drmad1917

[drmad1917]

Chronicles of the Gods: Tales of the Trickster God; The Birth

In the early days, the great immortal witch Cassandra preached of the Archaic arts to all those who were willing to listen and learn her unorthodox ways of magic. It was not long until she found herself head of a cult, who sought to practice esoteric magic and study it's properties and nature. However the traditions, beliefs, and new spells they had created quickly grew the ire of many. The Order of the Arcane viewed their practices to be barbaric and wicked. They branded their cult as demonic in nature and sought to suppress her teachings throughout the lands. Cassandra also found no allies amongst the great druids and shamans, whom the order also view barbaric, for her occultist magic was viewed unnatural to them and the wild gods and spirits they worship. And above all who hate her are the great rulers of mighty Kingdoms and Faithful priests of the Gods for often her followers consisted of rogues and brigands that were deemed forsaken by the Gods and thus branded as heretics.

Fearing the many enemies that branded them wicked and lack of any blessings from the Divine, Cassandra feared that her people will forever be persecuted until the end days and the world nor any power would not show tears nor lift a finger to aid them in their plight. She then resigned herself to a cave lit only by her sacred torch and forbade any of her followers to enter as she continues to ponder of the doomed fate of her cult. One night as she slept and dreamed , a great eagle like no other appeared flying high in the skies towards her. The eagle carried a child and gently with it's talons delivered it to her arms. The Child was cloaked in goat skin and fur and as she unwrapped the swathed infant a great flame leaped out..The child then became a tall slim man with serpent eyes and red hair like fire. Cassandra knew immediately that she bore witness to her people's deliverer. The flames then quickly burnt and all that remained was smoke. The eagle then stared at the bewildered Cassandra and spread it's wings to fly out. The majestic creature then flew to a tall mountain that seemed familiar to Cassandra, she then soon awoke from her slumber. In her heart she knew this was not just a dream but prophecy.

Determined to seek out fate, she left her cave and proclaimed to her followers her great vision of a savior for them and that she must go out and venture alone to find the destiny her dream showed. Her cultists rejoiced, for so long they had felt abandoned with nothing but themselves to rely on, now it seemed fate had a kinder path for them that they did not realize. For three days and nights they reveled and feasted, celebrating the great witch and gave her their blessing in hopes she may return safely.

Cassandra then sought out to fulfill her quest, fortunately she recognized the mountain where the great Eagle flew on top of in the dream. It was located far to the south, it was often considered a holy place where mages would make sacrifices for a God's blessing. For 3 months she traveled, often avoiding dangers and fighting off foes beast and man with her magic. When she finally arrived to the mountain she sacrificed a sacred goat she stole from a priest on the journey as a way to gain entrance to the mountain for which the Gods granted. After a day of climbing she bore witness to the magnificent view the summit provided and felt immense wonder. That feeling however was quickly overtaken by fear, amazement, and bliss when appeared before her a Bird like no other. A mighty eagle that sore the skies with greater majesty than even the terrible dragons. Cassandra knew right away it was the same eagle in her dream . She then promptly hid by cloaking herself with her magic and awaited for the eagle to land so that she may examine it further.

Elegantly the creature descended down unto the summit to rests it's wings. Cassandra felt great power coming from the bird, it was as if it was almost of divine nature. As she continued to marvel the avian it's feather then glowed a heavenly light which temporarily blinded the Arch Witch. When she regained her sight, the eagle was gone. Instead a long bearded man with hair as white as snow, eyes glowing like stars of the night, and a unnatural tall height stood where the eagle was. The man wore large cloak of royal purple, his armor was that of gold and precious gems, and his crown was as holy as the sun itself. Quicky Cassandr knew who she was laying eyes on..And out pure instinct she backed away, knowing full well her magic and immortality would mean nothing if this man would ever decide to slight her. However it was too late, for the man already knew of her presence. He then spoke out in a deep and powerful voice yet it had somehow still sounded gentle in order to ease her guard. "I sense your presence, Sorceress. What business do you have here?" Realizing the futility of hiding from this man, Cassandra appeared before him and bowed out of respect. "Hail, Great High Father, King of the Gods and maker of man, forgive me for trespassing in your sacred peak. I come here to seek salvation showed to me in a vision. My dreamed showed me your great eagle form and a infant who arose from flame into a man with great power that I believe would deliver my people."

