Persephone's Ring
CHAPTER 15

Everything faded, replaced with white there was nothing any more but Neith and Rayen who was lying on the ground. As if awakening from a dream, as if a fog was lifted many things now became apparent.

“Why’d you do that?” Rayen sat up slowly. “Remembering it all, seeing that…” she covered her eyes. “I-I’m her that’s why she didn’t want me to search further,” she stood. “Her pain was hers not mine and you gave me all that for your own selfish ends.”

“We need from you the truth and what was denied to us,” Neith said. “We’d die without it.”

“You’ll live mortal without it,” Rayen corrected. “And I won’t, I can’t, I don’t know.”

“You will only get yourself hurt if you don’t tell.”

“I can’t tell what I don’t know, I guess forcing someone to remember a past by ripping open their head and soul has its own problems.” Rayen frowned. “Get me out of he-”

“-re” she was conscious once again Keiran and Zeus beside her with Neith in front of her. “You were always the favorite so of course you’d be the one to do this Athena… you were always so smart.” Rayen smiled slightly then glanced down. Rayen gripped her chest as a sudden pain came on. Her head felt as if it were being squeezed.

“Hey,” Keiran held her for balance. “What’s wrong?”

“She’s completely gone now…” tears dripped from Rayen’s eyes. It felt like a piece of her had died and it became hard to breathe. “The part of me that was Persephone… it’s gone.”

“Seph…?” Keiran was confused. “What are you talking about?”

“Persephone’s soul never appeared after she died, it was extracted and taken so that it couldn’t be used to bring her back more obedient in a way to control,” Neith stated. “It made it to the mortal world where it waited to be given a new life and body much later, but by then only a fragment of her consciousness remained and it protected the new life and owner of the soul as best it could until now, she and Persephone are the same and yet different, I sense something there that has been gone for two hundred years.”

“And with that she’s still my child to rule, and as she’s not quite the same no longer your wife or bound to the Underworld.” Zeus added. “But we can ta-”

The windows were shattered as warrior women descended into the room.

They attacked the guest who’d been concentrating on their ruler and what he had to say. They were caught off guard and in the moment. Zeus threw bolts of lightning then turned his attention back to a disoriented Rayen. He held up her hand noticing the ring. As he gripped it he was sent flying backward by a powerful pulse protecting the ring from being taken from its rightful owner.

Keiran pulled her along. “Come on, we should escape while we can.” He glanced at the others who followed them.

“I called it!” Susan took a deep breath as they rested in one of the rooms. “I said Ray was Persephone way in the beginning.”

“That you did,” Cole glanced at Keiran.

Chaos was swirling and they needed to get their things to leave however Rayen was still a little out of it.

“You okay?” Cole asked Keiran whose eyes were fixed on Rayen.

“Fine.”

Rayen glanced back at the others for a moment. “I didn’t know,” she glanced at Keiran. “So can you stop staring at me like that…” she looked away. “We need to replace our things and go.”

The door swung open and there stood Sif and Diana.

“You need to get out of here, I knew it was you, I sensed it but that just means the tyrant will come looking for you, he needs the ring and you.” Diana told them. “I’ll lead them elsewhere, you go with your mother and she’ll take you to a safe location, my attendants will have your things waiting there.”

Quickly they followed through halls and brawling dodging hits and attacks with Sif, Cole, and Keiran also attacking and defending. When they made it out the groups proceeded to check their things and change.

“Wait,” Sif stopped Rayen. “I…” she glanced down trying to replace the right words.

Rayen smiled at her then kissed her cheek. “You don’t have to worry anymore, she’s gone to sleep after a long fight she’s finally resting peacefully.” She closed her eyes. “Thank you for returning this,” she held up the finger with the ring. “And I’m fine, there’s no wound.”

“Then a parting gift.” Sif looked her in the eye. She placed a hand on Rayen’s chest and they both began to faintly glow. “A bit of my power to help you along.”

