Anna
Veronica reached over to turn on the radio as they drove but Anna shook her head no, looking in the distance at the surge of energy rising up from the ground like a pillar of light reaching up into the sky and vanishing into the clouds.
“There, do you see it?” Anna asked, leaning forward in the seat to point up the column as they approached. “We are very close now.”
“No,” Veronica replied, shaking her head, “I don’t see anything but I feel something pulling me,” she added.
“It is a point of convergence for ley lines to enhance the power,” Anna said, voice changing as she clenched her teeth and clutched hands across her stomach, eyes shut tight.
“Anna?”
“I can feel her trying to claw back into our world. They have another vessel, another girl,” she said breathlessly.
“Are we too late?” Veronica asked.
“There, that house, stop there,” Anna stated, straightening and pointing at a house unremarkable to the others around it to any who could not see the maelstrom of magical energies coalescing above it.
Stabbing the brakes, Veronica brought the vehicle to a skidding halt over the thin sheen of ice on the ground to wind up near the curb in front of the house.
Pushing the car door open, Anna got out, staggering slightly as she crossed the yard toward the domicile.
Veronica was unsure what to do. Slamming the gearshift into park, she shut the car off and climbed out.
As she approached the front door, Anna waved her hand and the portal suddenly exploded inward, showering the entryway with thousands of tiny splinters. Stepping through the shattered remains of the door, she paused, letting the drag on power guide her. Downstairs.
Moving into the kitchen area, there was a hulking young man there, a confused expression on his face, “What?” he babbled, interposing himself into Anna’s path.
With a simple look from her, he twisted away, body condensing inward upon itself. Another stab of white hot pain in her abdomen dropped her to her knees and leaving her gasping for breath. “No,” she whispered, forcing herself back up onto her feet, “not yet.”
Across the kitchen were a flight of stairs descending into the basement. Gritting her teeth, she forced herself in that direction, the agony intensifying with each step. One by one she went down the stairs, using the handrail to assist her. At the bottom of the stairs was a short hall, rooms leading off of it, but she knew without a shadow of a doubt which one she needed, the ritual was being conducted behind the door adorned with the eight pointed star.
Striding forward, she pushed the door inward with her power, rendering the wood. They were several people inside the room, but it was the girl in the center of the center of the room that instantly drew her attention, hovering on her back three feet above the ritual circle inlaid into the floor, she was glowing bright as a star, pure energy enveloping her. Anna could feel the soul inside being displaced, smothered under the weight of the emerging goddess.
A man she didn’t know moved forward to intercept her, reaching into the waist band at the back of his pants and pulling out a pistol and aiming it at her head before pulling the trigger three times. With a glance, she halted the bullets in midair no more than an inch in from her head before they fell harmlessly to the ground.
The glowing girl’s body started convulsing, bucking as it hovered, the girl screaming, but it was overlaid with another sound, another voice, this one laughing.
Though she didn’t know the girl’s name, “Fight her!” Anna screamed, compelling the dying soul of the girl inside the body to rise up and fight for her very existence.
The body ceased convulsing and the eyes opened.
There was a scramble of people all around Anna, some coming toward her, others fleeing. She thought she caught a glimpse of her mother. With a wave of her left hand, the half dozen members of the gathering nearest her were thrown back against the wall, bodies writhing and twisting as they shrivel away.
“I am reborn!” screamed the glowing girl in two distinct voices, her body shifting forward, arms outstretched in an almost Christ-like pose.
Opening her palms, Anna unleashed a killing lash of magical energy at the girl, only to see the energy wrap around the girl and destroy part of the house’s foundation.
Her eyes blazing brighter even than her flesh, Inanna extended her arm at Anna throwing the dark haired girl back through the wall, paneling, insulation, and sound board smashing at the impact before Anna collided with a washing machine, denting the metal.
“You have no idea how delighted I am you are here to welcome me back into the world Anna. I can feel your puny body ripping itself apart, but this suffering is pale to the torments I have in store for you,” Inanna said, settling back on the ground and moving forward.
Coughing up blood, Anna forced herself back up onto her feet. She was losing her grasp on the power and it had far exceeded the capacity of her ability to contain. “No!” she screamed, moving forward and driving power at Inanna, forcing the newly born goddess back several steps where she unknowingly trod upon one of her tiny devotees attempting the flee, leaving a greasy red smear on the floor.
