The mother dodged most of it; some connected and singed her hair. A shriek was the reply. As was a return spell. The air glowed red and shimmered. Mother Goddess didn't wait to see if her spell had worked, she sent a second and then third. Different ones to shatter Elleswyth's body and then freeze the bits. But the witch was both faster and younger than the Mother Goddess; both spells missed by millimetres. The witch jumped twice her height and spun in mid-air. And fired another spell. This hit home, flooring the Goddess. She fell to the floor, held in place by invisible singing energy. Gaiana was a prisoner now, the first time ever in her infinite eternal life. Her eyes glowed orange, then azure and finally, white. "Free me now! Do it and I'll let you live."
Cernunnos was earthbound and in hiding. His mother could defeat his protégé; he was tired and needed to rest. And plan Elleswyth's downfall. He muttered under his breath, "This creation of mine has gotten out of hand. I've gone too far. It must end now. If my mother fails..."
Gaiana did fail. She lay dying in a pool of blood. Elleswyth spat on the almost dead Goddess and stomped past to the edge of the sky world. Then she launched herself into space. "Here I come Cernunnos. Revenge will be mine, again."
She felt herself hurtle down, falling through the chill of the upper sky, her skin fading to white as the cold bit into her limbs and goose bumps ran across her bare skin. The blue planet fast approached and she wind milled her arms to slow her descent. The planet shuddered as a shock wave circled the hemispheres when she broke through the atmosphere and landed gently feet first on the yellow sands bordering the furious seas. She looked around her. She had not been followed. Elleswyth glanced at her tattered bloodstained clothing and grinned. She whispered to the white waves, immediately they gentled and she slipped off her tunic and slipped naked into the heated waters.
by Nick Armbrister and P.J. Reed
