TRACK 4 –

MOON FLOWER

A LITTLE LESS THAN THREE DAYS PRIOR…

The walk was short but felt like an odyssey. With every single step there was a new sight, sound, or smell. In the sky all types of birds wheeled to and fro in giant multicolored arcs. While other crazy looking animals and other mystical creatures that I couldn’t identify that ranged in all sizes from tiny like a mouse to as big as a house cavorted in the emerald green fields.

Some were so large my mind had trouble categorizing them. The term Kaiju came to mind from some long drawn out rambling lecture from Law, but I hadn’t really pay attention. Either way there were so many ooh’s and ah’s that it became commonplace and I was sure we’d soon lose our voices.

We crossed bright everchanging fields of florescent colored grasses and then shining rocky plains that were made of precious metals and other semi-precious stones. Gold and silver ran together with bronze steaked through interspersed with platinum and electrum.

It was the most beautiful and terrifying land I had ever seen and almost looked like it was alive the way the light streaked and played off the shining surfaces. Giant boulders of quartz and massive hills of diamonds and onyx punctuated the landscape. Then it all became moot because directly in front of us appeared the most amazing structure that I could ever imagine. Probably more than I could imagine because I never even dreamed of anything like this.

A humungous rainbowed colored crystalline castle dominated our view. One second it was the metallic landscape and the next was the beautiful building. My new memories and knowledge helped me identify the structure and it reminded me of a medieval castle that Law had described from a movie called The Wizard of Oz. He had said it had been made of emeralds well this one was emeralds, rubies, diamonds, sapphires, and all the other jewels I could think of and more that I couldn’t identify.

“Welcome to the Palace of the Eons. It is beautiful but make no mistake here we will be in more danger than you can imagine.” Brigitte explained, her tone and stare imparting the seriousness of her words.

All of us mortals nodded and swallowed audibly. Then we followed in line side by side in pairs and the twenty-foot high double doors made of diamond and pearl opened inward. Music more beautiful than any I’d heard before sounded out almost as if it came from inside my mind. My fiancé had always talked about a movie called Bill and Teds Excellent Adventure and that I never understood how amazing the music in it was. Well this must have been it because images of him explaining it and this place kept resonating within me.

“Yes dear, it is the Wyld Stallyns.” Shakaru whispered, with a conspiratorial wink.

“Are you girls hungry? I for one am famished let’s eat really quick before we head to the meeting chamber.” Brigitte interjected, as she knocked on the giant doors.

Which were twice the height of the tall goddess and looked to made of two huge diamonds. The Irish goddess pounded on the portal and it sounded like she was playing along with the music. A few moments later the doors swung open on their own without a sound. Then Brigitte gave us all a rakish smile and strode off down the glowing marble floor her boots clacking in rhythm to the music.

My neck felt like it was going to snap due to me whipping it back and forth trying to get a good look at all the amazing new things I was seeing. My sisters were no better and all of us were like kids in a candy shop as Law liked to say. I wasn’t sure what candy was but damned if it didn’t sound amazing. It was one of those things in my new memories that was on the top of my try list.

A few seconds or minutes or days later, I wasn’t sure which since I was so enamored by our surroundings, we were sitting in a sunny crystal domed room with dozens upon dozens of celestial beings around us. I was positive they were all deities, though which ones I didn’t know, but I knew they were gods and goddesses. They just radiated that aura of power and supreme beingness and badassery like our three goddesses.

My attention though was stolen completely from studying the divine beings when we sat down. The second my butt hit the cushion an involuntary sigh escaped not only my lips but all my companions as well. This was the most comfortable chair I’d ever sat on and my body reacted on its own. It felt like I was being swallowed in pleasure and comfort.

All the tiredness and soreness fled from my body. Pain from wounds that I hadn’t realized I was suppressing was gone. I literally felt perfect. Never had I felt so health and full of vigor and life. Judging by the sounds of my companions they were feeling the same way. But that was all moot as the most tantalizing smell that had ever tinged my nostrils hit me and almost overloaded my senses.

The goddesses acted as if it was normal and for them it was but my sisters, the Chieftess, and Dancing Lion all made sounds of pleasure and satisfaction and we hadn’t even tasted the food yet. I was almost scared, but my curiosity and the tantalizing smell was more than enough to sway me and the rest. I mustered my self-control and got a hold of myself my girls did as well. I shared a knowing look with Shining Eagle. This place had more dangers than any of us realized.

Just then an oily and ridiculously evil aura hit me and only Hasteoltoi’s hand on my shoulder kept me from leaping up from my chair and running in fear. I gave her a nod of thanks and took a deep breath and looked at my companions who were just like me with Brigitte and Shakaru giving them the same support.

“Now, what do we have here Apophis?” A disgusting voice oozed.

It felt like its voice was coming from directly behind my neck and the hairs practically jumped off screaming from my discomfort. Without the goddess bolstering me I knew I wouldn’t have been able to withstand the massively evil aura.

“Some delicious morsels.” An even more sinister voice answered.

“That’s enough you Loki and you as well snake boy. You know that there is no fighting in the Palace.” Shakaru said, standing tall and confronting the two deities her sister goddesses coming to her side.

I joined my sisters and stood back from the celestial confrontation and used the time to study the vile voiced newcomers. Both were huge just like the other deities I had met. That and the aura of divine power were the only similarities between the three goddesses and their counterparts.

