Renewed

...Through a looking glass...

She watched as the mortals rushed through their day. Another day, she thought as she watched them run to catch their cabs, run to get to their jobs. Always running, these mortals...nobody had time for the blind man on the corner or the lost child crying by the side of the road except for them...the Dark ones, the filth of humanity who lived only to prey upon the innocent, on the weak. She hated them the most. The goddess sighed, oh how she longed for the sweet decadence of her powers. How she yearned for just a taste of her godhood, just for a mere second to teach that filth not to prey upon the weak. Her fists clenched as she watched the man approach the wailing child.

" Why must you torture yourself child? Your sire would.."

" Speak not to me of fathers for I have none!"

" You wound poor Hades, child, in truth, he has no knowledge of you."

" For a millenia you have suffered here? Do you not wish a second chance? Do you not even now want to go forth and be their champion?"

Her blank stare made him question her attention to his now nervous spiel. Poseidon ruler of the seas watch her with longing as she continued to ignore his presence. He had stolen the child, brought her to Atlantis and held her prisoner still all to no avail. The child had despised him on sight and that hatred had blossomed into a conflagration the likes of which he had never experienced before. No matter the form he took, no matter the attempt, she always saw through the illusion and only despised him more. He had followed his brother, Hades to an unchartered island, had watched as his brother took the Princess as his own and had been there to collect the babe as they left her to die, terrified by her pale skin and azure eyes. He had fallen in love with her then, those eyes haunting his every waking hour until he had no recourse but to bring her to his home.

" I can send you back to your home. You can have the life you were meant to among the mortals you cherish."

" At what cost?"

Her voice slid over him like velvet, his skin puckered as he groaned inwardly. She was seduction itself.

" No cost, I am tired my love, the few believers left have twisted worship of the gods into some occult practice of witches and demons that frankly irritates me. Most of Olympus is gone including your sire so I am letting you go. Go to them, protect them true love will ensure your future but will seal your powers."

She watched him in that quietly assessing way she had that never ceased to make him smile. He saw sadness in her eyes and was confused.

" Why are you sad, Kaya?"

" I have no home but this, no family but you. I am sad you will fade away."

" Have you seen it?"

She nodded solemnly and he sighed. It was time to release her to her fate.

" Kaya of the Korowai, you were born to a Princess and the god of the Underworld, you are blessed with empathy and second sight. I know not what awaits you in your new life in the mortal realm but I wish you ...happiness."

Kaya eyed the mirror and smiled her very first smile in almost 20 moon cycles. She was going to the mortal realm, Poseidon was letting her go free.

He sat trance fixed as her face lit up with the sheer joy of her smile. Waving his trident in front of the mirror he found peace and knew he was doing the right thing.

The mirror shimmered as Kaya approached it her smile never faltering as she embraced the shimmering magic of the mirror's portal.

" Fare thee well Lord Poseidon," she breathed as she stepped through the portal.

She felt a burst of energy lift her off the ground and suddenly she was blinded by blinding light....