Long before the Higher Gods closed their gates, they frolicked with their own people. It was said that they would be regularly seen in their own lands, teaching the people of their ways and culture. This was the era where Cythera thrived and lived in prosperity, the Golden Age of Cythera.
The Higher Goddess Mereia was adored by her people, the beauty of wild was what appealed people to her, it was said that the Higher Goddess would join her people in hunting monsters that were left unchecked. They flourished in believing in preserving and protecting their animals and people.
Mereia found strength in her people that she chose the first Huntresses of Boeotika, she herself appointed the First Arrowhead. Together, they protected their people, animals, and their land until the Higher Goddess just stopped coming back.
Excerpt Chapter III of Boeotika: The People and their Cultures, written by Scholar Marien
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𝐁𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐧 𝐕𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐧
They arrived at the central town of Boeotika—more like charging, Huntresses jumped from their houses, trees, and huts as they readied themselves to aim at the incoming outsiders.
He was about to unleash his ability when a shout firm from the Lead Huntress was heard, she spoke in their native language and all the Huntress lowered their weapons.
Phelan gazed in wonder at the fine warriors that stood in front of them. Kiran looked like he struck gold, Panthea and the others were strategizing already for any possible exit if things get awry.
Bastien was nothing but calm.
The Huntresses wore their armor, their hood was made from a red cloth, decorated only with a gold zig-zag pattern along the edge. There's also an ochre scarf tucked inside the hood, going around the neck. The chest piece was fairly minimalistic, combining cloth and leather to cover up only part of the torso and offer protection to the shoulders but it made their agility way easier to be used. The gloves aren't really gloves – they're bracers that covered only the wrists. They're made of cloth, tied together using wood and bone on a string. Their waist piece consisted of a bunch of cloth in various colors – ochre, red, brown, and beige – with a leather belt, a pouch, and some kind of decorative element made of bone and leather on the front. The leg piece was pretty standard fare. It's a pair of sandals with reinforced leather shin guards.
It may look like it doesn't cover enough protection but Huntress survives better than Naros soldiers.
"Your Highness," Hippolyta said with a nod.
"Bastien, please." He corrected, there was no time for formalities at the time like this.
"We have not received any permission—"
Bastien didn't have time for the bullshit, he went straight for the kill. "We all know why I'm here."
Hippolyta looked like she wanted to shoot her arrow between his eyes for cutting her off but didn't say or do anything.
"She is not to be disturb," Hippolyta said.
"I do not care."
"It's your death, your Highness." She hissed at the title. The Huntress did not see eye to eye with Naros royalty but they make do. Bastien let it slip because he was tired and he didn't want to waste every ounce of energy he had on the Lead Huntress.
Hippolyta gestured to the Huntress near her and directed the group to the powerful woman that he's been tirelessly looking for. They all left their horses, seeing that their horses are near collapse. Blackwing began drinking water when one of the Huntress gave him one.
Bastien could feel the tense feeling from the group, if he wanted to, he could read their minds and know that everyone's careful around the woman.
They saw what Boeotika was struggling to fight with, the trees were black and dead. Like what would Theodoros say 'It looks like it has been touched by Oikos himself.' It was dull, empty, and dark. He didn't like the feeling of it. The once green lively forest was now... nothing, no chirping birds, deers walking around or even wolves.
"By the Gods," Panthea said behind him.
He couldn't help but said to the Huntress, "Where is your God?" He asked not out of insult but, genuine concern for the Boeotikans.
The Huntress stiffened and briefly paused before continuing her journey. "I did not peg you to be a believer, your Highness." She shot him a quick look, Bastien cared no little on the royal etiquette, unlike his father who uses his position to his every whim. "Mereia has been punishing us," she said.
Mereia, the Goddess of Nature, Protection, and Wildlife—everything that's not Boeotika right now. Dying nature, no protection, and no wildlife. This place had almost felt evil to him.
"What did you to angered your goddess?"
"Killing her creatures for sacrifices," She said curtly.
Bastien then understood why, from what he learned from the tome, Mereia doesn't like if her creatures are being killed, kill for food maybe but kill just for the offerings.
If he were a God, he might not be this kind towards the Boeotikans. His anger would get the best of him, he understood why the powerful woman would be angry towards his people.
But he still needed her.
The group reached a lake but found no woman he was looking for. Bastien started to say something when the water shone, bright blue shone from the depths of the lake as the Huntress and Bastien's men watched in interest on what was happening.
It shone so brightly, it nearly lit up the forest with blue light.
