Divine Darkness
Chapter Two - The Dream
I regain consciousness slowly, my eyes closed and my back against soft grass. Behind my eyes I see a soft light, and I breathe in the smell of...pureness, I guess. It's the cleanest, most natural scent. It isn't like Chlorox or Febreeze or something, this was like flowers mixed with the wind.
I open my eyes slowly, and the sky above me is black, with a soft white moon that washes over me; it's the most amazing full moon I have ever seen. It doesn't seem like nighttime, especially because everything is so easy to make out and the blackness of the sky looks welcoming, not threatening.
I sit up, assessing my surroundings. I'm in a field of soft, comfortable grass. The color is the darkest, healthiest shade of green. The most magnificent thing of all, however, is the flowers. There's thousands of them, painting the dark green field with brilliant white specks. All of the flowers seemed to pulse with light, as if reflecting the light from the moon in heartbeats.
I feel so light, I laugh aloud. “I'm dead. This place is too perfect and pure for someone like me to see, so I must be dead.”
A light, musical laugh sounds from behind me. “No, daughter, you are not dead.”
I turn around, not frightened at all. Standing behind me is the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. She has black, hip length hair, and her eyes are a blazing purple. She's clad only in the scraps of the most beautiful amethyst-colored fabric, with black metal buckles and chains holding it together to mold to her curvy, perfect body. Her skin is a beautiful white, and her nails are long and sharp, looking like claws the color of onyx. Although her body is scantily clad, she looks graceful and beautiful.
I look at her quizzically. “Daughter? Isn't that a House of Night thing?”
She laughs again, looking at me with adoration. “Yes, I suppose, but I am actually your mother.”
My breath catches in my throat. “W-what?”
She gives me a smile. “My name is Skia, and I am the Goddess of Shadows.”
I feel my jaw drop, and try to compose myself. “So...my mother is...a g-goddess?”
“Yes, Shadow, you are my daughter,” she replies, a loving smile turning her face into a beautiful mask of adoration.
I grow quiet, thinking. How can my mother be a goddess? How did I not figure this out sooner? I mean...what kind of fucked up person would believe this shit?! Even as the thought occurs to me, I feel movement in my chest, deep in my soul and heart, and I know she is speaking the truth.
Just as I continue to think through everything she just told me, I realize something.
“You called me Shadow. Why?”
“Why, that is your true name of course,” she replies, as if we were speaking of an everyday thing like the weather. “My name, Skia, means Shadow. You are my sole daughter, so I have named you after what you are.”
As she is speaking, I realize that being called Shadow seemed right. Katelyn just...didn't suit me.
“And I am what exactly?” I ask quizzically.
She smiles again, her eyes warm. “No time, my dear Shadow. You are soon to wake. The others will explain everything.”
“Others?” I wonder allowed. “What do you mean?”
“Hush, dear one. I will speak with you again very soon. Goodbye. I love you.”
As the words escape her lips, I feel my mind retract from the dream. I'm awakening. The last thing I see is the Goddess of Shadows, my mother, looking at me with so much love I feel as if my heart might burst.
I open my eyes slowly, and the sky above me is black, with a soft white moon that washes over me; it's the most amazing full moon I have ever seen. It doesn't seem like nighttime, especially because everything is so easy to make out and the blackness of the sky looks welcoming, not threatening.
I sit up, assessing my surroundings. I'm in a field of soft, comfortable grass. The color is the darkest, healthiest shade of green. The most magnificent thing of all, however, is the flowers. There's thousands of them, painting the dark green field with brilliant white specks. All of the flowers seemed to pulse with light, as if reflecting the light from the moon in heartbeats.
I feel so light, I laugh aloud. “I'm dead. This place is too perfect and pure for someone like me to see, so I must be dead.”
A light, musical laugh sounds from behind me. “No, daughter, you are not dead.”
I turn around, not frightened at all. Standing behind me is the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. She has black, hip length hair, and her eyes are a blazing purple. She's clad only in the scraps of the most beautiful amethyst-colored fabric, with black metal buckles and chains holding it together to mold to her curvy, perfect body. Her skin is a beautiful white, and her nails are long and sharp, looking like claws the color of onyx. Although her body is scantily clad, she looks graceful and beautiful.
I look at her quizzically. “Daughter? Isn't that a House of Night thing?”
She laughs again, looking at me with adoration. “Yes, I suppose, but I am actually your mother.”
My breath catches in my throat. “W-what?”
She gives me a smile. “My name is Skia, and I am the Goddess of Shadows.”
I feel my jaw drop, and try to compose myself. “So...my mother is...a g-goddess?”
“Yes, Shadow, you are my daughter,” she replies, a loving smile turning her face into a beautiful mask of adoration.
I grow quiet, thinking. How can my mother be a goddess? How did I not figure this out sooner? I mean...what kind of fucked up person would believe this shit?! Even as the thought occurs to me, I feel movement in my chest, deep in my soul and heart, and I know she is speaking the truth.
Just as I continue to think through everything she just told me, I realize something.
“You called me Shadow. Why?”
“Why, that is your true name of course,” she replies, as if we were speaking of an everyday thing like the weather. “My name, Skia, means Shadow. You are my sole daughter, so I have named you after what you are.”
As she is speaking, I realize that being called Shadow seemed right. Katelyn just...didn't suit me.
“And I am what exactly?” I ask quizzically.
She smiles again, her eyes warm. “No time, my dear Shadow. You are soon to wake. The others will explain everything.”
“Others?” I wonder allowed. “What do you mean?”
“Hush, dear one. I will speak with you again very soon. Goodbye. I love you.”
As the words escape her lips, I feel my mind retract from the dream. I'm awakening. The last thing I see is the Goddess of Shadows, my mother, looking at me with so much love I feel as if my heart might burst.