“But I can’t even use my own anymore I lost it after falling underground.”

“Because, you’ve got conflicting blood running through your veins, you are more than human and you have more than the soul and essence of a god within you.” She caressed Rayen’s cheek. “You need to replace it and set things right, I can’t, only you. Head east it will take time but you’ll replace a temple and there will be a device, a portal that will send you away from here.”

Rayen nodded then grabbed her things she looked for clothes then changed behind a tree. She returned glancing at the horses. “I don’t know how to ride.”

“You may not but Persephone did you may have the muscle memory,” Cole told her.

“Right,” she let out an irritated breath. “Okay then.” She got up on the horse easily enough. “So far so good,” she mumbled.

Mazin landed on her shoulder shed from winter and now looking at his once did in the beginning. “Watch out!” as the horses started their trot a massive blast came their way. He tried his best to deflect it but still they took some damage.

As the dust cleared and they could all see one another the grim scene was before them thrown from her horse Padma had hit her head against a rock bleeding out quickly.

They took a moment then Rayen dismounted her horse. She closed Padma’s eyes and positioned her body covering her face. “I’m sorry,” she whispered softly then mounted her horse. “Let’s go!” she yelled and they were off. They rode far and fast not stopping anytime soon for fear of being caught. Straight through the night and most of the next day they rode non stop hoping that they weren’t followed. When they finally did stop in was near a river.

“We should continue on foot from here,” Rayen said. “They know we left by horse and know we’re frantic so they don’t think we’ll stop,” She sat by the river not wanting to be bothered thoughts swirling through her head.

Keiran took a step towards her but was stopped by Charmayne. “You’re the last person who needs to talk to her, you’ve been showing all this interest and you may not have known the truth, but your wife’s soul is hers, anything you may say may seem like it’s you just being there for that reason.”

“I have to agree, you two need distance at least for a bit,” Susan sighed.

“Maybe you should take a walk,” Cole suggested. “Come on I’ll go with you.”

The two walked away and Susan gathered some jerky while Charmayne checked on Rayen.

“So, you’re technically a goddess huh?” Charmayne sat beside her. “And married,” she added. “We can’t forget that, though your husband is pretty good looking.”

“He’s not my husband, he’s Persephone’s,” Rayen glanced at her. “I feel bad though, he was trying so hard to put her behind him and start all over but now this… it’s going to be completely awkward between us isn’t it?” she tilted her head.

“Only if you let it, but maybe a bit of space will be good, you can both process this, your soul is his dead wife’s and you know things she does.”

“Only some, her memories are so fragmented, and the ones that stick are all way too personal…” she sighed. “But I can see other things if I concentrate hard, it just takes time and they’re coming back slowly.”

“Don’t strain yourself.” Charmanye smiled. “Anyway come on, we can hunt a rabbit together,” she held out a hand. “Maybe this will distract you and in a way clear your mind, archery always helped me clear mine growing up.”

“I think a walk will do me just fine,” she took her hand standing. “I can collect a couple flowers I guess and that’ll ease my mind.” She walked back over to her bag pulling out the notebook and pen Keiran got her. She stared at it for a moment then turned back to Charmayne. “Let’s go.”

Charmayne took her hand and they walked off following some tracks she’d spotted a while back. Since leaving the river they’ve spent much time walking through the wood. Their goal of heading home was so close in sight but things were a little awkward. Rayen and Keiran had given one another space because of the situation they were in after hearing the truth but sooner or later they’d have to address it.

It has been four days since they left the horses and six since the party, almost a whole week on the run and they were due for a break sometime soon. As they found a place to bunk down for the night Rayen was off to the side trying to use her abilities.

“Come on!” she mumbled her hand hovering over a tiny flower. “Something, anything…” she put all her concentration into it but nothing happened. Now that she could do nothing she missed it and wished she’d done more training. “Well maybe it’ll come back to me…” she stared at her left palm. “That stupid thing did this…”

She took a breath when Mazin landed on her shoulder and a small spark shot from her hand at the same time.