The High Father stood silent and gave thought to the vision Cassandra. "Your vision intrigues, in fact I myself bore witness to a dream sent to me the great primordials, where a woman of great knowledge in magic would deliver on to me information of her secret runes and a child that can take any form that would one day serve well the Gods and my heavenly kingdom." Both the High Father and Cassandra now understood what there dream fully entails and so they formed a secret pact with one another. And so for 7 days and nights they spent together in the mountain's peak. For the knowledge of her secret magic and oath that her people and her own child may serve the him, the High Father gave her cult his blessing and his seed. And when all was said and done the High Father gave Cassandra a bottle of sacred oil and a mighty steed that can run in the winds. They then bid farewell as the great horse quickly delivered Cassandra back to her people in less than over 5 minutes.

Overjoyed by the return of their mistress, the cult once again threw a great celebration of eating and drinking. During the festivities, Cassandra ordered her followers to make ritual sacrifice of 20 goats as tribute to the High King as part of their sacred pact. Although many were confused for the newfound veneration for the God of the kings that persecuted their cult they all still reluctantly carried out the sacrifice as per the Arch Witch's instructions. The strongest of the goats in particular was skinned after it's death and it's fur and was fashioned into a blanket for which Cassandra wrapped herself. This is thus also the origins of the "Feast of return " observed once a year by her cult.

After the festivities, Cassandra once again retreated to her cave with only her must trusted hand maidens allowed inside, who once in a while go outside to collect herbs and offerings of food to nourish their Mistress. For 9 months she stayed hidden in the recluse of her sanctuary, leaving her followers bewildered as to what her intention is. When the time had come for her to leave her Cave, her cultists beheld a most precious sight. Cassandra carried an hour infant in her arms. It was wrapped in the blanket made of Goat skin and fur. Everyone approached their mistress and the child with wonder and asked her many questions about the origins and father of this child. Cassandra did not answer, instead she asked them to build a great wooden pyre for the last part of her ritual. It took them several hours to cut down enough trees for wood and place them on top of each other, during which the eyes of Cassandra and those not tasked to build the pyre were fixated on the infant. When the pyre had been built, Cassandra gave them the sacred oil gifted by the High Father and told them to set ablaze the pyre. After doing what they were told a great fire roared. It was a flame like no other and it almost seemed alive. The Arch Witch stepped closer to the flame with her child, she looked hesitant, and nervous. Suddenly she threw the infant at the fire, seemingly sacrificing it.

Even her followers was in shock and was horrified of her actions. One of them even chastised her. "For what devilry is this ? First you had us sacrifice to the God of our oppressors after abandoning us, then you seclude yourself to your cave leaving us without your wisdom and leadership, and now you had gone mad and sacrificed your own child. If this is the salvation you speak of then I would rather be damned." The crowd joined him by showing their frustrations. Quickly they turned on Cassandra, cursing her for her crime of infanticide. With only her most devout protecting her, Cassandra looked on in silence at the flame. Almost breaking down to tears, thinking the High Father had fooled her for her magic. "Let my soul rot in the deepest pits of Abaddon for killing my own flesh and blood.." She said. As Cassandra was about to surrender herself to her angry followers the flame then roared again. Suddenly a circle of fire surrounded Cassandra, protecting her from the mob . The flame then simmered down and compressed, at it's core was a silhouette, to Cassandra it looked like the savior she had dreamed of. The silhouette shifted like shadows and change form chaotically from a snake, to a dog, horse, raven, and then goat. A bolt of magic was hurled from the flame and hit the man who started the mob, turning him into a goat. The crowd then backed down in fear and in awe.

At last the flames were extinguished, and at the center where the pyre stood, Cassandra's child was lying unharmed and unburnt. Even the blanket that wrapped him did not suffer. The Arch Witch then ran towards her child. She sighed in relief and carried the child once again in her arms. She raised the infant up high and proclaimed. "This Child is Divine. Today you bore witness to the birth and christening of your new Protector, Patron, and God.."

Writer's input: This is just a silly story I made for a mythology I am making up as a side hobby. It's not really much and I will definitely remake this and correct a few errors but I wanna share the first draft.