The Goddess Prophecy

"We only attend who we are assigned. You are our life's devotion, and we strive to turn you into the goddesses you desire to be." I was confused, as the stones were seemingly mixed up, as I had been granted the moonstone, yet had the Sunstone vessel Mikhail before me, as well as the vessel for the Moonstone in front of my sister who beheld the Sunstone. "If you serve the stone bearers, didn't you get it wrong? I'm the Moon to be," I started out, but Mikhail abruptly countered. "Your souls emit otherwise, and the goddesses before you made the same mistake, I'm sure." He was a sarcastic and witty fellow, but his attitude was a bit irritating. "Well, tell the Goddesses they made a mistake with the stones, maybe then you'll go where you actually belong," I turned swiftly, but somehow he was in front of me! I jumped a bit and let out a sharp and short gasp. He locked eyes with me. "Listen well, the Gods make mistakes as well. Most of them not as light as a simple 'switch the talismen amongst you both' kind of mistake. Just hand one another the opposing medallion, and we'll all be fine here."

He was starting to piss me off, as my mother bestowed these upon us with confidence we would fit our prophecy talismen. I almost opened my mouth to speak further, but my sister gracefully interjected. "If all we need is to switch talismen, then our own mother was incorrect with the pendants, not the Gods. Arguing back and forth will solve nothing." She floated over to me and handed me the talisman of the Sun, giggling at the irony. "You have always been fiery with correct execution like the Sun, and I have always been calm with mellow reason like the Moon. It's fine she made the mistake. We have each other right here, so we can correct it here." She offered up her talisman again, and I took it this time. She was right.

I got a smartass look from Mikhail that made me want to punch him in the throat, but Vixenia wanted some information. She turned to Mikhail, targeting him first. "If you are a Vessel for the Sun Goddess, why are you so defiant in nature towards the future Sun Goddess? Is that your practice in a nutshell?" Mikhail stammered before my sister shot her hand up for a pause from him. "I am not finished speaking, you will have time to answer for what you have displayed. What makes it alright to antagonize an easily fixable situation into something completely unruly and irritating for your Goddess? Can you not see her emotions on her face? You are upsetting her." She placed one hand on her hip, another pointing her thumb at me, to which he directed his attention with eyes of apologetic nature.

He knelt quickly, and apologized formally. "Milady, I sincerely apologize, as we are not to that point as of yet to be within those bounds of a bond." He looked like he was scared, and I was confused. Then it dawned on me: Vessels were disposable to Gods, and he was afraid to have offended me to the point where his death would cross my mind--or so he thought. I reassured him that I wasn't angry enough to actually kill him, but rather just to maybe give him a playful smack to the upper arm. Axos looked relieved, but then went back on guard. "We must help with your training from here on forth, and we cannot show mercy or sympathy until the training is over. Do you accept these conditions? They are essential for your survival as not only a Goddess, but within your rights of protection by Goddess Law."

We were both puzzled, as we were not told of a Goddess Law. "What are you talking about, Goddess Law? What's the Goddess Law?" Axos clarified with dignity, "Not the Goddess Law, just Goddess Law. It is the exercising of the right within the realms of the Goddess sees fit for her or their realm of expertise, or the lack of, in your cases." My sister seemed to get it right away, but I looked to Mikhail for help, and to which he obliged simply, "It just means the Goddess can do whatever she sees fit as long as it is in balance within your roles; basically you can do whatever the hell ya want, but it can't be overwhelming as to not upset corresponding Gods or Goddesses." I nodded, feeling at ease for the better conveyed information.

The Vessels looked to us both, and bowed again, the sunrise creeping behind them ever so slightly. I looked at the time, and it has now grown to the Witching hours. Vixenia was gestured to by Axos, and Mikhail beckoned for my hands as well. Once we had both taken our grasps, our environment began to change rapidly, and the wind was ever-growing with strength by each passing moment. We transported to a beautiful ambiance of a luminescent pool of water, sparkling of bright blues and greens, which reflected the surrounding plants with the watery ebbs and flows from the surfacing of the water. The trees around the lake were Alder trees, with shrubs of juniper and water lily speckles scattered the surface of the water. It looked like what I would imagine the fountain of youth would be colored. The waterfall attached was boisterous, yet calm all at once, hanging over 60 feet from our standings.

