Death of a Goddess. 69

Muerte sat high on Balthazar's throne In deep contemplation. The invasion of the Wolves Lair had failed miserably. Sure, a few werewolves and vampires had died. And Valkar had been injured, but not one dragon had died. None had even been hurt. But there was still the night walkers, they may still do the job. Balthazar had sent all he created at the Lair. The only problem was, she couldn't see the outcome. She slammed her fist down on the arm of the throne and broke it off. These dragons were going to die if she had to kill them herself, one by one. She got up from the ruined throne and called for someone to attend her. One of Balthazar's staff came in and dropped down to his knees bowing before her.
" You called My Lady?" His eyes never rose from the floor to face her.
"Yes. I did." She grabbed the man from the floor her eyes blazing and her fangs extended.
" Mercy my lady!" He cried in fear as she raised him to her mouth.
" Mercy?" She said. " This is mercy!"
And she tore into his throat and drank replenishing her strength with his life force. The vampire struggled against her to no avail. Soon his body went limp and she dropped him to the floor. She had things to do, like prepare for the arrival of her guest. They would be here soon to rescue their mother. She smiled as she tossed the dead body on the pile of her other victims in the corner.This would be the end of everything she had planned. Once she took the moon goddess's daughters life and her children, she would have all the power she needed to end the lived of everyone in the world. Including the dragons. Once that was done, it was on to the other gods. Her brothers and sisters and her parents the High gods. That thought brought a smile to her bloody lips. Muerte looked over to the altar where Angela lay confined. She walked over and smiled down at her.
" Don't my little moonling." She walked around the altar." They'll be here soon and all this will be over. For everyone."
" Your plan won't work." Angela spat at her. " They'll stop you."
" Who? Your children?" She laughed. " You think they could possibly have the power to stop me?"
" They won't be alone." Angela struggled against her magical bond without any success.
" You expect the dragons to come running to your aid don't you." Muerte leaned down and stroked her hair. " I think they'll be a little busy licking their wounds."
" What do you mean?" She stop her struggling and looked up at her enemy. Muerte turned to the door.
" BALTHAZAR!!"
Slowly walking into the throne room, Balthazar avoided looking at his goddess. Like all the others he kept his eyes lowered until he was reached the altar.Then he went to his knees before her.
" Yes Mistress?"
" She wants to know why the dragons won't be coming to save her." Muerte walked back to the throne. " Tell her."
" I've sent my entire army of warriors and night walkers against them." He told his wife. " They should be overwhelmed by now. Maybe even dead."
" No!" Angela cried. " This can't be!!"
" Ah but it is." The death goddess said. " And news of the final outcome should be here soon. As will your children."
Angela couldn't believe any of this to be true. The dragons can't be dead. What of her mother? What of the father she had yet to meet. She had to stop Athene and Tanis from coming here and throwing their lives away. She closed her eyes and called out to them.
[ Athene! Tanis!] She sent with all her might. [ Stay away! Don't come here! They will kill you!]
[ We come mother.] Came back to her. [ We'll save you!]
[NOOOOOOOOO!!!!] She screamed in her mind. But the contact was broke and they were gone. Muerte had blocked her from contacting anyone else.
" Their close." She said. " I can feel them. Can't you Balthazar my sweet. Your children are coming."
Turning to her husband. Angela pleaded with him to stop this before it was to late for any of them.
" Balthazar." She called him. " These are your children. You raised Tanis yourself. Doesn't his life mean anything to you? Stop her. Save our children I beg of you!!"
Balthazar walked over to the altar and looked at his wife bound there. He still thought she was so beautiful. But that didn't matter. Muerte would give him all the power he deserved. She would make him her consort and a god like her. Angela and the children were the price of his godhood. A price he was glad to pay. They meant nothing compared to that.
" You are nothing to me." He said as he slapped her face. " She is my goddess. She is my life now and she wants yours. And that, I'm happy to give."

Across the lake from the castle high on the cliff. Two lone figures stood. They were on a mission to free someone very important to them from the hands of the mad goddess and her minion Balthazar. they looked at each one last time. 
" Ready?" Tanis said.
" Yes." His sister answered.
They spread their arms and shifted to her raven and his hawk and took off toward the castle.it didn't take them long to get there. No more then a few minutes and they were settled in the throne rooms open window watching their enemy. Muerte sat on her throne while Balthazar. stood beside her.
" You can come down now." Muerte called. " I know your there."
Launching themselves into the room they flew down and shifted back to their selves and stood by their mother at the altar.
" Free her." Tanis told them. " You have us. Free our mother."
" But I want you all." Muerte said smiling at them. " I think a family should die together. Don't you Balthazar?"
" if that is your wish Mistress." He looked at his family with contempt.
" It my wish." She stood and stepped down from her broken throne. " You three will give me the power to carry out my plans."
" And what is that?" Athene asked.
" Why to go on my death walk and spread death to everyone on Keanna." She said. " Sweet death , dark oblivion for everyone."
" Your mad." Tanis shouted. " We can't let you do this."
" But how will you stop me?" She laughed. " Your insects compared to me. A goddess. What can you do?"
