Prologue
Masters of Evil, Princes of Light
The Goddess of Destruction and God of Might looked wearily on as the oracle continued staring them down. They knew there was no going back. For however cunning the goddess was, and how brave the god let on, they could not hide their sudden panic and fear. Nor could they hide from the future that was to come.
It was a few hours earlier when the God of Might felt the surge of pain in his deep slumber. He awoke to the burning kiss of a touch on his hand, to the cool whisper of a voice near his ear, and to the light air of power caressing his neck. The Goddess of Destruction was calling for him, and he was not going to ignore it. Not long after she asked for him, he was at her bedside with nothing to offer, but a lingering kiss of comfort on her pale lips.
He settled himself by holding her in his arms and stroking her swollen abdomen. For their sake, she didn’t resist.
With his hand on the Goddess’s stomach, he felt it. The pure energy that pumped from inside, the power that was pounding inside her very body. He could sense the life that dwelled under the protection of his beloved’s skin. The god also felt the desire to be free, which came from the unborn child. It wanted out, and soon.
“Hmmm,” the Goddess groaned through clenched teeth. She held tightly to the god’s free hand while the other was on her stomach. “I feel him, and he wants out.” Her eyes stayed tightly shut as she spoke, but the pain was unmistakable on her features.
The God squeezed back assuringly. “Soon, my love, soon you shall be released from this pain.”
“Stay,” she pleaded lightly. “Please stay.”
He gazed down to find that she already had eyes on him. His body tensed as he stared into the very source of his existence. She was letting him see her in a way no one else shall ever see her, nervous and fearful. She was baring herself to him, as if they were making love for the first time again.
“Always,” was his only reply.
She melted into him once more, clinging to him as every breath brought along more waves of pain. The only thing he could do was hold her against him. For all his achievements and experience, he had not a clue for this specific situation. If it were to win a battle or siege a whole kingdom, the god wouldn’t hesitate. All he’s known for is taking lives, to bring forward a life was out of his expertise.
It was silent until the Goddess gasped sharply. “It broke.” She gazed down to her bedsheets and discovered them soaked with her fluids. The lower parts of her legs were glistening with the liquid.
And then the pain worsened. The female curled more into herself as nausea and torture took over her body.
The Goddess tightened her grasp on her lover. She knew it was going to be a difficult labor. No goddess was given the chance of birth and child so easily. Carrying the child for nine months was hard enough. She knew the physical toll it would take to deliver would be brutal.
She hoped she could make it through.
It was then that they felt the shift in the room. The atmosphere of the room transformed into something much more ancient, and blessed, than they were. It rippled in the large room, like a tsunami awaiting its crash. They knew then who the strange, familiar authority belonged to. Only the Oracle had such strengths to fill the capacity of a room, with nothing more but resilience and anger. It wasn’t long before the Oracle appeared into the Goddess’ chamber.
There they stayed, the Great Oracle staring angrily at the God of Might next to the Goddess of Destruction--his lover. Her thin shift hiding nothing from one’s imagination, and certainly leaving her swollen abdomen bare to all eyes.
“Fools,” the ancient being croaked. “Fools, the both of you.” She swept both of her long thin arms toward the two figures over the bed.
The Goddess lifted her head against a wave of agony that overtook her. With effort she spat, “Leave . . .” she bent over once more, teeth tight and jaws clenched. She continued, “you are not welcome here.”
The Great Oracle stayed rooted in her spot. “It would be better for everyone, and you two, if the fetus was killed. Now before it’s too late.”
The God of Might stood and growled. “My child will not be slaughtered; he shall come into this world. I have not cared for anything you’ve ever said, and I certainly won’t start now. If this child was made, then he shall live. With or without your word. This is my son we speak of.”
The Goddess howled into the room, announcing her torment to listening ears beyond the walls of her private chamber.
