Chapter 16: Trinity

The crowd had witnessed everything; the sound of breaking glass, the ray of light and the rainbow in the sky. Now the rainbow had disappeared, leaving just a clear blue sky, and it was silent. Bahren Mongel was trying to sort his mind and thankful for the silence, but a piercing scream ended the short reprieve.

It was the priest at the window. A thick black fluid was leaking from his eyes and smeared all over his face. Staring down at his bloodstained hands the priest was screaming in terror.

Bahren heard someone’s muttering amongst the crowd.

“Eytena da Ghania; Ghania’s Tears”

He turned to search for the source of the voice and what he found was a group of priests and priestesses.

“Look at his face!”

“The girl speaks the Old Language and has hexed Ghania’s Servant.”

“Dark magic; she is a witch!”

“Look at her dog! The girl is a demon escaped from the underworld. Messaya protect us!”

The murmurs spread and became shouts as more and more people streamed in from the streets and alleys. Denyssa was standing at Menja’s side, holding the little girl’s hand. The huge dog stood in front of them, crouching and snarling. Bahren watched his soldiers slowly backing away from the trio as the noise of the shouting increased.

“BURN THEM!” Someone shouted and it was taken and repeated, again and again.

Ten years ago Bahren had accepted the job to guard this town. Ten years, and he had found a home and a family. Ten years it had been an easy task for the battle hardened mercenary. Today he would protect the town, his home and his family, just like any other day. One day it had to end like this, the finalization of a mercenary’s servitude, his destiny.

Bahren thoughts returned to the scene. The older girl, Denyssa, was scared. Scared that she wouldn’t be able to protect the three of them. The dog was silent now. His pale-blue eyes were searching the crowd for a target. Unlike Denyssa, the dog would protect his charges without pondering the odds of success. Bahren looked at the little girl. Her sea-green eyes examined everything around her and she wrinkled her brows at what she saw. There was no fear in her expression, what Bahren perceived was a growing, simmering anger. He didn’t know if Menja was a Goddess, a witch or a Demon, but it didn’t matter to him. His job was to protect the town and his family, and that’s what he would do.

More angry shouts and the enraged crowd slowly advanced.

Bahren Mongel had seen countless battles and had survived because of his instincts. He was always able to sense the sources of danger and he was aware of them now. The instincts of a warrior.

The crowd was like a giant’s fist closing around them. Out of the corner of his eyes Bahren saw the big dog. The muscles in his hind legs tensing he crouched a little lower. The war dog was ready and eager to attack. The changes in the crowd were a little more subtle. The priests had fallen back. They wouldn’t attack directly but heat up and steer the mass of people. The riot was part of a battle plan and the enraged citizens just the first line of attack, no more than a pawn sacrifice starting the fight. Bahren had also noticed blotches of color pattern blossoming out within the crowd. Canbierra, Dohougney and Callghannen warriors were forming their own groups within the crowd. He had also seen the movement on the roof of the house across the street. A group of tall women armed with long bows had taken position. The Amazons had arrived as well.

All this were obvious sources of danger, easily detected, but Bahren Mongel was an old warrior and he wouldn’t have become old without his ability to sense more than the obvious.

She wasn’t yelling and as she smoothly made her way through the furious crowd, the tall, blond woman didn’t look upset at all. He had never seen her before but all his senses were screaming as she reached the foremost row of people surrounding him. He could see the hunger in her sparkling blue eyes. The woman was a wolf amongst the sheep.

Bahren let his gaze wander back the direction the woman had come from. He couldn’t see anyone at the end of the overcrowded alley, but he felt drawn to go there and enjoy what he was sure to find. An oasis of beauty at the end of this desert of ugliness, a siren’s call, a powerful presence, another mortal danger.

The old warrior had taken in everything. All he saw, all he could feel and all that he knew. Bahren Mongel drew his sword and just like the other forces gathering and taking position, he waited. He was aware of the danger around him but he was waiting for the arrival of more than a mere threat to his life. He didn’t have to wait long.

