"If you take myth and folklore, and these things that speak in symbols, they can be interpreted in so many ways that although the actual image is clear enough, the interpretation is infinitely blurred, a sort of enormous rainbow of every possible colour you could imagine."

– Diana Wynne Jones


Beth remembered all of her classmates entranced faces when their English class begun reading all kinds of mythology and folklore. She had always wondered what their true reactions would have been when they had learned it was all very real.

As much as Beth would have thought the other kids would have loved it, she knew their first reaction would be fear. Hell, she had known her whole life and essentially had been protected her whole life and sometimes it still scared her. The fear had been crippling recently with the war breaking out among these mythological creatures.

Beth had been aware she was a target ever since her birth. Unlike her sister and brother who drew their blood connection to Athena from their father, Beth was one of the few to draw from their mother's line. Her blood connection to Persephone was rare. Only a handful of people had this connection. Beth used to envy her siblings fierce warrior like dispositions until she learned how to master her true talents. She was a healer, which was a dying breed. On top of that, she had seemingly gained Hershel's prophetic abilities. To be related to Persephone was huge enough, but to add in being an oracle made her an extreme rarity in their world.

From the moment she had been told about her unique bloodline she had been forced to learn how to hide it. Most that had Persephone's blood had been hunted as a way to antagonize both the bloodlines of Hades and Demeter. Both of those bloodlines had represented both light and dark within their own mythological rights. These new creatures that had accessed ancient and evil magic had wanted to antagonize the God's into war.

Instead of being pulled into war by these far-fetched attempts, the house of Hades simply sent out protectors. Most of the God's did not want to engage in a war. They would only assist in the direst of situations. But Beth couldn't complain because she had gotten something much greater from her protectors.

The Dixon brothers had been sent to her family because of her rarity. Both of them had the greatest track record within the underworld for finishing their tasks perfectly. It was in one of the first nights the visions came showing Beth who exactly Daryl was to her. His affinity to the dark was drawn to her light. They had counter balanced each other. The beginning of their love was rough and awkward, but now Beth wouldn't trade it for anything.

It wasn't a shock to get visions anymore for Beth, but this newest one had left her breathless. Ever since people had started becoming these flesh eating monsters Beth's visions had grown darker and hazy. The last vision she had happened almost two weeks ago shortly after Merle had left to investigate some rumors coming out of Atlanta. She had woken two nights after he left with a vision of him and the smell of burning flesh. She had cried for an hour after that vision and Daryl tried comforting her while also trying to figure out what the vision could even mean.

Beth had decided she wouldn't focus on that vision. Merle had meant too much to her and to consider that he was hurt or dead was too much for her to bear. Though, tonight's vision was much tamer it puzzled Beth more than anything. She had seen the outline of a child looking in awe at a stag and then she heard Otis, one of Maggie's protectors, and after that the sound of a gun firing and the child falling instead of the stag. The child would be brought back with her hands, but of the others with him, one carried great darkness. The darkness of this person terrified her in a way nothing had before.

Beth had successfully untangled herself from Daryl's limbs and went to go stand outside. Being outdoors typically calmed her. She supposed the relation to Persephone gave her the affinity for nature.

"Where ya going?" Daryl asked drowsily. Even half asleep the protective instinct to know where she was at all times was still intact.

"Just getting some fresh air. Go back to sleep." Beth loved him she really did, but right now she just needed to be alone with nature.

"If ya want to talk about the vision when you get back, I'm here for ya." he told her before rolling back over.

Beth was touched by his uncanny ability to tell when she was troubled with a vision. He was too good to her really. But Beth craved the calming effects nature offered her to clear her head. She needed a clear head to figure out why this vision had terrified her. She wanted to figure out who had that amount of darkness in them.

The smell of the woods instantly started soothing her frayed nerves. But in an instant Beth felt an adrenaline rush and a pull into the woods. She realized Otis was out hunting now. She had to stop him from shooting that child. He was the kind of person who would never forgive him self for harming an innocent.

She didn't even bother putting shoes on or getting Daryl to help track Otis. She trusted her instincts and that nature would lead her the right way. She followed the sounds of nature, directing her towards Otis. It was hard to explain to anyone the way nature communicated with her, but in this moment she couldn't be more thankful. She could hear the trees telling her which way to go.

It hit her like a ton of bricks when she passed the threshold of the protective barrier they had surrounding there little farm. It made no sense for Otis to be out this far. It didn't matter because she saw the young boy and the stag in the clearing. Beth knew she didn't have time to warn Otis before he pulled the trigger. She did the only thing she could think of and went to throw her body as a shield.

She closed her eyes because she wasn't sure if she wanted to see a bullet coming for her. At least with her eyes closed she could picture Daryl's face one last time.

She thought she could hear someone screaming her name, but the voice hadn't belonged to Otis. The voice still sounded familiar but she couldn't place it.

It didn't matter because in the next instant the only thing she felt was impact and a heaviness that settled over her chest.


A/N: So, yes another story but my muse and jazznsmoke wouldn't rest until it was out there. Let me know what you guys think or want to see!

Disclaimer: I don't own TWD or any of its characters