It had been a week since the Goddess of Rebirth had taken to her bed and not awoken. Many clerics had tried any number of potions or spells to try and rouse her but sadly nothing had had any effect on the sleeping Goddess. They had all surmised that since the temple and everything she had created still existed that the Goddess was indeed still alive at the very least.
As to what was keeping her in this state was still unknown.
All week Cernunnos had sat at her bedside. Barely moving. Watching. Waiting for his lady love to open her beautiful eyes and grace him with her bright smile. Oh how his heart ached to see her, to speak to her once more. He vowed that he would never take their time together for granted again if the universe would just bring her back to him. His pleas and calls went unanswered. Who answered the prayers of Angeliques anyway?
Finally he left her. Throwing himself into his work in his forges. A task master to his apprentices. All his time spent at the anvil pounding away at shards of metal heated until they glowed white. Other times he spent at his drawing table designing new weapons, armor, holy objects, whatever his mind could come up with. Something that would work in waking her. Everything he had tried failed. Soon a pile of discarded weapons, armor and objects began to stack up in the storage rooms. Apprentices begged him to stop. At the rate he was going the stores would be impossible to enter because the rooms would be full. But Cernunnos tirelessly forged on.
Black smoke billowed from the stacks at the top of the forge. The bellows blew ash and flame as he furiously kept the fires going. Heating piece after piece of metal. Swinging his large hammer, too heavy for any mortal creature to lift. The ringing sound filled the forge chambers and could be constantly heard ringing through the temple grounds. Clang, clang, clang. A steady beat, like that of a beating heart. Over and over. His hands blackened by soot all the way up to his elbows. He couldn’t stop. Wouldn’t stop until he found the answer he was looking for.
Until one day a guard came to him. Talking about something strange in the east. He listened, body slick with sweat from the fires glistened in the light of the fire. Brows furrowing with concern he finally set down his hammer with a hard clang and headed for the chamber doors. Lifting a hand the double doors flowed then swung open. The instant he passed through the thread hold his armor materialized. Blackened skin now it’s usual color. The Angelique’s bright red cloak flowing behind him as the large male swept past a set of guards who instantly began to flank him along with the original one who had disturbed him. As he passed a particular tree he stopped short. The three almost running right into his broad back. It was…..black? Normally this tree was pure white but it was……
Cernunnos sniffed. The scent of corruption and death hung in the air. Here? On these holy grounds? Lifting a hand the tree vanished. A different, healthier one taking its place. He would have to address that later. For now the Angelique continued on.
East. That was where he needed to go and so that is where he went. He could have just as easily teleported them all there but he wanted time to listen to what all three had to report. In the distance a tall stone wall rose and soon the four of them were making there way up a stairwell. Cernunnos’ large gate had him clearing three steps at a time to the other three’s one. As they reached the top of the stairs all four stepped out onto the walkway on top of the wall that was currently being patrolled. However, the guards who were supposed to be patrolling were all gathered in a small crowd near the edge of the wall.
Whatever it was that they were gawking at must have been something truly worth the interest for them to be shirking their duties. The Angelique moved to the edge of the wall, gazing to the east. A harsh wind catching his cape and whipping it about him. Blinking his eyes honed in on what they were looking at.
Darkness.
A creeping blight that moved across the distant ground. It filled the sky with dark clouds licked by lightning. He felt it. Deep in the pit of his stomach. Whatever it was. Whatever it could be. It did not belong here. Nothing good would come of it.
“They are saying it’s…..it’s the end my lord. Our Goddess will not wake up, she will not answer her people’s prayers.” The original guard spoke up.
“Everything here will soon fall, we're doomed without her!” Cried a second. Soon the whole group of guardians were causing one loud commotion. Cernunnos’ eyebrows knit as his gaze turned back to the distant horizon. Worry began to creep into the back of his mind.
“My lord? My lord!” The voice broke through his thoughts. “What are we to do, my lord?” The original guard queried.
Cernunnos turned his gaze back to them. The entire group had gone silent as they looked at him, eager and hopeful. Faces searching for reassurance, for the answer to all their questions. A large hand clamped down on the guard’s shoulder and squeezed lightly. “We do what we have always done.” Releasing the guard he turned, clasping his hands behind his back as he took a step or two away from the group then turned to face them. “We prepare ourselves for what may come. We hold the line. And when our time comes we give our lives for our Goddess. To protect her and what she stands for. For what she is to this world and pray that she awakens in time to give us our rebirth. Double patrols I want all horizons watched at all hours.” Sweeping past them he hurried down the stairs.
Once he reached the bottom he was stopped by another guard. “My Lord!” He stopped and turned slightly to regard the guard.
“My Lord there is talk among the guards of leaving. To abandon their posts and flee….”
Cernunnos clenched his fists, eyes narrowing. “Deserters? Let them leave if they wish. I do not need cowards for what is to come.” And with that he turned and left, disappearing into thin air before he reappeared in the bed chambers that he shared with Dawn. It had felt like ages since he had last lain here with her. Her smile and presence were his only comfort now taken from him. He fell to his knees at the bedside, gathering a small pale hand within his must larger tan ones. Pulling it to his lips and kissing it tenderly. The Angelique’s eyes closed as he kept it pressed to his lips. It felt so cold, the warmth had fled from her like the sun fleeing from night. “Please my love, please just open your eyes. Say a word, anything to let me know, let us all know, that you are still with us. The men lose faith as we speak. I….I cannot go on without you. I cannot keep their faith alive while you slumber. Please.” His eyes lifted to the ceiling. The large Angelique rarely cried. He wasn’t even sure he could or what it even felt like but as his heart broke in two his cheeks felt wet as his pleas went unanswered. Nothing changed.
Setting her hand back down he pulled the covers over her once more before learning in to place a gentle kiss upon her forehead before pressing his own against it. “Please return to me soon my love. I cannot follow where you have gone and I miss you so. We all do.”
In an instant he had left the bedchamber and returned to the forges. Shirtless save for an apron as he gathered his hammer and stepped on the bellows to bring the forges back to life. His apprentices had been relaxing while he had been gone but the instant he had appeared they all jumped up from where they had been resting and made themselves look busy.
Cernunnos’ eyes flashed fire and embers as he stared into the flame. If this was the end he would not go quietly into the night