The Darkness Within

37 - The Gate and the Past

Lucienne took in the forest before her, the tall trees, shadowed underbrush, and then the group of gathered beings who would be coming along on this trip. Lucienne, Ciara, Fenna, Tala, Domina Evelyn, Lila, Arytha, Sola, Vyth, and the last two who had invited themselves along last minute despite not knowing the destination at the time: Princess Oriel and Felda.

Apparently, to find this 'gate,' as Arytha called it, they would be walking through the forest and off the beaten path. They had already driven for hours, but having been warned ahead of time, the group wore adequate clothing to protect against the chilly almost-spring weather. Not that any of those gathered truly needed it besides Ciara, in her human form, who had once more donned her own fur-clothes with her matching backpack. Tala was in her true form, wearing her leather riding harness, and standing by her Goddess's side with her fur blowing in the wind.

When they began to follow Arytha into the treeline, Ciara mounted the giant wolf. Atop the wolf and with the heavy black and silver cloak- Lucienne had insisted Ciara wear one and it matched the blindfold the female wore as well- that now waved in the wind, Ciara sat with a grace that matched the wolf's. The image gave Lucienne the chills.

Her power-bound looked like a true hunter and warrior of the forest atop her wolf, a being of nature and power. It wasn't just Lucienne who stopped to stare at the pair as Tala walked into the forest, everyone did; this symbol of strength and unimaginable power who appeared to be the embodiment of nature itself was their Goddess and she was just coming into her power and would only grow stronger as days passed. The Light Goddess was sure even she didn't look as majestic on her own Champion. Ciara had power that even in her memories Lucienne had only seen once: the first Goddess of Darkness.

The wolf and Goddess disappeared into the tree line seemingly turning invisible a few steps in. Soon after, the rest of the group began walking again. The forest underbrush wasn't the easiest to trek through but Lucienne had made it through worse. They walked through lunchtime, Tala and Ciara not returning to the group even then. They were lucky if they even caught a glimpse of meadow-green eyes or silver thread. Lucienne could feel the happiness that Ciara radiated through their bond, the female was happy to return to the forest and nature.

In a way, that made her much like a true shapeshifter, Lucienne thought. Shapeshifters tended not to interact with anyone besides their immediate family, if that. They lived as true animals, taking on whatever form pleased them but rarely assuming a human-like form. In the past they had been called nature spirits because of the higher intelligence and powerful magic they radiated, but mostly because they truly became representations and protectors of their environments. They rarely left their homes- where they roamed free of society- and were happiest free to change forms and blend with nature. It would seem Ciara was of a similar personality.

By the time they stopped in a small clearing, everyone present was a little tired, the sun was beginning to set making the sky bright orange, and Ciara seemed to just appear from the forest. The centerpiece of the small clearing before them were two large stones covered in strange lettering.

Arytha approached the two stones, putting her hand inside a carved circle on the surface of the righthand stone. The symbols glowed vibrant emerald green and illuminated the markings on the surface of each stone; the two stone sides that faced each other each had a huge line that spread from the top of the rocks to the bottom. The space between the two lines seemed to waver like heat above a fire for a moment before it swirled and turned into a window between two places. Dark grey stone walls, carved with very similar symbols, appeared through the gate.

"After you, Goddesses," Arytha said with a bow.

Lucienne stepped forward, Fenna at her side, and through the gate. The sensation was like stepping through any other doorway except Lucienne could feel the massive amounts of magic used to sustain the gate. The chamber she found herself in had ten walls, nine of them having similar stones to the gate she exited in front of them, the tenth had a set of heavy carved wooden doors.