Rain poured heavily as everyone—enemy and ally alike—bowed side by side before the white tree.
They bowed in the name of Celea.
The Goddess of War.
That was how they worshipped her.
Now a goddess, Celea would forever be remembered as a legend—a hero.
***
"WHERE IS SHE?! WHERE IS MY MATE?!"
Silence.
"TELL ME!"
Claus was stopped by his brothers before he could reach the memorial.
He struggled, desperate to push past them, but they held firm.
Celea deserved this moment.
She deserved the respect of the world.
They wouldn't let him ruin it.
"Claus… where were you?" Zhen asked quietly.
Claus said nothing.
"Do you want to know where your mate is?" Deon said coldly. "You have no right to know. You don't deserve it, Claus. You don't deserve her."
"DON'T YOU DARE TELL ME I DON'T DESERVE TO KNOW WHERE MY MATE IS! SHE'S MY MATE!" Claus shouted, fury growing with every second she didn't appear.
"She's dead!" Zhen yelled.
"She's dead, Claus," he repeated more calmly.
Claus dropped to his knees.
"No… you're lying."
"She died, Claus. And you weren't here," Deon said bitterly. "I can smell Zela on you. You truly don't deserve her."
Deon had grown close to Celea in such a short time. She was the only one who ever truly listened to him—because of her, he had even met Gina.
Punch.
Deon struck Claus hard.
"You're disgusting. I don't care about your feelings right now," he snarled. "BUT YOU WILL NOT RUIN THIS MOMENT FOR CELEA. LET HER HAVE THE RESPECT SHE DESERVES—AND THE TEARS OF THOSE WHO ACTUALLY LOVED HER."
Deon turned and walked back to the memorial.
Zhen followed shortly after.
Claus was left alone—soaked, shaking, miserable.
Then—
An angry goddess appeared before him.
"Claus Artemis," she thundered, "I curse you to live all of Celea's lives. You will relive everything she endured from the moment she opened her eyes first. You will never know peaceful sleep again."
Thunder roared. Rain fell harder.
***
"AAAAAHHHH!"
Heavy breathing.
"Selene… I don't think I can do it."
"You can—and you will. You're almost done. Just a little more."
"Selene…"
"What is it, Bellatrix?"
"Please… take care of my child if I don't make it."
"Don't talk nonsense. You're going to make it."
Heavy breathing.
"AAAAAHHH!"
"Wwaaah!" A baby's cry filled the room.
"Bella, you made it!" Selene exclaimed.
"Let me see her…"
Selene gently placed the child into her arms.
Drip.
"She's beautiful, Selene," Bellatrix whispered through tears.
"Celea," she said softly. "That's her name."
"Selene… take care of my child…"
Bellatrix closed her eyes.
"No… Bella! Bella!" Selene cried, shaking her sister desperately.
Bellatrix wasn't breathing.
"No…"
Just as Selene began to lose hope, baby Celea released a powerful silver-white light.
Selene didn't understand it—until moments later.
"Bella… you're breathing…"
Bellatrix didn't wake, but she was alive.
"You did that, Celea?" Selene whispered through tears.
"WHERE IS SHE?!"
Selene turned, clutching baby Celea.
"Mother!"
Their mother's eyes moved from Bellatrix's unconscious body… then snapped to the baby.
"YOU DID THIS!" she screamed.
"Mom, it's not like that! Celea saved her—she was dead two minutes ago!"
"SO SHE KILLED HER!"
"NO—SHE SAVED HER!"
"IF IT WEREN'T FOR HER, YOUR SISTER WOULDN'T HAVE NEEDED SAVING! LOOK AT HER—SHE LOOKS LIKE A CORPSE!"
The mother snatched the baby from Selene's arms.
"I CURSE YOU, DEVIL," she hissed. "YOU WILL LIVE AS A HUMAN, NEVER ABLE TO DIE. YOU WILL BE REBORN AGAIN AND AGAIN—FOREVER REMEMBERING EVERY LIFE YOU LOST."
"Mom, don't—!"
And baby Celea disappeared.
`***
*heavy breathing*
Claus woke up from his nightmare, once Celeas reality.....now the beginning of his curse