Snarling, Inanna brought her hands together in a clapping motion, the force again driving Anna off her feet. “There are no secret sigils, hidden tricks to help you this time child! You cannot use what is mine against me!” she declared, pushing through the breach in the wall and moving toward Anna.
Through the haze of magic and pain, Anna saw a spear shaped sliver of energy slicing through the air, striking Inanna in the side and causing the goddess to rage in pain.
Veronica stood there partially on the stairs leading down, another spear of energy in her hand, Anna!” she screamed.
Growling, Inanna wheeled toward the blonde girl, slamming her with enough energy to lift her off the ground and throw her through the and out of the house, her body landing in a crumpled heap on the front lawn of the house across the street.
Back on her feet, Anna reared her head back and screamed, unbridling the energy and allowing it to pour out of her body, the flare so intense, Inanna turned her head.
As the energy spilled through her, Anna could feel herself transforming, her flesh expanding to match the input of wild magic. She did not feel her clothes tear away or the house crumple around her as she grew.
Screaming, Inanna opened her own arms and allowed magic to consume her, her body too beginning to expand upward as she tried to keep pace with Anna.
As Anna grew, she could feel the power yielding more responsively to her command. She didn’t where it would stop. She was vaguely aware of Inanna growing, matching her. She could still sense fragments of the vessel’s former owner inside the other woman, fighting.
When Anna stopped growing, her faculties seemed to return and there was a newfound clarity and she knew she was once more in control of herself, the pain subsiding. Standing there, she was over a hundred feet tall, feet in the wreckage of the several houses in Rose’s neighborhood. She could feel tiny little life forms scurrying beneath her but her immediate attention was pulled to Inanna, the goddess standing almost within arm’s reach, the same height as her.
The two combatants locked arms, coming together in a thunderous crash, Anna forcing Inanna backward, feet destroying another house. The fight was savage, Anna throwing Inanna down and dropping on top of her, fists striking down like hammer blows.
Inanna struggled to fight back, but there vessel was disrupting her ability to bring all of her power to bear.
Placing her hand over Imogen’s enormous chest, Anna summoned the last of her reserves, drawing Inanna up and out of the girl’s body, a blinding spark clutched in her hand. Clenching her teeth, she crushed it in her fist. There was a flash of light so bright it was like a supernova, and then there was nothing, no sound.
Looking down at the gigantic form of Imogen, Anna slumped forward, collapsing onto the girl before rolling off to the side, two automobiles crushed under the bulk of her weight.
Aftermath
Veronica’s eyes fluttered open, body broken and dying. Drawing power into her, she knit bones, mended ruptured organs, drawing fresh cold night air into her lings. There was a man kneeling beside her, asking her questions, and though she could see his mouth move in the shadows of his face, all she heard was a high pitched ringing.
Eyes frantic, hand on her shoulder, “Are you alright?” he asked, this time louder so that she was able to hear him over the whine in her ears.
She nodded, trying to sit upright.
“No, you’re hurt,” he said, trying to hold her down.
“I’m okay,” she slurred, body still aching.
“Just wait, more emergency services are on their way,” he said, nodding. “You stay here, I have to look after other people, okay?”
She nodded, as he moved away. Pushing herself into a seated position, she turned her head and saw Anna and the other gigantic girl both lying there, naked, Anna’s leg over the other girl. It was kind of surreal to see these two mammoth girls in the rubble and debris of the devastated neighborhood, like two enormous beautiful statues locked in almost a lover’s embrace. Getting unsteadily to her feet, there were a fair number of people milling around, all were strangers to her. There were three fire engines and a like number of ambulances near the far end of the block, personnel trying to bring semblance of order. Taking a few shaky steps toward Anna, she coughed, clearing quasi congealed blood from her throat.
Moving across the broken asphalt she drew near Anna’s left foot, nearly twice as long as Veronica was tall. The blonde felt a sense of awe and wondered if that was how those made little felt in her presence.
Placing her hands against the grime covered flesh of the enormous foot, Veronica channeled healing energy into her fallen friend.
A low rumbling groan emanated from within Anna, causing a riot of panic as people scattered in all directions away from the dark haired giantess as she regained consciousness. Pushing herself up onto to her knees, Anna turned to see Veronica near her foot, smiling down at her friend before seeing the degree of carnage, so many dead, more injured, others scampering away like mice before a cat.
