The Flame & The Phoenix - All The Gods Among Us - Part 1 & 2

Prologue - How it all Began

The search for one’s soulmate has always been the theme of many a great love story. People all over the world in this life and the past have yearned for the completion, the all-encompassing absolution a soulmate is said to bring when found and conquered.  Unconditional love with a power so strong it can strike evil from the hearts of mankind and create a euphoria that is unlike any other. This is what we as humans with free will, passion, feeling, devotion, tenderness and need... long for in our existence.  While we all can find a considerably acceptable sacrifice in a companion, the one TRUE love that creates the electricity and hunger abridged is all we long for in our lives. Fulfillment complete. 

This is the stories of that love, of that joining of souls so sought after, some would even die to have it…

Many eons before human man truly encumbered the Earth so heavily there was a time of Gods, Goddesses and a small amount of mortal men and women.  As time passed Gods and Goddesses copulated with one another and with mortals. Of course, as a result more divine Gods, Goddesses and Demigods (half mortal/half god) were created. As the Demigods’ began to spawn and the then minimal amount of humans procreated, the population of the earth continued to grow.  These are “stories” and “myths” in this modern century we all have learned and studied. The only problem is, with some minor adjustments, these weren’t just stories. Magic and powers beyond normal mortal strength and possibility, existed. Gods were perpetual living souls that kept their human forms alive with magical flow from Gaia and existing for many lifespans.   They each had unique talents and dominions that caused them to be revered and worshiped by mere mortal men and women. These “Gods” chose to live on an island far away from any touch of mortals. They called this ‘Island Olympias’ for its vast mountain ranges that created the substantiality of the island. It was quite large and many believe it was later renamed Atlantis with the last of the Demigods and lineage of God's’ descendants living in harmony upon it. But that is another story.

This Island of Olympias beheld a vast city with miraculous technological wonders that no man or woman had yet to experience. Man was starting to turn its beliefs elsewhere shunning the Gods and their reality or credibility. This angered many Gods but with failing worship and practices of the arts, the magic of the Earth Gaia started to dwindle down considerably. The powers that these divine ones once used and held over humanity were not as strong.  Many Gods and Goddesses fought amongst themselves and their families over how to handle the situation. Some lesser Gods, Nymphs and other non-prominent divinities would just be gone one day, never to be seen or found again. It was believed by their peers that they had gone to live among the mortals and Demigods to mingle, reproduce and live out their lives peacefully in the ever changing beliefs and world. 

In one of the arguments among the deities, Hecate, Goddess of the crossroads; protector of the household; Goddess of witchcraft and protector of newborns, stated since in nearly half a century none of them had actually interacted in the mortal world, she would relinquish her place in Olympias for a month and live among the mortals.  She was revered for her bravery, her candor and the wish to protect them all except by Zeus who was appalled a female titan as herself would try to over shadow him in such a way. She blew off Zeus’ raged face and vowed to try and help the condition with mortals however she could. Many of the Gods, Apollo, Dionysus, Ares and others promised protection and to be watching over her while she was gone, through the Pool of Sight.  It was a reflective pool in the main meeting room of the grand assembly house on Olympias.

With that, Hecate was sent off in her more mortal form with all her power saved in a small silver flask at her waist tied closed with a golden ribbon from the robe of Zeus.  Hecate traveled for a week or two into the heart of the mortal realm. She heard the spurning of Gods, the tarnishing of the belief systems and reverence that they all had once been held upon.  She learned her love and gift of magic and witchcraft, was very much alive but had been twisted into a darker, more perverse manner than intended. While it was not the way her followers were supposed to have worshipped her gifts, it still accumulated power that was delivered to her soul. Albeit in a much darker, demanding and conniving tone. The more time she spent around these Zealots of Darkness and Mischief, the more power grew within her like heavy tar weighing her down; sticking to her soul, bubbling to get out.  Fearful that the mankind she now encountered could be worse in a short time if she didn’t explain and step in; finding a rather large group of believers about two weeks into her plight, Hecate addressed the mass of magic workers and dark hooded believers. 

