Stormcaller pt 37-- A God's Binding

The god watched Thorn as she held up the amulet, and he was puzzled but not displeased. This puny mortal was offering him a gift... how touching. He reached down, only to see a shadow spring from it. The shade began to take form, until it was in the form of a woman. Her features kept changing, but he recognised the faces that would form for no more than a second. They were the faces that haunted him for years...1

"HOW DARE YOU?!" The screeching voice of the shade wrung out. "Were you not so satisfied with our lives, that you must claim another?!"2

"No," He said. "I loved you..."3

The three voices cackled in unison. "You loved our power! You loved that a mortal could be so blessed, so powerful! We know of your intentions when you "blessed" us! You took our lives, for the sake of your own power, and you will not take another!"4

The shades began to swirl into a tornado, whirling around the god. He just laughed. Dead or not, they still had the spirit of a mortal, and could not harm him.5

His head began to blur, images filling his head. He saw a wolf laying on the ground, mourning the loss of his Stormcaller... a man, getting ready to take his own life... a child, sitting alone in a rose bush... they were filling him with the pain he had caused.6

"Stop!" he said. He snatched at the shades sending them into different directions. "You are memories! Nothing more! That pain no longer exists..."7

/But it does,/ a Derron thought. /I know it, Talon and Saro know it.../8

/Then show him,/ a voice answered.9

Derron stood up, and came over to the god, offering his hand. "What's this?" The god asked. "Another gift?" He reached out to take Derron's hand.10

When he grabbed hold, Derron remembered all that painful things he could; Luna leaving after they had met, fear at her flying into the storm, when the harpies took her away...11

Talon saw blue light fly from Derron to the god, and knew what he was doing, maybe he could help... Talon touched the god's robe, and remembered the first time he'd been hit, the silver people that had come to them in the city...12

The wolves ran around them, howling their woes; singing of the harpies that had so often claimed their young, of the snow that bit them, and the rain that blinded them as they hunt... Saro was among them, singing of his lost daughter and mate, of his knew mistress he had yet to speak to...13

Luna stood there, watching them risk everything for her. She wouldn't let it be in vain. She walked up to the god, and touched his robe. She remembered her mother and father fighting, having to beat off people who hated her for her wings, never having a home...14

The god clutched his head. Too many memories. Too much mortal pain. Never before had he been so glad to disappear, as the other god's summoned him to the heavens.15

"Thank you!" he exclaimed as the gods stared down at him. "You saved me..." He was silent when he met the gods' glares. They parted, and made way for the Earth Goddess.16

"Brother," she said icily. "You have been found guilty of high crimes against the Gods' council. Is there anything you wish to say before you are sentenced?"17

"Surely," he said, his voice wavering slightly. "You didn't take that binding seriously? I mean, I admit I was a little..."18

"No?" The goddess said, smiling. "Then you are hereby sentenced to relinquish your powers, and are bound until we find someone to replace you..."19

The god hung his head in sham, and heard no more.20

Luna breathed in the clean air as the clouds cleared up. Derron, Talon, and Saro stood behind her. She turned. "Let's go home," she said.21

Thorn sat where she was. It was over. She stood, her back aching, she didn't know /how/ she was going to get home now that she was... changed. She sighed, and began to walk.