“What are you?” Kalona asked, bracing himself for an attack.
I have been called by many names, and will be called countless more throughout eternity. I am feeling magnanimous today, Kalona. Call me whatever you will. From the depths of the cave, an enormous bull emerged. Its head was so huge that its horns grazed the far-off ceiling, causing a rain of stalactites. The creature’s breath was putrid; its coat was the color of a corpse.
Kalona gagged and backed away from it. “Are you the evil of which the Shaman spoke?”
Yes and no. The Shaman’s viewpoint is so limiting.
“I will leave you now, but I warn you, if you follow me I will battle you,” Kalona said.
Oh, I do hope you and I will battle often, but not today, Kalona. Today I offer you two gifts and ask only one thing in return.
“I want nothing from you.”
You do not want your final test to be victorious? You do not want to spend eternity as Nyx’s valued warrior, her true and only love?
“What do you know of those things?”
I know all and more. I am more ancient than your Goddess. More ancient than this earth. I have always existed, and I will exist eternally. Where there is Light, there, too, must be Darkness. Without loss there can be no gain. Without pain, how do we know pleasure? Do not pretend you do not understand me. You are not as naïve as your sun-kissed brother. How do you like sharing Nyx with him?
“You go too far, bull!” Kalona turned to leave, but the words that roiled through his mind stopped him.
Cease trying to give Spirit to that which is dead. You do not need to create a new being to please Nyx. You only need to improve one that already exists. That will complete your test and gain you the Otherworld. Though once there, you will spend an eternity sharing your Goddess with another—unless you can offer her more than Erebus.
“I already offer Nyx more than Erebus! I love her beyond what he is capable!”
I approve of your anger, but it will not win the Goddess. Your anger will drive her into your brother’s embrace. It already has.
“No. I control my anger.”
The bull’s laughter battered him again. You will get better at lying, but you will not get better at controlling your anger. You will have no outlet for it except to hurl it at golden Erebus, and even at Nyx herself. That will cause your Goddess to turn her face from you forever.
“I will not lose her,” Kalona said between gritted teeth.
No, you will not if you are valuable to her, and if you have a release for your anger. I can give you both things. I ask only one thing in return, and it is mutually beneficial to us both.
“You may not have my spirit, bull.”
I do not want your spirit, Kalona. I simply want entrance to the Otherworld.
The bull’s words shocked Kalona silent.
Ah, I see I must explain myself. The Energy that created the Otherworld is as ancient as I, thus it is as powerful as I am, and it is well protected. I can sometimes seep into the shadows of the Otherworld, but never for long. To truly enter there, I must be invited.
“I will never invite that which would destroy my Goddess.”
Of course you wouldn’t, and I do not ask that of you. I only ask that you invite me to enter occasionally, so that we might do battle. You will win. You will protect your Nyx. She will value you. Your anger will have an outlet, and Erebus will seem a puny playmate in comparison.
“If I win, what do you gain?”
Amusement. I am curious about a realm I cannot fully enter. And, like little L’ota, there are beings in the Otherworld that will welcome my whispers—that would amuse me.
“I will not invite you there. Nyx would never forgive me.”
Nyx need never know.
“I will not invite you there. Ever.” Kalona said firmly.
You are young. You have no idea how long ever is. Remember this, son of the moon, anger is an invitation of its own. And until you enter it, the Otherworld has known very little anger.