Chapter 04 The New Goddess

When I woke up, I felt rested and refreshed. I lay in a large comfortable bed that was only fit for royalty. I was in a nice spacious room with a luxurious dresser and bench. The color palette was regal and elegant.

I removed the covers from my body and examined myself. My wrists were bruised and someone removed my dress and slipped me on a silk white nightgown. I eased myself off the bed, putting my feet into soft slippers that were placed on the floor. I walked to the dresser. A mirror was placed on top of it. Studying my reflection, I grimaced. My hair dried and a bit tangled. And I smelled the sweat from my body.

I lowered my head and took a deep breath. I needed a long bath. The rose gold bracelet was also placed on top of a dresser. I unclasped it and put it back on my arm.

A knock on the door startled me. I moved away from the dresser and settled back on the bed.

"You're awake." Star beamed, entering the room. She carried a tray of food and a cup of water with her. "I hope the bed was comfortable."

"Yes, it was. Thank you," I stated. "How long was I out?"

"Only for a day," she answered, opening the curtains. The natural light from the sun instantly brightened the room. "Midnight told me to watch over you while you rested."

He still doesn't trust me. I frowned. "Am I in your village?"

"Yes. After you passed out, Midnight carried you back. I'm so glad he did. I wanted to express my gratitude for stopping those vile men."

"It was the least I could do." I lowered my gaze. "Too bad I wasn't much help."

"But you were," Star protested. "Who knows what they could have done if you didn't come."

"Who were they anyway?"

"They're demon hunters for Balam. They kidnap women and children." Hatred filled Star's eyes. "And take them around the nation as their slaves."

"That's awful."

"Yeah, it wasn't like this before. But ever since the queen reigned over our nation, horrible things started to happen." She gave me the tray. "Anyways, eat. I'll bring you some fresh clothes and let the prince and princess know you're awake."

"Princess?"

"Midnight's younger sister. She wants to meet with you as soon as possible." Star walked out of the room. "I'll be back."

My mouth watered at the food. I hadn't eaten since the day I left my world. I ignored the roasted bird but ate the cheese, sourdough bread, and raspberry jam. While drinking the cup of water, I thought about the princess. Midnight must have told her my story. She wanted to see what I was all about.

After fifteen minutes, there was another knock on the door. Star came back in, giving me a one-shoulder crop top, black loose pants, and sandals. Similar to her outfit. "Okay, Amari. I hope this fits. Now I'll escort you to your bath." She noticed the meat was untouched. "Is there something wrong with the quail?"

"No, nothing wrong," I explained. "It's just that I'm vegetarian."

"Oh, I'm sorry. I'll let the cook know next time."

"Thank you." I studied her features. She resembled a human, but she had pointy ears and her fingers were tipped with claws. "I still can't believe you guys are gargoyles."

"Are there no gargoyles in your world?"

"No, they're a myth. They are ornamental decorations to ward off evilness, guard the buildings, and protect those inside." I remembered what Professor Williams said about them in my mythology class. "Where is your tail and wing?"

Star laughed. "We can only transform by night. We're strong in our human form, but we're really powerful at night. Especially when the moon is out."

"Cool. Do humans live here in your village?"

"No, but they do live in towns and cities around the Crescent Nation."

"Are we second-class citizens here?"

"Nope. We try our best to treat every race with respect, but I don't know what the Hellions are doing with them. You know a lot of creatures eat humans."

Great. I shivered, rising from the bed. Now I had something else to worry about.

Star guided me down a long hallway. Royal pictures hung on the wall. One that caught my attention was the gargoyles. They resemble humans, but their skin tones were different. And their wings, tails, and horns made them look more terrifying. There were also pictures of the moon in its different phases. In some of them, gargoyles worshiped and flew around the moon, celebrating the celestial body.

"Hey, Star." Spica walked in the opposite direction with another soldier. She glanced at me and smiled. "Good morning, Amari."

I smiled back. "Hello."

The bronze skin man with multiple piercings on his ears stepped forward. He had a friendly face. "So this is the human girl. Aren't you a cutie?" His lips spread into a crooked smile. When he extended his hand, I spotted a tattoo of a crow on his arm. "My name is Corvus."

I blushed, shaking his hand. "Nice to meet you."

"The pleasure is all mine." Corvus gazed at Star, amused. "I don't know why Midnight distrusts her. She looks harmless to me."

"Midnight doesn't trust no one in the beginning. You'll have to earn his trust," Star explained. Spica nodded in agreement.

