The sun had just started to paint the sky in weak violets and pinks. Viridi woke up and yawned. She pulled away her blanket and sighed deeply: "Let's get this over with." Her legs felt heavy and lifeless as she walked over to the crib. Her heart was as heavy as stone and she feared that she wouldn't get enough air. But she wouldn't cry. Last night she used her mirror-tree to look for a good home. She hated the idea to leave him with puny humans who could never give him enough but no god could take him. Eventually she found a house in the middle of a deep forest that belonged to a forest ranger and his wife. It was far enough from any village that no one should see Pan and his goat legs there. It was perfect, if she was to be honest. Viridi took her son into her arms and nuzzled him lovingly. Pan cooed: "Ma!" and played with her long wisp of hair. Viridi smiled and gave a small peck on the cheek. Then she looked outside and decided to put him in a blanket in case the air was still cold. First the satyr struggled against the soft, green fabric but as soon as he felt it's warmth, he practically snuggled into it. Her staff appeared beside the goddess, ready to teleport her. However before she used it, Viridi grabbed Dark Pit's feather that Pan had ripped out the day he was born. It wasn't as nice and fresh-looking as it had before but that was to be expected considering her son was almost always hugging it. And it's nothing a few strokes couldn't solve. She gave it to him and smiled: "So you at least have something from here." Pan held the black item tight as he looked up at her with curious eyes. He watched her next movements. She grabbed her staff and let its end tap the floor. Not a second later the two were standing in the middle of the quiet, dark forest. The satyr made scared sounds and pressed himself closer to his mother. His eyes filled with tears. "Shh, it's okay. I'm here." Viridi gave him another small kiss on his head to reassure him. The small house was standing before them in a small clearing that was surrounded by nothing but trees, shrubs and grass. It was a simple structure that stood there with small, but still colorful flower-nurseries and fresh vegetable-gardens in front and behind the house.
She took a long breath of the cool air and put on a dark hood but she kept her staff in her right hand while she was holding Pan in the other. However she put Pan under her cloak which he wasn't much a fan of. He squirmed and gave sounds of discomfort. She sighed and looked at him: "It's okay. I'll be quick." She swallowed hard: "This will be your new home, Pan." With weak knees she made her way over to the small, two-step staircase and knocked on the wooden door with her staff. Her mind told her to just turn around but then the door opened. Inside the door frame stood an old man with a white beard that reach to his chest and a rather long chaplet at the back of his head. His eyes, as far as she could tell with the dim light, were a kind and soft brown. "Good morning." His voice was still sleepy and rasp as if he had just woken up: "How may I help you in this early hour, Miss?" Viridi needed to swallow again. The man's eyes wandered first to her staff and then they grew wide but he stayed silent as the goddess lifted her voice: "Get your wife." He nodded, closed the door only to open it again moments later. This time a rather large woman with her gray, long hair held back by a scarf stood beside him. She also noticed Viridi's staff and they fell to their knees. "Humans," Viridi said, keeping her voice strong and certain: "I have a duty to give you." She removed the part of her cloak to reveal Pan who stared up at her the to the two humans. "You will take care of him from now on. Bring him up to be strong, swift, intelligent and teach him about the nature that I have created and rule." She removed her hood to reveal her stern face to them. Viridi used a spell to make her eyes glow in a menacing gold that sharply stood out against the dark forest around her. They should never forget this fateful night for she herself wouldn't either. She continued, her voice louder than before and seemingly carried by the leaves and grass around her: "If any harm should come to him, even just the smallest scratch, then all the crops you plant with die as soon as they sprout, your water will turn into acid as soon as it reaches your gullet and all the food you eat will change into insects and spiders when it reaches your stomach." Their faces became as white as chalk and they bowed deeper but they were as quiet as corpses. Not even a whimper or plea for mercy escaped their throats.
Viridi clenched her jawline and pointed at the old woman. She immediately struggled to her feet and took a careful step towards the goddess. The woman's green eyes were filled with nothing but fear and her body shook like a leaf. Pan sucked his finger watching everything with confusion. "Take good care of my son, Pan." Viridi managed to bring to the surface and held out the small satyr who looked at the old woman who took him into her arms. "Do not tell him who his mother is or where he came from." With that she gave Pan, Dark Pit's feather and kissed his forehead: "Be nice, my brave, little warrior." Pan cooed: "Mama." and touched her nose. The Goddess of Nature smiled slightly and kissed his little hand one last time. Then she turned back to the elderly married couple and fought back the tears. The man had stood up as well and looked at the baby-satyr: "We'll be sure to care for him as if he was our own." His voice was barely a whisper. Viridi narrowed her eyes as if she wanted to say: "You better." but her lips didn't move. Her legs felt like they were made out of pudding as she stepped back. She took in the sight of the elderly couple with Pan, her own flesh and blood, in the woman's arms. Her nails were clawed into her staff to make sure she won't rip Pan out of that useless-excuse-for-a-creature's arms. It was the right thing, she thought over and over again. The bottom end of her staff tapped the grass beneath the goddess and like she was carried by the slightly breeze of the early morning, she disappeared.
Viridi fell on her throne and just sat there for a couple heartbeats. She barely heard the sound of sandals on wood-like floor. "You really gave him up, huh?" "It was the right thing to do." Her hazel-golden eyes fell to the ground: "I know how close you two were, Dark Pit." He didn't reply which she took as a sign to continue: "I am his mother. I am the one who should care for him. Not you or Arlon or Phosphora or even Palutena or Pit." Her voice broke down like a burning tree and tears ran over her cheeks: "Do you think it was easy? To give him up?" The angel sighed and shook his head slightly: "No. I can see that it wasn't." With that he stomped out of the room, enabled the medallion around his neck and flew off.
Viridi wiped away her tears and took a deep breath while looking at her vine-covered ceiling.
… It was the best thing... For the both of us...
This may be the last chapter but there will be a epilog tomorrow so be sure to check that one out as well ^^
