Goddess In Training

Chapter 1- The Sound

I ran for my life, Umay close at my heels.

Bombs exploded only yards from us. I dodged patches of fire erupting from the earth, my char and blood stained face beaded with sweat. Wild fires were eating up the forests, towns were leveled and here were two goddesses running from our enemy looking like starved homeless people.

The world was in ashes. 

We took a sharp turn around a bomb shattered brick wall just as an explosion blew a car sky high. I heard the sound of fierce shouts and hisses. They were gaining. 

"Faster Umay! Faster!!" I yelled in desperation. 

The goddess of hope looked over at me as we ran. Her beautiful white blonde hair was now almost black with dirt and ash. A large gash across her left side was still raw and bleeding. We hadn't been able to rest for three days straight. Running day and night. She was brave, but she couldn't keep going on like this. Tears streamed down her face as she winced at every stride and the enemy continued to advance.

I could hear my heart pulsing in my ears, the sweat seeping into my open wounds like vinegar. Despite all, I concentrated on my power to let a little emergency energy fuel my body. I grabbed Umay's bloody, shaking hand and pulled her with all my strength. Another explosion heated the air and my ratty brown hair stuck to my neck and face.

The enemy was close enough now that I could hear the sound of guns being loaded. 

BANG!...BANG! BANG!...BANG! 

I gasped for air as I felt a bullet sink its way into my back. My legs lost timing and I tripped over my feet. As weak as she was Umay hauled me back up and put my arm around her. We limped along as a shower of bullets rained around us. I screamed in pain as another bullet sank into my forearm at the same time another found its mark in the back of Umay's leg. We crumpled to the ground, the smoke and sulfur filled air burst into my lungs. My eyes burned like a thousand suns and the back of my shirt was wet with blood. But as much as I wanted to hate these people, I simply couldn't. Every breath that pained me, I forgave them for it. Being the goddess of forgiveness, that's kind of how it is. I rolled over, grabbed Umay's arms and we began to run.  It felt like fire consumed my back and Umay cried out with every step.

This was the end. I knew it.

The blackened buildings had been the scenery for the earth for almost a year now. People lived in the rubble hoping not to be killed. The sound of hissing and shouts were so close I could almost smell their foul breath. An explosion right on the other side of the wall filled the air.

I looked up to see the brick wall above us toppling over.

Mortar crumbling. 

Bricks falling.

The last moments of life dying. 

I had only a moment to shove Umay as far from me as possible until I was buried under a pile of black, steaming bricks.

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When I opened my eyes I was in the remains of an army bunker. My head throbbed. I looked down to see my entire back bandaged up, as well as my arm. I turned my head to see people, familiar people, people I had known for centuries. 

"Hey guys." I croaked. 

They all looked over at me startled, then they smiled.

"Good to see you with the land of the living Alma!" Lonot joked, though the face of the god of courage soon became grave. 

I cracked a small smile. Dione, the goddess of love, knelt over me and kissed my forehead, relieving some of my pain.

"Thank you." I wheezed. "You shouldn't have..." my voiced cracked.

"Shh, Shh, none of that."  she said in a melodious voice. "Save your strength." 

Her eyes were sad, yet full of love. All of them were here, Merlander, god of wisdom and even Ambrosine, Goddess of all that is right.

They each used some of their power to heal my wounds. It took some time before I could even speak.

"Where...where is Umay...?" I said in a small voice. 

All of them looked at  each other, pain behind each expression.

I waited.

Finally Lonot answered, "She was taken by...them." 

Tears burned at the corners of my eyes, "No..."

"We are going to send a party out to search for her. Not to be rude to any of you, but hope is the most important of us all. If there is no hope, there is nothing." Merlaner stated. 

"Well then let's go right now!" I urged.

Uneasy glanced passed between the other gods. 

"Not yet." Merlander answered simply, "We need you and you are not fit to even be out of bed."

I sat up and stood, my legs trembled under my weight. My ears rang at each step. A wave of dizziness made my movements unsteady and a headache wracked my brain. I could hear my heart beating in my ears. Muscles burned. Pressure built up on my chest. My eyes fogged over. Vision darkened as the weight of a sledge hammer slammed into my body

They ran over to me and I fell to the pavement.

I  gasped for air, the arch of my back heaving.

The gods began yelling, their blurred faces hovered above me and the echoes of contorted voices rang dully in my ears.  

 They continued to batter me with their muffled disapline until they were all silenced by the most horrifying sound we had ever heard.

It sounded like the blood curdling cries of a thousand people hissing across the face of the earth. The sound of a thousand people taking their last breath after being tortured for hours.

The sound of pure evil.

Hope was dead.

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This is the start of my new book! Please let me know what you all think so far, I will be adding more soon!