Calm Before the Storm

Chapter Thirty-Four

34. The Exchange 

Magdelena had been with the Druids for a couple of months, letters had been returned but none of them had seen or heard from the Goddess. Magdelena was frustrated, Gilthunder was of no help, he had assumed the Goddess would appear to them when they arrived at one of the many places the Goddess frequented. Yet there was no sign, no word about the elusive woman, "Maggie?" Magdelena looked up from her seat near the river that ran a few miles from the Druid camp to see Tristian, "I think you should return to the camp with me, night time will be falling soon and it can be dangerous out here at night."

"Of course Tristian I'll be along in a moment," Magdelena watches as he climbs down the small hill to come stand next to her, "I am sorry for imposing on you and your people for so long." 

"You have apologized to me every day, and every day I tell you we are happy to help you," Tristian says with a soft smile as he takes a seat next to her, "Why have you stayed here looking for the Goddess and not returned to Camelot?"

"I thought about it, but the Goddess said it was urgent," she says sighing as she runs a hand through her hair, "I missed my wedding. Arthur is probably peeved at me for doing so, I probably with be banished or killed for missing the wedding when I return."

"I doubt that. I think the King loves you very much," Tristian says looking at her, "You have shown true dedication to finding me even missed your own wedding to keep up the search." 

Magdelena looked up to see Tristian transforming into the Goddess making her heart swell in hope and anger at the same time, "You have been here the entire time?" Magdelena asks brokenhearted, "Was there a reason for making me stay away from Camelot?"

"I had to know if you were worthy," she admits smiling sadly at Magdelena, "I am sorry for any pain I have caused you." 

"I am just glad I have found you - well, you have shown yourself to me," Magdelena says standing up to look at the Goddess who stands up as well, "You summoned me, what is it you needed me for?"

"I heard you gave up your powers to close the veil between worlds," Goddess says turning away from Magdelena and looking toward the running water, "It was a large sacrafice that none thought you would actually make. When someone has the powers you had, they usually hold onto them for as long as they can. Yet, at the chance to save your loved ones you threw it away like rotten fruit." 

"No powers are worth those of a life," Magdelena says, "It was an easy choice to make." 

"For you."

Magdelena watched the Goddess watch the water, "Goddess? Is everything alright?" 

"A child will be born and take the powers of Death, I was planning on giving them back to you in all honesty. A gift for being so selfless," she says solomly, "Since that is not an option as a new Death has been chosen, I am going to make the same sacrafice you have made." 

"I think I am confused Goddess, you plan to give up your powers?" 

"To you Magdelena," Magdelena's eyes go wide as the Goddess turns to look at her a sad smile on her face, "The child will be been abandonded too powerful for his parents to care for him. They grow scared of him, he needs the help you were never offered." 

"It is a male?" Magdelena asks confused.

"Yes, of all the children conceived from his time he was the best choice, he has a gentle heart. Much like Morgana started with, but now she has turned dark. This you must prevent." 

"I understand that, but why are you giving me your powers?" Magdelena asks, "Doesn't that seem a bit of an overstep?"

"My powers are stronger than Death always will be," the blonde woman speaks staring back at the river, "You will be able to keep his powers in check, undo what he does if needed. They will help you raise and care for him."

"Why don't you just raise him?" Magdelena asks, "You are more powerful, more knowledgable."

"But I have never been Death, there has never been a Death alive to teach another death," the blonde says sounding rather excited at this prospect, "Another reason I was willing to allow the powers to pick a male."

"Are you sure about this?" 

"Yes," the Goddess says with a smile holding out her hand toward Magdelena, "Are you?" 

Magdelena nods grasping the hand of the Goddess who leads them into the river. The ice-cold water makes Magdelena take a sharp intake of breath. The blonde grasps both of the brunettes hands, before chanting in a language that seemed ancient. Time seemed to freeze, everything stayed still, even the river was frozen in a moment. 

"It was an honor to know you Magdelena future Queen of Camelot," the soon to be ex-Goddess says softly.

"The honor was mine, Goddess," Magdelena says, "I will never forget you and everything you have done for me."

With one last smile the blonde spoke once more a golden light began to glow, swirling up above their heads into an orb. The orb glowed like the sun above their heads, once the chanting was finished, and no more light came from the blonde. The orb moved. It went to Magdelena and the light began to pour into her. She could feel the power growing inside her; the knowledge of ages filling her brain.

Once it stopped Magdelena opened her eyes and stared at the blonde woman before her, "What happens to you now?" Magdelena asks staring at the woman who held her hands with a loose grip but something told Magdelena that it was tight as the woman could go.

"Goodbye Magdelena," the now powerless woman says before she fades, turning into thousands of lights and heading into the stars. Magdelena watched sadly until she could see no more of the lights that had made up the woman. 

Time began to move once more and Magdelena quickly left the river, her clothes no longer wet as she stepped on to the shore. She walked back to the Druid camp, many shocked at her arrive she said nothing but walked to Gilthunder who was shocked at the new power coming off of her. 

'You have the power of the Goddess,' he says softly, 'What happened?'

"I will tell you on the way for now we must ride north to a small town," she says jumping on his back, "We will find the future Death there."