"Is she there?" Bastien asked as he continued to stare.
"Yes..." she said in uncertainty.
The water had no ripples, it was calm and flawless, if he squinted harder, he could see a dark shape in the lake. The woman. The water was crystal clear and the light just made it harder to look at.
Everyone was staring at the lake, waiting. Nobody dared to step towards the glowing lake, even Bastien didn't dare to step because he learned that waiting and strategizing was the best idea when it comes to that woman.
Then, out of their trance, all of them jumped when a golden streak flew out of the lake, a single ripple around the lake. How that eagle flew easily when its wings were wet, he'll never know. They heard the Golden Eagle shriek and circled the lake above, they all looked down and watched as a woman walked out of the lake, wet and—
Kerre, Bastien thought as he watched what holy and sin walked gracefully out of the lake, water trailing behind her like tiny waves. This time she wasn't naked but as might as well be one. That white dress clung to her body like a second skin, he could see every outline of the curves, the pink areola—he might have thought it's a dream until she turned to face them with a stern look on her beautiful face.
The water backed away from her until it returned to the lake. They all watched as she dried herself while walking towards them with anger in her eyes.
Bastien heard Kiran gulped, watching the Mistress enthrall them with her elegance. "If this is how to be like with a God..." Kiran whispered but not low enough because Bastien heard it.
The woman stopped in front of them a few feet away, already dry and smooth. "You know I can kill you all, why even bother." The woman said, even with the threat it sounded like she was singing to them.
Bastien did not back down, it wasn't in his nature. "Let's not dare to find out, shall we?" He said.
The woman looked shocked—probably gotten used to everyone bowing to her—before schooling her reaction but Bastien caught it. "Do you wish death?" She whispered like it was a secret, almost tempting them to say yes to her.
Bastien's power surged but he toned it down, not wanting to frighten the woman but he caught Panthea's thought. 'Oikos' daughter.'
Bastien racked up his brain for an Oikos until he remembered Oikos was the God of Death, Decay, and Unseen.
"No,"
The Huntress behind him kneeled and thumping her fist on her left side of the chest twice. "Hippolyta will be honored if you join us for the ritual, Mis—Caelleria." The Huntress stammered at the look the woman gave.
The woman stared at the kneeling Huntress, a sight that was so rare for Bastien and the men before ignoring the Huntress to face him. "Who are you?" She asked him.
"Bastien Viridian of Naros." He simply said without the title. Titles were nothing to a goddess. "You are?"
A glint in her eyes surpassed her and quickly gone as it came. "Caelleria," that's all she said to him.
"I'm not stupid, I know why you seek me in the first place," she said, staring hard at Bastien but he will not back down at her. "Why do you think, I'll simply cure this dying land when all you did was destroy it over and over again."
"You woke up with the—"
She cut him off, "I woke up to see if your people followed what I told them decades ago." She did a quick scan of the forest, all dark and dead. "It seems that you did not bother to follow such a simple request, instead, offering sacrifices to the Gods that they don't like or want, abusing Cythera's creations."
"We asked—"
"And we declined, it's time to clean these lands of such darkness, even Oikos will be happy to accept such wretched souls to damnation." She said Bastien ignored the fact that she's the only person who keeps disrupting him.
The mere mention of Oikos and damnation put the fear of the Gods in Bastien's company.
"Before you deliver judgment, see the lands of Kellonia, full of life and beauty—Paxos has saved the ancient tomes, Cytheria would love to have." He argued, unbeknownst to him, he was stepping slowly the woman, until he felt her eyes scanned him for trying to be in her distance.
She looked up and saw how pale violet her eyes were. He contained his gasp and grabbed her hand—a loud shriek and a streak of gold tried to grab his hand until the woman said one word, "Phenikas," she said it with a warning.
Bastien knew she ordered her eagle to relax, she let Bastien grabbed hold of her. Her skin was smooth, soft yet he could feel the muscles she gained. Bastien wanted to pull her in an embrace and just let him drown on her softness.
Whatever the woman saw in his eyes, her anger lessened and warmth filled the violet eyes. Bastien let her hand go and backed away.
"I have manners to attend to at Kellonia, if you spoke of lies, do not expect me to keep you alive. I don't like manipulators."
She walked past them and headed towards the town, the plants and trees leaned on her direction and going back to their places when she was far away from them. The Huntress jogged to the woman as the others stared at Bastien like he had the cure for Cythera.
"Bas, what was that?" Kepheos said, Bastien still staring at the woman.
"I don't know."