When Stars Collide

Chapter 1- Overbearing duties - Maia

A goddess cannot be destroyed. She rules with an iron grip and is perfection. She is light. She is revered and immortal. So why is my mom dying?  I hear my name being called and I run to the healing room where the Supreme Goddess Alaia Tolan is coughing.

"Maia, child. Come here," I nodded, looking at my mother whose skin was ashen next to the pillow. 

"Yes, mother?"

"Maia, there is a traitor among us." Yes, duh, mother. That much is obvious. You've been poisoned and now your immortality is being sucked away.

"If I do perish... you must take my place."

"What? No, mother... you won't die," I  said and she coughs loudly, silencing my protest.

"Maia, you must take it. You have the powers within you to rule. You must find this traitor and destroy them, whoever it is. It is your duty as a goddess to take over."

"But I’m not a full-fledged goddess yet. Plus, I'd rather not have anything to do with your position. I can still serve in the council of the Holy Six instead," My mother yanks my arm and as I face my mother, she stares deep into my eyes, causing me to look away.

"Maia. It is your duty-”

"But what if I don't want to? They'd never listen to a goddess who's only 2,000 years old. I'd rather be able to explore more than just the heavens. I love it here, but I want to see more," I sigh and she groans in frustration.

"Age doesn't matter. You are young and beautiful and that holds power for you already. We all have a purpose here. Yours is to lead. Yours is to take my legacy and fulfill it to the best of your ability. Adala mei, it is your job and you must fulfill it." my mother said sternly and I cross my arms angrily. No, she wouldn’t manipulate me into doing her bidding.

"But-"

"Maia. We won't discuss this further. You will bring the attendants back and tell them I need more ambrosia. I have a meeting to attend later and then we can talk more. Go now,"

"Mother, you'll be fine. There's no need to put me as your successor yet.” I said and she got up, her height so impetuous it made me feel small and weak. But we cannot be weak. We cannot not let other people overpower us as women. I left the room, barking at the attendants to take care of my mother and I walked to the Dahlia palace, fuming at the thought of having to rule this place someday.

The Dahlia palace is the biggest library full of scrolls of just about anything we'd need to know. If my feet knew where they were taking me, then I only hoped he'd be there too. When I turn to the science corner, I find Magelion looking through scrolls with Sanderran, a fellow angel guard.  I smile at them and Magelion looks up before wrapping me in a hug.

Magelion and I have always been the closest of friends since the beginning. His wavy dark brown hair is perfectly coiffed and his chiseled jaw kept making the ladies swoon for him from afar. He pretends to hate the attention, but I knew he liked it too. He looks at me and frowns.

"Maia... what's wrong?" he grabs my shoulder and I stared up into those deep violet eyes. 

"It's my mom. She's sick and the attendants say that whoever poisoned her was able to suck her immortality away. She's fighting to live now," I said as the tears began to slip down my cheeks and Sanderran got up to wrap me in a hug while Magelion just stroked my hair. I looked at both of them and Sanderran spoke up.

"Come on, Maia. Your mother is strong. Surely, she'll survive." 

"She's deathly pale, Der," I said, using that nickname we love to put on him and he smirked.