The Silent Goddess: The Otherworld Series Book 1 (20 page)

Chapter Fifteen

The Awakening

The world Annie had known changed the instant the last rays of the sun dipped below the horizon.  With her back to the ocean she faced the west and waited for whatever was to come.  The usually gentle ocean surged with great violence under the new moon a precursor of what was to come.  The night sky grew even darker as ominous clouds thickened blocking out the stars.  A dense fog crept towards the shore.  The street lights dimmed to a pale yellow failing to illuminate the ground below allowing the darkness to grow as it fed upon itself.  In the distance the sound of the howling wind echoed in her ears as silent lightning arced across the sky.  The air surrounding the wharf stood still in an eerie bubble of silence.  The usually busy Derby Street sat empty and quiet as if it knew there was evil approaching.  For a moment, a heartbeat of time, the world stopped as if it were taking a deep steadying breath.  Lightning cracked and thunder boomed shattering the glass windows of the surrounding buildings and instantly the world she had known changed.

She could hear Griffin chanting silently behind her as a slow steady breeze drifted past her carrying a dark mist.  The mist swirled about her ankles; it nuzzled and rubbed gently around her comfortingly.  It grew as if feeding off of her; it expanded upward creating a wall then slowly condensed and reached higher until it encapsulated her in a bubble.  The air grew sweet smelling making her feel relaxed.  Outside the safety of the dome the world had turned black, even the stars refused to give light.  Without thought she knew Griffin had erected a protective barrier, she knew she was surrounded by magick and for the first time ever, she felt at peace, at home.

Home!

A word she had abused for as long as she could remember.   A part of her awakened, it stirred as it reached out to touch the magick that had cocooned around her.  As it had fed on her she now fed on it and found it strengthened her.  She closed her eyes and for the first time felt.  The raw power of the ocean crashed in silent violence like the pounding ebb and flow of her heart.

A warmth radiated from her core as her heart kept rhythm with the waves.  The breeze grew into a gust as it kept pace with her lungs as they inhaled and exhaled.  Her skin tingled as the magick caressed it.  Her head tilted back enjoying a sensation unlike anything she had ever felt.  The air crackled with energy, her ears could hear it, her skin could feel it, her nose could smell it; and as she opened her eyes they could see the magick that swirled around her. Magick was alive and its essence surrounded her.  Colors she had never seen, could never have imagined, danced and swirled before her.  Magick was not just one color, it was every color, every emotion, every smell, sound and sensation.  Magick was not just alive, it was life.

              Annie wasn’t sure how long she had remained mesmerized by the thought that magick was real; years or minutes could have passed.  Time and knowledge was infinite, she had just learned so was magick.  How her friend had managed to tap into such a force left Annie dumbstruck.  The awe must have registered on her face, or maybe she had given voice to it because Knackers answered her.

              “He is verra powerful.  With the Otherworld’s magick surrounding him he is even more so.  But,” he said grinning up at her, “your energy is more than helping him along.  Welcome back life spark.”

She fought to find her voice but failed.  She inhaled deeply and let out a shaky breath.  As if the building tension in the air was connected to her lungs the delicate calm that had been teetering suddenly broke. 

Watery ghosts appeared on the shore.  Howling Beansidhes wailed a warning chorus in harmony with furiously barking dogs whipped up by the Grant.  Knackers’ tail swished in agitation as he stood protectively in front of her; his ashen nose sniffing the air trying to detect the smell of evil over the Ratboys milling on the dock, his green eyes squinting out into the darkness.  A thick fog like curtain parted revealing the most frightening creatures Annie had ever seen. 

A row of Cu Sith lined the sidewalk snarling menacingly.  Behind them stood a disheveled group of creatures that she could only guess to be ogres or maybe even goblins.  Their misshapen bodies twisted in directions that should have made it impossible for them to move; some were missing limbs while others seemed to have extra ones. Each creature held a weapon, brandishing them in an attempt to instill fear in the small group that was attempting to protect her.  But perhaps the most frightening being stood behind the misshapen creatures.  The red-capped being tall and pale with dark eyes glowered and smiled at Annie.  His evil smile splitting his face in such a horrible grimace that she could not control the shiver of fear that ripped through her.  One hand seemed to be covered in a dark liquid as the other gripped a large sword stained with centuries of battle.  It pointed one long bony finger in her direction and as it gurgled out a strange sound, all hell broke loose.

