Threaded Mode | Linear Mode

Atara Raven · (11-28-2020)

The face of a name you've only heard, never given physical form, alluded to by metaphor. Round and radiant faced Selene, daughter of Helios, that lunar titaness who oft is mentioned in Atara Themis' story. She appears once more and as before, perched on her heavenly throne, she sits as sentinel of the night ever watchful of a favored daughter of Hellas. High above the city of grey eyed Athena, she held with debauched amusement the object of her attention. She played celestial voyeur, peeping into the Mount Latmus that was Atara's home.

Atara, lost to the whims of the oldest of gods, unaware of her holy audience unknowingly brought Selene's memory to vivid life. Pulled from ancient emotions and sprung to the titaness' minds eye the many times she had visited her Endymion. A primal display, Luna's charge moved in seeming rhythm with the ebb and flow of the ocean's tide. A tide Selene could control, a tide this fast becoming concupiscent divinity was finding hard to not manipulate. Desirous as she was, a restraint was shown unfamiliar of the Greek pantheon. Nay, she remained up on high and wouldn't interfere.

Selene would keep watch, keep to herself. She would play her lyre and hum her praise with sapphic hymn. Satisfied, the moon above Athens shone brighter.

"Ay, wicked men never elude pure Themis: night and day her eyes are on them, and the wide world through above the tribes of men she floats in air, holpen of Zeus, for punishment of sin."

[Image: BjMQpHy.png]

Delphi, yet another name from the story of Atara. A place visited, a part of the tale abandoned in the name of conformity. Here is the place of the navel of world and the seat from which Themis indoctrinated mankind with those primal laws governing human conduct. She of Good Counsel whispering through her Pythia. The world knows her best, the blinded lady bearing sword and scales. The Oracle is her home.

The center of the Hellenestic world, in modern times it holds a different significance. That place Atara first rose to some prominence. Where she raised the eyebrows of monsters dark and terrible. For her it wasn't the sensual utterance of another Champion's name but here that she planted her flag. This place is why you fear her. Why you lay awake wondering what Atty you've invoked and summoned for battle. Why you pray she disappears again, hope for disinterest.

This place is the reason the Gilmours and Thunder Knuckles feel the need to elevate themselves when her name is matched opposite theirs. The reason kings of XWF have worshipped and bent to her will. Why our Queens beat the drums of war when her presence is felt. Its Mecca. Her place of ascension.

And she did nought but bathe in hallow water and stand defiant to a harbinger of doom. Pugnacious. Literate. Atara.

Still in Athens, Atara had not been back since Christmas of last year. Defiant as she had been then, omens spoke against her and a gilded tongue had lured her away with promise. Misfortune had shook her faith. A fickle thing, not even Gods could hold her sway. The ruins were lifeless, save one. Atara's namesake, Themis

Sat upon a delphic tripod were her great temple once stood whole, she was motionless. Wilderness and the elements her only companions she sat unaffected by either. Alabaster flesh was wrapped in crimson cloth tightly round her form and the same formed a hood atop her head. Her face hidden in shadow was stoic and from the void eyes of only sclera peered out. The direction of her gaze was indiscernible, not even a subtle rise or fall of her chest. Lifeless, save the subtle twitch and toying of a laurel in one hand.

In the Titaness' mind the threads of fate would unwind retelling stories of past and present. Images of warriors across the eons of time. Sifting through them all she settled on Christmas Christmas discussed before. Found the favoured daughter of Olympus and from the tapestry of time plucked that thread alone.

Pulled tight in her mind, she followed the length of thread from one end. The length of Ataras life until she reached Christmas day once again. All a haze, even for her yet a phrase the goddess.

Fuck Hope.

She moved forward until seeing the tiny and minuscule form of Jenny Myst. Defeated then as champion. No command given, no gesture, a mist would rise from the ground. From crack and crevice, a fog straight from Gaia surrounded her and her eyes became white as Selene's moon. Lips parted so that a ethereal song could escape.

"A time shall come when from your tree the gold shall be despoiled, and of that spoil a daughter of Venus shall boast."

There then gone. Carried on the wind to it's intended target. Her voice was no more and back to thread she went. Further into the future til she was met with that haze. Once more she heard...

"Fuck Hope."

Pushing the thread from her mind the mist dissipated while Themis stood her perch. She stepped forward laurel in hand.

"Themis, loved by all, careful not to shine too bright.
The seas will part and giants once more take flight."

There then gone, Themis tossed her laurel to the ground where it bust to flame. Smoke rose up where she would have been.

Promotions where clamouring for her again. Film roles had been pouring in. The Palaestra was doing well. Just cleared by the doctor, and XWF seemed intent on keeping her in title contention. Her birthday had come. Atara had every reason to be in a celebratory mood and celebrate she had. Surrounded by friends and family in her little 12 room Greek estate, the world seemed to be her oyster.

From round the world, from different companies, different professions, they had flocked in. Even for being a mostly private event, little fanfare, her house had been full and was still mostly full as far as she knew. The revelry had come to its end and those who could or needed to had left. Those unable, were sleeping the effects off somewhere. Bacchanalian? Perhaps, but we'll paint the picture and let the viewer infer for themselves.

"Somewhere in my house." A harrowing thought

Harrowing enough for her to leave the warmth of a shower to inspect the fallout. Wrapped in a towel and neglecting the cascade of water soaked locks at her back, Atara started to make way through her home.

The adjacent master bedroom was first of course. Holding the towel in place with one hand, she eased the door open with the other already certain of mostly what waited on the otherside.

Dimly lit, save for the unusually bright glow from outside, aegean blue irises could make out shape and form. The bed, bundled in comforter and sheets she spotted Dimitris Vitalis. Right where he was left, the GCC middleweight and newest addition to Themis Palaestra was soundly asleep.