“I am Hecate. Goddess of all that is witchcraft, protector of the newborns and Goddess of the Crossroads. I see the earth, underworld and sky with clarity. I can see the cycle of life and death and rebirth with a blink of my eye. I have come to you to offer myself, your “virgin” Goddess in teaching you the error of your ways and enlighten you back to the path you have strayed from now…” Her voice was a glistening and gorgeous as if the full moon’s rays on rippling water. Her long dark hair fell softly about her shoulders and voluptuous form. As she slipped away her riding cloak and revealed her erogenous form in a silken grey slip dress, she went to open her flask and drink back the powers she had kept at her hip for weeks now.  Before she could get it open one of the beastly sized men from the group grabbed her flask and laughed heartily.

“Look what we have here. A virgin willing to give herself as the Goddess Hecate! We will consume so much power and knowledge sacrificing her virginity and vitality into our circle of power!”

Suddenly Hecate was swooped up and chained to a slab of marble only a few feet away.  She was stripped to naked flesh and touched, poked, prodded in all her womanly areas and every other for what seemed like a lifetime.  With all her wits she begged to be give her ‘medicine’ from the flask so that she could truly be one with the Goddess. These men and woman were drunk, oversexed and looking for way to gain real power in their twisted minds. Hecate called out repeatedly in ancient tongues no longer spoken so that her family on Olympias could hear.

No one came. No one listened. No one helped.  As Hecate was sexually seized by both man and woman repeatedly; blood started to flow from her mortal body.  They had slashed her beautiful skin with knives and licked the “blood of a Goddess incarnate”. They had tasted her heated and overworked mound of s*x; she had been used by more than one at a time.  As Hecate felt the last of her breath leaving her tattered and broken body, a young and beautiful mortal girl with raven black hair and eyes the color of Poseidon’s most gorgeous oceans crept to her face.  This beautiful girl was followed by her sister who was pale in hair and eyes as light as the morning sky blue. The two young girls were witness to the event but Hecate could tell they were horrified at the goings on.

“We are sorry beautiful Hecate. We were made to be party to this at our parent’s request.” The flaxen haired beauty said softly.

The party was going on around her as if she no longer existed at all. They had took her, tasted her, cut her, worshiped her with magical texts and potions rubbed all over her body. No one noticed the girls or the failing mortal form near death on the table any longer.

“Get me my flask” was all Hecate could whisper out.

The young raven haired girl took off like a speed of lighting to find the flask from the brutish man she knew to be her father. It would be a moment of skill and underhandedness but Hecate silently prayed this young girl would succeed. 

“I am here with you Hecate. I see you and know you as the Goddess we respected and honored when I was a small child. Please rest and do not leave us. We will save you.” The petite blonde girl of about fourteen kissed the forehead of Hecate lightly.

The kiss jolted something within Hecate causing her to be more alert, more aware and breath, for the moment, a bit easier.  She managed to adhere to her surroundings enough now to speak.

“Child, what is your name? and how do you know me as the true Goddess?”

The young girl smiled softly and tended cleaning some wounds on Hecate’s arm while answering.

“My mother said I am Chione reborn. That I am the Goddess of the Snow that Artemis killed so many eons ago. My mother said she was able to bear me as she was a Demigod and her only failing would be not living to see me grown.”

“Chione? (pronounced hee-awnee) truly I can see why your mother said this. Your very minute Goddess power from heredity healed me enough to speak for a moment. And your sister? She too is a Minor Goddess or Nymph reborn?”

“No, No, Katia is mortal. She has the sixth sense of a sorceress but she is mortal with gifts. No more… Be still Hecate, she is returning soon and we will have you back to health so you may return home.”

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“ARES!!! Get in here! What the hell is wrong with this thing? I can’t see Hecate or the mortals or anything right now! We can’t leave her there alone without protection.” Apollo said roughly.

“Who the hell cares she went off to figure it out alone, let her be.  Besides she should have asked Zeus’ permission, not informed him what she was going to do whether anyone liked it or not. You need to be more like me Apollo and not the sissy crew of music and poetry for a minute.” Ares stated rudely.

