Cry of the Moon

Chapter 2: Chariot of the Moon

As it is in the sky, the Sun came before the Moon. My brother was born first, and he came out screaming and yelling, already fiery and angry with the world. In many ways, it's probably better he took the Sun. Even on a good day, he never quite reached the level of calmness required to be around the bulls driving the chariot of the Moon. I only ever let him drive my chariot once, and it ended with a wheel flying off and sending an entire species to extinction.

When my brother was born, all my aunties crowded around him and fought over who got to hold him first. They all wanted the chance to bask in his radiant light, the light of the first child born to the next generation of Titans.

So focused were they on my brother, that no one was paying attention as I was born, soundless and still. I squirmed only when my mother wrapped me tight in a blanket of stars she pulled from the night sky. For the first few moments of my life, it was just my mother and I, staring into each other's eyes and both of us learning the connection of a mother and her daughter.

The first of my aunties to notice my birth was Phoebe, the Titan of Prophecy, who came over and held her arms out for me. My mother passed me over and Phoebe, a woman of few words, whispered the ones that would guide my life for all eternity.

"She will lead the moon around the world and will be known by mortals as such," she said. "She will surround herself with her enemies and friends and yet will never find love in the arms of a mortal man."

In the moment, this didn't seem like anything to lose time worrying about. Mortals were one of the many animals on the Earth below, running around naked and making miserable noises when you stepped on them. It would be a very long time before they even began to walk upright, much less be something to find love in the arms of.

But I digress.

Life was easy, growing up as a Titan. Much like when we were born, I was always a step behind my brother. Titans everywhere knew his name and face, though I tended to melt into his shadow.

"Good morning Helios," they would call as we walked the streets, even as children.

"Good hunting today Helios?"

"How are your parents Helios?"

I never minded that I was ignored. I knew I was loved and that was, and has always been, enough for me. And anyway, my mother always said "the brighter the shine, the less in the mind." So I guess it only makes sense that my brothers' light can be seen from all edges of the globe.

However, it is always nice to be appreciated for your work. As my Auntie Phoebe had stated at my birth, I took on the job of driving the moon chariot around the Earth and eventually, the name Selene became synonymous with the moon. In Greek times, I was even sometimes referred to as Mele, the Greek word for "moon".

In summary, I've always been known as the Titan of the Moon. Helios, my opposite in more ways than one, drove the Sun Chariot, which fit him quite nicely.

I truly loved driving the moon chariot back then. The world was green and bright and all the rivers and seas ran clear. The very idea of pollution wouldn't exist for another few millennia, as this was long before the first human villages existed. I loved the conversations I would have with my grandfather, Ouraneous, as I passed just beneath his sky. Although he had been confined to his domain when Kronos chopped him into pieces, he could still watch the goings on of the world from his perch in the sky and always had the most interesting stories to share.

Some nights, I would reach down from my chariot and let my fingers skim the waves of the ocean. Every time, new creatures leapt over the waves to brush my fingertips.

Now, dear reader, this may all seem like just the ramblings of an old woman. However, I ask of you to wait just a little bit longer. Although it may not seem important, you should know where I came from to understand the decision I would eventually make. Something that may seem like the actions of a brainless old lady may actually have been me making one last attempt to hold my family together.

Contrary to popular belief, all immortals can die. It's happened countless times throughout history, and every immortal knows it will happen to them at some point. The death of an immortal is called fading, and it happens where there is no one else to worship them on Earth. Their temples are all crumbled and dusty, and one day, they're just no longer there.

I remember the very first time it happened. I was riding through the skies one day when I reached up to talk to Ouraneous. I hadn't talked to him in a while and thought I owed him a visit. When there was no response, I figured he was just not in the mood that night. I stopped by again the next night and the next, until I finally just gave up.

It makes sense Ouraneous would have been the first to go. Humans were still a new breed, and he had been confined to his realm in the sky long before they knew such a thing as gods existed. How can you worship and being you've never heard of?

Anyway, the moral of the story is that every immortal fades once there is no longer anyone around to remember them. Once there is no one to ground them to Earth, their spirits fade away. Most immortals spend their lives trying to postpone the inevitable; they perform great acts, sire heroes, live amongst humans, etc.

I, on the other hand, have never cared enough to worry about fading. I've always believed I was born to ride my laps around the Earth and maybe inspire a mortal or two to be kind every once in a while.

So how is it that, out of everyone, I am the one who will live forever?