her eyes. A woman stood before her surrounded in a blinding aura of light. She removed her arm from over her eyes when the light faded enough for her eyes to adjust.

“Athena!” Sashema gasped as she swiftly fell to one knee.

The woman smiled in amusement. “Oh no, I am not Athena. Though as wise as I may be, I am not the Goddess of wisdom, nor am I virgin.”

Sashema looked up and felt heat rush to her cheeks. “Aphrodite?” She asked as she tried to gain control over herself. What was she doing acting so sheepish?

“Of course it is I?” She laughed lightly. “Who else would be able to enter the Sacred Garden but the Moonchild’s mother herself?”

The Moonchild’s mother? She thought, but decided not to ask about it. “I have?” Sashema said.

Aphrodite’s eyebrow rose. “What makes you think that you were not led here by purpose? One only comes when one is permitted too. Otherwise you would have continued your search for this garden and never have found it.”

Sashema nodded absently and heard something singing. She looked back but did not see the source of the melody.

“A Nymph lives in this garden. She sings when she is lonely.” Aphrodite said and then brushed her hair back out of her face.

“This is not why I am here. Nor is it why you are here.”

“No it isn’t.” Sashema agreed. “I came for some answers.”

“Then ask and you shall receive them.”

Sashema sat down on one of the flat stones. Aphrodite followed and did the same. The white wolf appeared and lied down next to the Goddess watching Sashema while cooing as Aphrodite scratched her ears. “Iseander has been having nightmares and is unable to get restful sleep.” Sashema said.

Aphrodite seemed unconcerned as she waved her hand in the air in dismissal. “He brought it upon himself. There was much he could have done, but unwilling to do.”

“Like what?” Sashema asked.

“Letting her go, for example.” Aphrodite answered.

“He loves her.” Sashema shot back.

Aphrodite shook her head ruefully. “No. His time is over. This is of another world, another realm. She must find another who exists here. His time is over, so he must find another.”

“Will she ever stop the nightmares?” Sashema asked after a long moment.

“When he stops regretting what he has done. It is up to him to stop the nightmares. But don’t tell him that, he must find out in due time how to stop them.” Aphrodite told her and then sighed at the look on Sashema’s face. She was deeply concerned for her brother and would not allow her to shrug it off. “He must regain the honor of a King and complete the task soon to be given to him. Each female servant in his house, born of noble woman blood, most drink from the Hand of the Maiden, and serve the Goddess of Sorrow for the rest of eternity.”

Sashema mulled the words over her tongue before she spoke. “He will not accept. He no longer wishes to be King.”

Aphrodite nodded. For the most part she understood. “Nevertheless if he wishes to keep her alive, he must play his part. He will lead an army, but they will only follow one who wears a crown upon his head.” She said and an apparition of a golden crown embedded with rubies and emeralds floated in the air between them. “The dreams will fade when her heart is finally at rest.”

Sashema picked up on something and then glared at Aphrodite with intense eyes. “If she is the Goddess of Sorrow, then how does her heart finally ease?”

Aprodite waved a slender finger in the air back and forth. “Only time will tell. I cannot tell you before it happens, or it may ‘not’ happen.” She said in her smooth fluid voice. “You may also ask how she will be reunited with her soul. Again, I cannot tell you, only time will tell.”

Sashema did not like the answers she was getting. They were not truly answered but Aphrodite was a Goddess and if she did not want to be direct, than she was not going to be.

"He will have to go back to his realm for a while, and leave the Moonchild here. No human in this age has abilities that could fight of the Dark Lord, let alone demons. The Moonchild is afterall, no longer in the year 2005, or in the Realm she first appeared in." Aphrodite told her.

Sashema's jaw dropped. "What? The Dark Lord can't do that. He can't touch other realms, only the one he is stuck in. You have completely lost me Aphrodite"

"There are countless of Realms and dimensions and Planes that exist other than just this one. Currently we are in a garden. And you know from Legend that this garden exists in a place called the Dreamworld ties in every realm that exists by Gateways placed throughout this garden. Only those the Moonchild has give access to can use them, or those of her blood. The Moonchild is afterall the Gate Keeper, the one who protects all Realms from dark forces such as the Dark Lord. But since she has been captured and enslaved by him, he can now reach out his hands and touch other existing realms. He has sent her to a place where Vampires rule over man. She is to destroy one of the great Houses of Vampires, and bring the other to the Dark Lord's side. That realm is the first he will be taking over as a test of his and her abilities before they move onto the next"

"We have to bring her back. She can't exist like that. Like a slave!" Sashema said, her hands tightening into a fist in her lap. Her knuckles turned white and her sharp nails dug into her skin, but she did not seem to notice.

"Like a killing Machine actually. His puppet." Aphrodite corrected, though still agreeing with her. "Sadly this is not the first time, and it will not be the last"

"What can I do?" Sashema asked, her eyes boring into Aphrodite's. Aphrodite was somewhat moved by the intensity of her gaze.

"Humans still surprise me at times with their courage and lack of fear." She commented before she begun to speak again, this time laying out the plans brought to her by the other Holy Gods. She spoke quietly and spoke in a clear voice so Sashema could absorb her words well. Even the wolf listened intensly as she spoke of the Huntress, and how they would bring her back.

Yes yes, I Have been gone for a while and I haven't added to this story for a long time, but I am back!! Muahaha!!

By: Feral Felene