I hope I edited it okay (my weak point in my writing). Sorry it's been over a month I've only been home less than 8 days in 1 ½ months. I've been working 94 hour weeks on an oil rig and by the time I start to write I fall asleep easily. I thought I'd add a pic of me and her (yes two girls but only one her), from two years ago…happier times. Well enough of my sob story, I hope you enjoy the chapter! Please, read review, favorite and follow! I can't believe I'm turning 28 in December….. I'm getting old !
"You don't want to end up like your mother, do you?" A deep dark voice emanated from nowhere and everywhere all at ones. It echoed off the dim cavern walls.
The sound of water dripping into puddles slowly seemed be the only sound to be heard between the man's voice.
Like a crescendo the voice returned. "A widow. Oh, wait not even a widow she wasn't married un-pure and although you are the chosen one, now a Solari you are still a bastard. You don't want to end up like your mother do you?"
"I won't end up alone! I will marry him! I will have his children! I won't be alone!" Leona screamed into the darkness.
The sound of chains and gears being pulled and turned could be heard faintly in the black void that was the cavern. It gave way to the sound of metal screeching as if a door or hatch had been opened.
Unbeknown to her, vapors from deep within the depths of Mount Targon were slowly seeping into the room. The vapors rich in ethylene put her into a deep trance, everything become vivid and distorted. She could hear the voice again as he spoke, using the gas to meld her as his truths became lies and lies became truths.
"He is The Artisan of War and you are chosen by the sun to protect. He's love for death and war will consume you and lead you into dark places. Worst of all he could die and leave you alone!" The man's raspy voice stopped.
Visions of Pantheon, returning home from battles long gone filled her mind. Bruised battered wearing he's father's charmed helmet that engulfed he's eyes in a burning hot vermilion. Those flaming vermilion eyes seem to burn holes into her soul. She was frozen in fear but the sound of he's nightmares, calling out to her. Shook her from her vision.
"NO! He is not a warmonger! He is kind and loving!"
The voice sounded annoyed, a tone a head master would use to scorn a disobedient student.
"You may be the chosen one, but you still have elders and followers to answer to. Even the mightiest warrior, needs sleep. Who defends him then?!"
"I will!" She shouted back sluggishly into the darkness.
Another vision of Pantheon reappeared those burning eyes looking down at her. His skin was pale with a cold grey tone to it. Slowly approaching her, silently trundling towards her. His hands covered in blood she cowarded in fear from him. Looking up at him in time to see maggots and blood flow from his eyes and the blackness within the helmet. He tried to rip his helmet off, he's voice was muffled. But she could hear him calling out to her for help. Before he collapsed at her feet. He's limp body suddenly seemed re-animated with quick jerking motion he started crawling towards her, until it grabbed at her feet. All she could do was scream, scream his name over and over hoping there was still a sign of life, a human being something behind those searing vermilion eyes. But he just kept crawling towards her, covering her legs in dirt and blood.
Suddenly a bright beam of sun light found its way through a small opening at the top of the cavern, a soothing and comforting warmth engulfed her as she collapsed. But not before a searing heat dispersed the vaporous fog from around her, leaving her unharmed.
…..
She found herself back in her bed, at the Solari temple. Pantheon at her side softly stroking her head comforting her. When she looked up at him, at his warm smile all she could think of was those blaring vermilion eyes and the feeling that something was amiss. As if he's hands were tainted with blood of innocent. But she quickly removed that thought and feeling from her head and pressed her face to his touch.
She would meet again with the elders to continue her "therapy". The vapors inside the chamber dug deep into the side of Mount Targon were messing with her mind and slowly turning her love Pantheon into fear and resentment. Unbeknownst to her and the elders there was always a soothing searing light that kept her from giving complete control over to the Solari. Yet, she could not remember most of what happened unsure if they were all just bad dreams or thoughts. The Solari were not as honorable as she believed (which is probably why Diana slaughtered them but that's another story ).
…..
Pantheon, had felt an uneasiness about Leona. Ever since they had arrived at the Solari temple. She had been ushered away pampered and prepared for her life as the "Chosen One". He could tell the rest of the acolytes and elders merely tolerated his presence. It was after all one of Leona's conditions "Pantheon goes with me or I'll never join the Solari".
Even though he was considered a great warrior and minor celebrity of Valoran they seemed to keep away from him. They seemed do anything in their power to keep him and Leona isolated from each other, although they weren't open about it. He would only see her at night when she seemed tired, out of it and at times as if she no longer knew him.
He would wander the halls of the temple, train against makeshift burlap dummies he had assembled. Killing time until he would be able to be by Leona's side. She always seemed tired and only wanted to sleep. He noticed how she had become less affectionate towards him. How when she didn't show him affection she would quickly catch herself, and she would quickly remedy it. Yet he could tell there was something wrong, the vibrant young woman he had fallen in love with had a haze about her. As if something was clouding her.
One night when Leona had fallen asleep early, he decided to explore the temple compound. After much walking he became lost and found his way down a part of the temple he had never been in. The sound of shouting could be heard in the distance and he slowly walked towards the voices. He heard a group of elders disciplining someone.
"This is blasphemous!", "The Sun above is the only truth and the Solari are the only and true order!", "Bite your tongue young one, it may be your undoing one day!"