"This is where we reside when you no longer seek our presence," Axos informed the group. "Plain on the outside in comparison to the inside. Shall we take a look at your new training grounds?" Vixenia was ecstatic, as she bounded to the entrance with Axos, volunteering assistance for the marbled of stone imitating wood door behind the waterfall. The hall before the opened door was the most decadent of views I have ever laid my eyes upon. Prior to this excitement, it was only matched with an instance of when my mother got me my very first music box. This place rivaled the kingdom immensely, yet matched the same theme of grandeur. The sparring platform was the first introduction.

" There will be times where you will have the distaste of meeting... opposing company, we'll call it," Mikhail started out, grabbing a sword and bow from the massive weapon rack, littered with bow staffs, bows and quivers, daggers, every weapon I have seen and not seen until then. Axos picked up an axe and a longsword. They then turned to us and auctioned we choose our weapons, and I grabbed 2 Sai, a dual pronged blade with a longer centered blade. Vixi chose a bow and a sword, just as Mikhail had chosen. They toughened their stances, and charged us. We then forced a switch from watching potential friends and target them as enemies. They weren't joking when they said to show no mercy, because we both got battered pretty bad.

I got sliced in my abdomen area, kicked in the ribs a few times, punched in the face, and other damages were inflicted as well. The only reason they had stopped was because I yielded out of fear I would die. They stood there, seemingly stoic and emotionless, even after the damage they had caused to the both of us. I stood up in anger, injured and almost fell when Mikhail had come to assist me standing up. I pushed him away, and he began to look confused. "Don't fucking touch me, you almost fucking killed me!" I blurted, angry and afraid he would strike me again since I had gotten up. He slowly put his hands down, and bowed to try and apologize, but I had turned a full 180 to walk out of this soon to be death trap.

I heard Mikhail running towards me, so I turned around and punched him in the face, knocking him to the ground. His cheek began to bleed from the cut I had just bestowed upon him, blood trickling down the cut to his chin. He stood slowly, while simultaneously healing his wound. "We instructed you that were not going to be merciful-" then my sister slapped her vessel as well, an action I have never seen her do before. Vixenia had always been the diplomatic one of us both, but she is now resorting to a violent nature. She spoke in a quaky voice, "You're not teaching us anything but how to die because of the lack of preparation we both have. What good is a replacement goddess that is deceased?" She started her way to me and Mikhail stood in her way. I got angered instantly.

"Step aside, Mikhail, unless you want to die where you stand. If my sister desires to come beside me, you WILL let her pass. That goes for Axos as well. You will not step in the ways of either of us unless it is of protection. Now let her fucking pass," I was at his throat with the Sai, holding the other at his sternum. He looked down, almost in shock that I had moved as quickly as I had. He did as I told him, Vixi rushing to me and hugging me and she began to cry. I let her weep, shooting daggers at them both for doing this to us with no hesitation. Then I realized: this was training, and it had started as soon as we stepped through the threshold.

I felt extremely idiotic, but the vessels did not see any issue with my reactions, nor with Vixenia's. Axos opted for a break, and then I seen the look of the same realization I had made flush across my sister's face. We were both embarrassed, but still angered at the lack of lesson. We all departed from the training cave, and sat apart from one another. My sister was still shaking, and when Axos wanted to assist her, she flinched, which made him wince. A wave of sorrow encompassed his face, as he had felt he made a terrible mistake and wished to have the opportunity to fix it. Mikhail then opened the door, went inside for a few moments, and came out with a first aid kit massive enough to fix everything ever imagined. He knelt down to me and offered to help us heal at the rate of the Gods, since we will be them one day. I stubbornly agreed, still upset.

"Maybe next time, be more clear when you're wanting to train. Springing it on us only traumatized us both," I shot a look at Mikhail while he bandaged my wounds. I inhaled sharply as I felt a sharp pain while he was trying to help. I shot him a look, but he was focused on making me heal. Then, I began to feel immense warmth, almost like a warm hug but to the areas of my wounds. He then spoke very calmly. "I apologize in the utmost degree having disappointed you, Milady Sun. I will not fail you again. I will inquire and prepare you better for this journey together. Training has to be an experience of improvement, not the lack of." Mikhail looked at me, and I no longer could stay mad at him. By impulse, I kissed his forehead and stroked his hair and told him it was alright, as my mother would do with us as children. I froze after doing so, watching his face turn red and his silence more and more prominent.

Vixenia was patched up where she needed to be healed, and she was doing the same thing with Axos, except she didn't freeze. She continued, stroking his hair and apologizing for not grasping the concept quickly enough that training had commenced. Axos was red as well, but accepted this treatment. Mikhail was still looking at me when I looked back at him. My face grew warmed and the tips of my ears were hot, so I just got up and sat a few inches away from him. "I think we should take the time to spar properly, since we are in this training cave," I refocused my mind while readying my body for defense, whilst Vixi gave a curtsy to Axos, stepped back four or so paces and readied her dual wielded daggers in a graceful sweep, fixing her stance smoothly. Even when she fought she was graceful.

