We Bent Fate

Chapter 23.

As I entered, I tilted my head up a little and saw a huge chandelier emitting moonlight from its candle cups. It was the only thing in this huge dark room that shone light other than Nyx herself.

A creepy sensation crawled in my skin as of being watched and I spun around with an intuition to find someone. I gasped when I found a pair of green eyes staring speculatively at me.

His dark shadow stood up abruptly and shuffled towards Nyx. Even after standing next to Nyx's luminosity, he looked nothing more than just a dark silhouette of a man. Erebus.

"Father." Chloe and Lila said at the same time while he only nodded, his fluorescent green eyes fixated on me. I tried to look away to save myself from letting him burn a hole on my face but I couldn't bring myself to do so. His eyes are twice as intimidating as Nyx's and nothing like those of Martha's.

"Martha, how are you?" His eyes momentarily left mine to meet Martha's and she told him that she was fine and was glad to meet him. I gulped when his eyes again locked with mine. "I see you've brought a mortal with you." He noted, his face blank.

What am I doing here?

"My lord." I bowed a little and he nodded, his eyes never leaving mine. I sneaked a peek at Martha and her sisters to beg some help for reasons like being intimidated by the God of darkness, himself and such. Sadly no one noticed me.

Nyx came to my rescue or so I imagined. "Austin, my child. Though a human born, you've proved loyal to our daughter and we are very grateful for your devotion."

"Pleasure." My voice was barely audible.

"Despite of all, we hope you know what dangers you bring to her." Erebus spoke to me directly for the first time. I shivered but managed a brief nod.

"No-" Martha starts but someone nudged her to remain quiet.

"That brings us to tell you all, that we have summoned the judges of the underworld." Nyx says and I stop breathing.

"And Austin, you might be asked to make a choice. Since you were the one for whom Martha sacrificed her life. I don't know what choices would you be given, but you will accompany our daughter to the underworld."

"Mother!" Martha screeched in horror and Lila shushed her.

"I will." I say, swallowing the dryness that had appeared in my throat.

"No, you won't." My girlfriend glared at me in warning. "I forbid it."

"Martha, he is a mortal and you were not meant to die. You sacrificed yourself."

"I am sure you know that I have created a power that has put us all in danger. It's not Austin's fault that he fell in love with one of our kind! So why make him suffer? That is completely unfair of you." She argued and I wondered what has gotten into her.

What are you doing Martha?

"We are not saying that he must die. Still a decision will have to be made." Erebus clarified and I frowned at myself. What decision is he talking about?

"The only person who will be asked for a choice is me. This one is on me. Stop making it about him. It is my fault. I should deal with it." Martha dared, her voice echoing through the empty halls of the bungalow.

"Martha, you are too naive-" Her father started but she cut him off.

"You dare to question my powers?!" Martha glared at her parents in pure ferocity, her eyes turning Hazel with specks of green and grey illuminating in the dark room. Surprising us all, her parents shifted uncomfortably in their positions and didn't answer right back.

"We don't know what choice would they ask you to make. Yet we want your friend to know that he must save-"

"Save me? He's a mortal and I'm the demigod of death. I'm not the one who needs protection. Go figure." She snapped and the tension between the two great divinities increased while for some reason I felt less nervous.

"Mother, you shouldn't have summoned the judges up this early. A war is coming and Martha isn't prepared." Lila added in a worried tone. For a few minutes, no one said anything.

Erebus stared at Martha for a minute and smiled. It was the first time I had seen him smile and I realized that he is one of those people who can look very intimidating until they smile. "Well, I think otherwise. Like our daughter said, she is the demigod of death and her divinity would protect her, alright."

Martha nodded triumphantly and I tried to convince myself that whatever that was happening made sense and would probably have positive consequences, hopefully. "I will go alone to meet the judges of the underworld." She said mostly to herself and worry layered thickly on me.

"Martha." I whispered but she didn't listen. What if I never see her again?

I was too deep in thought that I almost didn't see the dark figure looming behind me. I shivered when I heard his deep voice say, "We need to talk." I was desperately gasping for breath. He should smile more often, I thought as he led me to a couch to sit.

"Look kid, this love thing is all sweet and good in the movies and probably in the mortal world. But here in the God world, especially for my little daughter, it is a sin. Love is not written in her fate and now she is paying for it."

 I was not even thinking when or how, or why I would say such a thing, but in my defense I had completely lost my shit the moment I got into this house and that is why I said, "She is the goddess of destiny. I am sure she can change it or something. I just wished that you guys had more faith in her."

His intimidating green eyes stayed on me for a long minute and then he smiled, "I wish things were that easy, kid. One can never change what is written."

I sigh, shaking my head and tried to remember what Martha had told me. "Check her out." I clenched my jaw with bitterness and suddenly got up, feeling a little dizzy.

Since when have I started to argue about things I myself have no clue about?

I shake my head and walk towards Lila. Her eyes are closed but her lips are moving.

"She will be burnt anew, attacked by those who try to douse her but blazed by the smoke of her past, she would bring light in the times that seem the most dark." She chants and I poke a finger on her shoulder.

"Is this a prophecy too?" I whisper and she nods. I knew it. "What does it mean?"

"You will see." She smirked at me proudly and I convinced myself that it had to be something positive in general and not some other wicked plan to put one of us in danger. "I am so glad to see her like that. I bet you have never seen this side of her."

"What?" I frowned in confusion.

"Of course. She is a goddess. She has two sides. One that is peaceful, kind and human-like, and the other is merciless, daring and strong like death." She smiled. "I am glad she is taking this so well."

"So are you." I noted. While I am here, repeatedly telling myself to chill the fuck down.

"She has to come back, Austin. She will bring peace but that does not necessarily mean that it will bring her peace too." She said and her smile fell. "But all we can do is to stay hopeful."

"When will they come? The judges?" I asked.

"When she calls them." Her eyes spark when she meets mine and I straighten my posture, frowning.

"I am sorry. Who-"

Suddenly the winds howl around us like wild dogs and a shiver runs down my whole body. The strong gusts came like an unannounced arrival of a big wave on a shore, driving us all in a weird spectrum of our positions. It was the silver hues of the wind that swirled in ripples when I realized that a storm had come.

Everything, everyone began to move except for Martha. I frowned at her and called out her name but it was like she was entranced and could not hear me. Her lips were moving. She was calling someone and then it struck me.

Within another blink of an eye, she was gone.