New and old
Scale of two
One for her
And one for you!
With the last line of his song, the Shaman lifted his hand. Nyx saw that in it he held a long, sharp obsidian blade.
“No!” the Goddess cried.
The Shaman’s blade did not waver. It slashed the maid’s throat, releasing a torrent of blood. She fell to his feet, gasping her life’s breath and flooding the sandstone with a crimson tide.
“Why have you done this?” Nyx rushed to the maid, pulling the dying girl into her arms.
“The sacrifice was for two. One for him. One for you. Forgive me, Goddess. I did only what I could do.” Then the old man’s eyes rolled white. He clutched his chest and fell into the grasses, breathing no more.
Nyx looked up to see that Kalona’s face was as pale as moonlight. “What madness is this?”
“I-I do not know. I thought the old man deluded, misguided even. I did not think him capable of this.”
“Have he and his People been worshipping you?”
Nyx saw genuine surprise in Kalona’s expression. “They left me gifts, and the old man often chanted and smudged around me. Is that worship?” Kalona shook his head, staring at the dying maiden. “I am a fool. I am to blame for these two deaths.”
“No!” Nyx said sternly, not willing to allow Kalona to fall into despair and guilt. “He was an old man. His heart failed him. That could not be changed and is not your fault. But this girl, this child, he so mistakenly sacrificed to you, she still clings to life. We can save her, you and I. Give me your borrowed gift of creation, and invoke Spirit. What would please me most is that your final test save the life of this girl.”
“But Mother Earth—”
“I am Goddess! And I proclaim that I am willing to exchange my friendship with Earth for this child’s life.”
Kalona bowed his head to her. “Yes, my Goddess.”
I call you, Spirit, Power Divine, and creation magick as well.
I have one more test to pass, one more tale to tell.
As the Goddess commands, so mote it be,
However she wishes to use you, with her I agree.
Kalona bent and kissed Nyx gently on the lips, and as the Goddess accepted his kiss, she drew within her body Spirit, the magick of creation, and the power of the Divine.
Nyx lifted the obsidian knife from where the old man had dropped it, quickly slashing the blade across her own wrist. Then she held the oozing line to the girl’s pale lips, saying:
Blood of my blood, you shall ever after be.
Take, drink. From this night forth your new life is my decree.
The girl’s eyes remained closed, but her lips opened against the Goddess’s wound, and she drank as Nyx commanded.
The Goddess bent and blew gently on the girl’s bleeding throat. The torn flesh instantly began to mend.
For my daughter, this creation of mine,
I give the gift of Night Divine.
Nyx kissed the girl’s lips, breathing the last of Spirit within her, and then she kissed the middle of the girl’s smooth forehead, touching the child with a Goddess’s Old Magick, whispering, With this Mark tattoo, your life begins anew.