Love Through The Dark

The Heart of Aquarius

Bastet was proud of her daughter. It was easy for a god to create a child. They could manifest them anyway they chose. Bastet came from a complex family she had five siblings Hathor Goddess of the Sky. She often took the form of a cow which Bastet never truly understood the fascination with. Sekhmet Goddess of Healing now she was truly someone Bastet could relate too she was a lioness. In part that is why Bastet chose the form of a cat to be similar to her elder sister. Her three younger siblings were Maat Goddess of Truth and Judgement, Shu God of Light and Air and finally Tefnut Goddess of Moisture, Rain, Moist air and Dew, Bastet thought of her as greedy. Thinking about her family the cat goddess wondered what kind of goddess her daughter would turn out to be. Would she remain in the form she had or would she adapt to look like a cat like her mother? Bastet knew Jundiin wanted a life with her lover Amante but she also knew her destiny was to complete her quest and be initiated as a goddess. Her quest was almost complete only two hearts remained. Now after Jundiin had used her book to travel they stood facing The Heart of Aquarius an enemy Bastet knew well.

"Bastet" the giant boomed down from the heavens. Bastet looked up at the god in annoyance. "Here to flood the Nile again are you?" the goddess hissed. Jundiin watched on in confusion "do you know this person?" She asked her mother. "Unfortunately I do Aquarius here used to appear once a year in the old realm to flood the Nile River." Aquarius laughed in delight "settle down Bastet you know it was just my job. What was yours again? Grooming cats?" Bastet was not amused and neither was Jundiin "do not speak to my mother like that." Aquarius looked amused "mother? I have heard of the cats mother but not of the cat being the mother. That makes you a demigod I suppose such despicable vermin." Jundiin hated to think she was of the same rank as Heracles. Not only was she a princess to a mortal kingdom but she was the daughter of a goddess making her royalty in the eyes of the gods. Beings Jundiin and millions of others worshipped everyday and she was almost one of them. "You know why we are here Aquarius or whatever name you go by these days" Bastet yelled up at the giant. "Of course your little mission to collect twelve hearts and save your little lover. I have no interest in helping you so I will just drown you instead." Aquarius manifested a large pot ordained with images of people running from giant waves. The images appeared to move in the light of the sun shining upon them. Aquarius tilted the pot and tons of water gushed out heading straight for the mother and daughter.

"This is why cats hate water" Bastet screamed to be heard by the sound of the water crashing at Aquarius's feet. Jundiin tried thinking quickly. Did she have any powers to save her from the water? Yes she could become a mermaid but what about her mother. "Can you breath under water?" Jundiin shouted to her mother. Bastet laughed and morphed into a small golden fish "I am a goddess Jundiin I can not even die of old age." Jundiin nodded and held her mother in her hand waiting for the water to hit them. As the water crashed down above them Jundiin hit The Capricorn Charm and dove head first into the water in her new mermaid body. Bastet swam beside her daughter and the pair swam through the water as elegantly as ice skaters glide upon ice. Aquarius's giant feet could be seen ahead and Jundiin headed towards them. Arriving at the right leg the mermaid grabbed on to the leather wondering what kind of animal could create such an insane amount of material. Jundiin climbed the boot dragging her tail along it as if she were a snail sliding across a leaf. As she reached above the water she looked down to see nothing but water for miles. Aquarius was laughing as he continued pouring more and more seemingly infinite amounts of water. Jundiin hoped that their was no form of human life nearby as she feared what would happen to them if their lands were drowned under water, putting those thoughts to the back of her mind Jundiin continued climbing until she reached the bottom of Aquarius's tunic "thank the gods" Jundiin said as she realised just how thick the material was and could climb it with ease. The princess continued to climb the giant until she reached his chest. "Oh this is going to be a big heart. It is a shame it was used for destruction." Jundiin reached down for her dagger but instead felt her wet tail in the place of her belt. "No, no, please" Jundiin checked again but still the belt was not there it had fallen off after her transformation. Jundiin thought quickly she looked down to see her mother looking up at her from the water. Jundiin's hair flew wildly around her. If Aquarius saw her on his chest it would take one flick and the sheer force would kill her alone. She didn't want to die again. Death would have to wait till she was old and grey before they came to her. Jundiin had an idea but it was a disgusting one. Jundiin climbed the tunic all the way up to the top and looked up at the giants laughing mouth. "Here I go."

Jundiin jumped onto Aquarius's long white beard and climbed up to his lips. Having a wet tail made it easy to slide up the long rope like hairs. Reaching Aquarius's bottom lip Jundiin leapt into the mouth avoiding the giant teeth that could snap her in seconds. Jundiin slid down the tongue of the giant cringing at the sliminess. By this point Aquarius had realised Jundiin was inside him and tried using his giant fingers to pull her out of his mouth. Jundiin let go of the tongue and allowed herself to slide down the throat. Jundiin knew a lot about anatomy after seeing a lot of insides on her journey. She might not have known the names but she the new the throat lead to the stomach. She had to time herself purposely as she free fell down the tube. "Now" she screamed to herself as she hit The Charm of Aries giving her horns either side of her head. Using these horns Jundiin hooked them into the skin of the throat. Jundiin tore the horns down creating an opening that spilled thick red blood out down the tube. Jundiin held her breath as she swam through the thick red liquid towards the heart. The organ was huge far bigger than a normal sized heart and Jundiin sat on top of it feeling it slowing down beneath her. Aquarius was dying from the inside out. It was no surprise after all he was bleeding internally. Jundiin used her horns to sever an artery attached to the heart. With the quick snap the heart was gone. Jundiin fell through an empty chest cavity holding The Charm of Aquarius in her hand. Within seconds the body of Aquarius disappeared and Jundiin headed down towards the water.

Jundiin crashed into the water and as she was there saw he mother who was in the form of a golden fish looking proud of her. Jundiin smiled relieved to have won this battle. Jundiin swam to above the water and clipped the charm onto her bracelet. Jundiin flicked the charm out of curiosity and quickly grew to giant size. The ocean she had been in now looked like a pond in her perspective. Jundiin could see for miles and she gasped when she saw a kingdom not far away. The castle was just visible. Only half the kingdom had survived the flood. The rest was submerged under the water. Jundiin couldn't believe that Aquarius had destroyed so many lives and for what to kill her and her mother? "It isn't your fault." Jundiin turned to see her mother placing a hand on her shoulder. "How are you a giant?" Jundiin asked in shock. "I am a goddess I can be any size I like" Bastet reminded her daughter. "Aquarius did not have to be a giant he chose this destruction not you. We must continue with the quest you have one heart left." Jundiin wondered why her mother hadn't become a giant and defeated Aquarius herself but deep down she knew the answer would be that this was her quest not her mothers. "I found these whilst you were fighting." Bastet held out Jundiin's belt and its contents in the palm of her hand. Jundiin flicked the Aquarius charm once again and shrunk to normal size again surrounding herself with water. Bastet handed the book and quill down to Jundiin and she turned into a small rat sitting itself on Jundiin's shoulder. "Why a rat?" Jundiin asked preparing herself to write. "When a ship sinks the rats are the first to leave. Besides it is time I see what it is like to be the prey and not the predator." Jundiin nodded and wrote the words The Heart of Pisces transporting herself to the final heart.