Shamesh’s body faded, a golden light that seemed to even outshine the sun shone, casting all in a monotonous light. Even with his eyes closed he could feel the light of it burning his eyes, he felt a feeling on his back and knew it to be Asherah. Her breath was shaky, each one racked with what?

Pain?

Loss?

He turned around and just as he did she slid to her knees. His eyes widened as she slumped there, and just like Shamesh she started to fade.

No.

No.

No!

The fear overran his anger, his pain, he didn't care about the wounds they had ceased to matter. He threw himself down onto his knees in front of her and pulled her head up towards his and cupped her cheeks with soft and shaking hands.

No, please no.

A tear slid out of his eye and she smiled softly, reaching up she brushed it away from him. Her long slender fingers slightly transparent now. “It's ok, Daniel, it is ok.”

“I can't lose you,” he moaned out, his voice jagged, the raw edges of it scraping against his heart. “I can't lose you.” the hand that had wiped the tear away brushed his face softly in a warm loving caress.”Not like this.”

“You are not loosing anything my dear Daniel,” without his knowing it everyone had moved away to give them some privacy, everyone except Dan and Amani. Ashera looked over at Amani and called her over with a smile. “When you were younger do you remember the song I used to sing?” Amani nodded, slowly as if she was worried that if she broke eye contact she Asherah would vanish, and she might have the right of it for all they knew. “Do you know what the words mean?” she asked softly, Amani shook her head, the long black hair spilling over one shoulder and nearly scraping the ground.

With a smile Ashy opened her mouth and sung.

الرياح والأمطار يبدو أن نسمي اسمك

Wind and rain seem to call your name

حتى السماء سوف تمر لك

So the sky will pass you

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أنت لا تعرف من أنت لا تعرف لماذا

You do not know who you do not know why

ولكن يجب أن تعرف حبي ليس كذب

But you must know my love is not a lie

من خلال كل شيء أنا لك

Through everything I am for you

وأنت لي

And you are mine

أنا أنت وأنت لي

I am you and you are me

في الوقت المناسب سترى

In time you will see

أن أنا أنت، وأنت لي

That I am you, and you are me

The song echoed, and as she sung Amani’s bright emerald eyes opened wide, before rolling back in her head as she slumped to her knees, dan cried out in shock and was going to run over to her but Asherah held him in place. “She is fine Dan,” she whispered, “She is simply remembering.”

“Remembering what?” he asked softly looking at the convulsing form, worry painted on his face.

“That she is me and I am her.” she said softly. When Dan looked confused at her she laughed softly. “Gods I love that face of yours, every emotion, every feeling.” she kissed him then, it was a long lingering kiss, one that felt like she desperately wanted to press her very essence into his being, into his soul.

“I don't understand.”

“Gods and goddesses are atemporal,” she explained softly. At his confused look she laughed and reevaluated how she should tell him this all. “Let's start from the beginning shall we?” she laughed. “Or perhaps not the beginning but the ending,” she breathed in a shuddering breath. “When they ripped Ea’s soul into thirteen parts I found I could not live without him, so I did the only thing I could do, I ripped my soul apart as well.” she closed her eyes, a single shudder running through her body. “Each piece of my soul I bound, irrevocably tied to one of the shards of Ea, I once told you I have many names, I have gone by many names, Ashratum, Ashratu, Asherdu, Ashertu, Aṯirat yammi, Ninhursag, Damgulanna, Willow, Hisra, Seris, Yira, Lira, Tessia, and many more.” she sighed. “Where your soul goes so does mine, each life a shard of Ea lives the Shard of my life will follow, we are bound together you and me, that includes here in this life.” she looked over at Amani who had stopped convulsing and was now laying there eyes closed a golden light glowing from her body. “She is the part of my soul that is tied to you,” she laughed. “Have I been a good Damgulanna? A good and faithful wife?”

“The best,” he said softly. “But I won't forgive you if you vanish on me now.”

“Silly boy, I am not going anywhere, goddesses are Atemporal, I am Amani, she is Asherah, we are simply divided by a different time line, as a goddess I am existing or considered without relation to time.” she laughed. “We are the same soul shard, bound to you and you alone, even if you wanted me gone, I would still be here.” she laughed slowly, sweetly. “I am a part of you.” she leaned in pressing her lips against his, her tongue ran over his teeth, his lips,, it took almost a minute before either of them came up for air, a thin strand of saliva bridged their lips for a split second.

And then she was gone.

Dan began shaking, he couldn't help it, as sobs threatened to breach, the torrent, the storm of anguish. A soft warm hand was placed on his thigh, turning he found it belonged to Amani, who had seemingly dragged herself to his side. She looked up, and her eyes were still green, but were now divided into four pupils. He searched her face.

Had he lost both of them?

Was this the same Amani?

She pulled herself forward and placed a head on his lap, her eyes met his and he knew she understood his unanswered question. She turned and wrapped her arms around his head and pulled him down. Deep into her soft warm embrace, “Neither Dan, you have lost no one today, I am still here, I am still me, I am your Damgulanna.” he shuddered, the tears spilling out of his eyes as he pulled her tighter, and tighter, determined to never let her go again for the rest of his life, for the days he yet lived. The others joined him, all of them wrapped together, this was his life, these were his family, and he would allow none to touch them.

they were his, now and forever.

“Let's go home.” he whispered softly.