***I incorporated a screenwriting style in this chapter for slight emphasis***

The world is dark. Every being, animal, trees, sea; everything on earth freezes in place.

The. Earth. Stands. Still.

I wake up and my body is held immobile by an unseen force. The pain in my insides is nonstop and excruciating, aahh the pain. A hand is twisting my insides and making me burn from the inside out. I don't see the goddess, but I feel her presence; all I see is darkness. I try to move but again some force holds me in place. I struggle against the hold but it's not budging.

"You dare to speak to me in such a disrespectful manner? OMEGA YOU WILL NOT DISRESPECT YOUR MAKER!"

"Disrespect my maker?" I laugh, "I see why Alphas are your favorites, you all get off on demanding respect and not doing anything to earn it. Mother dearest, you do not get respect, you earn it!"

"OMEGA BEWARE! I MADE YOU AND I CAN KILL YOU WHERE YOU STAND!" Her voice thunders in the darkness. Flashes of lightning pierce through the darkness at her voice.

I snicker, "Take a good look mother at where I am. Does it look like I am having a ball? I think not. So, lady, do your worst."

"You Omega have tested my patience since your conception. You are a mistake seed of my child, your father. He wanted you to live and made a deal with me and died in your place. I have been very lenient with you and now you insult me? YOU WILL PAY FOR YOUR INSOLENCE, OMEGA!" And the flashes of lightning pierce my body like a knife stabbing consistently on my skin.

My insides hurt as if they are also being twisted more and more as if into a pretzel. I am dying, this pain is worse than the rogue whippings. Maybe I shouldn't have dared a deity. My breathing is slowing, my soul is waning, and I can only whisper an invocation and a last call for help before I die to another deity just as powerful as my goddess.

"Sun god, un irru xi kaaku quaryapi. Un girqupi kaum puir knurr xaxirr kaak piur mu kruir knurr xyaum crug xi kaum giri giyar kak kaaku. Xagar un knurr xagar kaaku giyab. Halloweth be."

"How do you know the language of the Sun worshippers? Answer me, Omega!" The Moon goddess yells.

My head falls on my shoulders and I draw my last breath. Or so I thought! The most radiant of light blots out the darkness and a male figure, covered in radiant orange, walks up to me, holds my head and says:

"Un xaxirr, mu giyar."

and then I fall into a trance.

Moon goddess: YOU CANNOT HELP HIM

Sun god: HE INVOKED MY NAME

Moon goddess: YOU CANNOT HELP HIM, BROTHER! HE IS MINE. I CREATED HIM.

Sun god: HE CAME TO ME, SISTER! HE REJECTED YOU AND WALKED INTO MY ARMS.

Moon goddess: WE CANNOT INTERFERE IN THE LIVES OF EACH OTHER'S CHILDREN. IT IS THE RULE!!! YOU CANNOT HAVE MY CHILD.

Sun god: HE CALLED ME: HE INVOKED THE ANCIENT CALL!!!

The world settles into a battle between the Sun and the moon. The earth is radiant one minute, dark the next. The sun pushes against the darkness and vice versa. Both equal in strength and tenacity. The earth looks as if cut down the middle with the sun on one side, darkness the other.

The Sun god wakes his children: The Originals, the Elementals, and the Watchers as did the Moon goddess who wakes up her children: The Elders and The Shadows.

The former amiable ruling class is now visibly divided and ready for battle against each other, while every other being on earth is still frozen.

The heavens open and the Ancient One appears. His face is glowing like porcelain white and his head has a gold band around it and the rest of his body is unseen. He glides across the heavens. And looks down sadly at his children the Sun and the Moon. He shakes his head at their fighting postures wondering if his children will ever love, or at the very least like each other.

As he continues to glide with shimmering lights trailing him, he looks at Cal, frozen in his chains. And at Esme who is surprisingly outside the compound, frozen with her arms raised while chanting. Both in a trance, aware of everything but unable to move or speak.

He smiles and muses to himself if this time he has chosen the perfect duo. He looks deep in their hearts and unlike his two first born, these ones actually love each other. He continues on his walk, admiring his other creations, smiles at the humans frozen in their respective activities. He glides on air as he admires the beauty that is earth.