“Seriously Brother, can you truly wish a Goddess such ill will because she didn’t ask you to fight her battles for her and left you behind. You are an arrogant ass! If we were all like you, the God of War… then nothing would be withstanding for it would all be crumpled to the ground in one of you tyrannical screaming moments.” Apollo came back at him.

“Of all the blood battles I have fought you are by far the most frustrating! Hephaestus! Come fix this. Bring the hammer to bang the Hades out of it!”

“Stop shouting Ares, relax and try to think calmly about how we can fix it. You are so overbearing sometimes!” Dionysus stated.

“Oh sure, let’s listen to little mister wine and food man. He knows best. Go find some festivities to gawk your time away in Dionysus, this here is real GOD work.” Ares rolled his eyes.

“Ares, stop your screaming. I am right here and the problem is not something I can fix with a hammer. Someone had poured a liquid material into the Pool of Sight. It is useless now. Find your father and we will get him to fix it” Hephaestus (pronounced ee-fess-taws) stated matter of factly.

After some passed time on Olympias the brothers learned of Zeus’ anger towards Hecate for bolding overshadowing anything he could have offered to do to help with the mortals.  He had added a few drops of his blood to the Pool of Sight to convolute its viewing capabilities for a while, leaving Hecate to fend for herself. After some convincing Zeus ordered the Pool of Sight cleared and Hecate could once again be helped, but what they found after three weeks had passed in the mortal realm would change their very existence.

“My brethren, I feel the power of this Goddess flowing through the woman on our offering table. Let us not leave her body cold and untouched for too long. Invite you to take her again, eat from her, drink from her, fill yourselves with her soul so we may all have piece of the heavenly Goddess Hecate within our mortal forms!!” The brutish father of Chione and Katia bellowed loudly.

Katia had been successful in gaining the flask but it was making her way back to Hecate and delivering the essence into her before she was completely annihilated by the mortals taking her and drinking from her without ceasing.

As the men and women started to feast and take Hecate’s body for their pleasure, Chione refused to move. She stood near the head of the Goddess and simply held her hand while stroking her cheek. She ignored the atrocities that were going on around her and focused on saving her Goddess until Katia could get there.  The mortals chanted and practiced their magic as they exploited the Goddess in her human state. Each word, each moment of chant fed Hecate’s soul. She knew that if she could return her Goddess essence to the mortal body her power would be 100 times its normal, if not more. 

As Katia reached the fading Hecate, she propped open her lips and poured the honey sweet smelling liquid into her mouth. Hecate was nearly too far gone to swallow but with one prayer of true clean and pure worship from Chione, the Goddess found the strength to swallow.

The events that happened next were only a few minutes long. The darkness of the power from the heathen worshipers was heavy and over consuming to Hecate. She swiftly spoke words and split men and women in two without ever touching them. The gory scene was horrific and blood ridden with bodies and innards everywhere.  Katia and Chione closed their eyes tight and huddled as the Goddess unleashed her wrath. They were covered with the blood and body parts of the cultish crew. The scream of Hecate’s soul was heard all the way at Olympias just as the Pool of Sight was brought back online. Apollo, Ares, Dionysus, Hermes and Hephaestus bellowed at the goings on below. They were witnessing how Zeus’ betrayal of loyalty to one of his own household turned out. This was not the first time he had turned his jealousness and prideful ways towards one of them but this was likely to be the worst outcome. 

Hecate hovered a few feet off the ground, her Goddess power emanating around her in swirls of shimmering grey.  She looked to the two girls whom had saved her life but through the convoluted tar of such dark worship, she wasn’t thinking clearly. Her voice was echoing in layers, one over the other in quick sequence.

“YOU HAVE BETRAYED ME AND NOT KEPT YOUR PROMISES! MERE MORTALS HAD TO SAVE ME!  NOW THIS CURSE WILL SERVE UNTIL THE END OF TIME!”

