The Dark Goddess

Chapter 10

Oya should feel uneasy but she really wasn’t, somewhere at the back of her mind was something giving to her confidence and assurance somehow.

She had been here only for a short while and she was pretty sure this is the best place she could be in order for her to achieve what she needed to achieve.

She had done a little research and her findings of this place made her really confident that this is where she needed to be for the goddess of love of this domain to come find her.

In her research she got to know that the place she was at the moment is called New York, which is where Osun the river goddess must have placed her child after she was born.

She had also discovered this garden and the tale behind it that it was created by a man for his wife hence making the foundations those of love, so why wouldn’t the presence of a goddess of love not be drawn here especially if this is her domain plus the fact that an unknown deity was currently staying there.

Two things prompted her actions; the fact that she really needed help especially against the gods of this domain and the fact that she believed only a goddess of love can totally understand her and as well talk to the other gods to the point that they’d at least listen and see reason with her mission.

Either way her best option lies here.

She had headed back here immediately she tossed Osoosi off into the trap she always had ready with the pestilence god Babaluaye (both of them were tight friends but the other gods are oblivious to that fact).

Now she really hoped her plan would succeed even though it was a really long shot.

She suddenly came to after being lost in thought for a while and discovered a lady was walking towards where she was seated, that was when her veil of confidence and assurance tore and shattered because as she watched the lady approach, she had no doubt her plan had worked.

The oncoming lady wore a strapless armless flowing gown like a wedding dress combined with colors like pink, cream, light blue and mint green.

She was so beautiful and elegant in her approach much like a bride walking down the aisle to the alter, her hair shone of multiple colors and her eyes twinkled the same, it seemed to Oya that the longer she looked at her the more beautiful she got (is that even possible?)

By the time the approaching goddess got to Oya’s front though, she had composed herself, reminding herself that she was a goddess as well irrespective of the domain or country.

She then stood up and by way of greeting gave her just a nod, the lady goddess smiled genuinely and made the gesture to sit.

Oya did but there was no place for the goddess to seat, that didn’t seem to bother the goddess tho as she made to seat and right before she sat a chair materialized seemingly out of thin air along with a round table with a tea set on it.

The goddess glanced at Oya once more and smiled “I am Aphrodite, the goddess of love, well for these parts that is” she said and smiled again as if there was a silent joke being played in her head then she picked up the teapot and poured into both cups in front of them.

Oya looked at the tea as it was being poured and saw that it was a clear liquid that poured from the teapot but as it reached her cup it changed to a dark color and the smell that wafted forth was of the best type of tea she loved to take.

She picked up the cup and took a sip and she found a richly blended exotic taste caressing her tongue and threatening to burst her taste buds, it tasted so perfect, exactly the way she loved it, as she placed her cup down she wondered just how similar gods and goddesses really are because this exact ability is also one that Osun has as a love goddess as well.

“I am Oya, a warrior goddess, I’m glad and honored that you heeded by beckoning” Oya responded knowing fully well that she had to thread lightly because these are uncharted waters that she was swimming in.

The goddess Aphrodite placed her cup down as well after taking a sip but the expression on her face was as if she had just tasted something sour, she looked up at her guest then smiled again “I’m sorry,I just never seem to get it right” she said to Oya who looked quizzed as she thought ‘if that taste wasn’t the perfect one then I can only wonder how the perfect one will be’.

“I’m really glad you sought me out first, warrior goddess, shows you know the value and importance of love” Aphrodite said much to Oya’s relief “But that could also mean you’ve seen me as the least threat and easy to manipulate so you want to use me” she finished and Oya almost choked.

Aphrodite still had a smile on her face with those words but it was a hard cold smile that promised suffering and death in the most unlikely way.

“oh my, I would never, no, I came to you first because I know of the sway and power that love has over the society, basically over and gathering of people, it is love that brings them together, some cone together because of their love for money, some love for themselves and some love for others, all in all love trumps all else” Oya answered in her wisest and truest opinion.

Then Aphrodite burst out laughing, a genuinely wonderful and joyous sound that reminded Oya of good things and good times, new things and new times like morning, spring etc.

“Wow, I have to give it to you warrior goddess, you are wise, this makes you formidable and you do remind me a bit of our own warrior goddess Athena” Aphrodite said heartily with her proper smile back on her ageless face but this time it was obvious she was now on guard after seeing how Oya had passed her test exceedingly well.

“I need your help o goddess and I would never trick you to get it neither would I underrate you or take you for granted, I only ask that you look into me and see my plight for yourself” Oya said then she streched her right hand outward with a pointing index finger.

Aphrodite took a longer look at the outstretched finger before she stretched her own right hand as well and met Oya’s index finger with her own index finger.

As soon as their fingers touched, visions and images flooded Aphrodite’s mind, and she saw all that had occurred for Oya from the love affair she had to how she conceived despite it being near impossible to, to how the child had been rejected by her lover and how she had decided to keep it and how she delivered it, placed a power seal on it and sent it far away all with the help of another beauty and love goddess,

Then she saw how the troubles started when the power seal broke and the child started growing into her powers and the trouble it brought forth to the midst of the gods that knew of it so far, especially Oya and her lover,

Seeing how the child was here in their own domain -practically grew up here- Aphrodite could see why she need help, although she also saw how so far Oya had been able to take care of things when it comes to her lover, this made Aphrodite realize that this wasn’t a goddess to be trifled with either.

