The Dark Goddess

Introduction

Red. That's all she saw as men ravaged her home. They flew from home to home, robes billowing behind then as they rip out people from their homes, rip them from their families arms. Red splashed from her people as swords and arrows tear their flesh apart.

"These are the last of them, make sure none of them escape."

She turns towards the voice. It was soft, charming almost but the man who spoke looked evil.

A hand grabs her arm and she's being pulled away from the man in the red robes.

"Come,we must run."

She knew that voice, she turned to her beloved friend and they run. Or at least they tried.

Before they could run very far a man in a red robe stepped in front of them. She stepped back, pulling her friend with her. They both pulled out their blades, made specifically for their 12 year old hands.

The man laughed. "What are two little kids going to do to me?" He teased

The two shared a look before she drops to one knee, slicing his calf open while her friend cuts his abdomen. The man falls, holding his chest as he dies.

She grabbed her friends hand and tugged on his arm but they were already surrounded by more men. Five more red men stand around them. They pulled the two apart.

She screamed and kicked, trying to get out of their grip. "No! Let me go!" She sees her friend being dragged away, blood sliding down his face. "Don't you dare hurt him!"

"Nyx!" He called out to her. "I'll be okay.. just run. Survive."

She shook her head, no longer fighting the red men as tears fell down her face.

"Go!" He ordered.

She looked into his eyes, desperate to find a way to save them both but he was determined for her to escape. She gavw him a sad smile as she nodded.

He let out a breath of relief as she did, he watched as her eyes turn pure white.

She lift her head to the moon and a dark shadow covered her and the reds who held her. They loosened their grip, eyes full of fear and confusion. She ripped out of their grip and dove into the shadows, disappearing before their eyes.

She ran down the dark tunnel until she fell face first into a moss covered rock, blacking out from weakness and the pain.

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She woke up slowly, her body aching. A women approached her, she looked to be a mother. She was tall and thin. She looked important, a crown of sorts  sat on her head.

"Born at dawn.." The woman started.

Nyx sat up, eyeing her carefully. "To pass in the twilight. So you're Fey. You look like man-blood, no horns or birthmark.. You're sky folk."

"Very good. My name is Lenore, the high priestess. You've been put for quite some time. Like to share your story?"

"What?" Nyx's eyes widened, a million thoughts were racing through her head. "How long have I been out?"

"A little over a week, the magic you did.. the elders are calling it dark. They don't think we should be sheltering you."

Nyx stood up, almost falling over but she kept herself upright. "Then don't. I have to get back to my people."

"Your people are dead." Lenore had a monotone voice as she spoke. "It appears you are the last. How did a single child survive that kind of massacre."

Nyx shook her head as she walked towards the exit but Lenore stopped her.

"You have yet to finish healing. If you leave the temple the magic will cease and it will hurt until you've completely healed on your own."

Nyx looks over her shoulder at Lenore and she begins speaking again.

"If you stay, we can hide you, keep you safe."

"Your elders wouldn't like that Lenore," Nyx says, turning to look at her fully, her arms crossed over her chest.

"They will make an exception for you, a child, the last of her already rare kind." Lenore moved towards her slowly. "The hidden wouldn't be healing you if it didn't want you."

Nyx's brows furrowed as she tilted her head slightly. "The hidden?"

Lenore smiled and nodded towards a tunnel in the temple. "Come child, let me show you."

"I'm not a child!" Nyx growled, her eyes turning white.

"Calm yourself."

Nyx balled her hand into a fist, taking deep breaths and forced herself to relax. She was still to weak to do anything anyway. "I want my weapons returned. If I stay will that happen?"

"Can you fight?" Lenore asked and Nyx nodded.

"I can." She gave no further explanation but Lenore was satisfied and nodded. The priestess beckoned her to the tunnel and Nyx followed her down.