Gods And Titles

The knock on the cellar door immediately got the attention of Primrose. Quickly approaching it she opened up the latch and out popped Bryson holding a glass bottle over his head.

“We got her.” Bryson grunted as he climbed up.

“Hello. Strange meeting place huh?” The pixie inside the bottle joked to Primrose as Florence and Lottie made their way up and into the cellar. She looked much more relieved now that she was with Primrose.

“Yes, it appears so.” Primrose said with relieved sigh seeing that the pixie wasn’t too worst for ware, “Did she tell you anything?” She asked turning to Bryson.

“Just that she knows you. Other than that, still clueless.” Bryson shrugging, “Seriously though, I’m going to need some answers to what in the world is happening.”

“Yeah, that would be nice.” Lottie piped in.

“I will answer some, I promise. But first let’s get to a quieter area and get the others.” Primrose said as she led them out of the cellar.

***

“Hmm, doesn’t look very special to me.” Viola said as she tapped at the glass. The group had all reconvened back in the room where they first gathered together. While Bryson and Primrose stood next to the table where the Pixie sat, Florence watched silently in the corner and Lottie recounted their adventure to Lila.

“Hey stop it! I’ve been shaken around inside this thing enough time today already!” The pixie complained.

“You’ve seen pixies before?” Florence asked.

“Yeah, mother took me to fairy forests in the past. She doesn’t look any different from the others. Are you sure this one is divine?” Viola said as she continued to study the pixie.

“Hey! It’s what’s inside that counts!” The pixie said sticking her tongue at Viola.

“Mouthy little critter isn’t she?” Viola said eyes narrowing at her.

“Been like that once she met Primrose.” Bryson commented.

“You think that flower will protect you? If it doesn’t work out, we’ll take those wings.” Viola threatened. In response the pixie immediately backed up in the bottle.

“Let’s settle down a bit.” Primrose said trying to calm things down, “So first off pixie, what’s happened, how did you get here?”

“I’ve been punished.” The pixie said darkly, “Apparently I’ve been disrespectful and am being punished here.”

“So she did send you here.” Primrose said aghast.

“In a cage and everything. Sent here to be sacrificed to Sable Coldwater evidently.” The pixie said.

“So she knows?”

“No, not really, it was that Hallow scum that seemed to convince her that I was hiding information. But it doesn’t seem like she knows about us.” The pixie answered.

“Okay stop.” Bryson said, “You two are having your own conversation right in front of us. Can you please elaborate?”

“Well, you know how someone is targeting the Coldwaters.” Primrose said.

“Yes.”

“We’ll you see the person in question is very powerful. She’s-”

“She’s Afa, ‘Goddess of Heroes.’” The pixie said cutting to the point.

The room was filled with silence.

“What?” Viola said.

“How?” Florence said.

“That’s… not possible.” Lila said.

“The goddess in charge of heroes wants me dead.” Bryson said to himself, heart sinking.

Primrose gave a death glare that even Bryson and Viola would struggle to replicate to the pixie. The pixie made no reaction to this.

“Look, it’s best they know what they’re dealing with before it’s too late.” The pixie said plainly.

“You don’t tell them that it’s her of all people after them!” Primrose yelled.

“Why not? We both know that this isn’t the real one. Just some terrible fake making a mockery of the name!” The pixie shouted back, “I’ve had a bad day, and I’m really sick and tired of everyone acting as if she was the real deal! She’s been abusing her stolen position since she took it!”

“She still far stronger than either of us! She could kill you.”

“She already tried!”

“Are you really going to shout everything out loud?” Primrose said irritated.

“Why not? The room is dampened.” The pixie stated matter-of-factly, crossing her arms.

“Seriously, would you two stop! You’re not helping!” Bryson snapped at them.

“Ah, right.” Primrose said, realizing that there were others indeed in this room watching them bewildered.

“Right. I’m sorry.” The pixie said sheepishly.

“Alright, so why exactly is Afa of all gods after my family?” Viola asked, lips curled into a nasty sneer.

Primrose and the pixie exchanged a glance, with the pixie indicating Primrose to explain, the Anthousai proceeded to answer her, “Well, as you might have been able to discern from our argument. The current Goddess is not the original, and only recently taken the title.”

“How does that work? You make it sound like it’s a simple job title.” Lila asked.

“It sort of is.” Primrose said and noting everyone’s reaction, she continued, “The world needs a god for heroes and with the name Afa being synonymous with that title, this new one took both.”

“How did she take this title and when?” Florence asked, brows furrowed as she processed this information.

“About twenty-two years ago the original left for some matter. The position was just left open for a couple of years, and the new one just took it. I’m to sure how, I know some test was involved but I don’t know the details.” Primrose said recalling the day a new Goddess of Heroes was crowned. It was generally a day, or several months actually, of confusion as they accepted her.