Our vessels looked at one another and made their moves swiftly. Axos went for Vixi's feet, but was not fast enough, as she had jumped up before he had the chance to fully lunge for it to be successful. She landed on his blindside, then swept his left foot while pushing firmly with her palms, causing him to almost faceplant, had he not braced himself for impact. I was simultaneously back to the reality of the situation, giving Mikhail a smirk, daring him to begin. He rushed at me, missing me while I whirled around him, clutching his wrist, sweeping his foot all in one swift motion as I shoved my shoulder into his ribs. He gave out a grunt of pain, with his wrist still in my hand, I began to take matters more seriously, as I was willing to break his entire arm in the several places I had an opportunity to do. I saw every placement to which was possible, as well as placing a suggestive possibility to also injuring his shoulder.

We sparred for a few hours, gaining new bruises and cuts, and bleeding as well from various types of weaponry, as our senses of fatigue and bodily pains were beginning to sink in less and less due to the adrenaline pulsing through our bodies and minds. The sweat and blood mixed and dripped down our bodies, ripped clothing and exposed peaks of bodies, and the vessels somehow never broke energies. The endurance of this guy is insanity, I thought to myself. Mikhail then came at me once again, this time pinning me. I have given everything I have had, and I am exhausted. I yielded, although Vixenia had won her match with Axos, as he was temporarily paralyzed by her demonstration of the knowledge she had picked up about the pressure points of various bodies of different races.

"Today was a great training day, and I am confident that we can turn in for the night to clean our wounds and get ready for supper," Vixenia announced to us, still looking untouched from the sparring session we had just endured. Now I am aware of the reasoning she is meant to preserve as the Moon Goddess to be. She helped unlock what was immobilizing Axos, helping him to his feet. Mikhail had sweat drenched hair, his huffs and sharp inhales gradually getting settled, still pinning me. Still above me. My ears became hot, as he had gained stability to his feet as well as scooping me up in one swift motion, helping me dust off the ground debris from my clothes. I stumbled a bit gaining my footing, and bracing myself on his chest. I took a step backwards to get some space from him.

Axos spoke gently. "We are going to get more used to this, as these are going to be our training grounds. We will be here daily, and we will eventually solely stay here during the Solstice preparations." He then motioned in a direction to his left. "Those are where the hot springs and ice baths will be waiting for us, as we have to also be in good conditioning for all the effort we will have to build your endurance and personal fitness, as well as hone your abilities once they begin to grow in time to form your Sun and Moon Goddess abilities in the future." He then gestured to the right, but Mikhail took over. "To the right, that will be the dining hall. You will not have to worry about any preparations, as there are already in place for the replenishment of what was lost in sparring. Go ahead and get to the spring areas, clean up, and we will take care of the rest."

I was told by the sprites and Fae by the springs that they would be my consistent staff to make sure the Sun goddess ' successfully completes her precise amount of assistance of replenishment' as they undressed me. I had everything taken care of for me, starting with my ice bath. The shock of my hot body into this extremely cold shock sent prickled goosebumps all over my body. The Fae informed me that their medicinal ice baths were to heal wounds and bruises almost instantly, while also icing the welts, muscles and wounds. While I was getting iced, there were multiple Fae massaging my muscle tissue while in the bath. It felt amazing. Then, it was to the hot springs. I was cloaked in a robe of extremely comforting and soft fibers they said was made from a combination of willow bark and silk.

The hot spring shocked my toe when I went to test out how it was going to feel. Fae were awaiting for us both to descend into this giant pool of steamy, hot water. Slowly letting the water take over my worries and help the healing process, I stepped deeper and deeper into the bath, submerging myself alongside my sister, who had seemed to have gotten there shortly after me, though she didn't have mush restraint getting into the bath as I had. The Fae began to brush our hair, and massaged us yet again individually closing in on areas I was not entirely confident I could explain. After all of the refreshing massages and farewells, we were off to bed, vessels in pursuit. I was very tired and was very light headed, as I was ready to go to sleep after such relaxation.

