Hekate was a warrior, a damned good warrior she thought. But even with her skills she wasn't able to keep her lover Demetrius protected, he had taken on a lot more than she had but what she would consider a fated blow slipped through his defence as he landed the killing blow on his last opponent. Quickly she dispatched the last bandit, shoving her sword through his chest, she turn to see Demetrius on the ground bleeding.
"Demetrius!" she cried as she rushed over to her dropping her sword, she quickly unfastened his armor and inspected the wound a gash slashed his side, blood seeping out, she winced as he groaned in pain. She looked at the tear in his tunic, the sword wound was deep, she could feel his life slipping away slowly. He reached up and grasped her hand and gave her a look of such sorrow, he knew that death was upon him.
"Don't you die on me, you're not done yet there is one thing I can do. Hold on for me," she said as she lifted him. He cried out as it pulled on his wound, she carried him over to their cart, they were mercenaries. She knew of an altar to the gods close by, which is why they received the job to clear the area of the bandits to keep the altar safe, she knew limited witchcraft it aided with injuries and she knew the injury he had sustained was too deep.
She pulled the cart and dragged it forward, she knew that this must be fate. Knowing the time and when the spell needed to be prepared was of the utmost importance, she had to get him to the altar before sunrise or she would be lost. It felt like ages dragging the cart, hearing his breathing sharp and jerky as pain stabbed him. She would not lose him, he was the only man that had ever respected her, and had never underestimated her.
"So cold," he whispered as they closed in on the wild altar to the gods on the edge of a cliff overlooking a valley.
"Hold on Demetrius, we're almost there," desperation entered her voice as she pushed through the trees dragging the cart, her arms burned the wheels weren't designed for traveling over rocks and thick grass, she winced every time a bump caused him to groan in pain. The trees parted as she saw the altar standing on a stone platform, the wide smooth slab of rock supported by pillars of rough marble glowed subtly in the pre-dawn light.
She was not religious, she didn't pray to the gods. They never stepped in to help anyone, but with her tentative connection to the arcane there was a glimmer of hope she could connect with them. She dragged the cart to the edge of the platform and looked in to see his eyes barely staying open his now pale skin glistening with sweat. She quickly lifted him, his skin was cool to the touch. He reached out and grabbed her weakly as he groaned.
She carried him to the altar and laid him down, quickly she refastened his chestpiece and pressed his sword into his hand which he grasped. His breathing came out short and sharp as blood continued to seep out of his wound. His free hand grasped hers and squeezed it, as he looked at her, pain written over his masculine features. She wouldn't know what she would do if this didn't work, it had to. She looked up at the sky, it was lightening around the horizon, it would happen soon.
She stepped back from the altar and closed her eyes, digging deep inside herself she found her tenuous connection to magic and tapped into the well, she sent out a prayer to the gods to save him. She knew of the god's penchant for heroes and he was a hero not just to her to many people. She opened her eyes the magic still bubbling inside of her, Demetrius' eyes were locked on her as the life faded from him. She wished this wasn't necessary she wished she could give him her strength to help him fight the injury, he was strong as a titan. But that sword had cut him too deeply for her to save him.
Her only hope was her plea to the gods, the light around the horizon had paled to light blue shade as Demetrius whispered to her, "I love you," then the life faded from him as his eyes slid shut. Tears pooled in her eyes as she felt his life force drain. She felt trapped on the spot as light brightened quickly, this had to work. It just had to.
The first burst of sunlight raced across the valley and climbed up the cliff, then slid up the altar before bathing Demetrius' body in the golden glow of dawn's light. She held her breath for a moment fearing the worst that it wouldn't work as the light spread up her legs. Then a burst of light surrounded his body and he exploded into flames. Shock grasped her as brilliant flames of gold and deep orange surrounded his body.
Leaving nothing but a pile of pitch black ash and his sword glowing red from the heat, she was about to drop to her feet and wail in despair, but then there was another burst of light as a magnificent bird of fire exploded into view. The flames of its body radiated heat over her, the shimmering dancing flames of gold, orange and red flickering in front of her. The spell had really worked, the gods had answered her prayers. Tears streamed down her face as the bird looked at her and took to the stone platform the flames fading as they morphed into brilliant golden feathers. Then it started to change again. Demetrius soon looked up at her, the brilliant dawn light haloing his naked body.
***
His thoughts were a mess, a jumble. He was in pain from the sword wound then suddenly calm seeped through him and he was floating, he had been sure he had died. He had never wanted to leave Hekate, she had been everything to him. He had wanted to start a family with her, he wanted children. He had respected and admired her before they had even gotten romantically involved, but fate had ripped that away from him.
He didn't want to be calm, he wanted to be angry, furious at the situation. He would be forced into the underworld against his will, well before he was ready. Then intense heat had filled his being, as he opened his eyes again dawn light spreading around the landscape but he didn't feel normal. He felt far more than he ever had. Then he realized he had wings, massive wings made of glorious flames. Then he looked down and saw his chest tapering down to bird feet, his whole body shimmering with living flames.
Then he noticed Hekate standing there tears running down her face, the happiest he had ever seen her. Then he noticed he wasn't on the ground, he was hovering above the altar, with a push of his wings that seemed to come by instinct he settled back on the ground, the stone under his bird feet felt unusual. Far different then he had experienced before, than another instinct flooded into him. The heat vanished as the flames formed golden feathers.
Suddenly his world view shifted again as his wings shortened and slid into his shoulders as his arms formed to take their place. Soon he found himself crouching in front of Hekate, the woman who had saved him from death. He had no idea of how powerful her magic had become, to reach out like that. Then he felt the cool dawn breeze sweeping around him, he looked down and he was completely naked. The flames of the phoenix had incinerated his armor and tunic, but the only thing he could think of was the woman in front of him.
How she saved him from the torment of losing her, he stood and walked over to her and kissed her. "I love you Hekate," he whispered as her hands slipped around his back and pulled him closer kissing him harder, the sensations of her fingers on his back. Her arms around him, felt different then it had before, sizzling sparks of sensation flooded through him.
Blood rushed to his groin as the sensations flooded him, richer and more powerful than ever. He needed her naked against him, to feel her skin against his. It drove deep inside of him, it was a primal need. He continued her kiss then slid his fingers down her sides and unclasped her armor and slid it off. He reached for the tie of her tunic and released it he had to break the kiss, a groan of complaint came from her lips, and he grinned and then pulled her tunic over her head.
"I need you against me," he whispered and kissed her neck making her groan and arch her back as he reached down and unlaced her leg guards and pulled them off. He lifted her up and carried her to the altar, he had a feeling that this was where he needed to place her. He removed her sandals then kissed up her thigh.