  Duncan raced away as fast as his legs would carry him.  His mind worked even faster.  He was missing something.  Images of the Battle Queen, Caelia, Mandy and the wise woman all fought for his attention.  They had all given him clues, pieces of a picture that failed to form into a whole.  The Queen watching and waiting, he could see her pacing in her black marble room.  She was tense, her ivory hands clenched into fists.  It reminded him of the first days after the
bhanphriosa
went missing.  Then Caelia’s voice rushed out of the Battle Queen.

             
“He is coming…Kill him Duncan…When he comes kill him.”

              His leg abruptly stopped.  His breath came in deep and hard as his lungs burned.  He closed his eyes and shut out his pounding heart and burning chest.  The answer was right there.  He fought with frustration and quieted his overactive mind allowing thoughts and memories to come and go freely.

             
Why?
He asked the quiet recesses of his mind.  He knew all the pieces were there he had all he needed.

              Oisin-

            “Every time he told me that story I thought it would end differently
,” Annie had said.  He had told Annie that story more times than she cared to remember.

             
“Kill him-“

              “No,” Duncan whispered to his memories. 

             
“He told me to make ready,”
Fiona had said.

              Duncan shook his head in denial.  It made sense but defied logic.  If he had done this, if he had taken her, if he had enchanted her what did he hope to gain?  He was Seelie, he was power, and he was king.  He was her father.  Duncan could think of nothing, of no one else who possessed the power to capture a goddess and fool everyone, including him. 

A howl pierced through his thoughts.  Trouble was coming.  He had failed to protect her more than once, he would not fail again.  A curse and a vow escaped his lips as he began to run again.  He was a warrior, a rider, a Faeriedae, and he was angry.

              He willed his sword to his hand.  It answered his summons singing happily at the promise of battle.  Duncan dreaded the impending fight.  He wished he had grabbed Annie that first day and ran.  He wished he had been stronger then.  He promised himself he would be stronger now.  He tore down the street towards a darkening patch of sky.  His sword, Answerer gripped tightly in his palm humming for retribution.  It was his sword, gifted from
him
to Duncan when his Annie first went missing.  Sometimes revenge presented itself in the most unusual way.  The cold iron forged steel settled comfortingly into his hand.  Duncan tightened his grip on the weapon that would soon be dripping crimson with the blood of its enemy and original owner.  Very soon, the Son of Lir, Annie’s father in this world and the Otherworld would fall upon his very own sword and by Duncan’s hand.

              A flash of light drew his attention.  His eyes focused on what lay before him and the sight froze his moving legs.  He had run so far in such a short time that he could not believe how far he had come.  His mind had been so actively working that it had not registered the passing of time and distance.  He stood outside Annie’s house facing the ocean and the beginnings of a great battle.  Duncan, seasoned warrior of both worlds, stood frozen.  Darkness had descended.  A battle had begun to form and grow.  Sides had been drawn between the Seelie and the Unseelie; Salem was under siege.  The war had begun on the very shores where magick had first blessed the New World and in the middle shining like a beacon was Annie.

              She had drawn his eyes towards her.  Her voice screaming above the battle cries of his kin who surrounded her protectively.  She called him to her.  Then he saw the terror in her.  As if he was standing before her he could see the fear, the horror of what she was witnessing reflected in her beautiful eyes.  She was not only at war with the Unseelie, but with herself; as the human and the goddess fought for dominance.

              Something inside him broke.  His blood turned to fire.  Anger erupted and spewed out of him in a deafening roar as he threw his head back allowing his rage to bellow out of him.  The part of him that clung to his humanity vaguely recognized what had taken control of him.  He had heard of such terrifying creatures before.  They were legend and nightmare during his mortal life.  Fueled by bloodlust and over taken by the need to kill anything that stood in their way.  His animalistic nature understood and accepted the red haze that clouded his vision while sharpening his instinct.  It would, he would, tear anything apart that threatened what was his to protect.

