IV

Life was simple. At now 24, Selene has gotten used to living alone, in solitude.

At first, she could not comprehend Soren's leave, as it was very sudden and unexpected. She mourned the loss for her dear father for days. Getting used to doing things on her own was hard. She had only the nature to talk to, only the wild to mend her broken heart. The trees would whisper soothing words to her and the animals would slowly crawl to her legs, brushing them softly, like they could feel her pain. When the moon was high in the night's sky, she would stare at it, looking for the closest star to the silver beam of light, but she never found it. Where are you?, she would think. But no one answered.

The days went in a blur. The companions of the forest could only watch as she fell in a deep state of sadness. She would barely eat and sleep. Her eyes became dull with grief for Soren. She would sometimes look over her shoulder, towards the place of his departure, thinking that maybe he would appear from behind a tree and call her „flower".

One morning, a desperate sound woke her up. She could feel the forest call to her, whisking her forward, almost as if an invisible force dragged her body. She let herself be directed towards the sound and what she saw, made her heart stop. On the meadow's ground, lay a corpse. The once green grass became a crimson colour. The small deer that once ate from her palm was dead.

Motionless, she watched as a wolf feast from its belly, Selene almost feeling the pain on her own body. With ragefull eyes, she screamed. It was not a scream of sorrow, but one of rage and vengeance. How could someone do this? She thought. She recognized the rogue werewolf due to its massive build and size and remembered what Soren had been teaching her. „They are uncontrollable, animalistic, cruel beings now. The goddess no longer has a place for them on this Earth. One damned soul is not worth the lives of the good".

The winds blew, her black hair flowing with it. She ran to the wolf, Soren's blade in hand, ducked down. The wolf jabbed its teeth at her throat, ready to taste more flesh. But Soren taught her better. She grabbed its muzzle tightly, tilted his head backwards and slit the knife on his throat. He died instantly. She fell to her knees, petting his belly's fur and whispered soothing words to it.

„I'm sorry... Go now.". Her hands glowed and in place of the rabid wolf, stood flowers. Selene brought her head upwards, from the ground, only to see her companions watching her from the line of the trees. She got up and they stepped back. „No, don't be afraid of me. You are all I have left", she said with sad eyes. A baby rabbit hopped to her legs and she bent down to take it in her arms. He leaned on her cheek, almost as if he wanted to say „I'm here for you".

„I am sorry, but it had to be done. You saw what it did. They no longer have a soul." She furrowed her eyebrows and no sound could be heard around. Her eyes fell on the dead animal, and she furrowed her eyebrows. All was quiet. Suddenly, she straightened her back, held her head high. She understood.

„I am Selene, descendant of the goddess herself. She has given me the task of keeping you safe, of bringing balance in the world. Where one is gone, life will flourish from the ground." She moved towards the deer, its intestines hanging out. A gruesome picture. „Go in peace, friend". Silver light beamed in the meadow, making you close your eyes due to its intensity. A dappled willow took the corpse's place. It was majestic to watch. Its branches are graceful and arching, giving the tree a regal appearance. The bark of the dappled willow is smooth and grey, with shallow ridges and furrows.

Now, she knew what she had to do. Protect them, keep them safe. Goddess Artemis bestowed her with the power of the nature. It would call her back to life, giving her purpose. She felt special once again, like the times Soren would watch her with proud eyes as she mastered fighting and hunting skills. He taught her how to protect herself, how to be fast, but silent. Resilient and patient.

All these she still performed with grace. Her long legs would help her run, the trees becoming a blur. Her doll, innocent face would take the breath away from any human being, her beauty like no other. She had the body of a warrior, with muscle in the right places. Yet, what made her different, was her soul. She would not hunt the young animals, nor kill the sinless. She would not harm the good. It was like a new light was shining in her eyes. The creatures stood still, as her eyes fell on her shoulder, where a crescent moon appeared. It was delicate on her skin, with thin lines. The sign of goddess Artemis once again. There was no mistake. She was the chosen soul to bring balance and peace, the most special gift on Earth. Suddenly, she felt her power flow through her body, the nature at her bare feet.

Selene's dress, made of a lightweight, diaphanous material that seems to shimmer and glow as the light catches it, lending an otherworldly quality to her appearance. The cut of the dress is simple yet elegant, with a flattering empire waist and a billowing skirt that falls to her feet, slits on each leg, showing her smooth skin. The bodice is fitted, hugging her curves and highlighting her feminine form. The soft, ethereal fabric of the dress is gathered in delicate pleats at the neckline, framing her face and drawing attention to her natural beauty. As she moves, she seems to glide through the world with a graceful, effortless ease. Her dress floats and sways around her, lending her an air of mystery and enchantment. She exudes a quiet confidence and poise, as if she is in tune with the rhythms of the universe and at peace with herself and her surroundings. Selene appears like a celestial being, a vision of beauty and grace that is both captivating and mesmerizing.

As the days went by, Selene felt more content with her life. She felt happy in the forest. She would glide from branch to branch, running through the trees, firing her arrow and keeping tabs on the creatures of the forest. Every now and then, a rogue would step foot in her home, eyes red for blood like always and she would show mercy to its lost soul, giving it life again from the ground.

Sometimes, she felt lonely. 6 years without Soren felt heavy, the silence defening. Selene would talk to herself or the animals, even if she knew no one would respond, but it was her way of keeping sane, keeping her voice intact. Solitude was not something she liked. But the silence was gone in a second. After so many years with no human contact, she heard a cry and it was no rogue wolf.