“Hey!” she glanced at Mazin. “What’d you do?” she asked curiously.

“I am your companion, I share power with you, you are unstable and I can offer a little control,” he answered her. “But I don’t understand why you can’t do anything now.”

Off a bit farther from camp Cole and Keiran were training. It had been a very long time since he’d used his abilities so Keiran was still pretty rusty.

“I know you’re irritated but calm down a bit, unstable emotions affect your ability to function,” Cole sighed

“So you say but I feel like a large misunderstanding is arising,” he swung his arm back a blade like shadow cutting through the trunk of the tree to his right. “Crap…” he sighed.

“You need to reign it in you’ll hurt someone.”

“Yeah, I guess,” Keiran sighed.

Back at camp they ate in mostly silence. A few words were exchanged between them all but no one really knew what to talk about. Like that sleep came but it was hard since there was the thought that they were being followed hanging over them. They were finally all relaxing Henry on lookout with Susan. The two had become even closer spending guard time talking and getting to know one another better.

“I’ll be dying not having been married or having kids and even though I was on this amazing adventure not surviving is like it never happened.”

“If I make it home it’d be an amazing story to tell my daughter, she’s kinda like you into all this mythology and fantastical stuff.” Henry threw some twigs in the fire. “This will surely make me an awesome dad,” he laughed.

“I bet you’re always an awesome dad,” she complimented. “It’s just harder to do things when you’re separated but it’s clear she’s the light of your life.”

“Thanks,” Henry nodded.

Susan leaned into him to keep warm. “I hope we both make it through this.”

“Me too,” he let out a breath putting a hand over hers.

They kept alert even though they were leaning on one another but even that wasn’t enough to save them from what came. An arrow flew landing in front of the fire.

“Up…” Susan said hitting Henry frantically. “Up!” she yelled getting up. “Get up now!” she hurried to pack everything as the others got up. Henry put out the fire as everyone scurried to get their things. They threw on their bags and Mazin blew a flurry of leaves before they took off running. They could hear the women calling to one another following them.

“We won’t be able to outrun these women,” Cole took a deep breath stopping for a moment.

“Valkyries and Amazons two crazy strong factions belonging to father and son. Different yet equally annoying as an enemy.”

“Then we better move.” Rayen pushed off the tree she leaned on and started running again. They couldn’t linger too long or they’d be caught. They kept running and dodging weapons until the sun came up when it seemed they’d stopped chasing, but at no point did they think the women had given up.

They walked through a field near a village people were farming and tending to animals as they walked through.

“Can we take a break soon?” Robert asked. “All this running has made me hungry and tired.”

“I think we need one or we’ll be no good to go from here on,” DeAnne hunched over hands on her knees. “Some of us are not as young you know…”

“I think I’ve lost weight over all of this…” Susan grabbed her waist. “Haven’t run this much since school.”

Robert took the time to flirt with the local women who seemed to take to him. He was in heaven with all of them surrounding him even though they should all be cautious of any women they meet.

“And here we are again,” Grace sighed, “some things never change.” She gave a laugh then sat under a large shaded tree relaxing.

Andrew passed around the last of the jerky so that they all had some to eat. He then glanced at Rayen and signed to her that he’d like to talk privately so the two stood and walked away from the group.

“What’s wrong?” Rayen looked worried.

Andrew signed. “I have someone I like but I…” he paused for a moment hesitating

“I think I know what you want to say next,” she laughed. “You know I’m not the best person to ask for dating advice but I’ll gladly listen,” Rayen stated. “But you know, it’s good to have someone to like, it gives you motivation to keep going, or so I read somewhere.” Rayen put a hand on Andrew’s shoulder for encouragement. “Don’t worry too much about it, you’ll overthink things, just do as you normally do, be yourself.”