Mikhail opened my room door for me, bowing once I had thanked him for the gesture. "How was the muscle revival process?" he inquired calmly. I was yawning yet excited to share, "It was the most relaxing time, and the massages were magnificent!" My eyes grew heavier with each detail, and I started to slur my words a bit, explaining the whole process. I yawned a few times in between, but Mikhail didn't seem to mind. He lead me to my bed, where he began to tuck me in for the night, while not missing any details of what I was pushing to say through yawns occasionally. He milled a smile for me, stating he was glad it was so relaxing, and reminding me to get used to it after elongated sparring sessions, because it also builds my status as a Goddess, and I was still brand new to it all.

The night was very beautifully draped in hues of purples and blues, the stars complimenting them with glints and sparkled waves, complimented enchantingly with the full moon. I heard my sister humming her favorite song from our childhood; she was so gentle, subtle, and yet bold as well. I was confused as to why she seemed to be right next to me, and yet she was down the hall. I looked at the moon again, and I heard her louder. I was feeling more and more drowsy, as Mikhail asked me if I needed anything further from him. To which I replied: "Yes, could you please stay with me? The song reminds me of my mother, but she in sot present to help me to sleep." He looked confused, yet listened fully without hesitation or any further questioning. He approached my bedside, asking where he was needed. I gestured towards the chair by the window, slanted to catch the moonlight perfectly in the seat.

"She used to just sit there and hum this same melody, but I never knew why she never told us the last time we would hear it since this prophecy began. I never get to see them as often as I want to, and I fear I never will again." I felt a droplet of water on my hand, then realized I was crying. When had I started, and why was it going on now? She wasn't gone, nor was she angry or out of reach. Mikhail leaned into me, hugging me and stroking my hair, as I had earlier in the day before our sparring match. "I know this life you're growing into is not what you had hoped for, or even saw as an option. All I will ever ask of you is to do the best you can, when you are fully able to. As the Sun Goddess, your decision making has to be not only precise, but fair. You may see that it may get difficult at times. But I need you to remind yourself you have people that love you that will honor and remind you of your importance."

"But I'll never see them again one day, and if I am doing my job when it happens, then what am I supposed to do- ignore it?" I was still tired, but nodded. I laid my head down to sleep, Mikhail still stroking my hair until I woke up the next morning. It seemed he had stayed with me the whole night, so I asked if he had stayed. "Of course, you were crying, so I gave up a night's rest to fix it thoroughly by not sleeping, leaving, or stopping when it came to stroking your hair. You seemed to like it enough to hold me there even when you slept," he joked, as he filled in how I had told him not to leave in my sleep. I was swarmed with embarrassment, trying to deny it when I saw my sister had looked like she had gotten the absolute best sleep in her entire life.

Her skin had a silvery glow to it, as well as her hair. Her hair looked freshly brushed and smelled of evening primrose. Her morning attire had consisted of a soft, lavender and powder blue robe, feathered and luxe in display. Axos walked behind her, seemingly as her body guard, or watch dog. She looked beautifully radiant, and he looked just as good, but he looked like he had stayed up all night as well, just as Mikhail had. She had the aura of a glistening, starry train glinting and shimmering while she yawned what little sleep was left from her eyes. She rubbed her eyes with such grace, I almost forgot she has the ability to make any mistakes.

She wriggled her nose as if she were a snow hare, then blinked herself awake. Axos was still behind her, sleep deprived and exhausted. I worried a bit, so I posed the question: "If you are both supposed to be training us for the role of a Goddess, why would you risk a night of sleep for the sake of duty?" Mikhail chimed in, cool and collected, " We would lose years of sleep in order for your comfort to fulfill the destinies we were born with. Your kind has the ability to change them, and that is very fascinating for us to behold." I whipped towards him, startled with his sudden intrusion. He looked down at me with the same unrested eyes, and my stomach jumped.

We went to the usual training area, readied up, and started to spar again. And again. Until it was around noon. It had been exhausting to figure out how they the vessels were sleep deprived yet still surpassed us in the spar contacts. They floored us. Every. Single. Time. The sweat beads turned into full droplets, then turned to my whole body drenched by the time we had gotten a time to rest and stretch, as well as patch ourselves up. Rinse and repeat, and weeks turned to months. We finally beat them in a sparring match when we decided to beat them as a team and divide and conquer.

And now, years later, we embark on the journey of becoming the Goddesses of the Sun and Moon. If you look into the sky, you can probably see us going through the trials and tribulations of this new lifestyle, and we have finally been granted status of Goddess, so we no longer age, nor can we die. I was nervous of this role at first, but through the years, our vessels have stuck by our side and assisted greatly in our endeavors. As the Sun, I promise to greet each atom of this Earth with my presence, as does Vixenia as she graces the heat with a soothing calm cool, as per usual.