Alma
/ Alma 41 Her Holiness, Daughter of the Moon
Men, women, and children showered the path they walked with golden-sapphire quilts of various sizes as they continued their march towards the palace. Floating petals joined and formed a crown of glowing azure that softly landed on top of his head. The sight of the crown caused a tremendous uproar and all who saw it hurriedly rushed to bow in its presence.
Confused children gazed at the glittering crown in awe and curiosity but were quickly admonished by their parents. One child who barely looked old enough to walk stared at the crown as her eyes glittered with wonder, unbeknownst to her bowing parents. Among the endless crowd of bent people, the girl's innocent gaze caught his attention and it brought his mood up.
He diverted course and approached the little girl who had become shy that he'd approached her suddenly. She hid behind her parents' bowing bodies, who had been shocked numb by the situation, given the astonished looks on their faces. The warm and inviting atmosphere died in an instant; Hushed gasps resounded and many diverted their eyes away from the scene in fear of possible repercussions.
The child's young parents looked like they were about to burst from the seams out of anxiety as they pleaded to him in a strange tongue. The mother quickly picked up her child and held her tightly in her bosom as the father knelt on the floor, begging on his feet.
Nevertheless, he did as he pleased and approached the trembling mother who clutched her child tightly. In a single motion, he plucked a single petal from his crown and offered it to the child, much to her delight. A wonderful smile bloomed on her face as she inspected the azure flower petal and he chuckled inwardly. It shocked the young couple and the populace silent for a variety of reasons.
Eventually, the young girl who had been beside him softly whispered something in his ear and he nodded in affirmation. He bent over, patted the kneeling father's shoulder and then pulled him up — another faux pas of equal magnitude — but he did not care. He would abide by his own values, even if he was a guest in their land.
And so, he strolled towards the grand palace oblivious to the fact that he'd set off a storm with a single act...
Reed had his suspicions but couldn't voice them because of the gravity of the situation. The moment he'd stepped foot onto the city, loud bells rang in the distance and the city exploded into boisterous fervor. It scared the living hell out of him. In a single breath, the city burst into motion.
Why was he being given a hero's welcome suddenly? The path to the palace was littered with an innumerable amount of souls; it looked like the entire city had shown up for their arrival. Some sang songs, others cheered, and even more showered them with gifts — flowers, fruits, gems, and the golden quilts that they placed on the path.
Outstretched hands and joyful expressions — it all made Reed feel wildly out of place. He didn't belong here, not with them. The overly festive mood made him feel like a black sheep. How could these people be so happy given the situation outside? It made little sense. When the flower crown landed on his head, a few of the older folk even started crying.
Out of nowhere, the masses started bowing whenever he passed them and it drove him up the wall. Even if he didn't understand the customs here, Reed knew that something had changed because of the damned crown. It was clear as day that it was significant to them and now he had to deal with their reverent gazes and bowing.
Even a simple gesture of kindness caused them to act wildly; he wouldn't have given the girl the petal if he knew what would have happened after. Men and women cried tears of joy as they knelt even lower than before. It made even less sense, but he didn't know what he was supposed to do. Reed simply kept a polite smile on him and made a mental note of the incident.
'One moment they're celebrating and in another, they're sobbing with smiles on their faces. These people are so... animated — why do they take everything so seriously?' Reed couldn't understand them at all. Not in the slightest.
The crystal palace stretched out forever into the sky, piercing the deep blue above as it shone at night with an ethereal glow. It possessed an otherworldly aura to it, even when compared to everything Reed had seen tonight. He couldn't describe it properly with words, as if it defied being constrained with measly words; a tool made by mortals, for their use on the pitiful earth.
No, this was different. He'd only seen one other thing that made him feel like this before — the massive painting in that grand ruined hall. The man, the woman, and the staircase. Where his journey had begun. It too possessed the same aura. Reed was sure of it the closer he got to it.
"Is something the matter, Noble One? Citlai's Heart awaits..."
Reed nodded silently picked his pace as he climbed the large steps up to the flowing palace. It was here that he finally arrived at the statues that'd caught his eye back in the Joyous Divinity. Two beautiful statues towered above the plaza down below.
One of burning gold, one of twinkling silver. They stood together and held an egg made of light that shone with all the splendor of the stars. The couple stood tall, unblemished and radiant even in these dark times. The magnificent statues did not possess faces, but Reed clearly knew the identity of the couple...
He tore his eyes away from the sight and increased his pace, to Itotia's surprise. She hurriedly chased after Reed's fleeting figure and hollered for him to slow down, but never reached his ears. Ulbo and the shipmasters strolled up the steps at their own pace in the back and laughed at the scene.
"A man's nature is not so easily changed, eh? Nothing's changed in the slightest," said Koyovo as he gazed at the pair.
"So it seems... but there may yet be more than meets the eye. Anything could be possible," said Morate. He rubbed his beard and let out a depressed sigh. "Even now, I still think that shouldn't have done it. We've taken so much fro-"
"Everything will work out. This is merely a trial that has been given to us from the throne. Not only for him but for us. Hold fast, my brothers. Do not lose hope on the eve of twilight. Think of all that we have sacrificed for this final chance..." said Ulbo. He firmly gazed at the boy's shrinking back and said, "He will not fail. Not like him."
Soldiers who stood guard at the entrance of the palace quickly knelt as soon as they caught sight of Reed, but he stopped caring altogether. It was the same thing wherever he went, so he ignored it altogether. Not that he was particularly focused on his surroundings as he marched his way towards the entrance.