Andrew positioned both hands over his chest. “Scared,” he signed.

“It’s fine to be scared, you don’t have to tell them if you’re worried about their reaction,” she took his hands giving them a squeeze. “Take things at your pace, I’m glad you told me.”

Andrew nodded thinking over her word. He would take his time and do things at his own pace and speak up when he feels comfortable.

Rayen let go of Andrew’s hand then sighed, “I guess this is the time for confiding in people, death may just be how this all ends…”

Andrew was embarrassed at first but relaxed a silly smile on his face. He gave Rayen a reassuring hug as if saying this wasn’t the end.

The two turned around heading back to where the others stood. Rayen thought it was time to start planning. Everyone was still a little on edge with worry.

Grace stretched looking around. “Well I’m going to w-” blood trickled from her mouth. Looking down an arrow was lodged through her abdomen.

“Grace!” Susan yelled catching her.

Susan’s yelling caught everyone’s attention. Cole and Rayen rushed to the group to see a bloody Grace lying against Susan.

Grace coughed, “seems I’m not making it any further than this,” she coughed. “I was looking forward to that wedding,” she sighed.

“Don’t say that,” Rayen shook her head coming to sit at her side. She took off her jacket pressing it against the wound trying to stop the bleeding. “You… you’re going to see her in her gown and meet your grandkids and get as old as DeAnne and just as gray…” she was trying to stay positive.

“We all know…” she groaned in pain. “We all know I’m not going much further than this…” she let out a strained breath. “But go to my daughter’s wedding and give her this for me will you.” Slowly she removed her ring. “Gift I got from her father…”

“Stop talking,” Rayen shook her head. “Can you heal her?” she glanced up at Keiran.

Before he could speak Grace shook her head. “Wasting time, it took him a long time to heal you you’ll all be caught by then.” She held out her hand. “Give me your knife and get going,” she glanced at Cole.

For a moment he hesitated then handed it over. They collected their bags and left. Robert scrambled to grab his things and meet them. Looking back not too far behind Amazons were just in view. They threw daggers and knives aiming for any one of them just trying to make contact and catch one. It was chaotic and adrenaline kept them all moving with arrows and knives headed their way.

Mazin provided cover and did his best to block their way to give the group more time. They tried to hide a while and regain a little breath.

DeAnne lifted the corner of her shirt stealthily. She winced in pain seeing a wound. She had been hit by an arrow earlier and was hiding it but the would seemed to be getting worse. She quickly covered it not wanting anyone to worry about her.

“Alright, let’s go.” Rayen got up hearing some feet pass. She was sure they’d passed them so it was safe to keep going. She kept running a little more at ease since they’d lost their pursuers for a little while. They were a bit turned around but concentrated on moving forward choosing this time not to stop until they were clear.

Noone noticed as DeAnne fell back or that she limped as they were all wary of their surroundings.

“I’m cold,” DeAnne spoke quietly.”

Andrew barely turned to look at her pulling on Cole’s arm to stop him and he stopped the others.

“DeAnne you don’t look so good…” Henry spoke first.

“I’m freezing and this is only getting worse…” DeAnne lifted her shirt to the blackening wound. “It’s infected I’m sure.”

Andrew took a step closer but DeAnne held up a hand to stop him and shook her head. He signed to her to let them help but she just took another step away. DeAnne signed I love you to Andrew. “Get going you brats,” she used her foot to erase their footprints. “Get going and look after my grandson.”

Cole held Andrew back as he tried to go after DeAnne tears falling from his eyes as he was pulled in the opposite direction.

DeAnne started walking another way breaking leaves and stomping flower to distract from the way they really went. She didn’t have much longer bit she wanted to save the others if she could. DeAnne more than anything didn’t want to leave her grandson being as they were always so close it broke her heart to hurt him as she was right now. “Sorry Kiddo…” a stray tear fell as her wound began bleeding out more.