Soul Thief
Oberon visited Irene's Domain.
There were gems in the flowers and sprinkled all along the ground.
And it was lively and beautiful as always. Birds chirped at Oberon as if to greet him.
But Irene was nowhere to be found.
He sat upon the edge of the fountain that trickled water into the clear pond beneath it.
Irene, he called. My lap is cold, perhaps you could come soothe this issue.
But Irene did not appear.
Irene, Oberon said again. She had been bringing Spring to Earth, but it never took her this long. And besides, she would drop everything for Oberon anyway.
Oberon grew anxious as he called once more.
His Goddess finally appeared. She seemed a lighter shade of green than usual.
"Oh Oberon," she said.
She rushed towards him, kissed him again and again as if they had been apart for centuries.
Irene did indeed slip into his lap, but she was saddened.
What is wrong? Oberon asked. He moved his hands through her hair, which did not float as high as it usually did.
Tears fell from Irene's eyes as she stared at him. Her lips trembled as if words she was forbidden to say desired to escape them.
Irene, said Oberon, put his hand on her face.
She held his hand that held her.
"Not here, come. Come with me."
She pressed her lips against the side of his head as she spoke.
Oberon understood, took Irene in his arms and they travelled to his domain.
Irene refused to leave his arms as he sat upon his throne.
She pulled him close and said, "Edol knows about the humans' souls."
It was inevitable, Oberon said.
"I have reason to believe he is behind this, Oberon. He knew all along. And he didn't do anything to stop it."
Oberon shifted, clutched the arm of his throne. Darkness seeped from his cloak and along the floor.
"I watched him destroy an entire galaxy. He told me not to tell anyone, but I had to tell you."
Irene pressed her face deep into Oberon's robes. Oberon held her, contemplated what this meant for the Gods.
As she cried, the tears rolled down the fabric, sprouted dark seedlings between the stones of Oberon's Domain.
There were gems in the flowers and sprinkled all along the ground.
And it was lively and beautiful as always. Birds chirped at Oberon as if to greet him.
But Irene was nowhere to be found.
He sat upon the edge of the fountain that trickled water into the clear pond beneath it.
Irene, he called. My lap is cold, perhaps you could come soothe this issue.
But Irene did not appear.
Irene, Oberon said again. She had been bringing Spring to Earth, but it never took her this long. And besides, she would drop everything for Oberon anyway.
Oberon grew anxious as he called once more.
His Goddess finally appeared. She seemed a lighter shade of green than usual.
"Oh Oberon," she said.
She rushed towards him, kissed him again and again as if they had been apart for centuries.
Irene did indeed slip into his lap, but she was saddened.
What is wrong? Oberon asked. He moved his hands through her hair, which did not float as high as it usually did.
Tears fell from Irene's eyes as she stared at him. Her lips trembled as if words she was forbidden to say desired to escape them.
Irene, said Oberon, put his hand on her face.
She held his hand that held her.
"Not here, come. Come with me."
She pressed her lips against the side of his head as she spoke.
Oberon understood, took Irene in his arms and they travelled to his domain.
Irene refused to leave his arms as he sat upon his throne.
She pulled him close and said, "Edol knows about the humans' souls."
It was inevitable, Oberon said.
"I have reason to believe he is behind this, Oberon. He knew all along. And he didn't do anything to stop it."
Oberon shifted, clutched the arm of his throne. Darkness seeped from his cloak and along the floor.
"I watched him destroy an entire galaxy. He told me not to tell anyone, but I had to tell you."
Irene pressed her face deep into Oberon's robes. Oberon held her, contemplated what this meant for the Gods.
As she cried, the tears rolled down the fabric, sprouted dark seedlings between the stones of Oberon's Domain.