             
“Yes,”
hissed a voice. 
“Hold that, Dark Warrior, use its power.”

              His own fury took form and shape deep within him and gained strength as it took on a will of its own and took control over his body.  His consciousness was shoved away, a vacant passenger as he exploded into the battle.

Chapter Sixteen

The Battle at the Wharf

If hell itself had exploded before her it would have been more believable than what she saw now.  No human imagination could do these creatures justice.  There were no words that existed to describe their appearance or the fear they could inspire in her delicate human heart.  These beings were ancient horrors.  Their modern legends were so mild, so underwhelming that they seemed to be invented from a children’s author.  The creatures that stood snarling before her small band of protectors gave new meaning to the word monstrous.  The Cu Sith she had run screaming from the other night seemed like a playful puppy compared to the beast of hell that stood snarling and snapping before her now.  It paced restlessly just outside her dome of protection searching and sniffing for any weakness.  Knackers brandishing a sword did his best to scare off the beast as he stood protectively in front of her.  The terror was unlike anything her sheltered mind had ever focused on.  Although she knew she should be afraid she laughed imagining the hell hound trying to swallow the hairy Knackers.  As if it had read her thoughts it glowered and growled at her with more intensity.

Its eyes glowed as if lit from within reminding her of stoplights.  The brilliant red orbs were lifeless lights that glowed inside a black canine shaped skeletal head.  Bits of matted fur clung haphazardly to the dripping decaying flesh that was barely attached to its skeletal frame.  The visible bone was yellowed and chipped with scars across the ossified surface.  The entire structure of the beast was darkened, colored by the hand of death.  Only the eyes gave away any sign of life.  The teeth, clenched together, stood out in the artificial light.  They gleamed pure white and were tipped with an oozing red liquid that Annie realized instantly was blood.  Her stomach threatened a revolt and she had to fight hard to swallow back the rising bile in her throat. 

A well placed arrow pierced through the hell beast’s rib cage.  It let out a horrific howl of pain before incinerating into a pile of ash.  Knackers let out a joyful sound jumping up and down as the first victim of the battle fell at his feet.  He shot a grateful salute to Finn who quickly acknowledged him before turning his attention back to the seemingly endless dark creatures that threatened them.

As if the doglike skeletons were not enough each of the beasts bore a rider.  Annie’s eyes scanned the line of beasts and riders until she found what she sought, Giles Corey.  The Giles Corey of legend was a fairy princess compared to the demon that now smiled at her across the wharf.

His hooked and pointed nose flared as he sniffed the air.  His grin widened revealing black toothless gums.  His beady dark eyes narrowed as they focused on her.  His bony gray hand slowly drifted up towards a dripping cap that rested on top of his pointy head.  Giles pulled the cap off his head and bringing it to his nose inhaled as a pointy tongue darted out of his blackened mouth to taste the moist cap.  His eyes closed in rapture as he seemed to savor the reddish liquid.  With a hiss and guttural command he pointed a long metal tipped finger in Annie’s direction.  A cacophony of growls and howls burst forth from the demons that surrounded him.  Spiked metal poles rose high in the air as the evil creatures bellowed their deafening war cry.

“My sword is begging for some more blood lads,” chuckled an eager Finn.

“As is mine,” agreed Callum.

“Aye,” Colin hollered.

Behind her Annie heard Griffin chant louder.  She glanced over her shoulder to check on her two friends.  Kat stood erect, her small frame flickering in and out of focus as lightning streaked across the ocean.  Her eyes were tightly shut, her brow creased with concentration.  Her small hand was squeezing Griffin’s larger one as she offered him support.  The thought seemed ridiculous to Annie but she knew it to be true.  What the human Annie could not fathom, the part of her that was hidden and bursting with power understood.  Kat was an energy source, a conduit of power that had rooted itself deep within the earth and was feeding that energy to Griffin.  The pair worked in perfect tandem, one supplying energy while the other transformed it and pushed it back out

A tiny hand slipped into hers and gave her a gentle squeeze.  Without looking she knew her miniature defender Rian had appeared at her side.  The easy in which he had breached Griffin’s protective barrier caused Annie a moment of panic.