Corvus shrugged. "Well, it can't be helped." He stared at me with curious eyes. "Hopefully I'll see you soon, Amari. It'll be a shame to force a beautiful girl like you out of this village."

Spica rolled her eyes. "Would you stop flirting with her? We need to go to our training session."

"Yes, and deal with other men. Yay for me." Corvus sighed. "I wish there were more female soldiers. Not a strict tomboy like Spi-ow!"

Spica cut off his comment with a punch in the arm. "Less talking, more walking."

"Yeah, yeah." Corvus rubbed his arm. "Now I know why Midnight made you second in command. You hit like a m-ow! Okay, I'll stop!"

I chuckled while they walked away. At least some people didn't think I was a threat.

"That's Midnight's top soldiers. Very skilled in battle," Star informed me as we continued down the hallway. "As you saw earlier, Spica is an archer. And Corvus is a swordsman. He's a showoff but he's got great moves."

"Nice. Midnight must trust them to have his back in battle," I replied.

"Indeed he does." Star opened a door to a bath that reminded me of a pool. Flower petals spread throughout the water.

My eyes glistened. It felt like I was in a luxury spa. "Amazing." My shoulders began to relax while the smell of eucalyptus spread throughout the room.

"Take your time." Star opened a closet, giving me towels, soap, a toothbrush, and paste in a jar. "I'll come back later to get you." She closed the door behind her.

I undressed and immediately got in. Instant relaxation as the hot water covered my body. After a few minutes of deep breathing, I lathered my body with a scented soap that smelled like lavender.

Once I finished cleaning myself, I allowed my hair to submerge in the water, detangling the knots. My hair loved water, but it needed a sealed moisturizer to keep it from getting dry. I had to ask Star after this meeting.

What if this meeting doesn't go well? I frowned at the thought. I'm glad I was able to find the prince, but the interaction didn't go how I thought it would. In his eyes, he only saw me as an outsider, a nobody with powers.

I opened my palms, suddenly remembering the blast that killed the demon. The rush of emotions pulsed through me. I didn't expect him to die. I knew I was going to help, but didn't realize I was going to spread blood too.

My right hand did the sign of the cross, touching my forehead, chest, and shoulders. I clasped my hands and prayed. "God, please have mercy on me. Forgive me for my sins."

I observed my wrists and frowned. They still stung and it was going to take a week for them to completely heal. As if my powers read my thoughts, my hands glowed, spreading to my wrists. After a few minutes, the bruises disappeared. I moved my hands around and sighed in relief. Thank you moon for your powers.

I got out of the bath and dried off. After brushing my teeth, I put on the clothes and sandals. They fit me just about perfectly. I decided to keep my damp hair loose so it can air dry.

There was a soft knock on the door. Star entered the bathroom, observing my outfit. "You look nice, Amari," she complimented. "Do the clothes fit you?"

"Yes." I smiled and bowed. "Thank you, Star. For your hospitality."

"No problem." She stared at my hair with admiration. "I love your hair color. I've never seen that shade before. It reminds me of the moon."

"Thank you. Your eyes reminded me of the moon as well. Does everyone in the village have the same eye color?"

"Yes, we believe our genes are linked to the moon. The elders say we are one with the celestial body." Star's eyes twinkled. "I know Midnight is skeptical, but I believe in you, Amari. You cross our paths for a reason. And I think it's for the greater good."

My eyes lit up. "I appreciate that. I hope Midnight and his sister believe me as well."

"I hope so too." Star opened the door for me. "Now let's go. Midnight is becoming impatient."

The great hall was located in the middle of the palace. Guards saluted us as they stood by two large doors. They moved to the side, allowing us to enter.

Star knocked before we stepped in. "The princess is a sweetheart. She'll have more leniency. Midnight is the one you should be worried about. But he carried you here so that's a great sign."

"Yeah, if you say so." My nervous gaze flickered to the room.

A tiny young woman sat on a throne with a crescent moon on top. Midnight stood next to her with his arms crossed. Behind them, a large black flag with a crescent moon and sword displayed on the wall.

The woman with the same skin tone as Midnight flashed a dazzling smile. She wore an elegant silver mantle and black dress. Her hair tied into a high bun. "My name is Adara. Welcome to Crescent Village. Did you rest well, Amari?"

I bowed. "Nice to meet you, princess. And yes, I rested well. Thank you for the food and clothes."

"My pleasure." Adara glanced at Star. "You may go now."

Star bowed. "Yes, your majesty." She squeezed my shoulder before leaving the room.

"I want to thank you for helping her," Adara stated. "And for healing my brother. It would've been a shame if he lost his arm."