"Good," Atara thought has she scurried across hard wood to a nearby shelf. A silver frame meticulously placed face down was turned up right. James Raven's smug grin was held within, his signature scribbled across. Atara blushed looking over shoulder then back to her memorabilia. Sometimes she felt watched and the picture was to blame. It matters little though, restored to his rightful place she moved on towards her bedroom door where an oddly shaped lump layed.

Light as a feather Atara moved forward, her mind racing at who it might be. Piecing her own timeline together in her mind Atara knelt down for a closure inspection. She couldn't recall anyone else being in the room. Hadn't heard anyone enter. The party had been a wild affair but not that.....

Wide eyed and horror filled surprise sprung to her face once the silhouettes identity had become clear. Inwardly Atara began immediately begging the gods for mental clarity. To not let what could have happened happen. The heap on her floor, this passed out behemoth snuggled tight with the recent gift of a stuffed Kangaroo. A gift from Noah buried deep in a bosom covered with a BoB t-shirt.......

......Thunder Knuckles.

Pulling her towel tighter, Atara shuddered a little in disgust. As good a friend as he was, the thought was appalling. Worse, the idea of her present being drenched in beer odored drool. She reached for it only to be met with fierce opposition. He jerked violently away, still asleep, only to reward her with mutter.

"It's mine Knickles! I'll fuck you up!"

Brows furrowed in amusement and Atara had to stifle a giggle. She reached again and was denied again.

"No Means No Jimmy!"

[White]"Well, enough of that," she thought. She would honor the roos sacrifice later, and lie to Noah should he ever ask. Still naked, Atara needed to address the issue of dressing while not waking her sleep over guest.

She had stood and started towards her closet when the most peculiar sound came from behind. A subtle coo then a flutter of wings. It seemed inviting the call, irresistible. Atara turned on heels and went to the hall stepping over TK in process. Peeking across the threshold her eyes fell on the pristine white feathers of a Dove.

Perched atop a table it looked at her. Expressionless yet still smiling at her. It coo'd again and flutter further into the house. Not entirely of her own volition, the Grecian followed. It would stop and call then flutter off and Atara kept the hunt until the point she had found herself outside on her patio.

The Acropolis stood vigil and in view over her home. Glowing with stage light accompanied by Selene's silvered gaze. Seemed almost new, alive. There was no sign of her Dove but this temple she had seen a thousand times had stolen her attentions. Atara moved to her balconies edge, folded holding her makeshift vestment in place.

Unnoticeable at first, that cotton garb started to slip and when Atara tried adjusted she was awestruck when it began to dissipate altogether. Particles in the wind she stood glistening before the heavens.

First TK, the bird, now this! She hadn't been that drunk. Had only slightly partaken in other activity. Atara thought she was sober. A chill froze her solid. A voice, heavenly and feminine came from behind.

"I'm flattered girl, but still, nice as you are...you are not me."

Fingers found themselves gently grasping at Ataras shoulder. As if on a turntable Atara was spun coming face to face with that laughter loving beauty.

To Be Cont...

"Hello Doves."
[Image: Vl1riFm.png]

"Here we are at the cusp of conclusion."

"Their fate, already decided, was prognosticated the second the stakes were revealed. The instant my name was scribed on the card."

"An admirable fervor they showcased in the beginning. Firing the first volley, a hot barrage of barreling metal aimed right at my chest. They expected disinterest, expected I would not care."

"They expected I wanted only a bit of the limelight."

"Then I spoke."

"When I speak, they listen. Reined in by just my words, where is that fervor now?"

"Did Hecate not listen? Did the locker room stop paying attention?"

"Where the both of you...dismissed."

"Of course"

"Remember what I told you. You bask in the radiance of my star. You've crept to close and no, this isn't me spouting the lesson of Icarus. There's no fall from heaven for the two of you. Mine is a wrath that burns hotter than Prometheus flame. You will burn and you will burn in haste. Combust on the spot.

"Tombstone, aptly named Doves."

"Not because I am macabre or carry a morbid fascination with death. I am no sadist, the contrary to be exact. Not because I believe I will be allowed to prance prim and proper to the ring and murder you most literal and foul, but because this is where your hope dies."

"Poof, to purgatory and there is Dante to save it."

"Grim and forboding Lycana, Dove, do be careful when you try to play prophet. Pinch out that flame of an idea that you are special. Did Hades come to you dear Persphone? Are you to be carried away to that throne room in hell. To reign at his left side?"

"Yes, the left. Closest the heart, that organ symbolic of all worldly desire. That is my domain woman. My name has escaped that goats lips as well and you would do good to remember...

"Pleasure begets pain. Be rough and violent as you care to be. Just know, my whispers are what have left you quivering at night."

"Halocen, I have rattled my brain and scoured every dictionary and thesaurus I could to make this as simple for you as I could. I'm sorry my big words and haughty demeanor scare you. Your tiny words and lack of a clue frightened me. You're our future right?

"Our young and idealistic hero, going to carry women of the XWF to the future because they have held us down for too long! Well..I have taken great care and consideration for you Dove. As the wisened vet, it's my responsibility. Two to three syllable words so pay attention.

Sarah Lacklan. Kenzi Grey. Rubi. Vita and yes I left her last name out intentionally. Your welcome. Miss Fury. Lux..sort of. Roxy Cotton. Michael Graves. Recent addition to our gender but long time XWF member....

....Madison Dyson. The list goes on. All women who've left an indelible mark on this company. All respected, revered, adored for one reason or the other. Most are former title holders. Some feared more than any male here. On behalf of all of us. Please. Stop.

We run this shit and your undermining the eff out of us. Whine on your own time. Do what your here for. Jobbing.

Threaded Mode \| Linear Mode Shadow of Venus
Author	Message