Chapter 17: Twelve Goddesses
The goddesses gather in council and Kitsune battles the Sanderson Sisters.
'What these present rebels want is not to be free of England. They pursue an ideal of freedom. England is the symbol of restraint. If it were not England, it might be a King. If it were not a King, it might be fairies that go about in Ireland, assuming fantastic shapes, to frighten people and make them do all the things they do not want to do.'
From an editorial about the Dublin Easter uprising published in the New York Times
Ireland, 1916
Anahita demanded, "Where is everyone?" The tall stately-looking goddess stood near an old hut. Her simple light blue linen chiton tunic was kept in place at the shoulders by brass brooches, giving her an almost Greek Hellenistic appearance.
"Only a few have answered our summons, so many of our sisters have gone off into the divine darkness after they were forgotten by their mortal followers, replaced by either the hanging god or the god of the desert," Athena answered. Once again she appeared as if dressed for battle, wearing her bronze Corinthian-style helmet and breastplate, a short sword hung from the belt around her waist and a large circular shield was propped against a nearby boulder.
"Or butchered by these new gods' followers," Mama Uqllu sadly added. The Incan goddess was toying with the sleeves of her vicuña wool anaku before she tugged her colorful shawl closer to her neck for protection against the cool sea breeze.
"And yet we remain," Snotra sighed as she removed her iron war helmet and laid it upon a nearby large stone. Unlike the drawings in the history books, her helmet had no sweeping horns or gilded wings attached. Instead, it was a stout peaked cap with a simple noseguard, a true spear maiden's helmet. Standing slightly behind her, but wearing just a simple linen tunic dress and woolen cloak instead of a warrior's chainmail, was her cousin the goddess Saga.
Sisters, if what I have heard is true, then we cannot wait any longer for anyone else," Nisaba said. She watched as Genetaska lovingly stroked Pegasus's muzzle; the winged stallion snorted before he spread his wings.
A slight shimmering was emitted from within the old hut, followed by Brigid and Ihi emerging from the building.
"Why did you call us to this council, Minerva, and why are we meeting here on Iérnē?" Benzaiten curtly demanded. The Japanese goddess did not wear a traditional kimono but was dressed in the "Westernized" style of clothing which was popular among the rich of her island, although what she was wearing would be considered scandalous by high society. A long putty-colored pleated skirt covered her legs down to her ankles and a white cotton blouse was covered by a short khaki military-style tunic. The blood-red silken sash was tied around her waist into which a sheathed katana was thrust. It wasn't just any sword but the legendary Kogarasu Maru or 'Little Crow' which the mortals believed was lost at sea during the Genpei War between the Taira and Minamoto clans.
Athena gave a small smile upon hearing her Romanized name, but before she could speak, Snorta answered, "The Rauðskinna has gone missing."
"The dulachán came across a strange fox standing upright as if he was a mortal human and he had the stench of the Rauðskinna upon him," Brigid added.
"Is the Red Book of the Damned here on this island?" Ninimma asked.
Nisaba asked softly, "Is it in the hands of mere mortals?" There was a faint tone of fear in the ancient Sumerian goddess's voice.
"Fear not, sister; we have defeated mortal wizards before," Seshat scoffed. The dark-skinned Egyptian goddess was dressed in Western-style clothing, although her choice was much more fashionable. A Jambia knife made from fine Damascus steel was thrust into her belt.
But this book could…" Mama Uqllu began, but a ripple of power caused her and the other goddesses to look southward in surprise.
Brigid finally spoke up. "That came from Dublin," she said. "Whatever it is we're seeking must be in or near Dublin, which is going to be a problem."
"Why, surely we can find who has the book?" Seshat said.
"Dublin is a war zone. The mortals are killing each other," Brigid answered.
"Those foolish mortals are always killing one another," Sága sighed with a shake of her golden locks.
"Then to this Dublin town, we shall go, for we must reclaim the book," Mama Uqllu firmly stated.
"So we must," Athena agreed before she picked up her bronze shield.
