Saving the Dawn

Part 1

The cool, crystal clear water rushed around me as I dove into the pond. Breaking the surface of the lake, I gulped down the crisp air that my lungs desired. I looked up at the lightening sky and sighed. It was almost time.

Being Aurora, the goddess of the Dawn, meant that I had to greet the morning and prep it for Apollo, the god of the sun or daylight.

Gathering my things, I headed to the tallest point in the surrounding wilderness. I had to have height to preform the Day Breaking Ritual.

First step: set out my daily morning dew offering to Terra, Mother Earth. Once my dew is coating the sleeping plants I take my place. Now for the fun part. Sweeping my arms wide, I chant Aurora venit. Ipsa frangit desuper. Venite et spectate eam excipere diem. While I chant I slowly bring my arms up in a wide arc. I know it's completed when I see the sun peeking over the horizon. One last step: wait for Apollo.

A few seconds later, I was still waiting when I was attacked from behind. The foolish person tried to pin me, but I quickly pulled free and flung the attacker over my shoulders. My eyes widened in surprise as they landed on their feet. Only a god or a demigod could challenge me and not get knocked out within the first ten seconds of the fight. I was leaning towards my attacker being a demigod. The attacker turned and revealed a familiar face.

"Nox!?" I gasped, definitely not a demigod. Nox was a goddess, or more specifically the goddess of the evening. Why would she attack me? Unless...

She attacked again. I dodged to the left. I didn't have time for this, Apollo would be here any minute.

I called on Terra as I shoved Nox against a tree and held her there. Terra must have answered because vines slowly crept out of the boughs of the tree and wound themselves around Nox.

A flash of gold in the corner of my eye caught my attention. Apollo! I dashed back to my spot and waved. The growing light shimmered off of Apollo's golden chariot as it flashed across the sky. The day had officially started! I turned back to where Nox was restrained and found that she had vanished. That's right, I thought, run back to Diana and the darkness where you belong.

Terra appeared out of a sudden patch of fog. Her wild unkept hair was full of twigs and leaves while her pale, snow white dress dragged the ground in a long train as she approached me. "Aurora," she said, not bothering with hello, "there is a problem."

"How big?" I asked nonchalantly. There were always problems in the mortal realm.

Terra looked me straight in the eyes. "Diana and Nox are planning to overthrow Apollo and you."

I choked, "What!?! But that would mean-"

Terra cut me off, "Yes, they want to destroy the day and make it eternally night." I stared dumfounded before I snapped to my senses and sprinted off into the surrounding forest. I had to find Apollo and warn him.