“You are putting everyone in danger if that fetus lives.” The eyes of the oracle were glowing. Her all-seeing eyes were their normal unusual shifting crimson red. Even in the low lighting, the gods could still see the color shifting, like smoke in a sea of blood. “That thing will make the worlds go unbalanced; I can feel it. You must get rid of it in this instance.”
“He’s coming,” the goddess wheezed. Sweat trickled down the female’s slender dark face. She glistened with it. This time she wasn’t able to cover the pain she endured.
The god turned to the Great Oracle. “Help her,” he ordered. “If this child dies tonight, I will make sure that the realms go unbalanced. I will wreak havoc in all dimensions, and I will not hesitate to do so. I may be a god of many things, but I am a god of my word. So, help me if this child ends up dead, I will destroy everything as we know it.” He kept his determined eyes upon the crude female who stood many feet away from him.
The Oracle only stared. Her hands held tightly against one another as she gazed at them. For she knew whether she wanted to ignore it or not, that the arrogant god would do such things to avenge his own blood. She knew he would not hesitate to demolish the world or die trying.
“Ah,” the pregnant female cried. Her hand lie on her stomach as another wave swept over her.
“I cannot interfere in this moment. I cannot interrupt the ways of life,” the Oracle said at last. Her weathered face crinkled as her eyes narrowed with fury.
“Your presence here deems otherwise,” the male growled with a harshness that made the foretelling-being blink. “Do something.” His entire being shook with the effort to keep his self-control intact. He would not hurt the ancient being. He would do no such thing.
The Great Oracle swallowed, not quite sure how to go about the situation. She knew that even if she weren’t to aid with the deliverance of the unborn child, worlds would turn chaotic because of the god. However, if she tainted the presence with her magic when it wasn’t called for, many would have to pay. And for the first time in a millennium, she could not predict how this would end. She could only do one thing.
“Nothing is free for the taking. To save a forbidden life, a sacrifice is necessary.” The Oracle stared the god down with her all-knowing crimson eyes.
The god’s frustration increased, but he held it long enough to speak again. “As long as this child is born, I’ll do whatever it takes.”
“Rash words. Both of you shall regret the day you ever conceived of such a being.” She turned and walked into an invisible barrier where she disappeared into. Before the god could roar his fury, the room shimmered with announcement, as a new presence entered the room.
“What have you done?” shrieked the newcomer. The God of Might cursed the crude Oracle for bringing upon them another witness.
“You will not speak of this to anyone.” The God of Might whirled on the unwelcome guest, the God of Healing. The other god was not easily put down, however.
“Words will be heard about this union. You cannot hide this from the others, they will find out.” The eyes of the healed god grew dark as he became angry.
Both males stared each other down, challenging the other to do something. Anything. The God of Might wanted to pound the head of his brother against the wall. He wanted to choke him until he--
“Now is not the time,” the female roared, interrupting their silent battle, “for childish behavior. Somebody help me. NOW!” Both males turned to her as her voice pound against the walls with power.
“You will help her,” the god ordered the Healer. “You will deliver the child.”
“And if I refuse?” challenged the other male.
The eyes of the Goddess’ lover were ablaze with fury. “Even if you refuse, your powers couldn’t.”
The Healer gazed at the determined male. He tried to stand his ground, but his magic pulsed from within, wanting to help the woman in agonizing torment. His power called to what lay inside her. There was no point in denying the call that was the very thing that made him.
He averted his gaze from the fuming God of Might, with effort. And so, the God of Healing went to the Goddess. He bent towards the female, determined to reach for the life that beat within.
“If you hurt her--” the God began.
“I know, and I wouldn’t,” the Healer cut in. “I could never do such things. You already set that for the both of you by joining together. Anything I do wouldn’t matter; you’ll have it coming to you. Both of you will.”
He stopped and inspected the female’s progressing labor. When she didn’t resist, the Healer assumed it safe to care for her. His attention returned to the worried male beside him. “I need hot water and plenty of towels. Bring an extra wool blanket for the child.”