It was dark and in the middle of the room he could barely make out a feminine body on her knees receiving a verbal assault the group of elders. Quickly and without warning the woman gat up and ran away, in the dim light he manage to only catch sight of her long white pale hair along with the sound of her crying.. He followed trying to figure out where she had gone but found himself lost by what seemed to be the endless labyrinths in of the temple. By luck he found himself in a balcony overlooking the valley below.
The balcony was the size of a large room, at one end of it there she was. Sitting looking up at the moon in silence, he walked besides her slowly. She did not shake her concentration and acted as if he did not exist. The bright glow of the moon reflected off her tears. She gave out a soft sigh and turned to face him, she almost jumped back in surprise.
"Sorry, I thought you were a Solari…." She paused and explained. "I've never seen an outsider…"
"An outsider?" he replied in eager tone.
Her eyes got big and she gasped and quickly stood up and ran up to him, with unbashful curiosity. She started running her hands down his fore arms and chest.
"You must be that Rakkor warrior the elders detest" she spoke overly eagerly. She quickly wiped the tears away with the back of her hands and put on a smile. (Diana loves bad boys).
She started circling around Pantheon, looking over his tone muscular build. Although the Solari were technically Rakkor they were more religious zealots and care less about war and by doing so were not very muscular. In her eyes Pantheon was the first real man she had ever seen in her 18 years of life.
Without the aid of his helmet to cover he's eyes, he did he's best not to look at her body. Although she wore a tunic he could tell she had a lean feminine build. Unlike Leona who trained alongside him at times, she seemed more fragile.
Although flattered by the attention given to him by the Solari woman, he had questions for her.
"Why were those elders disciplining you?" he spoke as she ran her hands along his shoulders and down his bare arms.
He ignored the feeling of her cool soft fingers running over scars, her hands followed the rises and dips of his biceps.
"They hate the fact I don't agree with their theology and it angers them!" speaking in a bitter tone.
She stepped back running her eyes over his chest and abs. Then at his square jaw and soft brown eyes.
Pantheon stood there being his usual phlegmatic self. He was used to this sort of attention, from Leona when she started to mature in her early teens. He ignored the attention back then due to the fact he was in a position of authority to her and now he ignored the stranger's attention due to respect to the love he had for Leona. He didn't skip a beat with his questioning, trying to ignore her new found infatuation with his physic.
"Why, do the Elders detest me?" he raised his brow to her with interest.
"The Rakkor woman you arrived with, the chosen one. They…." She looked around as if to reassure no stray ear was near.
"They want her to love no one but the sun and devote her life to the Solari. They will stop at nothing…they will try and tare her from you at any cost." she was cut short by the echoing soft sounds of footsteps slowly approaching towards them.
Like a deer caught in head lights she gasped and started running towards another dark hallway.
Pantheon's voice could be heard in an attempted hush toned. "Hey! Wait! My name Is Pantheon! Whats your name?!"
Diana, hurried until the shadows hid her. She crouched watching Pantheon, scanning the darkness looking for her, before an elder Solari approached him. She could barely hear him speak in a stern but respectful tone.
"Sir…I mean Pantheon. Please stay in the main areas of the temple these are for acolytes only."
She could see Pantheon, ignoring the elder Solari still looking for her in the dark. Before the elder placed a hand on his shoulder and escorted him back towards the main area.
She, regretted never introducing herself properly. She was instantly smitten and doubted she'd ever meet him again. Let alone ever leave the temple.
…
Leona laid in bed running fingers through her hair nervously fidgeting. She couldn't believe it's been less than two months since her and Pantheon had been intimate the night before her trial (I keep calling it trial but it's the Ritof Kor). But ever since joining the Solari and residing in the temple for a short while. She found herself growing resentment towards him, she couldn't find a reason why. Pantheon's massacre of the raiders and the young kid had pushed her to the edge and somehow confirmed he was too fond of death. But she knew it was preventative measure to ensure the safety of the Rakkor, or was it to protect her? As she lingered the thought of her unknown resentment towards him. It started to make her head spin. She remembered Pantheon begging her to follow him to the League, until she finally relented. Something she could not explain a lingering voice telling her he did not love her, that he was a murderer.
It had taken every fiber in her body to miraculously and even to her own surprise to walk away from him, and he's proposal. A moment she had dreamed of since she had first fallen for him as a young girl. Then the thought of her Pantheon and that harlot Ahri, together. Running her hands through his arms and chest. She then pictured them kissing just as he had kissed her before she drove him away. She started feeling nauseous at the sudden rush of emotions and thoughts of Pantheon and Ahri together in each other's arms; and found herself rushing to the bathroom. All of these feelings were making her sick.
Oh, I got the idea of the gas from when I was younger. Reading about the Temple of Delphi. Archeologist believe there was ethylene that seeped into the temple from the local mountain/volcanos which caused the oracle to have crazy visions. Also as I wrote Pantheon crawling, I some home thought The Terminator had subconsciously influenced me. I over looked why Pantheon's helmet gave him a dark imposing face with vermillion red eyes. But it was an easy writers cop out to just state that it was charmed. I'm still trying to figure out an ending to this. I know where I want the story to end but sort of writing it by the seat of my pants. I surely hope I'm not disappoint any readers. Thank you all
P.S I also feel like the Diana part with Pantheon could be a totally different story on its own. Could be another love triangle LeonaXPantheonXDiana, but I might explore that and make it a different story at some future time.