The woman, dressed in elegant white robes with red trim, stepped out to the parapets of the temple and watched the bright fall morning slowly advance across the gardens below. Leaves had started to turn yellow, and a few had fallen to the stone pathways between the trees. As peaceful as it seemed, she had an uneasy feeling. The empire had been facing its greatest challenges ever known, with enemies on all sides, and the reverberations of these events were felt even up here in the mountains. She knew the time would come soon for her to act, and the anticipation filled her with dread.
She took a deep breath, and gazed up at the sky, nearly cloudless and a deep, beautiful blue. It helped her relax a little, and appreciate the fresh morning air. However, as her eyes drifted back down to the mountain tops that dominated the horizon around her, she saw a familiar shape, and her dread became all too real. Off in the distance, but quickly approaching was a large, black raven; one the woman recognized, but hadn't seen in quite some time. She watched it as it flapped and flew vigorously to reach the temple where she was waiting. Within a minute, the large bird perched on the stones of the parapits, it's 8-foot wingspan stretching fully to balance itself before drawing its wings back in and turning to the woman.
"High priestess Kesta, the worst has come to pass," the raven said. "The emperor is dead, and no heir has been appointed."
Kesta sighed, and nodded, trying to prevent the dread in her heart from reaching her voice. "What is the status of the castle?" she asked evenly.
"The news has not reached the servants or military. Only the elders and the acting priest of the castle know. He passed away in the night, and I was sent by the acting priest once his death had been confirmed," the raven answered. His voice was haggard, due to the exhaustion of travelling so quickly.
Kesta nodded again. "Thank you for your efforts in bringing me this news as soon as possible, Taire. I'm certain the emperor's death will be known across the world by the end of the day." Then she turned back toward the room where she had been resting the night before and waved her hand to a creature within. A white fairy obeyed, floating up to her.
"Guide this raven to the resting hall in the eastern wing. Make sure he is well-fed and given one of our best rooms where he can rest," she ordered.
"Yes, my lady," the fairy responded in his high-pitched voice. He then turned to the raven to show him the way.
"Thank you, high priestess," Taire said, and he began to flap his wings for take-off.
"Rest well, Taire. I'm sure I will need your help again soon," she responded. Taire nodded, and he took off, following the fairy. Once Taire had disappeared around one of the temple's towers, she sobbed, and felt a tear go down her cheek. She allowed this moment of weakness and emotion in herself to help purge the dread that had suddenly built up from Taire's news. However, the moment then passed, and she quickly wiped the tears from her eyes using the inside of her long, hanging sleeves.
Then she turned and walked back into the temple, passing the various fairies who were doing their menial duties, going down the stairs to the floor below, and making her way to a room with a large sigil painted across its two doors. Two guards stood in front of the doors, and when they saw their high priestess approach, they stiffened in alertness, ready to respond to her orders.
She stopped in front of them, and regarded them for a moment, debating whether or not she needed them for something. Eventually, she decided there was nothing for them to do at this time, so she wordlessly approached the doors and slid them open from the middle. Once she had stepped inside, she quickly slid both doors shut behind her.
The square room was placed in the center of this floor of the temple, with doors in the middle of each of the room's walls. However, with no windows or lights, it was quite dark and cool. While there were pillows arranged around the edge of the room, the center was unfurnished, leaving the floor vacant and empty, the tatami mats plain and undecorated. Such an unassuming room was actually quite important, and it was where she needed to be at this moment.
Kesta quickly made her way to a cupboard over in an opposite corner and pulled out an ornate candlestick, placed in a stand made of jade. She also grabbed a folded golden paper fan, then shut the cupboard and made her way to the center of the room. Sitting down cross-legged, she placed the candle in front of her, and with a flick of her finger, lit the candle with a small burst of fire magic. Once the wick had started to burn into the wax, the candle then began to give off a green, ominous smoke.
When she saw this, she then opened her paper fan and began weaving it through the smoke in a ceremonial fashion, turning it this way and that. After a dozen turns, she began chanting, her voice low and speaking the old language of her ancestors. Soon, the candlelight began to expand without increasing the size of its flame, filling the room with a green light.
At this point, she stood back up, continuing to weave her fan through the smoke and chant the words of her spell. She could feel her spirit getting in touch with the heavenly world, and she focused her lifeforce on this connection. Her voice was also getting louder and louder, until finally she called out "Aush, aush, aush, Simzirelva-zema, aush, aush, aush, attanah." The green light then became blinding, and she had to close her eyes for a moment, but this confirmed that she had successfully completed the spell.
The light died down, and when she could see properly again, the form of another woman stood before her, heavenly and powerful. She had ivory white skin and white hair, and was wearing a red dress that sparkled in the dim candlelight. Her arms were folding in front of her, and her presence itself glowed with the aura of supreme power. Immediately, the high priestess knelt before her in submission.
"Simzirelva!" she declared. "The emperor is dead, and no new heir has been named. I have summoned you in this time of despair for aid in the name of the Yandolin Dynasty. Please guide us!"