Taking a deep breath, knowing what must now be done, he touches his children and immediately they unfreeze and bow in reverence.

Moon goddess & Sun god: "Father."

They greet the Ancient One as they kneel and bow their heads on the ground, arms outstretched.

Ancient One: MUST YOU TWO DO THIS TILL THE END OF TIME? He bellows. Thunder rolls, lightning strikes, and the wind rages.

They don't answer, both deities are still on their knees with heads bowed, arms outstretched.

Ancient One: Rise!

Moon goddess & Sun god: Yes, Father.

Ancient One: I warned you at the beginning of time that if you two do not find a way to work together, I will find two others who will. And I have.

Ancient One: I like this young wolf and the young witch. Do you ever wonder why they are symbiotically tied to each other? You two have done enough damage to your children, and their children and on and on. These two will be the beginning of fixing things for my humans and your creations. Even though you created them, they are still my grandchildren. Call it a new era. You might as well warn your children they are in for a shakeup.

Ancient One: I really like this wolf; he has stumbled upon the one thing that I put in place to override whatever games you two put your children and descendants through. CHOICE! My humans have the power of choice. He renounced you and chose him. Where did I go wrong with the two of you? NO MORE! YOU WILL NOT TAKE AWAY THIS WOLF'S CHOICE OF A DIETY FROM HIM. HE MADE HIS CHOICE AND IT STAYS!! THE WOLF AND THE WITCH BELONG TO ME AND YOU WILL NOT TOUCH THEM!!!

Moon goddess: There has to be a consequence for switching deities, father. This is your rule!

Sun god: I agree with her.

Ancient One: That's a first. Fine, take one of his powers.

Moon goddess: That is no consequence, he doesn't even want the ones he has!

Sun god: And he is set to get more as her grandchild and now mine before your arrival!

Ancient One: That's all I will allow. And you will not interfere in this coming battle to save him. You will erase the war you almost started from the memory of your children. I have faith in this young wolf and this witch. They will be empowered to do what you two have failed to do for millennia.

Moon goddess: Then I take away the power to self-heal.

Sun god: Too late, that is a permanent power from his 'cleansing'. What about his power to freeze?

Moon goddess: That was his power from his father, my child. I cannot reverse it, you know that.

Ancient One: Don't worry Cal. They're in for a surprise! I know you and Esme will not let me down. I expect much more from both of you. The supernatural world is in your hands now. And by the time they find one power to take from you, you will be old and grey and have no need for any power.

He returns Cal to his chains and Esme to the outskirts of the compound. He breathed on the both of them: Cal shines white as ice for an instant and Esme red as fire too. He fades away leaving his children to do what they do best: argue.

Moon goddess and Sun god look in the direction of where the Ancient One went.

Moon goddess: It has started hasn't it?

Sun god: Yes, it has. He did warn us.

Moon goddess: How do you think this will end?

Sun god: Only father knows.

Moon goddess: Dammit this Omega starts IT all?

Sun god: Yes, he does.

Moon goddess: If only I had known.

Sun god: He's mine now.

The Moon goddess looks at Cal, reaches out to gently touch his frozen body and stops. He made his decision, and he is no longer hers. She leaves and the darkness and the moon leave with her.

The Sun god walks up to Cal, the radiance from the Sun god warms him, and Cal opens his eyes.

"Sun god?" He whispers.

"Yes, my child."

"Am I dead?"

"Not yet. You renounced your goddess and invoked me. There will be consequences for switching deities."

"I know."

"You know? How?"

"We heard."

"We?"

"Esme and me."

"He truly chose you two, didn't he? Well, I must go. I cannot take you away from here, this situation has to run its course. Take heart, the Calvary is on its way. Besides your root is already here. Call me whenever you need me, and I'll answer."

"Thank you, father."

Sun god leaves. The world restarts, and the sun is back in the sky. The supernaturals and humans were unaware of what had just happened and resume their irrespective activities including the ones on their way to rescue Cal.

Fighting, renouncing and invoking deities take a lot out of a person. Physically I am energized, emotionally I am drained.

I hear footsteps and I brace myself ready for another round of beating till my rescuers arrive.

