Forever Yours

Chapter Thirty-Four

"Makaria..."

The voice was distant, like a far-off land that she couldn't reach. It called to her, quietly and softly. A mother's soothing voice. Yet... it was different somehow... It wrapped her in warmth and comfort. A shimming blue gown shined behind her eyelids as a woman begin to appear, her long blond hair tied away from her face as soft golden eyes stared down at the girl.

"Makaria, child... You need to wake up..." she whispered softly as she bent down to run a hand over Makaria's head. The headache that had begun to form disappeared, bringing sweet relief with it. "You have to stop Kronos, my darling."

Who are you? Makaria asked as she kept her eyes closed. She just needed a minute. Her body needed the minute to adjust.

"I'm Hera, Queen of the Gods," the woman told her. "Before Kronos kills again, you need to wake up. You're the only one who can stop him."

With that last statement, Makaria groaned softly. She rolled over onto her back, feeling the pain wash over her as she did. Her turquoise eyes were still close. She didn't want to wake up. She didn't want to face what was going on. She just wanted to lay there in her soft... bed... Wait a minute... I'm not in a bed... came the harsh realization as she felt the coldness swept into her skin.

"Makaria, you have to wake up right now!" Hera was more persistent this time, almost yelling at her.

Wiggling her fingers, Makaria groan with the small movement. It hurt, as did everything else. Her body felt broken, yet she could feel it was whole. No broken bones, nothing tore out of her. She was still alive. That's a blessing...

In the grand scheme of things, Makaria noted that her journey into the world of ancient Greek gods wasn't one she cared to remember. She'd found out she had a father who was the God of the Dead, Hades. Her mother was the Goddess of Spring. She'd had her heart torn out of her chest by a vengeful goddess before being brought back to life by the one person who was made just for her. Or was she made just for him? Didn't matter, they'd found one another anyways. Why couldn't she have a normal family? Why couldn't she be normal? That question played within her mind, making her wish things could be different but knowing they weren't. Opening her eyes, she knew that things were never going to be the same.

"Now isn't the time to dwell on things. You need to wake up and release the others."

You're rather annoying, you know. I was just thrown against a cavern wall. I need a few minutes to adjust, okay? She silently told Hera.

Hera huffed in annoyance before her figure came into a more pronounced view. "You haven't got time! NOW OPEN YOUR EYES!"

Makaria's eyes opened to see Kronos standing in front of the cage, his smirk one of indifference as he ignored the pain the golden bars brought to his hands. Throwing the cage's door open, he pulled a disheveled-looking Hermes out and threw him to the ground. Closing the door once more, he chuckled at the frighten look on Hermes face. "Athena had the same look on her face, don't you remember, Messenger?" he said as Kronos walked over to where the petrified Hermes was as he stared up at him.

Lifting the god from the cavern floor and into the air by his neck, Kronos looked over at the others. "This is the cost of disobedience. Take heed, my children, for the same shall be done to you," he smirked as he raised Hermes higher into the air. They watched in horror as light wisps of smoke circled up from Hermes's neck and shoulders. Twin towers of white vapor spread up from the floor, wrapping around his body as Hermes struggled to be free of the titans' grasp.

Breathing hard, Hermes felt the hand that was around his neck tighten, the air leaving his body as he tried to suck in as much as he could. More vapor rose up from the ground, covering his body until a soft green glow could be seen. It moved within the smoke, pulsing as death begin to snuff it out.