SMITE: Kali, Goddess of Destruction Cushion

Across the majestic lands of Hindustan rose an army of demons that conquered the countryside and slaughtered the people. Yet, when the Gods themselves were defeated, Devi, the supreme Goddess, emerged to throw back this host and protect the faithful. Three forms she took during these ancient times. The first, Durga, the Mother of Creation, was as radiant as she was fearsome. Astride her tiger, she scattered the demon horde until she encountered the horrendous Raktabija. For each wound she gave the demon, his cursed blood created a copy, quickly resulting in an unstoppable army of Raktabija clones. Rage boiled at the corners of Durga’s mind, in the quest to slaughter and destroy evil. From the forehead of Durga sprung her wrathful form, with skin darkened and eyes glowing a menacing red. Thus was Kali, the Black One, Goddess of Time and Destruction, the second form of Devi born. Kali stuck her tongue out and caught every last drop of blood from Raktabija, every clone swallowed into her mouth. She grinned and cackled with murderous glee as the monster scrambled to escape. When at last the demon had been totally consumed, Kali burst into her victory dance, carelessly trampling the corpses of Raktabija’s victims. So engrossed was Kali in her bloody dance, she failed to notice her merciful husband, Shiva, compassionately tending to the wounded, and trampled him under foot. Alarmed, he shouted out. Shamed, Kali stopped dancing. Together, Shiva and Kali represent the coexistence of both mercy and justice as attributes of the Divine. Rarely has Kali been seen since, kept in the shadows of Devi’s mind, but when the tides of battle shift and evil looms large, there is no solution but unrestrained destruction of evil, and Kali once again, walks the Earth.