I saw her change, crimson light radiating from her skin, she rose very slowly, carful to clutch my cloak around her still with one hand as she held the other out toward the line of decaying trees nearby. "There is a reason I'm not like the other Goddesses." She proclaimed, gathering an orb of energy in her palm. In a flash of blazing fire, she demolished the rotten wood, leaving it a smoldering pile. She then turned to me, "This is my secret, the thing I hide from everyone, especially my mother. She wishes for me to wield powers over the plants of the earth, bringing them to life and making them thrive. However, my abilities are not so much creation, but rather, destruction." Her expression fell, eyes cast down, "My mother would call me a monster if she knew… everyone would." I clasped her shoulder, assuring her,
"You aren't a monster, believe me. I've dealt with such beings since I can recall. Great powers do not determine what you are, who you are; it's what you decide to do with them that will define you."
"I knew you would understand. Ever since I began to hear about you, I have been waiting for the chance to meet you, to be able to tell you the truth, so that I might not be so alone."
"I understand of course. You should know there are others whom you might find connection with as well, many dark beings control the forces of this world, not all are out to do harm to humanity, and many in fact aid them from the veil of the shadows."
"I wasn't aware tell me, who do you mean?"
"Hecate, for example." I began, "She is the lady of change and travel, of witchcraft and dark magic; a dark being who has lived even longer than myself. She would take a liking to you I think; I am surprised you haven't met her before."
"I stay near my mother's estate mostly," she sighed, sinking to the ground again. "Whenever I stray too far she has a meltdown."
"How old are you?"
"I'm twenty." She answered, "Doesn't mean anything to my mother however, she still treats me like I am a child, all of my Aunts do too."
"Ah yes, the fearsome threesome." I quoted the nickname I'd given them long ago, I couldn't help but give into devious chuckle as I recalled how the three sisters behaved when I first encountered them. "Your mother Demeter, Hestia, and Hera, the daughters of the titans Coeus and Phobe; they came to meet my brothers and I after we escaped from the prison our father held us in. As I recall all three where insane, I often sneaked away from our base camp to escape them."
"I can't ever seem to escape; how did you do it?" she implored, "teach me please!"
"I used the helm of invisibility, it's extraordinarily useful."
"Perhaps you might lend it to me sometime, I swear! Should I have to listen to one more of my mother's lectures about being a proper goddess I am going be driven to utter madness."
"I feel for you, why don't you simply tell her you are leaving to make your own way?"
"I fear her instability will drive her to do something deplorable." Kore confessed to me. "I've seen that look in her eyes, that destructive rage. She just may hurt others to guilt me into returning to her."
"I don't know what to tell you, but…." We were interrupted then, by the trembling of the earth. It quaked mercilessly; Kore clasped her arms around me, holding on tight. When the shaking finally ceased, I could see that in fact something had burst from below the surface. However, it was not a fissure as I had feared before, but a void.
"What is that thing?" Kore asked, as she climbed to her feet. I stood beside her, eyes narrowed at the gaping maw of shadows that leapt and swirled with the potency of dark energy. It began to stretch, and from within it burst a horrid demon, one I wished I would never have to see again. I shouted,
"Wretched creature! You were banished to Tartarus!" She flashed her fangs, the Drakaina Campe, vile she-dragon who served as agent to my father under his reign. After she was defeated at her post as guard to the prison Tartarus, we chained her up inside. I held my staff poised for combat. I called to Kore, "Stay behind me, she is very dangerous."
"No." Kore answered, and came to stand beside me, red light pouring over her like flames.
Campe didn't wait for either of us to strike; she lashed out with her many limbs of dragon arms and serpent heads. Dragon's claws and vipers fangs came flying at us from all directions, her cries where deafening shrieks of rage.
"I swore the day you locked me away;" she screamed at me, "I will tear you to shreds, there will be nothing left of you!" From my staff, I brought forth the ring of Erebus that formed my shield, protecting Kore and me.
"Enough of this Campe, you won't succeed." I replied, and ordered the shadows to bend at my command around me. I could still see her body, crimson scaled dragon with her many spiked tails, and the torso of a woman sitting on top, eyes cutting into me like venomous daggers. Her forked tongue traces along her lips, as she spoke,
"Nonsense, I will devour you and reclaim my place as guardian. First thing I will do, is release Typhon, then perhaps I will unchain every signal being you have locked away."
That threat was nothing but a distraction, I felt the wind of her great tail as it swung above me barring down. Unfortunately for her, I avoided her blow just in time leaping up to great heights before coming down upon her chest with the razor sharp duel spear heads of my weapon.
I felt as though a giant hammer had landed across my back. The pain exploded through me as I tumbled to the ground, disoriented. I realized I'd been struck by the blow of one of the Drakaina's many tails. Looking across the way I saw that Kore was rushing upon Campe,
"No! Don't!" I cried after her, but it was too late. She had darted her way up to the torso where the Drakaina's heart resided. What came next took my breath away. I watched Kore press her palm to Campe's chest and with just that touch, white hot flames burst across the creature's body. She screamed and writhed, consumed by the inferno. Kore called my attention back to her as she ran up to me.
"While she is weakened, hurry." She pleaded. I rose, shaking myself to my senses and swept my staff across the Drakaina's form. She became consumed in the shade of Erebus, bound up in it her body torn to shreds under the immense pressure. The shrill cries of Campe faded as the smoke and ash began to clear. I could see her body strewn out in a bloody tangle of carnage, but still her torso twitched, not completely dead.
"Thanatos!" The name of death summoned him, black winged angled with his sword in hand and chains of Tartarus at his side. He appeared with the essence of the shades shifting around him, and took swift action to bind the remains of Campe so that he might drag her back down into the pit.
Once the Drakina was wrapped in chains, Thanatos strode over to me, pushing his long raven colored hair out of his bright red eyes.
"My lord, the demon is contained. Shall I take her to the pit?"
"Yes, thank you for your haste, this caught be by surprise." I glanced over to Kore, standing with her arms over her chest, casually observing the corpse of the beast. The attack wasn't the only thing which had caught me off guard.