" This." Tanis said as he brought his hand together in a thunderous clap. The air shimmered around them and their images faded. Where Tanis and Athene once stood, now stood Aramis and Alea. Muerte stepped back in shock at seeing her sister and her husband standing there. " Surprised to see us? You were expecting two helpless kids to destroy weren't you? Well that's not going to happen."
Alea walked over to her daughter and touched her bindings and they snapped and disappeared. She climbed off the table and hugged her mother.
" Where are Athene and Tanis?" She asked. " Are they safe?"
" Yes they are." Alea told her. " They're in New Keanna."
" And the dragons?"
" They're all fine." Aramis said. " You failed Muerte. All your warriors and night walkers are dead. There's nothing left but the two of you."
" Then I'll start all over again." Muerte fumed,her anger showed in her glowing eyes. " Death will prevail."
" I'm afraid not my wife." Aramis pulled Hazard from behind his back, the flames bellowing out. " This is the end. I can't let you go any further."
Muerte's face showed her shock as she saw Hazard in his hand. Selena's death blade.
" KILL THEM!!" She screamed at Balthazar and pushed him forward toward Aramis.
" NO!!" Angela shouted. " He's mine!"
She stepped out to face her husband. Her hands began to glow with power as her anger grew.
" You thought to sacrifice our children to your death bitch. You imprisoned me for over twenty years denying me my freedom." Her hands formed glowing blades from her magic. " You will join her in death."
Balthazar had that wicked grin on his face. He stepped out to confront his wife and held out his hands to flex his claws. It looked like six inch knives extending from his fingers. He looked up from his claws into Angela's eyes.
" I'm going to enjoy this." He began circling around her.
" Not as much as I will." She sneered at him
Balthazar charged at her swinging out to slash at her face. Angela ducked and sent a sweeping kick into his mid section that knocked the air out of him and doubled him over.
"You thought I would be an easy target didn't you." She said as he stood back up. " Guess again."
Balthazar summoned a power ball and threw it at her then came in and to grab her. She swung her glowing hand out and batted the power ball away and spun on her heels avoiding his reach. Quickly she sent her elbow into the back of his neck and sent him sprawling to the floor. Balthazar howled his rage and jumped to his feet. How could this weak witch be beating him?
Enraged, Balthazar started sending blast after blast of red bolts at her. Quickly Angela created a shield in front of her to reflect his magic away her her.
" Is this the best the mighty Balthazar can do?" She laughed and sent her own back at him. Red and blue blasts streak across the throne room. Balthazar tried raising his own shields, but her blasts were to strong and tore it down. He couldn't believe how powerful she had become. Fear of losing was now beginning to creep into his mind. Balthazar looked to Muerte for help, but she had her own problems to deal with. He was on his own and probably doomed.
Muerte took her place back on the throne as Aramis and Alea came to stand in front of her. Her beautiful hair flowing and framing her lovely face. Aramis could tell she was pumping herself up to be as alluring as she could be to him. Her smile told him she thought it was working.
" You never could resist me my husband." She said seductively. " Even after I had destroyed thousands in some useless war or catastrophe. You've always been so forgiving of me."
" Maybe he has." Alea said stepping in front of Aramis to block whatever magic she was casting on him. "But I haven't. And neither has mother or father. They always saw you for the monster you are."
" You mean the monster you made me!!" Muerte stood and screamed back at her. " You did this to me!!"
" No!" Alea said. " This is you and always has been. A destroyer! A taker of life and anything you wanted without care for those you took it from. Death doesn't mean you go out and kill. It comes to all these mortals and some of us immortals when the time is right. But you couldn't let things happen naturally could you. You had to bring your death to everyone you could, didn't you! Well not anymore!!"
" ENOUGH!!" Aramis thundered. " I'm taking us home where this will end. Home to Fortis!!"
In a flash of light the three gods disappeared leaving Angela and Balthazar to finish there battle without them. Angela knew her mother would be back once there battle was over. Now all she need to worry about, was Balthazar, and he would get what was coming to him.

" Your goddess has abandoned you." Angela stared at him smugly. "Everything you planned and hoped for is gone."
" There's always your death to look forward to." He moved toward her raising his claws ready to continue their fight. She smiled and waved him on. She raised her glowing hand. Balthazar hissed and rushed at her slashing wildly. He connected and slashed across her chest. She bought her hand up and stabbed him in his shoulder. He howled and pulled back. Quickly she kicked out and hit him in the face knocking him flat on his back. In a flash she jumped on him stabbing down for his chest. He raised his hands and sent a blast at her to end the battle. Angela crossed her power blades in front of her and blocked it but still fell forward at him. As she fell she stabbed down and sent the blades into his chest.
"Nooooooooo!!!!" He screamed as she stabbed down again and again and again.
" You will never threaten our children again!!"
With a swift slashed at his neck, she decapitated him and his head rolled away from his body and burst into flames. Angela climbed to her feet and walked from the room as his body burned to ashes and blew away.The gleaming city of Fortis, home of the god was once a wonderful beautiful place before Muerte returned. Now it was just a blazing star in the night sky. But in the center of that star Rimnar's palace still stood free of the burning flame that surrounded it. Until now no one but the mighty god and his mate could enter it. But that was about to change.