"You're welcome. I'm glad the moon helped me to do it."

Adara and Midnight exchanged looks. She returned to look back at me. "From what Midnight told me, you're not from this world. Where are you from?"

"California. Berkeley to be exact."

"Never heard of it. And you said the moon sent you here?"

"Yes, two nights ago. I talked to the moon and decided to accept my journey. Next thing I know, I woke up in a forest."

"Interesting. Please tell me more. I need to know the exact details."

I started with my birth and how I was adopted. The meeting with Vadoma and how the moon transferred me to this world. I finished with the encounter between Star and the Hellions. They listened attentively, never interrupting.

Adara smiled. "This could mean one thing, Amari. If what you say is true, then you could be our goddess."

"Wait, hold it," Midnight spoke. "Just because this human girl has powers, that doesn't mean she's the one. She could seriously be making this whole thing up."

I narrowed my eyes. "Why would I make any of this up? I know nothing about this world."

"It doesn't matter. Some demons and humans could have erased your memory."

"You know," I began. My face couldn't hide my annoyance any longer. "You're really rubbing me the wrong way. So much that it's starting to irritate me."

Midnight smirked. "Too bad. I still don't trust you. You're not helping your case either."

I took a deep breath to calm my nerves. "If you didn't trust me," I said. "Why did you bring me back here?"

"I couldn't just leave after you fainted. I'm not that cold. Plus you look harmless enough not to do anything to jeopardize our village."

This guy. "That's very considerate of you," I stated sarcastically. "I guess it was a mistake to think you're an absolute jerk."

Midnight's lips twitched with annoyance, his eyes burned into mine. "Answer me this, why come to this world? I can tell you've never been in a war or experience dark things that'll make you scarred for life. So tell me why put yourself in this situation? It just seems odd to me."

I paused for a moment. His question went deep inside my heart. "You're right. This is a whole new experience for me. At first, I didn't want to go. But I just got tired of my world. Staying in my comfort zone wasn't going to help me to grow either. It may seem selfish on my part, but I'm here and willing to help the cause. After all, the moon chose me."

Midnight nodded with understanding. "Fair enough."

"But you still don't trust me?"

"No."

I ran my hand through my hair, getting more and more exasperated. I focused my attention on his sister who seemed entertained at our conversation. "Is there any way to prove this to you? We're not getting anywhere by talking."

"Actually," Adara rose gracefully from her throne. "Yes, there is. Please follow me."

"Are you serious?" Midnight glanced at his sister like she was crazy. "You're really going to take her?"

"Give her a chance, brother. She helped you, didn't she? It's the least we can do." Adara's tone was reasonable, but there was a ring of authority in it.

That shut him up. He followed behind us, muttering in disbelief.

I felt Midnight's eyes on me while we left the palace. I glared at him. He wasn't my favorite person right now and I wanted him to know that.

Crescent Village was small, but the atmosphere was very peaceful. The air pure and fresh. The farmers and laborers worked in the vibrant green fields. Children played while dog-like gargoyles trailed behind. One of them sniffed and licked my hand.

The villagers bowed and greeted the princess and prince. They whispered and stared at me. I scanned their faces. Some curious. Some expressionless. It made me self-conscious as I walked closer to Adara.

When the princess walked, she almost danced, her movements were so graceful. "This world you're in is called Nabialia. Many, many, moons ago, four nations lived in harmony when my father and mother were king and queen. Back when they were young, there were constant wars for territory and resources. They told us many stories about how it was difficult to live peacefully. We were finally okay until that dark, dark day."

"The queen?" I asked.

"Yes, her real name is Alarica." Midnight growled when Adara said her name. "But she also goes by the Queen of Darkness. She became ruler of the Lilitu Nation by the time I was born. I remembered it clearly. It was a dark night with no moonlight. The start of a new moon cycle. It's like she knew what day to do it."

"What did she do?"

"She didn't do anything," Midnight hissed. "She allowed her minions to do her dirty work. Didn't even bother to show up to her massacre."

Adara nodded. "The Hellions surprised us. Our army tried their best but the queen's army was stronger in the dark. My brother and I were in the palace. Our parents told us to stay in my room so the guards can protect us. But Midnight didn't listen. He escaped and told me to stay put."

I noticed Midnight balling his fists, veins bulging out. "What happened?"

"The queen's knights killed my parents," Midnight answered with gritted teeth. "I've seen them chop their heads off with my own eyes. I tried to save them, but those bastards held me down and forced me to watch the execution."

I gasped. "That's horrible."