“Only those who wish ye no harm may enter,” Knackers reassured her.

“You read minds? “  Anne asked stunned that he had answered her unspoken question.

Knackers chuckled, “Nay lass.  I recognize the magick. Twas an obvious question.”

“I will let no harm come to you milady,” Rian reassured her. She found comfort in his genuine words.

“Your back is safe as well,” croaked Flick.

              Annie turned to acknowledge Flick and was awestruck by the army of Ashrays that flanked him.  Each ghostly water sprite had a bow drawn with a notched arrow ready to fly. 

             On their backs dozens of extra arrows sat awaiting a valuable target.  Annie’s eyes filled with tears.  Not trusting her voice she gave Flick a proud and grateful nod.  His fishlike mouth drew up in what she could only assume was a smile.

“The Fomorians, the Unseelie, will regret the day they made an enemy of the Ashrays,” Flick shouted.  A determined cry of “Ayes” resounded around him.

“That goes double for us eh lads?” cackled Pete as his milky blue eye winked playfully at Annie.  At Pete’s side stood three mud covered beings.  They jumped gleefully up and down.  Their muck filled fists pumping up and down in a strange sort of war dance.

“No one touches me mistress,” Fiona swore vehemently appearing in front of Annie.  She clutched a cast iron frying pan between her two plump hands ready to swing at anyone who dare to enter her small wing span. 

Annie’s heart lightened as she gazed at her small band of ferocious protectors.  Even Knackers had a wicked gleam in his eyes.  She had done nothing to inspire such loyalty and could only hope to one day repay them for the courage they showed to her now.  She wished words could thank them.  She wished she was worthy of such devotion.

“For the spark of life, within us all!  For the
bhanphriosa!
” bellowed Robert.  He raised his sword and the cry of “
Bhanphriosa,”
was taken up by all those who were loyal to her.

The demon horde advanced in earnest, a blur of darkness as they tore across Derby Street to attack.  A blinding flash of lightning struck the ground in front of the invading line momentarily blinding them.  Annie traced the source of the bolt back to the armored Mandy/Caelia who quickly bowed to Annie before rushing into the fray of snarling blinded beasts.

The sound of metal on metal, of snarl against battle cry echoed over the wharf.  The buzz of arrows whizzing by as they quickly found their mark reminded Annie that this was real.  Nothing in her seemingly short life had prepared her for this.  The metallic smell of blood assaulted her senses, but instead of being repulsed she was enthralled.  She wanted a weapon, she wanted to fight, to defend and know the taste of a victory well earned.

The cry of a distant bird drew her gaze up and away from the battle.  In the inky night sky she could see the shadowy silhouette of a bird, a bird of power, a bird of death and destruction waiting and watching for the right moment.  It screeched down at the battle seemingly impatient for its turn to join the fray below.            

As a true beast of the hunt it circled the skies searching and waiting for a weak spot.  Then it would swoop down and pluck an unsuspecting dark rider and carry it high into the air. Seconds later it would come plummeting back down to the earth ending suddenly with a sickening thump.

Bright spots of light wove in and out of the horde of invaders.  As the Dryads distracted and annoyed the hellish hounds that tried to snap the lights in their deadly jowls.  Every time a hell hound found its eye distracted by a dancing light a mud ball wielded by Pete and his stinky brethren would temporarily blind the beast then be quickly replaced by an arrow from Flick’s ghostly archers.  These tag team battle tactics continued until the band of hell hounds was reduced to a mere handful.

Finn and his massively built warriors took on the ogres and other strange and enormous beasts that had fallen from the backs of the Cu Sith.  Annie could not tell who was winning and who was losing.  But human fear began to settle in her chest, she felt trapped and unprepared.  Others were putting their lives on the line for her.

“Not for you mortal, for me,”
whispered a voice in her mind. 
“I am all.  I am life and I am death.  Here on the battle field both shall be given.”