Placing a hand in the center of Imogen’s chest, Anna felt the gigantic girl was still alive, but like her, tainted by the presence of the goddess’ intent to take control of the body. Lacking the benefit of the warding to shield her like Anna’s father had provided, Imogen’s condition was much graver and without intervention or assistance she would soon die. Drawing power into her hand, Anna reduced the comatose girl, bringing her back to normal size before restoring herself to her normal height.
Veronica ran over, wrapping her arms around Anna in a wordless embrace.
“We need to leave,” Anna said, disengaging from Veronica.
“What do we do about the witnesses?”
Frowning, Anna brought her hands up near her face, speaking quietly into them before spreading her arms wide and releasing a concussive wave of energy that spread out evenly in all directions, rolling over those still in the area and overtaking those attempting to flee.
“What did you do?” Veronica asked, kneeling down next to Imogen.
“An illusion to cloud the minds of those who were witness to this, a fabrication to make sense of this,” Anna replied.
Veronica nodded.
“We must quit this place. There is still so much to learn, so much to teach. We are three now, and this girl will need our guidance. We must be away from prying eyes until we can master these powers. I know that now,” Anna acknowledged.
***
By the time news agencies responded to the disaster, official word had spread of a gas leak and explosion that had essentially leveled an entire neighborhood. In the confusion, only one person noticed as two teenage girls, carrying another girl slipped away into the frigid December night. Darlene Crandall, Anna’s mother. Somehow she had managed to get out of the house before the shit hit the fan. The amulet around her neck tingled as Anna expended magic and people all around her went glassy eyed, babbling about some type of accident. She didn’t forget. She knew she had once again been spared by the will of Inanna, against all reasonable odds, once more delivered from death, her glorious purpose still unfulfilled. It was sign and she knew what it meant. Inanna had saved her again, saved her to continue the quest. There was still one last long shot. Smiling, she let the fireman place the oxygen mask on her face.
***
Sitting at kitchen table in her grandmother’s house, Rachel frowned. She was missing her history text and she needed it to finish her assignment before the holidays. She really didn’t understand why her father and stepmother had dropped her and Elijah off here, especially with a few days of school left before the holidays actually began. It had all seemed so rushed and in the haste of getting them over to Grandma’s, she had forgotten the book. Where was it? Her room.
Grumbling, she got up from the table and walked into the living room where her grandmother was sitting on the chesterfield. “There’s a school book I need I forgot at the house,” she said.
The aged woman smiled and nodded, “Let me get my things, I’ll drive you over,” she offered, grunted as she got up off the couch.
“Or,” Rachel started, grinning. “You could let me drive over and get it,” she offered, bringing her hands together in a petitioning motion, excited by the prospect to actually getting to use her newly acquired license.
Grandmother frowned, leathery skin etched with deep lines, “Its dark out and there’s a chill in the air, bound to be icy,” she countered.
“I will drive super slow, side roads, it’s not that far,” Rachel stated, pleading her case.
A sparkle appeared in the old woman’s eye. “Alright, but,” she held up a finger, “no shenanigans,” she stipulated.
Rachel nodded, huge smile on her youthful face as bound away to fetch her jacket and boots.
“There and back, no detours mind,” added the old lady.
“Straight there and straight back,” Rachel assured, extending her hand for the car key.
The girl’s grandmother pulled the key from her purse, dangling it over Rachel’s hand before dropping.
Squealing with a delight, Rachel wrapped her arms around the old woman and gave her a fierce hug before bolting toward the door.
“Drive safe,” cautioned the old woman.
“I will,” Rachel replied, voice trailing as she closed the door and rushed out to the car.
Not wanting to squander the opportunity to demonstrate reliability and responsibility, Rachel drove over to her home cautiously, surprised to find the dwelling dark.
Parking the car in the driveway, she shut it off and went up to the house and let herself in, clicking on the light in the entry hall. The house was quiet, almost eerily so, no one apparently home.
“Anyone?” she called out, moving down the hall and moving to the right toward her room. Opening the door, she turned on the light, immediately spying the text book on her desk. Crossing the room, a flicker of movement caught her attention out her periphery as something small moved on top her bed. She paused, turning to investigate. Was that a tiny little person?