A dozen emotions played across his face. Some I recognized: anger...pain…despair. "That's when I charged. But as a child, I was no match for them. The queen's top lap dog sliced my chest. He was about to finish me when Celina intervened."

"Who's Celina?" I asked.

"Our former moon goddess," Adara explained. "A very wise and mature woman. Her moon powers were extraordinary."

"What happened to her?" I sensed it wasn't good news.

"She tried to fight the knights, but without the moon, her powers were weak. She only had the strength to fend them off."

"The lap dog punctured her chest and took out her heart. She died instantly." Midnight scowled. A hard edge crept into his voice. "After succeeding with their plan, the Hellions left."

I thought about the two moons, gazing at the sky. The sun was already too high for them to be out. I look forward to seeing the celestial bodies later on tonight. "When I first came here, I noticed there are two moons in the sky. But in your palace, I only see paintings of one moon. Was it because of the goddess death?"

Adara nodded. "Exactly. After she died, there was an earthquake. It felt like the earth was being ripped apart. Some villagers spotted lights flashing in the sky. The next night, when the moon formed her crescent, we were horrified to see two moons in the sky. It never happened before."

I could feel the shock on my face. "Is there any way to bring them back together?"

"I honestly don't know. My theory is the world is off balance. Too much chaos and darkness. We need to restore harmony, especially in our nation."

"From what you're telling me, the only way to restore balance is stopping the queen."

"Correct," Adara stated.

"Yes." Midnight's eager face lit up. "Her and the Hellions have reigned in our territory for far too long. It's time to end this."

We crossed a small bridge. I smiled when I noticed colorful fishes swimming through the river. A few feet away, there was a shrine secluded from the rest of the village.

A few guards stood in front of a stone moon gate. They greeted and allowed us to enter the pathway.

As we passed through, I noticed the cracks around the gate. "What happened here?"

"The massacre," Adara explained. "We tried to fix it as much as possible, but there are things that still remind us of that horrible nightmare."

I sensed we entered the spiritual realm. The atmosphere was pure and holy. And the sound of the wind chimes ringing reminded me of church bells on a Sunday morning. The shrine was magnificently adorned. I could tell it's been here for generations. The dome of the shrine was plated with silver. The walls and roof were covered with polished silver and colored tiles.

It was tidy and clean as we entered. In the back, there was a small kitchen, bathroom, and one bedroom. A section of the wall had paintings of the moon and the moon calendar. The most eye-catching painting was a black gargoyle goddess surrounded by other gargoyles bowing down to her. I examined the painting closely. This woman was powerful, a force to be reckoned with. Her eyes full of wisdom and glory.

"After Celina's death, the elders prophesied someone was going to replace her and take over the goddess's duties. We assumed it was going to one of us, but no one stepped forward." Adara stared with protruding eyes, studying my features. "I wasn't expecting a human girl from another world to come forth. Our goddesses have always been our kind."

I glanced at Midnight who watched me silently. That's why he doesn't trust me. "How can I prove it to you?"

Adara turned around. In the middle section of the shrine stood a long table. "Look at this."

I focused my eyes on the table. On it were different types of weapons: swords, daggers, spears, bows, and arrows. There were also some I didn't recognize. But all of them were either shaped like the crescent moon or had a stamp with the celestial body.

"All of these weapons are charged by the moon's energy. The moon helps the weapons gain a lot of power," Adara explained. "One of them was the goddess. I would like you to pick it from this table. Take your time."

I nodded and stepped forward. As I scanned the table, I could feel Adara and Midnight's stares boring into my back. I took my time to observe all of them. I felt the moon's power inside these weapons. But one, in particular, caught my eye.

A silver staff was placed at the far end of the table. It was small, but I could tell it had enormous power. The crescent moonstone placed on top of the rod glistened to the light. I walked by and picked it up. A stone pendant dangled underneath the crescent.

Adara and Midnight caught their breaths. I guess I chose the right one.

"Incredible," Adara spoke with a surprised tone. "And just with one try."

Midnight stared in disbelief. "I can't believe the moon chose a human girl."

"Yes, the moon chose me," I stated confidently. "And as I said before, I'm ready for my calling."

The staff glowed, growing a few inches. Powerful energy rippled throughout my body, making my heart warm. I gasped at the intensity that lit my blood on fire. I channeled my energy, making sure to get used to this new feeling.

Tears fell down Adara's cheeks. I could tell this was a joyous moment for her. "Mom, dad, our prayers had been answered. We finally found her." She bowed. "Welcome home, goddess."

"Yes, welcome." Midnight bowed as well. "Be prepared for the fight of your life."