To my shock, in walks, Sierra Jones flanked by my rogue abuser.

She is dressed in black, shiny skin tight jumpsuit. A witch dressed as a cat? The irony of the whole thing would have been funny if I wasn't tied up and obviously this witch is responsible. On her head is a tiara. Is this witch for real?

"Sierra? You? Why?" I ask baffled.

She cackles as she walks closer to me. She just proved that some witches do actually cackle. The rogue stands by the door guarding it

Slap! "My lady to you," she screeches.

No, she didn't just slap me. And ouch that stings!

"Cal, welcome to your eternal home. Cozy isn't it? Right next to you are three additional cells in preparation for your mates and Tobias. I wouldn't want to separate mates now, would I?"

"Tobias? Why?"

Slap! Again, with the slap, what a bitch.

"We plan to take over his clan too."

"You're right she is one ambitious crazy witch," I nod to the one that just materialized into the cell.

"Who the fuck are you talking to? You haven't been here long enough to go bonkers, shithead!"

"She says I'm her root and right now? Your worst nightmare," I reply.

"Now you think you're a witch. You have gone crazy. Only witches have roots, idiot." She sneers.

"Imagine my surprise too, when I found out from one bitchy witch that I am her root," I wink at Esme. Esme appeared a few seconds ago to my delight, unbeknown to the other two. Now she has the rogue by the throat effectively silencing him.

"Who?"

"Why am I not surprised? Your greed never ceases to amaze me, Sierra."

Sierra turns sharply towards the familiar voice.

"How? I didn't sense you."

"Same skill just better than yours, stronger veil."

Esme is bat shit mad! She twists the rogue's head and he drops down dead.

"He's your root? I have always known that you are strange. Wait till the others hear about this. He is dead." she laughs. She walks in the opposite direction of Esme's movement, now circling each other.

"Still singing the same old song, I see. Now, why would a wannabe sorcerer kidnap a High Lord?"

Esme waves her hands and my cuffs open releasing me from the chains. The abruptness of her actions causes me to fall on my butt. "Ouch! Give a guy a warning, will you," I link her.

"I am a sorcerer and soon will be a lady, so show some respect!"

"A lady, you? Respect? No on both counts. You kidnapped my root and for that, you will die."

"I'm more powerful now than I was when you left the coven, Esme. So, don't expect this fight to be like our last one." She raises her hands and chants and Esme is thrown against the wall, hard. Wow!

"Is that all you've got? You must have been stealing powers from some really low-level witches," Esme growls as she gets up. "And your veil over the compound was a smart touch for a dumbass like you, I'm impressed."

She continues, "a long time ago, I considered you a good friend. You betrayed me and had me excommunicated from the coven. I let you live hoping you will see the error of your ways. I was wrong. You will never change. You must die. You will suffer excruciatingly and then I just might put you out of your misery and kill you."

Esme stops, bends her head. When she raises it, her whole body is outlined in fire with orange flames. Holy shit!

"Kill me? You won't, you need the permission of a coven to kill me." Sierra says sounding scared. She backs away from Esme.

"You're right, I won't kill you. But your punishment will make you wish you were dead the rest of your days. You will beg for death and it will not come." Esme raises her hands to the sky as if asking for permission, "AS HIGH PRIESTESS OF THE PHOENIX COVEN, I ESME WOOD, STRIP YOU SIERRA JONES OF YOUR POWERS. I RETURN ALL YOUR POWERS, INHERITED AND STOLEN TO THE SUN GOD. I BIND YOU FROM RECEIVING OR STEALING ANY POWER UNTIL YOU MEET THE SUN GOD. SO SHALL IT BE."

She points a fiery hand at Sierra, lifts her up, and takes her other hand and wraps it around her throat. Sierra screams in pain as the fire segues from her throat to the ground. She falls, blacks out and Esme walks over to her.

"Stop Esme, she's done," I yell at her. I am not going to let Esme kill her, if she does, she may regret it all her life.

She glances at me, "she kidnapped you, Cal. She would've killed you! She deserves more pain."

"NO!!!"

I stretch my hand towards Sierra, and her body pulls towards me. I look at my hands in shock. Umm! Shit, I move things now?

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