She came down the road from Notabir’s market place. At first he couldn’t see her, but a wave of silence announced her arrival and the crowd quietly parted. Athea walked through the corridor of bodies up to the little girl at the end of her path, but Bahren Mongel was looking towards the south.

Chaos had arrived on the battlefield and Destruction would follow. Not a danger but a certainty.

A little smile played on her lips as she watched Denyssa and Menja tightening their grip holding hands. Menja returned Athea’s gaze out of wide open, innocent eyes, but Denyssa looked scared.

“They want to burn us, please help us Athea,” Denyssa pleaded, her voice trembling of fear.

“The Goddess of Wisdom, my aunt Feya, just told me I’ve to kill Menja because it is the only way for me to have the future I want and that Roban had promised to me.” Athea replied evenly.

“But I didn’t do anything bad. I only wanted to give food to the orphans because they are hungry,” Menja said, sounding surprised.

“It’s not because of anything you did, little sister, it’s because of your new twin, Ghania. They want her back and you are just a little human girl and don’t matter to them,” Athea answered.

“But Ghania doesn’t want to go back and I am not just a little girl anymore. I am like you and Roban now. He is my real daddy and you’re my real sister because I’ve a Goddess in my head like you do!” Menja returned with a frown.

“Ghania doesn’t want to go back, but does she want to stay with us and to become a part of our family? Maybe she only came to take her Atady away from us and leave again to take a walk along the beach?” Athea asked calmly but her pale blue eyes were blazing.

In response to Athea’s question Menja broke their eye contact and stared past Athea into a far distance.

“You are worried of a dream, but I will give you a memory to make you understand that I won’t take anything away from you.”

Menja turned to face her again and Athea saw golden comets chasing over a sea-green sky as looked into her eyes.

Three moons were shining from a sea-green sky and Athea could see the snowcapped peaks of a high mountain chain at the far horizon. A river was passing between gently rising, green hills. It was warm and the air was filled with the smell of the flowers bordering the river shore. The singing of thousands of colorful birds, swimming or stilting the shallow edges of the river, completed the perfectly beautiful and peaceful scene. Athea was walking up on a hill when she spotted them sitting under a giant oak tree. Coming closer she could hear them talking.

“Do you like it Atady?” The little girl asked the big man sitting beside her.

“It is beautiful, but I don’t understand why Feya built so many temples. All her priests and priestesses are on Calmyra, who’s supposed to visit her temples here on Atyseos?” The man asked in response.

The little girl shrugged her shoulders and cuddled up at the man’s side. Coming up close behind the couple Athea heard herself answering the question.

“Feya is planning to reward her believers here on Atyseos after they pass Balkhor’s and Messaya’s judgment. You made the underworld, but Feya, the greedy bitch, wants her followers serving her even through their afterlife.”

The man and the girl turned around watching Athea.

“They always want something, and then something more and then still something more,” she added.

“I have a little sister who is exactly like that too,” the man replied grinning.

“That is soooo not true! I’m merely trying to help and improve on my little sister’s creations and she always likes my suggestions!” Athea huffed in mock outrage.

Enthusiastically nodding the little girl expressed her agreement. “Eyna always has the funniest ideas!”

“See! Ghania and I, we are soul sisters. She is the great artist and I am inspiring her to reach for perfection. When I came up here I saw all those pretty birds and their singing is really beautiful, but they are walking around a little aimlessly. Suddenly I had the idea that there should be something countering their beauty. Give them a reason to walk, or run or even to fly. I was thinking about something big, ugly and dangerous. Then there is that perfectly peaceful mountain chain. I think it could become boring watching it. There should be a mountain spitting fire and molten rocks. Maybe a few of these would fly far enough to come crashing down on Feya’s silly temples,” Athea expounded, gesturing wildly, while Ghania was listening intently and clapping her hands in excitement.

