Chapter 2
She was back. She had come back more times than even she could remember. From the dawn of time and through the long millennia she'd come back whenever she was wanted or needed. Since before man had walked upright or had words, she'd been guiding and assisting all living things. After humans started communicating, sharing their ideas and beliefs, she been deified and worshipped; cultures and civilizations had built up around her and had fallen; and she'd also been demonized and her followers had been tortured and killed over the centuries. Other than a few "flower children", Wiccans and a fairly rude TV commercial in the later part of the last century, she'd been forgotten and ignored for a long time. Well, not that long in her relatively long existence. But it had been quite a while since she'd been able to make her presence known. A big mistake in her opinion, considering the state in which she'd found her beloved planet last time she was here. Despite her love for the human race, she was often heart-broken at the way they treated her gift of beautiful, healthy and self-sustaining ecosystems. But what could she do, she could only come and/or stay as long she was allowed to.
Before the planet had finished forming, she had been born from the Chaos, the great void within the cosmos. She had brought light and life to this pretty little blue-green rock. Where there was only dark and emptiness, she had brought the seasons, the forests and rivers. She had had children and given them the means to grow and thrive. She wasn't as all powerful as she had been at the beginning. The millennia and in-fighting among her families had reduced her powers. She could no longer assume any form at any time and move about the planet as easily as the wind. Now, when she was sent back, she was tied to a single form, usually human, and had to live within the restrictions of that form.
She rarely missed not being able to travel all over the planet with a blink of the eye. Being in this female form was so much truer to her nature. Her whole reason for being was to bring life and offer wisdom and protection. Women and all the other females of the species seem to understand the need to nurture and defend others. Sure, she had run across some wonderful, loving males; those Emperor Penguins and Seahorses were some of the most devoted parents she had ever come across. And she was still devastated by the cruelty of Leto who had her children, Apollo and Artemis, kill all 14 of Niobe's children just because the silly woman boasted she was superior at having children. And despite mankind finally giving up child sacrifice, way too many societies still treated women and children as property to be bartered and sold.
What would they call her this time? She'd awoken in a young women's body, a young woman named Amelia Stone. Amelia's mother had been of the Spokane Indian tribe. It made perfect sense that she had been chosen. As with most indigenous peoples of North America, the Spokane's lives were closely bonded to the land and living things. Of the hundreds of names she had been given and used since mankind started recording its history, Gaia, Terra, Demeter, Isis being but a few, her favorite name had always been Gaia; but Amelia was a good name. It meant industrious and fertile and those qualities described her true identity pretty well. And how could there be a better name for her than Stone. Of course, the name most frequently used was Mother Nature (or Earth, depending on which ancient historian you wanted to believe) but that was so formal. No, Amelia Stone was a good name.
Something had shaken Amelia's building so bad it had started to collapse just as she arrived. She hoped her arrival hadn't caused the destruction, pain and suffering. But she knew the One, who or whatever it was, that controlled such things rarely paid much attention to the small details like ruining lives and homes. It wasn't that she hadn't ever caused destruction. Sometimes she had to use her power violently and had sacrificed living things in the need to correct mistakes or make necessary changes. But she preferred to quietly nudge things along. So, she had used just enough of her energy to get all the tenants to safety without any real injuries. It was always better not to announce her arrival with any grand or epic displays of her power until she knew a little bit more about why she was here.
When she came, she was always given enough knowledge to function and blend-in to her current situation. She always knew the local language. Actually, she knew all languages of all the intelligent species on the planet. She couldn't 'speak' to all the species, a human body just couldn't make the clicks, whistles and pulsed calls to verbalize with whales and other underwater mammals. But she could telepathically talk to almost all living things.
Since humans had decided to cover their bodies clothing had gone from ridiculously simple animal skins and then togas to monstrously complicated bustles and layer upon layer of cloth. Now, clothing had finally gone back to practical and easy to wear. Modes of transportation and communication had progressed enormously in the last centuries. She'd learned how to drive a car and dial a telephone last time she was here. Electronic devices had made huge advances and people could communicate with others around the world as easily as talking to a neighbor over the back fence. Like so many of mankind's achievements, she had mixed feelings because of the natural resources she'd given the planet were being used at an incredible rate.
"Amelia" had let herself be taken to the hospital with the other survivors, even though she had already healed her new body. She watched the emergency room staff do their work and was glad to see the hearts of true healers still beat with courage and compassion. She watched the nurses and doctors examine the people she had helped from the building, smiling slightly at their confusion as to the lack of pain and injury. After giving life, easing suffering was her most prized power.
Despite all the turmoil and noise around her she could feel something was not right with this place and time. Not just here at the hospital or this city but the whole planet. She was sure it was the reason she was here. It was familiar, this sense and feeling of foreboding and darkness. She searched her memories, stretching back to the earliest of times… Leviathans!
How had they escaped Purgatory? She didn't see any right here and now but their stench lingered in this place. No wonder she had been brought back. If that much evil had been let loose on the planet it would take everything and everyone who loved and protected this place and its inhabitants to fight those monsters. She had heard the ER staff talk about the sudden disappearance of a number of their coworkers tonight. From the potency of the smell, they must have flocked to this place. If the Leviathans had given up their positions, something very important must have happened. They were not afraid of anything or anyone. They took what they wanted and had complete contempt for all other beings. They had almost destroyed the planet and all its inhabitants last time they were free. She was pretty sure whatever had happened, it hadn't been the One to make it happen. If the One had managed to re-imprison them, she wouldn't have been brought back. Whatever had happened was tied to her return, she didn't believe in coincidence.
Amelia sat in the ER and listened to what the people and planet could tell her. It took a while, but yes, something drastic had just happened. The head of the Leviathan had been killed and returned to Purgatory. That would explain the others deserting their placements. But it was more than just losing their leader. The Leviathans were scared. They were being hunted and killed. Well, nothing really killed them but there ranks were being depleted. There, under the Leviathan stink, was another reeking smell. The smell of demons, lots of demons. Someone had killed the Leviathan leader with the help of demons.
But something had gone horribly wrong. Whoever had sent the Leviathan back to Purgatory had been taken down too! And there was another, a brother that had been part of the effort to rid the world of the creeping darkness that was Leviathan. Her reason for being here was becoming clearer. Getting rid of the Leviathan may have been the One's reason she had been sent for but she was sensing a much more important reason to be here. First, and foremost, she was a mother. Saving two motherless young men, both imperiled and desperate, was just as important to her. And there was something more, she could sense the whole planet had been assaulted this night.
She apologized to the people in the ER who had been hurt by her arrival, left the hospital and walked out to find the young man left behind and help him rescue his brother, and finish saving the planet while they were at it.
Author's Note: I think I've got the posting process down, so there shouldn't be any more multiple re-postings because I forgot a step. I'd also like to say I really appreciate the review and people liking the story enough to 'follow' it. Hope you continue to enjoy.