“Why did the original leave?” Viola asked.

“She was apparently tasked with something and left. I don’t really know what. She was truly at a position far above mine. I never even met her.” Primrose said.

“Leaving her position without a replacement sounds pretty irresponsible.” Lila commented.

“She didn’t need a replacement; The Great Six Gods took her responsibilities.”

“And why aren’t The Great Six doing so anymore?” Bryson asked.

“Because they’re asleep. Will be until a decade or so from now.” The pixie piped in, “Before you ask, no we don’t know why exactly. Apparently there was an important reason. But with them gone, we suddenly needed new gods, which was partially why the new Afa was able to get her position so easily.”

“Before they slumbered, they gave us instructions of how to maintain order.” Primrose added on, “Something this new Goddess did not listen to.”

“What’s stopping you from stopping her?” Lottie asked, “It feels like you’re letting her bully you all around.”

“Because she’s Afa, the Goddess of Heroes.” The pixie scoffed, “You know it’s not just a title, right? Names have power, and she went through some sort of test which granted her the name and power.”

“Now she isn’t nearly as strong as the original.” Primrose said trying to assure the group, “But too powerful for anyone to stop without consequences. Most other gods who could stop her won’t, because a couple decades of poor management wouldn’t be too serious in the grand scheme of things.”

“Okay, but that still doesn’t explain why us?” Viola said through gritted teeth. All this information was only pissing her off even more. It sounded abundantly clear that some unqualified nitwit decided to play god with her family.

“Because being new to the job, she needs to make an impact. So good guys versus bad guys.” The pixie said, “Now based on everything she’s done, she’s trying to make your family the bad guys for her heroes.”

Viola glared at the two for a moment before her eyes widened in realization, “Wait that weird feeling of anger I had to Lila all those years ago. That felt as if someone guided me…”

“Yes, I was there when she mentioned how she influenced you. Though she had mentioned how she lost the ability to do anything to you in the last few years.” The pixie said awkwardly.

“Are you serious? She wanted to ruin my life for a promotion?” Lila said aghast.

“Then the vampire?”

“…Yes.” The pixie said to the slowly boiling with rage Viola.

“Vampire?” Lottie asked confused.

“It’s a whole story. I’ll tell you later.” Lila said.

“That… bitch.” Viola finally whispered.

“Hey that’s a bad word!” Lottie said.

“Shut up.” Viola said, Lottie stuck her tongue out at her in response.

Florence now spoke her red eyes filled with manic fury, “Then the long extinct plague?” The pixie simply nodded her head in answer.

“Wait, does that make you a god?” Viola asked Primrose.

“Not quite. I do have divine essence in me like the pixie, but also like her my position isn’t that high. I am just a flower spirit at the end of the day.” She said.

“All of this… is for me correct?” Bryson said after a long while of listening silently.

The room fell into a silence. Everyone all stared at the two magical creatures for an answer. Finally after a long pause, Primrose said, “It’s complicated, but yes.”

“Bryson don’t say that.” Viola said.

“I was sent by the gods, to a family with a long history of cruelty. Now a goddess wants a villain. It sounds like that’s the plan. Now Sables in her condition because of me.” Bryson spat.

“It’s not just you, it’s the whole family. I’m suppose to be a vampire right now, father is to kill a divine pixie. Who knows what Gilles and Gareth will do. You’re not the only one and you are not the cause of this.” Viola clasped Bryson’s shoulders reassuringly, “We’ll get through this.”

“You know, there had been only one constant from stopping these disasters from occurring.” Lila said poking her head into the conversation, the two looked at her in confusion, “You.”

Florence and Lottie both nodded in agreement. Bryson’s eyes then fell upon the two non-humans in the room.

“There’s still might be a chance to save you sister where everyone wins you know.” The pixie offered.

Bryson simply stared at everyone reassuring him, a mixture of emotions running through him. Looking down at his feet and drew in a deep breath. He opened his lips partially, about to speak.

Right before he pushed Viola’s arm away, “Enough!” Bryson said irritated.

Sticking out his hand the bottle flew right into his grasp. The pixie gave a yelp of surprise. Uncorking the bottle, the pixie popped out the bottle.

“Woah!” The pixie said in reaction to her newfound freedom, giving a few spins in the air.

“We’re wasting time. Let’s go help Sable already.” Bryson said as he marched out the door.

“Hey wait for me!” Lottie said chasing quickly behind him, the pixie not far behind.

Florence silently followed behind. Lila gave Viola a quick smile before following suit. Primrose gave Viola a kind smile, “Good job. You are very kind to your brother.”

“I didn’t do anything.” Viola said gruffly. Striding out the door.

“Coldwaters.” Primrose said giving a small chuckle to herself as she exited out herself.