“I’ve seen your issues and I have a vague idea of what you need from me, but I need to hear it from you” Aphrodite said to Oya after the vision.

“You know of the best way to put down my case with your other godly colleagues so they would free me to retrieve the child without opposition” Oya said in response.

Aphrodite was silent for a few seconds before answering “it is not so simple dear warrior goddess, you see here is not just a domain held by a specific godly line, unlike other single nations with specific gods to specific domains, here in America it is not like that, a lot of diverse gods resides in multiple domains mainly because a lot of gods also migrated her with the many many diverse people that came to this great nation” she explained to her guest who didn’t seem to understand fully yet.

She looked for another approach to broaden the explanation “see it as you came here now seeking for a goddess of love to explain your issues to, I might not have been the one to come, rather another goddess of love from another aspect, religion or line, I only came because I’m the strongest around here and I had already heard of intrusions from unknown godly entities, so I wanted to see for myself the so called ‘threat’ “ she laid it down and by seeing a light of understanding on Oya’s face she knew she was making headway so she continued.

“While it is true that those of us present all know each other one way or the other -which is why we were able to detect the arrival of unknown ones in our midst- we still don’t necessarily relate or mingle, each sticks to its godly line and avoids others which is what Hathor has been doing since” as Aphrodite said that she looked sideways and waved her hand like a kindergartner by means of saying hi.

Oya looked towards where she was waving, then shimmering into view was another goddess who could also only be the goddess of love with her striking beauty and allure, she curtseyed and turned her back then beautiful wings of different bright colors spread out and she shimmered into nothingness once more.

“She is Egyptian, I’m Greek but then even I still have a counterpart that is Roman” Aphrodite said and as she did her form shimmered and for a few seconds was replaced by a more stern looking beauty goddess in a kind of battle outfit.

“So If I get what you are saying right, this means I wouldn’t just appeal to you but to those countless other gods so as to make myself known and acknowledged?” Oya asked not knowing the feeling that wss currently welling in her.

“Well yes and no, all the other godly lines has to be aware and acknowledge you, not all the gods one by one, meaning all we’d do is place your matter to one best suited to handle it like you’ve done with me and then that one takes it to the others then you either meet the others all together at once or get the responses from the one sent” Aphrodite cleared.

Oya was getting weighed down just from the explanation of the huge work she now has to do, but she was determined to do it.

“Fair warning though” Aphrodite started a warning, “just like not all the gods from your aspect accepted this issue positively, that is how it is going to be here as well, there will be those who are against it, and some of those will still choose to fight you when the time comes, heck some would join forces with your lover to end your child, but it won’t matter because it is those we do win to our side that will matter, don’t you worry, I’ll be your personal escort, guide and friend all through the visits, seeing as you like to befriend love goddesses” She said to her guest.

Oya couldn’t help but finally smile at that, now she was ahead of Osoosi and also already has an ally amongst the many gods of this land and was about to get even more.

***

The day was just starting to break when Ami, Darren and Miles got to her house (Miles reluctantly followed feeling that they might need the help).

The sun’s rays started parting the clouds and its strands touched the ground as a steady stream of light, Ami hardly noticed all these because her mind had been reeling continuously with thoughts of the conversation she had with Miles and Darren on the way back here, they had said it was the only possible solution.

She had agreed to it after a little more thought seeing the logical truth of it and Miles had sent something back as a message to Haven so they would start working something out -whatever it was she didn’t know.

When they got to her house though there was a police car in front and at first she stood dumb folded thinking something bad had truly happened, then she rushed inside expecting to see the worst.

When she got in though, her confusion met with a couple others, there was her parents, Sandy’s parents and Sandy herself along with the cops who were question them all.

Aegis broke the silence first by yapping happily at her as he ran on his little legs to meet her, then Sandy bounded up to her as well hugging her tight followed by her parents then Sandy’s parents, she was half expecting the cops to join in the group hug as well.

Then she figured out that the issue here was actually her herself, she had been gone a full day with no means of contacting her and no one hearing from her or anything and by now she was being reported as a missing person.

“What happened sweetie?” her dad asked, “you only went out to get some things from the store” he reminded.

“Yeah and then we heard nothing at all from you till now” her mother joined in “we were so scared we thought something must have happened since you never do something like this” she said with sniffles.

“Then we heard about the freakish storm that occurred not too far from the store so we thought you might have been close by when it hit or something” Sandy put in their worst fear.

“We had been there searching till it was late and had to call the officers in to report it this morning since that makes it over a twenty four hours you were gone” her dad pointed out.

Ami was overwhelmed by their genuine concern and care, and honestly after what she had been through and what she knows is still yet to come, she really needed some real care and concern.

She fell right back into their arms and wept, not even knowing how she could now face them and give the necessary lie that had been prepared by the Haven through Miles and Darren.

She almost couldn’t but she had to for the sake of her parents (these ones right here not the ones that includes the one aiming to end her life) for the sake of her best friend and her family too and for the sake of the world, she was going to lie.