In a flash of magic and light, three gods appeared in the center garden of Rimnar's palace before the two throne. Alea and Aramis bowed to the thrones and the glowing orbs that sat in them in respect of their parents. Muerte spit at them. Thunder rolled as her expectorant hit the ground.
" Rumble all you want old ones." She called out. " You have no power over me!"
I HAVE POWER OVER ALL. Thundered the high god. YOU FORGET YOUR PLACE!
" I forget nothing!" She said. " Even you must bow before death!"
WE SHALL SEE BOLD ONE. Aramis and Alea had never heard their father so anger before. He was the most forgiving of gods, but not now. He had reached his limit.
WE WILL GIVE YOU ONE LAST CHANCE TO REPENT FROM YOUR EVIL WAYS, DAUGHTER.
" Or what?" She laughed. " You'll banish me again? Remove my power? We both know I'll find a way to get it back, don't we."
SILENCE!! Thunder and lightning crashed overhead. IS THAT YOUR ANSWER?
" This is my answer!" She raised her hand and sent a blast of dark energy at the thrones.
HA! HA! HA! HA!. Laughter echoed through out the halls. YOU THINK TO CHALLENGE ME? SO BE IT!! ARAMIS, ALEA. CHOOSE WHICH ONE OF YOU SHALL BE OUR CHAMPION.
" Father." Aramis called to him. " Is there no other way?"
" You plead for me husband." Muerte smiled. " How sweet of you. Why don't you just come and enjoy my embrace of death."
Alea looked at Muerte with such disgust. As Aramis begged for her life she thought only to end his. She had had enough.
" It will be me, Father." Alea walked to Aramis and put her hand on his shoulder. " Give me Hazard."
Sadly he handed her the now quiet scimitar. Soon as it was in Alea's hand it burst into flame ready for a fight.
" Come sister." Muerte said as she conjured her own blade. " The moon shall glow red with your blood tonight."
"Maybe witch!" Alea said. " Maybe not."
In an instant Muerte charged at her opponent swinging her sword for her head. Alea brought Hazard up to counter it and the swords met with a clash of sparks. Spinning around quickly, Muerte tried to slash at her mid section. Hazard moved with anticipation of ever move Muerte tried. It was like the blade had a mind of it's own. What she didn't know was that it did. Hazard was the perfect weapon. As long as Alea had the will to fight, it would fight almost for her. As fast as she could, Muerte reached out to touch her and send death in to the moon goddess. Pulling back, she sent her fist into Muerte's face for two quick blows. Muerte backed up shocked that anyone would dare hit her like that. Angry from the assault, Muerte stabbed at her then bought her sword up in a upward slash trying to disembowel her. Alea jumped back avoiding the strike. Pushing on at Alea, she swung her sword like a bat trying to bring her down. Ducking beneath a blow, Alea kicked out and connected with her knee. Down she fell to the floor of the palace. With another swift kick to Muerte's chest, the death goddess screamed out and dropped her blade. Alea looked at her evil sister laying there on the floor defeated. This was her chance to be rid of her. She raised Hazard for the final blow but could do it.
" Its done." She said lowering her blade and turning to the throne. " It's in you hands now Father."
" Not quite." Muerte grabbed her sword from the ground and rushed at Alea.
" ALEA!!" Aramis jumped to stop Muerte. Alea turned and sent Hazard into Muerte's chest. Muerte dropped her sword and staggered back. She couldn't believe what she saw extending from her chest. She looked at Aramis, then up to the thrones.
" Father?" She cried." Mother?"
She fell to the floor her life slipping away. Aramis went to her and bent to hold her as she began to slip away.
"I'm sorry love." He said. " I didn't what this."
She reached up to touch his face tears running from her eyes. He took her hand.
" Forgive me?" She whispered.
" I do my Love." He bent down to kiss her lips. She smiled it him and died in his arms. It was over. Alea went to her brother weeping and knelt at his side.
" I'm sorry." Alea said. " She gave me no choice."
" I know Alea." He smiled. " This was her destiny."
GRIEVE FOR HER MY CHILDREN. Rimnar said. BUT YOU ARE RIGHT. IT WAS HER DESTINY. NOTHING COULD CHANGE THAT.
Aramis and Alea stood and stepped away from her body as Rimnar lifted it up and sent it into the heaven.
LOOK UP. He said as he placed her in the sky as a group of stars that resemble her in all her glory. SHE IS AT PEACE NOW. FINALLY SHE CAN REST. YOU WILL FOREVER FIND HER THERE.
" Thank you Father for honoring her." Aramis bowed to the throne.
SHE WAS MY CHILD TOO. He told them.
(SO ALEA.) Saila spoke out. ( WE HEAR WE HAVE GRAND CHILDREN. BRING THEM BEFORE US IN THE UNDERWORLD PLEASE.)
" As you wish mother." Alea smiled as they left to go back to New Keanna.