"We met your progeny and my mate cast a protection spell around their village. They will be safe from vampires and once we return, I plan to relocate them. So we understand your pain," Siroos addressed the goddess of oath while Cassandra untangled herself from his arms and moved towards Sahli. There was so much anguish the goddess of oath was hiding inside her.
Cassandra extended both her hands towards her, palms up.
Sahli shuffled, her clothes rustled as her saddened Erinyeses wailed behind her. That was one life they never wished to claim.
Sahli finally placed her hands on Cassandra’s and let her love and warmth calm the storms that had been raging in her heart. Her hands were warm while Cassandra’s were reassuring.
"I am sorry for what happened."
Sahli momentarily closed her eyes and snatched in a deep breath.
"It’s still happening and there is nothing I can do to help those people just because of that one oath where he was betrayed. The Goddess of jealousy is one mean bitch, and she is stealthy, attacks from the shadows, and whispers malice into the hearts of the mortals. Turns friends into foes," Sahli lamented.
"That’s really a tragic story." Lotus sadly leaned into Razial, hoping that the goddess of jealousy wouldn’t whisper into their hearts. Razial’s warm lips rested in her golden streaks.
"She keeps a monster to guard her realm in the Underworld. He is like a hellhound and occasionally attacks other realms, especially mine. I would wage war against her, but the goddess of death is her elder sister, and no one wants to go against her. She is biased when it concerns her younger sister and turns a blind eye."
The Goddess of death was the reigning deity of the Underworld, no one objected to her authority. Besides, she was a member of the council of gods, so she held extreme power in the palm of her hand.
Cassandra squeezed her hands. "We will help you. Tell us how we can."
Sahli’s face brightened at Cassandra’s words.
"If you can defeat that monster of hers and bring him alive to me, I will dissolve this oath. This will be rendered complete and you will be free of it. A favour from one goddess to another. There is a loophole in the treaty I signed with your father. It never stated the time for which I was to keep your mate under this oath." She cunningly shrugged her shoulders.
Cassandra turned to her companions, questioning with her eyes where they stood on the matter.
"We are with you little sister. Decide what you may." Lotus was the first one to speak.
"Me too." Razial gave a curt nod.
"I am always in for a good fight," Faris whistled, patting his axe.
"I am with my mate. If my powers can help, I am all in." Aiko took a bow.
"I don’t want anything more than to be rid of this oath, or I will die trying," Siroos finally spoke, making Cassandra smile and turn to Sahli.
"We will do it. Direct us towards her realm and give us as much information as is possible related to that creature so we will be prepared."
So they all settled down with Sahli while she restored their powers, and they equipped themselves with gemstones Gildaryn had awarded them.
A plan was formulated. Sahli planted the image of the goddess of Jealousy’s realm in Aiko’s mind so she could easily open a portal and take them directly to it.
Once they were ready, Aiko swirled both her hands and opened the glowing portal.
"Good luck!" She wished as they crossed over from her realm to the realm of jealousy.
The very air hummed with tension and derision. There was something very sinister in that cold and dark place. The unicorn hair around Razial’s neck glowed dark blue, indicating that someone with negative intentions was nearby.
The very air of the place pulsated by envy contained in people’s hearts. It fed on their insecurities and all of them could feel the negative emotions bubbling inside them.
"Be careful! I have very negative feelings about this," Razial conveyed to his companions as they took cautious steps further only to be halted by loud growling sounds.
Their steps halted as they came face to face with the hellhound of envy. It towered over them, a massive intimidating figure cloaked in green and black flames that licked and flickered with an unnatural intensity. Its body was a construct of living fire, with translucent flesh that shifted under the burning fires, revealing a skeletal structure forged of charred coal-like substance. Veins of emerald light pulsed through its form, radiating jealousy and resentment.
Siroos spread his arms, holding everyone back as they observed how the hellhound’s eyes glowed like fiery green orbs that pierced through the soul, reflecting their insecurities toward him. Looking into them was like seeing your greatest failures laid bare and everyone had to step back and take a breather.
Now they understood why the goddess of oath couldn’t defeat this hellhound on her own. He must have made her reflect on her life-long insecurities, especially the child she left behind.
"Keep your thoughts positive, don’t let him trap you in a hell of negative emotions," Cassandra instructed her companions, seeing how everyone was struggling.
It opened its mouth revealing sharp teeth forged from shards of molten stone, dripping with acidic venom that hissed. The sharp claws glowed faintly, leaving trails of scorched earth wherever they raked on the ground as he got ready to charge at them.
They also noticed the hellhound wore a collar and armour forged from molten green and black metal, enchanted with runes of envy. The armour seemed impenetrable, resonating with the doubts of its opponents and feeding into the beast’s strength.
The six companions took position seeing him charge with Cassandra holding her shield over them, protecting them from physical damage. She also tried to strengthen their hearts with her words so they wouldn’t fall prey to self-doubt, the beastly creature thrived on it.
It breathed out a black and green flame, hot and coated with grudges they held. It was meant to burn flesh as well as ignite self-doubt in them.