With that Hecate chanted and swirled the earth about her and the two young girls. She used a language only those on Olympias would still understand. She chanted, invoked and created a curse so heavily laden with dark power, it would likely never be lifted. The screams of Goddesses rang out throughout the entire world, as they imploded and filtered into the air in shimmery specks of sand. The Gods one by one started to disintegrate from the feet up leaving only a small dimly lit silver ball hovering where they once stood corporeal. 

As the spell deepened and took hold Hecate was transported to Olympias through such power even Zeus was in awe as he continued to degenerate.

“Hecate! What have you done!” Zeus roared.

“I have cursed you Zeus and all our kind! I will take a piece of each of your male souls and place it on a female mortal soul. You will forever search for this mortal through every lifetime you reincarnate. Should you find her, you will again feel whole and powerful. Although you will never be able to pull your piece of soul from the mortal and become physically complete, being with her will make you sated and all-embracing.  Each mortal woman I chose, your Soul Keeper…her soul will hold a piece from TWO Gods. Never will you have love for yourself. Forever will you all share love and companionship with another, if you can find her. Never will you or any other be the Gods you have been for far too long. Perhaps if you ever break this curse, if you can figure out how, you will have learned to be loyal, less jealous and cruel and finally you will know the truth of love, protection and realize women of this earth will always see everything coming from all directions!”

As she finished her words the last grains of Zeus’ mortal skin fell waste to the floor. In the room she stood with many silver balls of light. Carefully selecting a small piece from each of the them, Hecate placed them in a small silver bag.  She traveled the globe searching for the purest and selfless souls of women. She collected many and brought them all to the place where she was taken without permission. The battle field of her vengeance. Standing all the young women in a circle she stood in front of each one and chanted a spell to adhere two pieces of Gods souls to their mortal soul. She put a spell on them to reincarnate without care to where their Godly mates might be and to be glamoured and difficult to find.  As she reached the last two young female souls she realized they were the two that saved her that night. 

“My dearest saviors, I curse you for being party to the events of such a cult and non-worshipping lifestyle but I gift you with the best pieces of souls I have in my possession for saving me. May you both one day from now find your soulmates and live in happiness with lengthened lifetimes and many children. I offer you this spell of protection whenever you bear young.”

Katia and Chione shivered from the drying blood still caked on them from the m******e as the cool night breeze hit them. Chione stool still as the incantations were spoken and the two pieces of souls were linked inside her form to her own.  Chione smiled as they attached feeling a familiar warmth from the souls that were now linked to hers.

Hecate seemed to be phasing in and out of corporeality. She seems to be growing older, tired more quickly.   The hold of that much power and darkness was slowly eating her away into death.

“My dear Katia, it seems I have miscalculated, you will get more than you bargained for…. My dear mortal girl…. find love and peace. Good luck” 

With that Hecate attached the last pieces of souls to Katia’s soul and fell to the ground limply. She whispered an incantation and all the souls missing their pieces seemed to float into the heavens as if waiting a time to return.  All the flecks of dust from each crumbled goddess floated through the air allowing each female on the planet to breath in a bit of each one. This caused each woman on earth to know the love of Aphrodite, the wisdom of Athena and so on. This is why women of the modern world are so strong and wise and not so subservient to men as they once were. They are a little bit of all the Goddesses in each breath.

Night fell and in the place where Hecate lay dying and a small pocket-sized seed formed from her dust. As the young girls who were blessed or cursed, depending upon your perspective, left the circle Hecate has created they dispersed and ran to the four corners of the Earth.  One of the smallest, youngest little girls who Hecate hadn’t utilized, stopped on her way by and picked up the seed. The seed seemed to vibrate with life. A soft humming sound emanating from it and the light scent of cinnamon rising from it. It almost smelled so good she wanted to eat the seed. Licking it quickly she smiled and her eyes glazed over just for a moment. Placing it safely in some broadcloth and then her traveling satchel, she ran to find her new life. 

Time passed and this story was forgotten. It wasn’t written down and recorded by surviving mortals, it was replaced with a new era of Gods and Religions and beliefs.