Chapter One: Selene
His asthma certainly showed up at a bad time. Pine and oak trees flashed by his vision, the chilly air snapped everywhere his skin showed. Micah ran, ran, ran, ran, and ran. He slipped a little closer to the eager jaws of death following close behind him. Stupid roots and rocks. He understood rocks, but weren't roots suppose to be in the ground?
He jumped over a log, dodged another tree, and then the greatest moment of his life came.
A nice, cold, huge, beautiful river made just for him. It was crystal clear to the point of where the trees didn't end at the ground but continued in the water. Smooth looking rocks and pebbles lied aimlessly beneath the surface. Nice, really.
A grinding, low growl ricocheted inside his skull. He stopped at the water's edge, daring a glance back to the golden lion. It's golden mane danced in the wind, eyes powerful and intelligent, designed to be a killer. A killer three times bigger than the regular sized one, but hey, no judging.
Muscles rippled across it's frame, the amber eyes locked Micah in place. Nemean lion. That was it. Micah finally realized what it was after chasing him away from his house. Back then it was day, the full moon was out and happy right now. He felt a chill glide in and out of his body. Micah returned the glare to the lion. He guessed this was it. No more Micah Amante. His heart dropped. His dream...it would never see the light of day. His family he only saw this morning. Would they even find his body?
The lion came closer, waiting for Micah's move. He curled his fists into a ball and stared at the ground. He couldn't let it end here. Micah got into a fighting position. legs away from each other for better balance, one hand near his chest, the other in front of his head and shoulder. Not without a fight he wouldn't. Ridiculous circumstances or not.
It lunged towards him, teeth gleaming, death promising to follow. Micah's heart raced and his eyes teared up. His final goodbye to no one.
Searing bright light stared him in the eyes. A whoosh of air knocked him flat on his back, knocking any oxygen out that was left in him. The nemean cried out from the other side of the strange glow. The silver beacon fluctuated slowly before disappearing into a figure.
Long black hair flowed smoothly down her back. Her skin seemed to glow even brighter than her cream dress. Her eyes though. Metallic silver bore into his own dark brown eyes.
"Beautiful..." That was the only way to describe this woman.
She stepped towards him and held his hand, "I've been waiting for you for a very long time."
"Uhm, thank yo~" "We do not have much time, come". She started walking along the river. The nemean strolled alongside her. It's fur now silver instead of gold.
Micah jogged up a little. He guessed that this was something they talked about with predators. Following a strange woman in the woods with a lion. Seems legitimate.
He caught up to her, taking notice of the tall trees around them and the stars shining above. A beautiful night and a beautiful woman.
"I go by many names," the woman began, "Luna, the Moon, Blessing of the waves, the light to guide in the night. A more accurate name is the one who waits... As for you though, I am known as Selene."
Micah shot his eyes up to her. Selene was a goddess of Greek mythology. The embodiment of the moon itself. He stepped over a branch and caught his breath again, "Like as in the Moon goddess? Not Artemis, but the moon itself?"
"You catch on quickly," Selene looked over, "you've had enough proof tonight that I am truly a Greek goddess, yes?"
Micah thought about it. Best friend turned out to be a harpy, check. Huge golden, now silver, lion chased him through woods, check. Strange woman that came from a beam of silvery light, yep. He couldn't argue against that.
" Yeah, sure, why not?"
Selene sighed with relief, "Good because we have much to discuss." Selene stopped at a particularly big rock and sat upon it. She beckoned for Micah to do the same. "There is great trouble stirring in my world. A rogue force of monsters lead by a direct descendant of Chaos himself is trying to over throw the gods."
The goddess shook her head, displeased.
"They plan to do so by awakening my mortal lover, Endymion, off of his resting place which contains a pendulum that can release ultimate power to it's user."
For a brief moment her eyes reflected sadness, "I would love to be with him again. If he wakes though then the world will slowly die."
Micah really didn't know how to react to that, "That's subtle."
Silence enveloped the pair. Water tumbling around lazily, crickets playing their mellow tunes. The moon shining dully in the sky with the stars. The world didn't seem like it would end. It was much too peaceful.
He stopped himself. What in the world was he doing here? No, no, no.
Micah stood up, "I don't know what I was drugged up with today, but it isn't gonna work for much longer." He ran straight into the woods. Great dream, weird, but great.