The God of Might left the room to search for the items the Healer asked for. By the time he returned, his brother already had a wool blanket set up beside him. The female was lying on the bed motionless with her face scrunched up. Her chest rose slightly as each breath came and went, ever so slowly.
“I need you to contain her while I work. It will be very painful, but that’s natural.” The God of Healing took the things from the other male and set up. He had the female positioned with her legs spread wide apart and knees bent slightly. He adjusted pillows beneath each of her feet to allow him better access to the child within.
“If anything happens, I want you to be calm, for you and her. This child is mere minutes from coming and this urgency is to be expected of a child from gods. Supernatural births don’t always occur, so anything could happen.” This time when the Healer turned to his brother, sorrow and understanding took place of the hesitation in his eyes.
“I trust you,” was all the God of Might said, and he meant every word of it.
The God of Healing turned to the pregnant female before him and checked how far she was with the child. “It’s time to deliver, Veria. When I say, I need you to push.”
The Goddess could only nod her head as she prepared for the more enduring part of the night.
“Push.” And the Goddess did just that. She braced herself against the wave of pain when she did.
The God of Might watched on while the Healer was delivering his child. He would whisper encouragements to the female every now and then. His love was doing as best she could, but it was evident that she was at her breaking point. Though, she powered through, and he was proud of her for doing so.
After many enduring minutes, or hours, a cry finally broke the room.
The Goddess laid back suddenly, defeated and weak. Her breaths labored and her whole body gleamed with sweat. Just short of his glory shout, the god noticed his brother wasn’t quite finished with the female. The frown that adorned the Healer’s face deepened after the child appeared. The Healer became still.
“What’s the matter?” asked the God of Might. His jaw tightened. He wondered what else could be of problem when the child was already out. The Goddess lifted her head at the question, a small frown appearing at her brow.
The Healer’s eyes suddenly lit up with surprise. He positioned himself once more between the female’s legs.
“What’s wro--”
“She isn’t done,” the Healer said. With eyes grave, the god said, “She must push.” But behind the shock in his gaze, the God of Might saw the message that lie underneath.
He must stay calm.
The God of Might went still. He looked away from the Healer and to the female he loved. Her eyes held onto his with question. Finally, the god placed his hand on her stomach like he’d done so many times before. And there it was.
Another pulse of life inside of her. One that wasn’t her own.
“Push,” ordered the Healer once more.
“Push,” the God of Might gently said to the female.
She looked down to the Healer. She held his eyes until realization hit. Her body went rigid with strength. She was determined again. She pushed with all her might. Her voice beat through the room as she gave all her energy into this new life.
It wasn’t long before another cry accompanied the original one. The Healer wrapped both infants in the wool blankets after thoroughly cleaning them and handed them to the parents. For the first time in centuries, the God of Might and the Goddess of Destruction wept pure tears of joy.
“You have twin boys,” declared the God of Healing. He stood to the side, covered in blood and much more. He held a frown as he continued. “Both healthy and well alive.”
“Thank you, Zohat” expressed Veria to the Healer. Her eyes stayed on the male who assisted her birth until he returned a nod.
She gazed down lovingly at the two little ones she held in her hands. For however dark and dangerous she could be, the two new obstacles in her life could make her whole heart warm.
Zohat could only stare grimly at the new family before him. He had nothing to say, or do, other than watch. It was the first set of twins successfully born from gods, especially those of dark and light. Deep within himself, he knew that such a birth was never the beginning of something great. How could he not have sensed the other life as he delivered the first infant? He knew that this would not end well for the babes, nor the parents.
If the Great Oracle was able to send for the Healer to aid with the pregnancy, then Zohat had no doubt she already sent for the gods of judgment. The God of Healing was certain that the ancient female was going to make the two gods pay for their reckless behavior. And he was right, for the two main doors into the goddess’ chamber burst open.
And there stood the siblings of judgment, come to take the price of two lives against law.
