Goddess Awakened (On Hold)

Goddess Awakened - Chapter 4

There was a brief moment where Antheia was almost flying; her body lifting into the air from the force of her jump. The young ones at the shore screamed at her back. Then, all too soon, she was falling.

Like it couldn't wait to swallow her whole, the river rushed up to greet her. Cold surrounded Antheia within seconds, water closing over her head as the chill penetrated right through to the bones. It stung. It was like a hundred bee stings all over her body all at once.

Her body sank swiftly through the water even as the river roared around her.

Never before had Antheia realised just how loud the river could be. Not that she had listened. Water had always been the domain of her uncle and cousins.

Poseidon.

Perseus.

With rivers running this wild, surely they were gone too?

The tether between Antheia and her priestess gave another sharp tug just as her feet hit the bottom. It was not the time to reminisce. They were gone. Forgotten. Her priestess was still here - still living.

Bending her knees, Antheia's body coiled tight before, with a scream, she pushed up towards the surface.

As her head broke through the water, Antheia swept her long hair out of her face. The tug in her chest was becoming more insistent as the seconds passed. Frantically, her head whipped left and right as she searched the murky water, debris surging past her.

Where were they?

"Children!"

There was a flash of bright blue at the corner of her eye. Then, Antheia breathed a sigh of relief as two smaller forms bobbed to the surface a few feet away. Water surged into her open mouth forcing the goddess to choke and splutter. And yet, her own discomfort was nothing in the face of the danger her priestess was in.

The children's panicked cries were barely a whisper over the angry river. Their arms splashed frantically as they fought to stay above the water. Antheia's heart squeezed, her stomach churning as eyes met hers, the terror within them almost a tangible weight around her neck.

Though she could just about reach the bottom, her bare toes skimming through the silt, Antheia lifted her feet and allowed the current to take her. The river obeyed, sweeping her along with ease.

She didn't the river's hold. Instead, Antheia allowed herself to flow with the wildness of the river. Then, as she drew closer, Antheia powered her arms through the choppy waters to drag her sodden form towards the children. Her mortal form ached from the strain, begged her stop, but Antheia was relentless. With each stroke, she closed the distance between then until her finger tips brushed the shoulder of the closest child.

Antheia gave one more powerful stroke, pulling her body through the water. And not a moment too soon.

Antheia's hand grasped the back of her priestess's waterlogged T-Shirt just as her tangle of dark hair disappeared beneath the surface. With a sharp tug, she pulled her up until her head was once more above the waterline. Her priestess coughed and spluttered, her sodden hair covering her eyes. She pushed her hair back and, despite the fear in her gaze, she didn't whimper or cry. Instead, there was only determination in the stubborn tilt of her chin.

Antheia nodded her head. A brave one. She would serve her people well.

The small girl turned her head, her hair clinging to her cheek as she searched the fast moving water. Her eyes widened as she gasped. "Joey!"

Before Antheia could stop her, she was leaning backwards, her hand reaching out to her struggling friend, her face momentarily ducking back beneath the water. Hauling her back above the rushing water, Antheia shifted the small girl on to her hip even as her arms grew cold and numb.