Into His Darkness

Eternal Grief

Hecate’s pov

“Just stop the chariot here only.” I ordered the horsemen who nodded immediately. I gazed above from the cloak and let the light touched my face. The sun was setting down. It will be soon the time of dusk.

“What exactly you are here for if I may ask?” the man asked still driving the chariot not looking back. The road was jarring and I had to hold the handle for the balance.

“I am going to meet someone.” I said looking ahead. the horse neighed as he pulled the ropes too tightly.

“Nobody in the past thirty years or so have been living here, you are the first one whom I am taking on this road.” I shake my head. He didn’t know anything. Thirty years? This area was left barren for the last hundred years, the civilization had left this place at the beginning of the twentieth century.

“Honestly, If I didn’t want the money urgently, I would have never agreed for this place, this place is cursed.” He commented and started laughing gawkily.

“What is your name?” I asked finally taking down the cloak from my face, letting the cold breeze welcome me.

“Aiden. What’s yours?” he finally turned back and gasped involuntarily but soon tried to cover it. My purple eyes are the first thing to attract attention of anyone who see my face. He cleared his throat awkwardly and turned his attention back to the road. I could tell he was intimidated by me at the first sight.

It was obvious. Humans fear the unknown, I could feel his anxiety.    

I have been given many names. My identity is morphed time to time. yet, the people still know me by the name Hecate.

“Hecate.” He hummed in apprehension but didn’t say anything. By the look of his face, I know he was in his early thirties.

He needed money, his wife is critically ill and he run out of money already. He wanted to take her to the city for the better treatment. That’s why I chose him. He was desperate and so was I.

The horse neighed loudly this time and stopped abruptly. Aiden pulled the ropes tightly, trying to balance the chariot, the horse jumped on his two legs and the chariot stopped shortly. I put the cloak again and carried my things. It was only a small bag I carried. I didn’t need much items for where I was heading.

“Why did you come out of the chariot miss, let me take you ahead of the trees, it is not safe for you to travel through them alone.” He said. I smirked. Only if he knows who truly I am.

“Here.” I handed him twenty silver coins. His eyes widened and almost popped out from his sockets and as if he didn’t believe his own eyes, he touched each coins and examined them with wonder. Finally, his greed subdued by his morals. Humans, still fascinates me.

“But…” I cut him mid-sentence.

“Someone must be waiting for you back at home. Already get going.” I said dismissably and started walking in the direction of the forest.

I didn’t hear the noise of horses until I reached the trees. Aiden was a good man. I look up at the sky, the sun was already set, it will be soon dark.

I looked through the forest, at my destination. I slowly walked through the trees; the night was silent as sea. There was not a single trace of any wild animal, just the occasional gushing of the trees by the wind.

I closed my eyes and opened them again as I passed through the last tree. after so many years it still looked the same.

My feet as if no longer under my will take me to the muddy road. I walked silently, the chafing of the shoe echoing in the whole barren land field. The houses, the huts, everything already fallen into the ruins.

I passed the countless barren houses till I lost the number and finally found myself in front of the large graveyard located at the outskirts of the city.

The gate was locked, the lock was rusted as if it wasn’t touched in decades. I trailed the rusty chains with my fingers and it fall down in the next second. The gate opened itself.

I closed and open my eyes and take a deep breath. I walked through the graves. Each name was printed inside my head already. I didn’t have to glance to look at the graves to read the names on the tombstones.

I feel weakened and sick as I took each step towards my desired destination. I was one of the many reasons why this city is filled with more tombstones than the combined living beings.

I am one of the cause why this place was doomed in the past. The city my sister built on her own.

I stopped dead on my tracks. I had already reached the place.

Before I could register anything, a single tear escaped my eye and fall on the white stone in front of me.

Selene

A beloved mother and sister. Tender and kind soul

A ray of hopeful sunshine.

My knees give out as I finally let my emotions, I thought I buried deep. The tears fall like a rain pouring, they were synced with my weeping heart.

“I am sorry, I didn’t save you.” I touched her grave. It was covered with the thick blanket of dust. Slowly I rubbed the dust from her grave.

“I am sorry I was not there for you when you need me the most.” I cried looking straight to the sky. the moon was not there, it was darkness. I am covered with darkness. The old ancient goddess of darkness.

“Trivia?” I sensed her before I heard my name I didn’t heard in eons. I wished I didn’t hear it at the first place. Not by her. I wiped my tears and clean my face, trying to even my breaths. I don’t want to look weak. Not in front of her.

I heard the footsteps preceding in my direction and soon stopped behind me. I didn’t move. “Trivia…” she placed her hand on my shoulder, I wanted to flinch but as if every atom of my body has its own brain, I couldn’t. I feel paralyzed. 

The tears come back in the full force. I cried and cried till my eyes run out of tears. Not for a second, she moved her hand from my shoulder. I placed the flowers on the grave and with the final touch stood on my feet.

“Why are you here.” I didn’t turn to look at her face. I can’t face her. She slowly but gently moved her hand from my shoulder, I missed the loss of her contact immediately.

“Why are you here?” I asked more sternly, this time I turned to look at the face of the only person I hated and loved the most after my sister Selene, Moona. She didn’t age a day since I last saw her. She looked still same. Beautiful and elegant, like a goddess of moon should be.

“I am here for you.” She replied, her voice low and soft like feathers. I fake chuckle.

“You are here for me?” I mocked her by making a concerned face. “Where were you when I need you the most? Where were you when our sister was killed?” the lightning strike in the sky concluding my statement, her eyes widened and I know my eyes must have changed from purple to blood red. She knows it was not good for her to push my buttons, and especially at this hour of time. 

She didn’t say anything. We stared into each other eyes, sister to sister, blood to blood. I shake my head. “You were never there for me, nor for her and his son.” She pursed her lips.

“I knew that, you don’t have answers and I don’t expect you any of them from your side.” I said and walked past her, making sure my shoulder bumps into hers.

“I was there for her.” I didn’t stop walking.

“I warned her and still she chose her own path.” The sky erupted into one thunderous lightning. My hands started shaking with the intense rage and anger, I don’t know I still have in me. I turned back.

“She chose her own path? Now you speak like the all mighty. God have always been cruel, mean and selfish.” This time the clouds thundered and rain started pouring. I looked above.

“You only care about yourself.” I cried. “And you, you were long dead for me since you sided with them, leaving me and your sister Selene.” I said pointing at her side, and started walking back from where I came through.

I didn’t look back. I fear she might already be gone.