One of them Apophis was what his partner called him was just what Shakaru said. He was a snake person or more like a cobra person with jet black scales and firepits for eyes on his snake shaped face. His body was huge and muscular, and he stood on two legs even though all his limbs looked to be living snakes. Both his feet and hands terminated in different types of hissing and snapping snake heads. Even his stomach was a snake head. A massive spitting cobra hissed and oozed venom from its razor-sharp fangs.

All that wasn’t what I noticed first though because the god was a giant. He was huge at least double the size of Brigitte and she was no tiny being. Apophis practically dwarfed her, and he knew it using his size to try to intimidate the beautiful redhead. Brigitte didn’t even flinch and if anything stood taller and put her hands on her hips.

“Listen here you daft fucking limp dicked flaccid faced fuck boy! I will rip your…” Brigitte started in on the snake god and was really getting going when the second deity interrupted her tirade.

“Give it rest Brigitte. Like you said we can’t fight here.” The other god said.

“Suck my dick Loki you piece of shit motherfucker.” The goddess from Eire hissed.

“Oh, Brigitte you Tuatha were always so colorful with your tongues. Although, there aren’t that many left of those tongues now is there?” Loki jeered, laughing loudly in a menacing manner while suggestively flicking his tongue at her.

I studied the laughing god. He looked normal enough even his size seemed normal. If anything, he reminded me of a cross between my brothers-in-law but whereas my brothers faces always had a glint of humor and happiness Loki’s face was just nasty. His leer promised pain and punishment. It was one of those faces where you just knew he tortured animals and probably people for fun. So, his nasty ass face and his pale blond hair were the main differences.

He had one of those faces that just pisses you off. I found myself getting uncontrollably angry just looking at the fucker, as Brigitte would say. He must have sensed my growing ire because right at that moment he transferred his gaze from the goddess to me. I hate to admit but I froze. Every fiber of my being went rigid and I went white, deathly white. Never had I been so scared. It was as if terror permeated my entire body.

“Don’t worry dear I will deal with you soon.” Loki said, in a voice that promised he’d make good on his words.

Shakaru pulled me behind her and stood in front of me protectively and it was as if a spell was broken. I began to shiver uncontrollably and realized in the back of my mind I had almost died, more than almost, I felt like I could have been utterly destroyed. Judging by the evil grin across Loki’s face I was right.

“That’s enough. Our forces will meet on the battlefield. Anything else is just grandstanding. Both of you begone or we can turn this into a dual and I highly doubt your master will appreciate it you disobey his orders now.” Hasteoltoi commanded, thunder and lightning flashing in her eyes and crackling across her skin.

All eyes in the room were now upon us as the mood had changed. All three goddesses and both gods were radiating an aura of power and it hit us mortals like a hammer.

A tense moment went by and I wasn’t sure whether the gods and goddesses were going to fight, and we were going to die and then it passed.

Loki was the first to stand down and he went from fully charged and radiating dark purple energy to nothing. The god put on a sickly smile and raised his hands nonthreateningly then shared a look with his partner. Apophis stood there glaring and fully powered for another moment then he to let his divine aura wane.

“We will see you on the field of battle and I will make all three of you part of my snake harem. You can join my other defeated bitches.” Apophis chortled, as he turned and walked away not bothering to look back at the three goddesses.

Loki chortled and then followed after his huge friend tossing a sarcastic wave over his shoulder at us. Shakaru took a step forward but Hasteoltoi put a hand on her shoulder and shook her head in the negative. The goddess stopped but stuck her tongue out and gave the pair a raspberry.

Now, everyone knows what a raspberry is but I’m pretty sure ninety-nine-point-nine percent of people have probably never had the joy of experiencing a deity giving one. It was glorious. The sound was like thunder rolling and the spittle flew like rain stopping just short of hitting the two vile gods. Apophis turned his head and hissed Shakaru but Loki just pushed him onward and the two left the cafeteria.

After they left it was as if the entire cafeteria took a collective breath and then sighed and all the tension left the room. The goddesses gestured for us to sit back down and then they followed suit.

“Enjoy your food. We still have time before we meet Law and the other gods.” Hasteoltoi said, doing as she suggested.

The rest of us deities and humans alike did the same and after a few more minutes of quiet at the table we all finished eating the delicious sustenance. Brigitte stood up and motioned for us all to follow her and we left the cafeteria with all eyes trained our way. Once out of the room and the dozens of staring eyes we headed deeper into the palace. The three goddesses waved, smiled, and exchanged pleasantries with various deities and other mythical beings we crossed paths with.

We began climbing a grand staircase wide enough and large enough for a group of people to walk ten abreast. The stairs themselves were made for beings a few feet taller than us so each step was more like two. By the time we reached the top all us human women were panting and sweating exhaustedly. Then I took in the grandeur of our surroundings and the exhaustion was meaningless.

“Have you ever seen anything so beautiful before in your entire life?” Dancing Lion said, voice full of awe.

“Not even in my dreams.” I replied, in the same tone.

“I’d hate to disagree with such a beautiful and intelligent woman such as yourself but I’m afraid I must. I’ve seen something that puts that view to shame and I’m staring at her right now.” A familiar voice said.

I turned around to the speaker and standing there in front a giant swirling vortex was my future husband.

“Law?” I asked under my breath, then without waiting for an answer I sprinted forward and threw myself into his outstretched arms.

The minute I felt his skin and smelled his familiar scent I knew it was him. We locked eyes and I then kissed each other and everything was right in the world.