Annie clenched her eyes and teeth shut against the voice’s reverberating laughter.  A terrible scream rose above the other sounds of battle and for a moment she could not be sure it hadn’t emerged from her own throat.  The scream grew in volume and power, the force of it knocking Annie back.  When she ripped her eyes open they immediately focused on the source of the terrible battle cry, Duncan.

His body heaved with effort as he sucked in air to replace the force of his battle cry.  His eyes seemed fierce and fiery as he searched the battle for an opponent.  His eyes finally settled on a gigantic hell hound and rider.  In one stride he seemed to be before the duo and locked in a miniature battle of sword swings and defensive postures.  Annie watched to afraid to look away.  She willed Duncan’s arm to be stronger and faster than his opponents.  Her breath came in quick gulps as she kept pace with Duncan’s breath.  A sword sliced through the air above his head and a muffled cry escaped her mouth as she feared it was a death blow coming to claim him.  In the last instant he threw his own sword up to block the oncoming blow before quickly slashing down to split the Rider and Hell hound in two.  Pivoting on his back foot he spun around to face this new backstabbing challenger.  Annie’s eyes glazed over in horror and a scream threatened to burst out of her as she realized it was Giles Corey.

As Duncan and the Redcap locked weapons a cold settled inside of Annie.  A fear, that instead of being paralyzing forced her feet forward, and pulled her outside of the protective circle that had been cast around her.  Voices jumbled together and called after her to stop but her mind and body would not listen as she continued to walk forward slowly towards the Redcap that threatened everyone she held dear.  Although not aware the battle shifted around her as her army began encircling her trying to push back the invaders. 

The Ashray archers, limited by the now outgoing tide rained down arrows in desperation.  Rian poked and slashed at the ankles of any creature he could reach.  Fiona wielded her frying pan with deadly accuracy beaning quite a few unsuspecting Hell Hounds.  Knackers, not to be undone had teamed up with a few Dryads and began taking out some of the smaller goblins that stood in her path.

Robert sensing Annie’s direction rushed to stop her; when that failed he took up a position of defense in front of her trying to clear a path.  Three words kept repeating themselves in her mind. 

The sound grew louder and louder until she could not stand the volume inside her own mind.  She forced the words out screaming them into the surrounding battle in an attempt to rid herself of them.

“Say my name!”

Duncan’s head snapped from the battle and settled on Annie.  The bloodlust in his eyes was quickly replaced by fear as he gazed upon her.  “Aine!” he shouted.  “No!”

The force, the power behind the sound “an-wah” as it exploded from Duncan raced through her.  Annie could feel the power, the magick that name had.  It seemed to rip her in two as the sleeping voice awoke fully and tried to escape Annie’s body.  It was filled with wrath and vengeance.  The goddess she had been harboring had awoken fully and now was prepared to wield the power given to her by the utterance of a name.  Annie was aware of everything and nothing as her human consciousness fell away and gave up in surrender to the goddess Aine.

White light radiated away from the goddess as she bellowed in rage and called for her other faces to join the fray and destroy.  The Unseelie cowered in the bright light as night suddenly became day.  Their black forms crumpling and burning as the light touched their skin turning them into ash instantly.  The Beansidhe stopped their wailing and began sifting through the piles of ash.  Seelie warriors lowered their weapons as the battle, for the moment appeared to have been won.

Griffin exhausted from the magick he had spent crumpled to the ground and was followed by Kat.  Robert took a few rushed steps away from the goddess in human form falling onto his backside.  The surviving Fae fell to their knees under the power of their
bhanphriosa
.  Finn and his warriors covered their sensitive eyes turning their heads away from the power of a goddess near her full power potential.  Only one set of eyes dared to look at the shining vision of the life spark.

Duncan’s eyes filled with unshed tears as the agony of constant pain was finally sucked out of him.   His body seemed to deflate as he fell to his knees.  His sword which he still gripped tightly had skewered the body of Giles Corey.  The Redcap, who clung to the last few seconds of life, was determined to win in death.  He smiled cruelly at the human goddess, as the blood from hundreds of innocent victims began seeping from his wounds.  The light in his black eyes began to dim but still he smiled; his lips twitching as they began to whisper out a final curse.