3: The Highest Crime

~10 years later~

The spring fields were coming along nicely, even though Kore was still learning her powers. She sighed as her powers were still eratic and overwhelming. Without her doing anything flowers would pop up where they weren't supposed to be.

Eteri came running yelling Kore's name "Kore, Kore...Kore."

Kore turned full of concern "What's going on?" she asked. "A...m.man.." Eteri huffed out "I think..he'ss a God.." she breathed in to catch her breath. This caught Kore off guard since a lot of men didn't come on the property. Both mortal and God males were aware of Demeter's wrath for those who intruded on her land uninvited.

"Alright, Eteri, I'll go check it out? Don't say anything to my mom, I can do it myself, I'm a strong Goddess as well." Kore stated with as much strength as she could muster. She headed into the more dense part of the forest on the property. She seen a man with gold blood dripping down his face as he sat at the base of a weeping willow tree. The willow tree was considered sacred and off limits to all except the nymphs, Kore and her mother Demeter. Kore crept closer to a better look see of who it was. she silently gasped when she realized it was the unseen one.

She was dazzled by his beauty, he wasn't scary like she was made to believe. She felt her heart skip beats and her cheeks grow pink. She thought to herself, get yourself together so you can face him. She took a few deep breaths and gained her composure. She stepped through the thrush hold into the God of deaths view. He was taken aback at the young Goddess before him. He had never seen someone so beautiful before. Who is she he wondered to himself.

"Excuse me." Kore said weakly, why was he making her so nervous she thought. He studied her face as she shifted back and forth on her feet. "You can't be here." She stated plainly. His eyes widened as he realized where he was. "I apologize Goddess," He bowed to Kore and dissipated leaving behind a thin layer of eerie black smoke.

Kore found herself disappointed and returned to where her nymphs were. They were enjoying the waters edge when the unthinkable happened. Men by the dozens swarmed in and possessed the nymphs for their own. Kore begged them to stop, she had heard of the past history where mortal men lusted after the flower Nymphs. They basically destroyed the Nymphs population. I created these lovely flower nymphs and this can't be happening she thought.

She watched as the friends she had created were torn from her. Her heart felt like it was being ripped from her body. The anger and hurt grew and grew until it no longer could be contained. Her eyes began to glow and she was surrounded by vines that lifted her into the air. She sent the vines forth toward the assailants. The vines ripped and and tore at the men. As soon as it started it had ended. Kore's eyes returned to their innocence and widened at the bloody scene before her. Some of the men had acted before the vines got to them and killed off the nymphs. Kore let out a cry of devastation as she crawled over the to the cold bodies of her beloved friends. Guilt of what she had done racked her body as she cried hysterically.