The Start of It All
ANCIENT GREECE
The very core of the earth shook with violence and debauchery.
For centuries upon centuries all manner of vile atrocities were committed upon the peoples of this world by the shallow whims of the gods and goddesses.
These beings, earth’s children, were forced to live in uncertainty and fear, as slaves to the immortals and their desires.
There could be no peace or indeed any semblance of a satisfying life when the people lived in terror; for the slightest offense could rain down retribution upon them.
It was Selene, the moon herself, who wept for her children. Her own fifty daughters by her most beloved Endymion. To see their descendants disgraced and abused by the likes of her fellow immortals caused her great distress and anger.
How many tears had her daughters shed upon her because of Zeus and Ares, Apollo and Poseidon, Hades and Dionysus? Their abuses and vile characters had used and betrayed Selene’s daughters and granddaughters more times than could be counted. She would not allow this to continue any longer.
In secret, Selene called her daughters to her. They embraced one another with the whisperings of heart broken mothers and grandmothers. They soothed each other until their comfort bred a terrible hope fueled by the fury of their grievances. And then the mother moon whispered to them, “There is another way.”
Selene knew that no other immortal had more children with the power and strength of her daughters combined. Together they would separate the immortals from their playthings and give them back their personhood - their freedom.
There would be no more free access to the inhabitants of the earth. From this day forward they would be allowed to grow and evolve as independent living entities - these fragile yet mighty humans.
The moon goddess called forth her five strongest daughters from the crowd. Together they represented the most powerful of all demi-god attributes: love, mate sanctity, defender of mankind, strength, wisdom, harvest, keeper of magic, the hunt, beauty and childbirth.
These five stood joining hands with heads bowed as their sisters and finally their mother laid hands upon them, imparting a portion of each one’s power unto the five.
Indeed, Selene and the 45 that would stay behind only held back enough to keep the tide of angry immortals at bay for the conflict that was to come.
When all blessings and capacities were thus imparted Selene spoke to her five strongest.
“I will grant to you and your descendants another ability. The blessing of the wolf. Each child you birth to a man and all of their descendants will carry inside them a wolf companion who is themselves and yet another.
They will exist together as one and bring to each other strength beyond human capability. You will impart to your children their mission to protect and defend the earth and mankind.
In secret you will watch and defend and teach them to do the same. They will have strength, enhanced senses and possess the healing capability of a demi-god.
While not immortal, I will extend the lives of those who mate together to become whole as one soul with their mates that protect and nurture humanity.
If ever you or your children have need of strength, only stand beneath my moon and bask in it’s light. Call out to me there and I will hear.”
The oldest of the five nodded their understanding and readiness to depart.
Selene stepped away from them and joined hands with her remaining forty-five daughters and they begin to chant together in unison, speaking out their will into being.
A blinding white light permeated all things in existence, from the highest heavens unto the depths of the oceans. Cracks and vacuums appeared, tearing the immortals from the earth and forcing them home to their own realms. Hades was forced into the underworld, and Poseidon to the immortal seas of his home planet, while Zeus and the others were flung into the heavens many light years from the earth.
Selene and her forty-five then stood ground at their post, the surface of the moon. A battle would soon come to them and they would watch and wait to defend their position. Now it was all up to the five.
When the light had torn the immortals beyond the world’s reach, the feet of the five crashed to earth and they ran to one another, joining hands and chanting to create the barrier that would keep their kind out.
The magic bubbled up from their bodies and grew into a faint blue sphere that quickly expanded and engulfed the planet wholly. Once snapped into place, the moonlight shimmered upon the sphere, rippling it’s approval across the surface and sanctifying the spell.
It was done.
The five looked to the heavens with hope, their first task complete.
A man’s voice caused them to turn. It was Endymion, the human king that was both their mother’s truest love and their own father.
“Come my daughters,” his voice welcomed and soothed them, “you must rest. Tomorrow your real work begins.”
The daughters began to follow their father through the brush under the night sky. As they walked the path to his estate, the largest daughter turned back up to glance at the moon.
“Stand fast, mother,” she whispered before turning back to follow her family home.
