Tears Of The Gods

Chapter 1 - The Summons

I ran at him, hands clenched, legs pumping like well-oiled pistons. The chants of my peers filling my ears, "Fight, fight, fight, fight!" I made the first move, aiming a high kick at his face (and thanking my lucky stars for the fact that my jeans didn't split). I felt the blow connect, the impact nearly toppling both of us. Suddenly, a searing bolt of pain shot up my leg, I looked back up to see my leg being held up in the air by a meaty hand, being repeatedly clubbed with his math textbook, I jerked away, my foot connecting once more with his already bleeding nose. "Freya, what on earth do you think you are doing?" his voice boomed through the hallway, causing students to quickly file into nearby classrooms, their eyes peeking through the tiny windows.

"Yes Mr Crane?" I looked up at him sheepishly, a guilty wave of heat spread to my face causing my cheeks to flush.

Again. I had been suspended. Again, and of course, the teachers little pet Troy Malloy gets off the hook just because I broke his little nose (and fractured his eye socket, but, details, details).

I arrived at the house with a frown plastered on my face, I climbed the stairs to the door and dug through my pockets for my key. I entered the dark hallway and slammed the door shut behind me before taking the next flight of stairs two at a time to my room. I dumped my bags on the ground and jumped on my bed, hot tears prickling in my eyes. I punched the mattress repeatedly at the old wooden frame let out groans of protest until I fell into a fitful sleep. "Now is the time, Freya, the world is once again in peril and now we must call upon you for assistance." The beautiful voice filled my head, echoing until it reached a great crescendo, waking me from my slumber with a start. "Shish-kebabs!" I shouted into my pillow. "All will be revealed in good time young one," the voice whispered once more before I felt the presence leave me. I pondered my current situation, was I going crazy? Do I have anger issues? What am I going to have for dinner?

I sat on my bed staring out of the window, the voice replaying in my mind, the sound of the birds in the trees was distorted, a great cacophony of tweets, car engines, squawking and the sound of my ravenous stomach rumbling. I stood slowly, a hand clutched at my head. I sat, hunched at the kitchen counter, slowly nibbling on my sandwich, the gelatinous, sweet jam felt reassuring as it slid around on my tongue. I sat taking miniscule bites from my sandwich, staring into oblivion, wondering about my mental health. "Freya!" my mum's screech and the sound of a slamming door startled me back to reality. "Freya!" she screeched again, I imagined the glass in front of me shattering into a million pieces at the sound of her voice. I turned around in my seat just in time for her entrance, her usually pale face now a finger painting of red and purple blotches, her neck a muddle of pulsing veins, ready to explode. "Freya, darling," she began in a sickly sweet tone, "I got the most wonderful news at work! It appears my daughter has been practicing for the WWE women's league! Congratulations!" Her voice grew in intensity and I began to wither under her rage filled glare, then, she did it, she went there, she said the thing that every child dreads hearing; "Look, Freya," she rasped in a defeated tone, "I'm not even angry at you anymore, I'm just... Disappointed." In a pained effort to seem unaffected by her statement, I rolled my eyes with as much ice and contempt as possible before returning to my room.

I lay in my bed wishing for a Dorothy Gale moment, I wished that a tornado would descend on my room and swallow me up, taking me to a far off place... Somewhere over the rainbow.

I jolted upright in my bed, the wind cutting through my room like a ninja star flying through the air, I found myself to be shivering, the blankets offering no warmth. I looked toward my window, my eyes still adjusting to the darkness of the room, my curtains were soft white ghosts, thrashing around in the air. I placed my foot on the cold floorboards, a shiver sending a shock up my spine, I crept toward the window. Feeling on edge, I decided to quickly glance around my room, almost expecting a masked assailant to spring at me from under my bed. I continued tip-toeing toward my window. I tamed my curtains and slammed the window shut, the noise startling both me and the family of birds sitting on the branch across from my window. I turned around only to be met by a tall, dark figure standing on the opposite side of my bed, white light glowing behind her. The figure turned around... She was... Beautiful, beautiful in a way that would strike fear into a giant's heart. She irradiated power – literally, an inky, black aura surrounded her, long tendrils occasionally feeling the area around her. She was wearing a long cloak of pure darkness that seemed to suck the light out of the room, her long dress was long and sweeping, a stark contrast to her pale white skin. Her eyes were a dark blue, almost purple in colour. She stood proudly before me before looking me up and down. Suddenly, she spun around and started shuffling on the spot before grabbing a pale arm out of thin air and pulled it out from behind her. She bent over and started whispering something in what I presumed to be it's ear. A few seconds later, a boy, around my age, tall and with a slender build appeared from behind the lady, he had soft features, grey eyes, white hair and extremely pale skin, unlike the woman, he irradiated a bright, white aura that wrapped itself around him like a living cocoon. He seemed timid, and rather shy, almost trying to hide behind the woman. "I am Nyx, goddess of the night, mother to 26 Gods, I have been sent to prepare you for the trials ahead, this is my son, Aither, God of air and light, and he is to be your guardian. Prepare your things, say goodbye to your loved ones, for we must leave promptly." I stood, mouth wide opened, shell shocked, who were these people? What did they think they were doing in my room? "Child," Nyx cooed, "I know this must be a lot for you to handle but, we must go, my world and yours are in peril, you are our only hope, you were born of the blood of the Gods, you have the power to do anything, be anything, we need you." I sat on my bed, I didn't know what to do, who to turn to, I was lost. I had nothing here, no friends, my only family resenting me. I had made my decision. I still felt sorry for her, I didn't want her to think I had left for the wrong reasons. I wrote a note, to tell her I was coming back, to tell her exactly what was going on, I knew she would think I was crazy, but at least she would know I was alive.

Dear Mum,

I know I have always been a hassle and an annoyance, and I've almost come to the conclusion that you will be glad to be rid of me, if so, this note will mean nothing to you. But. If I still have a place in your heart, then please read on. I know this will sound crazy, but, two people showed up in my room, one claiming to be Nyx, the Goddess of night, and her son, Aither, the God of air and light. I am leaving with them, to help them, and according to them, the world.

Trust me,

I'll be back.

-Freya