The guards burst into action and opened the massive doors to the palace. Rows upon rows of priests, scholars, and fancily dressed soldiers stood in the auditorium half-bowed as Reed entered. He ignored them and followed a golden-silver path on the floor leading him to an altar. It was sublimely designed with the symbology of a golden sun and a silver half-moon.
Reed coldly chuckled when he saw it and stepped on the altar confidently. He was sure that this would take him where he wanted to go. It was a gut feeling that almost bordered instinct. He just knew.
Itotia finally caught up and said, "W-Wait, Noble One! That altar leads to Her Holiness's private chambe-"
Light flashed and the world blurred into fuzzy shapes and colors. On the other side of the light, a slender figure formed out of the chaotic river of space and time. The silhouette grew more defined with every passing second and Reed grew increasingly sure of his hunch. Impatiently, he stretched out his hand from beyond the curtain of light and forced his way back into realspace.
He broke through the shadow of light and met her astonished gaze with a blistering fury that could only be described as apocalyptic.
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"IT WAS YOU! I KNEW IT!" He pointed his finger at her furiously and would have lunged at her if not for Itotia's timely intervention. She clung onto Reed and desperately pulled him back as he spewed a litany of curses that would even make the devil himself blush.
"I missed you too, Ka'an," said Lu'um half-heartedly. She gestured at the beautiful girl beside her with a nod and the girl carefully put a piece of chocolate in her mouth.
Another girl poured a cup of alcohol from a pristine jar made of gold and offered it to Lu'um silently.
Lu'um leaned back on her chaise lounge chair and said, "Sorry for making you pick him up, sister. I should have been the one to do it but I had another thing I had to take care of at the time." She let out a tired yawn and her eyelids lazily drooped as she curled up on the chair.
"No, it was my pleasure to have played the role of the escort. If anything, I owe you a debt, milady." Itotia knew that she would never have been allowed outside had it not been for her support. She understood the gift that she'd been given and deeply respected Lu'um because of it.
"Pick me up? You make it sound as if I were a lost child that needed rescuing," said Reed. He coldly snorted with disdain and shrugged Itotia off his back with a sudden jerk.
"If you haven't noticed, we're still in the middle of our final exam and I have no intention of failing it."
Reed glared at Lu'um in contempt and said, "I don't give a shit if you plan on failing, but don't drag me into your nonsense in the middle of something as important as our final exam."
He crossed his arms and said, "Whatever you've planned better be worth the time you're making me waste here. While I'm certainly impressed by your hometown, I've got people I'm worried about."
"That's why you barged into my room like a wild animal? Because of that foolish test?" Lu'um sighed as she massaged the temples of her forehead and said, "I give you my word, beloved Ka'an. You will not fail your test and I will guarantee the safety of your precious companions."
Lu'um readjusted herself on her chair into a more comfortable position and said, "You're such a worrywart, Ka'an. Always concerned about others when you should be worried about yourself..."
"I'm very aware of my own situation, thank you very much. You act as if I can't take a damn hint when it's been clearly thrown at me. At the very least, I have a rough gist of it all."
"Ooh? You? Aware of your circumstances? Don't make me laugh, Ka'an. You don't even have the slightest idea of..... the karma you've been burdened with." Lu'um's eyes flickered as she stared at Reed. "Right now, you're nothing more than a flea — unaware of the mountain that has been placed on your shoulders."
She stood up and walked over towards Reed and put a hand on his chest. "Every time you've become cognizant of the mountain's weight... well, I shouldn't have to spell it out, right?"
"..."
Lu'um pulled him close to her and said, "I know you're frustrated — being kept in the dark is unpleasant — but think back, Ka'an. Have I ever wronged you before? Hm? I understand your impatience, I really do. Know that I act only in your best interests, above all else, even if you don't know or don't understand what I do..."
Reed felt that all too familiar warmth and his anger slowly melted into nothingness. He let out an appreciative grunt of acknowledgment and shimmied his way out of her embrace. It irritated him a bit — he hated how skilled she was at pacifying him.
"Fine, I get it. I'm sorry for acting up like a fool. I should have kept my cool back then."
"All is forgiven, Ka'an. I would have forgiven you even if you did not apologize, after all, I am a magnanimous and loving individual without faults." She grabbed his hand and pulled towards a large, silver mirror in the room.
Reed choked on his spit when he heard that but kept quiet, nevertheless. He learned his lesson — he wouldn't pick a fight with her anytime soon. She was leagues above him in the art of oration.
"So, what was the purpose of bringing me out here this place?"
Lu'um gestured at the mirror and said, "I brought you all the way here to give you an opportunity to learn, Ka'an. There is much that you need to know — but we must reveal it to you in pieces — fragments of the whole truth, so to speak."
"So... baby steps? But for what? What will I learn?"
Lu'um touched the mirror and it rippled like a wave in response. The surface of the mirror dimmed into deeper shades of black until it was pitch-dark and nothing could be seen.
She suddenly tightened her grasp on Reed's hand and said, "Everything, painful as it will be. From beginning to the end." Not a second later, she tossed herself into the mirror, towing Reed along with her into the darkness. They were gone and the mirror returned to normal.
Itotia nervously gazed at the mirror and held her hands together in prayer. She prayed to the All-mother — that she would give him the strength to handle what he was about to learn.
Outside of the palace, the golden statue dimmed in brilliance and the silver statue dimmed in luster. The shining egg they held flickered like a fading flame as the night's dark only grew stronger...
Ulbo stared the statues and a grim expression plagued his face. He looked at the palace as he waited outside. That was all he could do. Nothing more.
Chapter end
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