Salem, Massachusetts 2018
Judy paced back in forth in front of the old house just outside of Salem. The theft of the Sanderson Sister's book of spells had waylaid their plans to seek out Death and hopefully find out the fate of Nick. Inside the old house, which was now a museum, a small group of self-proclaimed amateur warlocks had kidnapped a young virgin girl to light the black candle and they had released the three witches from their shackles in hell. Once freed, Winifred, Mary, and Sarah had brutally slain those who had foolishly liberated them before they prepared to leave and wrack havoc upon the innocent townsfolks of Salem. Spellbook in her hands, Winnifred began to brew a potion while Mary bound the poor child in a chair. "The spell, we must cast the spell and suck the life from this child to restore our youth," Winifred fussed.
The black cat cried out, "You will never succeed," before launching himself at Mary, his claws digging into her face, causing the witch to scream in pain before she ripped him off of herself and threw him across the room.
"Thackery Binx, thou art still alive?" Winfred cursed before she shot a bolt of lightning from her finger. The cat dodged the spell and sped toward the front door.
"Of course, I am, for you cursed me to live forever," Thackery hissed.
"You think that a mere cat can foil us?"
"No, but I brought a friend," the cat answered with a laugh after he pawed open the partly closed door.
Mary exclaimed in surprise when she noticed that a pure white fox was now sitting on the front stoop, staring up at them.
"Foxy! Foxy! Foxy!" Sarah danced joyfully danced around. "Let's eat it!"
The fox didn't move but gave a smirk before she began to wag first her one tail and then suddenly another appeared, still yet another tail, so it continued with every flick.
"That tis no ordinary fox, she hath nine tails!" Winnifred cautioned her sisters. With a flick of her wrist, another bright bolt of lightning tore across the room and struck the vixen but instead of dying, glowing mystical symbols appeared upon the fox's fur. Striding into the house, the vixen seemingly casually kicked the door shut with her right hindpaw.
Outside, Judy could only watch the bright lights flashing through the windows and she winced when she heard the sounds of crashing furniture, frantic angry curses, and finally unholy screams of pain.
"You know, you could have just used that last spell to start with," Thackery said while he looked down from a nearby shelf where he had taken refuge during the brief battle. All around him, there were scorched marks and broken furniture.
Kitsune answered with a shrug, the goddess was still in her fox form but standing upright like a human. "I wanted them to at least feel like they had a fighting chance before I blasted them back to hell."
"Still, you yelling 'Kamehameha' before unleashing your energy ball was a rip off of that Japanese cartoon, Dragon Ball Z."
"My son likes that show, although I am still confused about why they call out a dead Hawaiian king's name before they fire an energy bolt, " Kitsune giggled. She looked over to see that her husband Shane had entered the battle-ravaged building with Judy.
The rabbit rushed into the room and gave the vixen a hopeful look, "Did you talk to her? Did you ask Death if she could help me find Nick?"
"Just great, now we have walking and taking rabbits," the black cat muttered.
"I didn't see Death," the fox goddess answered.
"But you killed the witches, I can see three piles of ash on the floor," Shane said, the goddess's husband was struggling to shove the book of spells into a steel box with mystical carvings etched upon its exterior.
"If she had destroyed the Sanderson Sisters then I would have been released of my curse," Thackery called out before he gave a stretch.
"I'm sorry Judy, the witches were already dead and all I did was blast them back to hell," Kitsune said.
"We need to leave before the police arrive," Shane interrupted. The sounds of sirens could be heard in the distance.
The Greek geographer, Pytheas of Massalia, used the name of Iérnē for Ireland in his writings (C. 320 B.C.).
12 Goddesses:
Brigid is an Irish Celtic goddess and later she became a saint in the Irish Celtic church.
Anahita of Armenian mythology
Mama Ugllu is the Incan maternal figure and fertility goddess.
Snotra is the Norse goddess associated with wisdom.
Ihi is the goddess of wisdom and learning in Tahitian mythology.
Sága is another Norse goddess who is a goddess of history and storytelling.
Benzaiten is the Japanese goddess of speech, the arts, and learning.
Athena, also called Minerva by the Romans, is the ancient Greek goddess associated with wisdom, warfare, and handicraft
Ninimma is a Mesopotamian goddess
Genetaska is an ancient goddess who lived with the tribes which once inhabited the shores of Lake Michigan.
Nisaba is the Sumerian goddess of learning and she taught humans how to cultivate grain.
Seshat is the Egyptian goddess of knowledge and script.