“There is still a void in the middle of the ocean from the time you had the marvelous idea that a monstrous vortex would add a valuable aspect of exuberance to the scenery,” the man argued but was still grinning.

“That’s why we are a triplet; Ghania, Eyna, Zeroth; Artist, Inspiration and Erasure,” Athea solemnly intoned.

“You are making fun of me!” The little girl was trying to look stern but failed and a wide smile split her face.

“Fun is what I want for us and that’s why we have to leave this place. We need to find a new home away from them,” Athea angrily responded.

“But they are our family,” Ghania replied in a hushed tone.

“No, they are not! You two are my only family. From the day I was born they lied and deceived, plotted and schemed, trying to use me against you. They are our enemies and we will leave Atyseos to find a new home. I was born as the last, but I will lead and you will follow, for I am the Way!” Athea shouted.

She was staring down at the little girl standing in front of her. Engulfed in her shadow Ghania looked frightened but nodded. Athea turned to watch Zeroth and saw he was nodding as well. She wasn’t even surprised that he was also still grinning.

Athea’s view cleared of the vision, but was blocked by honey-blond hair as her mind returned from the past to the present. Menja was hugging her tightly and the giant palm-tree braid on top of her head was tickling Athea’s face.

“I never wanted to be alone, never want to leave you again. I want to be with you and Atady, forever. Please don’t make me leave you,” the girl cried.

Athea took hold and pulled on her braid until she could see her crying face.

“There is a bit too much hair on your head, but that’s no reason to cry. You didn’t believe that I suddenly would listen to Feya, did you?” Athea asked smirking and saw a flicker of hope appear on the girl’s face.

“I am Athea but I am also Eyna. Although he didn’t need to, your Atady, my brother, was busily preparing me. I lost my memories but I didn’t lose my brain. The day you arrived in the body of Menja I told you that we are a family. You are my sister, you always were and no lie or deceit can change that.

That’s quite the brouhaha you caused here and our audience is probably getting impatient. Let’s make an announcement that will prevent any further misconceptions,” Athea told her smiling and then she turned facing the crowd.

“I see all the priests amongst you and your Gods and Goddesses just told me that I have to kill the little girl at my side. To your gods and goddesses I am Chaos and they probably thought they convinced me of the necessity. Now their priests look at me and start doubting my conviction. That’s why they seem so confused at the moment. Let me clear all the doubts and misconceptions that you and they might harbor.

To most of you I am Athea Maghon and the little girl at my side is my adopted little sister Menja. As strange as it is, presently I still feel the need to point out that I wouldn’t like you to burn her.

I have another message to those of you to whom I am Chaos. Your gods told me that murdering my little sister would be the only solution for me to reach my goals. How utterly stupid to tell me that there is only one way. I AM EYNA, I AM THE WAY!

Your gods, our family, they killed my brother countless times and yesterday they murdered a young girl like me. Her name was Rhabina, she was my friend and my lover. Today they want the death of my little sister Menja and for me to become her killer.

It’s enough and here is my message to all of you.”

Athea’s bell like voice rose in intensity, pervading the silence and piercing the minds of the people surrounding her.

“I am Athea Maghon, High Protector of the Northern Territory of Vernya and I am Eyna, the Goddess of Chaos. Most importantly I am a woman with a family that I have to protect. Two months ago my brother and I disowned our godly family. It wasn’t enough. Today I will end the time of hidden agendas once and for all. Today I declare war against the Gods and Goddesses who once were our family.”

Turning her face Athea glared at the captain of Notabir’s town guard. Pointing at him she continued.

“Bahren Mongel, you are the protector of this town, but you can’t protect this scum. These priests and their mindless followers wanted to burn my sister. They are my enemies and will be the first of many to die in this war! If you want to save Notabir take your guards, throw out the priests and burn their temples. If you don’t, I will take it that you have chosen to become my enemy as well and will give that order to the Norgar.”