SACRIFICE TO THE MOON (Completed) #Wattys2020

CHAPTER 25

Waya half expected the cottage door to be locked. To his mild surprise, it wasn't.
         He opened the door and let himself in.
    The sight that beheld him forced him to stop in his tracks. For sitting in a lotus position on the floor and surrounded by several candles which illuminated the cottage was priestess Zainab. 
             Waya was taken aback for a while.
             "You" he muttered under his breath. He regained his composure after a moment.
     He took a deep breath then took a seat on the floor; facing the priestess while leaving  considerable room between them.
      Zainab looked at him intently before speaking.
    "Son of earth and moon, it is an honour to meet the mortal who has shared a bed with the goddess Athena".
      Waya was swift with his questions.
             "Where are my parents?".
  Priestess Zainab paused a moment before responding.
           Dead; they have been so for the past twenty-five years. Their grave and gravestone lie just behind this cottage.
    Waya struggled to maintain his composure as the news of his parents death hit him.
     "So; you used them to lure me here" he stated, anger seeping into his voice.
      "Yes".  was the priestess calm reply
         "Why"
    "I was forced to"
                "By"
     "Amykos; son of Poseidon".
At the mention of Poseidon, Waya sighed audibly. He had walked straight into a trap.
     Waya attempted to stand but the priestess stopped him.
   "I see darkness in your future"
    "Is this part of Amykos's plan".
     Zainab seemed offended.
"The priestess of Zeus tells no lie". 
     Aa considered her for a moment before responding.
    "There is only darkness in the future".
    "It dosnt have to be that way. Your sexual relations with Athena gives you more strength and durability than any moral alive. How do you think you are capable of the feats you perform".
    Realization dawned on Waya.
  "I don't need to feed off a goddess immortality to fight my battles"
    Zainab was about to reply when Waya heard Freya's battle cry.
      "They're here". Zainab announced.
    Waya hastily made for door but Zainab's voice stopped him in his tracks.
    "We shall not meet again prince of the moon. Your destiny is great. May the gods protect you"
       Waya scoffed
"The same gods who wish me dead"
   "Refrain from hasty conclusion, some of the gods are on your side"
        Without sparing the priestess a glance, Waya barged through the door and into the unforgiving embrace of the night.
      Freya; grand commander of the army on the moon, armed with nothing but a dagger was locked in a vicious fight with Amykos third  son while Amykos and his remaining two sons watched without any interference.
      Their attention to the fight was only dispersed when Waya stepped out of the balcony.
      Amykos and his sons as if on cue turned simultaneously to face Waya.
     An unarmed Waya looked around for a weapon, anything but found nothing.
      It was the period of the full moon, the brightness of the moon illuminated the earth.
      Amykos threw a sword at Waya with practiced accuracy. The blade landed a few meters away from Waya.
      Waya reached to pick up the blade Amykos gifted him for the code of the Leqie forbade killing the unarmed.
       Waya took a good look at Amykos. His dark garments accentuated his grey stumble, his calm demeanor spoke volumes of his confidence in successfully carrying out his father's orders.
        Simultaneously, Amykos and his two sons attacked while Waya braced himself for the madness that would follow.