41. The Jewel of Enrith

Eva was visiting Herym the God of fire and flames, as he liked to call himself.

She liked going out with him. He was funny and not bad to look at, and just plain good company.

Plus he did not seem to mind the fact that she had a great big wolf spirit inhabiting her.

You wouldn’t think it, but the gods and goddesses seem to like quiet meek mortals.

They thought her pretty enough.

She was always getting compliments when she met new deities. They liked her strong features. She could have any of them she wanted for flings and such.

But she wasn’t the quiet mortal type.

Having a wolf spirit living inside and along side you changed you.

She was opinionated for one thing.

Not that she was never opinionated or stubborn before she accepted Tala into her life.

Just ask her sister and she will tell you that Eva was the more trouble making of the two of them.

But Tala had enforced her personality to a point that bothered some people.

It hadn’t bothered her much at the beginning, since she had been a little drunk on the powers she had been given.

But now she realised that everything has a price.

And Tala intimidated others, even when she was sleeping quietly.

Once a Seer had looked her in the eyes and told her that anyone who truly looked into Eva’s eyes could see the wolf that lay there, and that she could be frightening, being so old and powerful.

She had laughed saying that regular mortals would not notice and that Gods were never scared.

She had been wrong of course.

Even the Deities she took as lovers would eventually have problems when dealing with the existence of Tala.

She broke their view of safe unthreatening mortals.

So she spent a lot of time alone. With only her sister for companionship.

Not that she did not love her sister.

If she had not had her, she would have killed herself years ago.

But sometimes you needed someone, anyone, to make you feel special in a different way.

So she had lovers, both mortal and immortal.

But they never lasted very long, because her powers intimidated others.

Love me, Love my animal spirit.

That seemed too hard for many.

She hoped one day that at least someone other than her sister, could love her with all the baggage that came with her.

Herym looked to be different.

He did not look into her eyes with fear or uneasiness. He genuinely seemed to like her.

All of her.

So she visited him as often as she could lately.

So it came to pass that she visited him one day and found herself in the middle of a crisis.

They were sitting together on a blanket set up near the fireplace in the great hall.

He liked being near any type of flame, being who he was, and this was his favourite room.

Suddenly a bellow could be heard throughout the entire place.

It was so loud and angry that Eva thought the one deaf God in the place must have heard him.

"Where is that little pipsqueak!" yelled the voice.

Herym looked at Eva quizzically saying.

"I wonder who he is talking about? Not me I hope."

Eva laughed at his little joke, but said in a more sober tone.

"Whoever it is, I don’t envy their position right now. Oren is not someone you want to get angry at you."

Oren literally stormed into the great hall, looking angrier than Eva had ever seen him.

"Wait until I get my hands on him. He’ll wish he had never set eyes on it." he muttered to himself.

"What’s wrong?" asked Herym. "Whatever it is, it can’t be that bad."

He stopped and turned on Herym with a look that could wither a regular mortal.

Herym did not seem to notice, or care, he just stared right back, waiting for an answer.

Others were entering the hall trying to ascertain what was going on.

Oren, realising that he was not getting a reaction out of Herym, said.

"That jackass Theodore has gone and taken the jewel of Enrith. You know how powerful it is. Who knows what damage that fool will do with it."

"Who is this Theodore?" asked Eva. "And why would he take the jewel?"

"Theodore is the Spirit Ferret." said Herym.

Eva knew of Spirit Animals.

They were the representatives of each type of animal. They were always completely white furred and could actually talk. She had met a few, but not this Theodore they talked of.

"And the Jewel?" she asked.

Oren answered her this time.

"It is a jewel that has the power to create winds and storms of immense power." he said. "And in the wrong hands it could cause untold suffering."

"And why would Theodore want it?" she asked. "Is he evil? does he have some sort of revenge in mind?"

Some of the deities present laughed, including Herym.

Only Oren still looked angry.

"He stole it because it was pretty." said Oren.

Eva just stared at him in silence for a bit.

"Because it was pretty?" she echoed.

"Yes." said Herym. "He has a weakness for things he finds pretty or tasty. Anything that strikes something in his basic senses, he desires."

"And he has no control." said Oren. "Or at least does not care to exert any control."

"Is this Jewel dangerous in his hands?" asked Eva.

"It can be." said Oren. "Not on purpose. I don’t see Theodore destroying the world on a whim. But accidentally, that I can see."

"So the Jewel is dangerous on its own." said Eva. "We should get it back."

"That’s what I plan on doing." said Oren. "Just as soon as I track him down."

"I’ll do it." said Eva.

The others stared at her.

"What?" asked Herym. "Why?"

"Because if Oren goes after him, he might do something out of fear that could be disastrous to many people." she said. "But if I go, at least he won’t be as frightened, and I can get everything back with the least amount of damage done."

"Besides." she continued, as the others pondered what she was saying. "He is still an animal at heart and will probably hide out among his fellow animals. Who better than someone with ties to the animal world to track him down."

"You are one of the best trackers I know." said Herym.

He turned to Oren.

"I say give her a chance." he said. "It couldn’t hurt."

"Fine." said Oren. "But do it quickly. The longer that jewel is not under my protection, the bigger the chances something bad will happen."

"I’m on my way." said Eva.

She quickly kissed Herym and turned to the portal that had appeared.

She entered it and disappeared.