The goddess Simzirelva chuckled, but didn't say anything quite yet. Kesta waited, not moving from her spot on the floor, knowing that her patience was being tested now. Eventually, she heard the word "Stand," and followed the order immediately. However, she kept her gaze downward at the goddess's sandaled feet. When the goddess began walking around her, she didn't follow her but kept her eyes to the ground.
"You are asking for quite a bit," the goddess remarked, her voice sounding like a waterfall, causing it to echo a little around the room.
"I'm aware," Kesta responded, her resolve unshaken.
"It could cost you your life."
"I'm aware."
The Goddess chuckled again. She finished her orbit around the high priestess and stood in front of her again. Another moment of silence followed. The candle continued to burn between them, its smoke slowly filling the room.
"I have to admit that I'm impressed. You have considerable power. Your predecessor was only able to summon me once, a task that took her hours and drained her lifeforce considerably. It took you a mere handful of minutes, and you still have the strength to stand."
The high priestess just nodded. She felt that the lifeforce within her had diminished, but it was not wiped out completely. She had to admit she was a little surprised by it herself, but said nothing, waiting for Simzirelva to speak again.
"As to your request, I actually have been watching these events over the past few years. The emperor was dealt a hand that he could not play through himself, leaving many of his problems for others to resolve. I understand your concern and appreciate your urgency in calling me. However, from my vantage point in the heavenly world, there are still other things in motion that remain undetermined."
The high priestess listened to her goddess intently, and when she heard her assessment of the situation, her heart began to feel anxiety and confusion, but also a small amount of curiosity. What was she referring to?, she wondered. That dash of curiosity caused her to finally raise her eyes, and she saw that the Goddess was looking straight at her, assessing her.
"Those are good eyes," Simzirelva noted. "Firm and faithful, but not inflexible. Full of discernment, but not judgemental. I am quite impressed indeed." Kesta wasn't quite sure what to make of these sudden compliments, and after some hesitation, eventually lowered her eyes back to the floor.
"Wh-what would you have me do?" she asked, stuttering a little, and feeling ashamed. The goddess just chuckled.
"At the moment, nothing, but only because the timing isn't quite right. However, it wouldn't do to have you go through such a ritual again, especially if the timing is known only to me, so I shall go with you; in disguise of course." The goddess then waved her hands through the air, casting a spell that caused a red powder to appear and create a cloud around herself. The red powder then popped several times, like small fireworks, and soon the goddess had disappeared, an amulet now floating in her place. It had a gold base, with a blood-red ruby embedded in the very center, and wasn't much larger than a walnut. A golden chain hung from a loop at the top of the amulet.
"Take this, and wear it as you go to the Palace. There, I will place you where you need to be," the goddess's voice emanated from the cloud, which then quickly dispersed. The high priestess reached out and grabbed the amulet. She could feel a warm aura emanating from it, and goosebumps appeared up her arm in response. Quickly, she bowed her head and placed the golden chain around her next, letting the amulet rest between her collar bones, just under her robes.
"Good," Kesta heard the goddess say, this time to her mind instead of through the air. "For now, please use secret and non-magical methods for travelling, as it would be detrimental to draw attention to ourselves at this time. I will leave such things to your discretion, but should you need my aid, just call my name and direct your power to this amulet, and I will respond. I will reveal more details once you arrive at the palace."
Simzirelva's voice faded into nothing, and the candle's fire was snuffed out, concluding the spell and the conversation. After a moment, Kesta fell to the floor, barely able to hold herself up. The ritual had been quite draining indeed, and it would take a minute for her to build up the strength to stand again. Eventually, she got to her feet, returned the candle and its stand to the cupboard, and proceeded to open all four doors so that the linger candle smoke would disperse. The last door she opened was the one she entered in with the two guards waiting outside. Again, they stiffened, ready to act on the high priestess's orders. And this time, she had some.
"I need to leave immediately. Karal, see to it that my carriage is ready at the front gate within an hour. Estal, gather the priests and acolytes to the western meeting hall. I will speak with them all in 30 minutes. Go!" Immediately, the two guards set off to perform their duties, while the high priestess made her way back up the stairs and to her room where she began to gather some of her belongings. First, she grabbed her sword, a new katana forged by the temple's blacksmiths. The steel had been enchanted with jade, giving it a green hue, which matched the jade scabbard that it came with. Then she grabbed a few other tools and items, and placed them in a brown, leather satchel. She also grabbed two rings and placed them immediately on her index fingers, one with a bright green emerald and another with a deep blue sapphire. Finally, she ordered the fairies to pack up the rest for later retrieval, and left the room to go down the main floor.
The western meeting hall was a large, empty room, with tall, thin windows along the southern wall to allow for sunlight to illuminate it. Often used for assemblies and mass instruction, it was cleaned often, but the woodwork and the benches were starting to show their age. As Kesta made her way to the front, she was satisfied to see the room was mostly full, as the last few stragglers made their way in. She reached the podium that sat up front, and closed the book titled "Anorant's Wisdom" that was sitting there, and set it aside on a nearby table. She rapped the top of the podium with her knuckles twice, the murmurs of the crowd silenced, and they all gave attention to her. She took in a deep breath, and let it out slowly before beginning her speech.
"I have been informed of some grave news. The emperor is dead." Many in the crowd gasped, but their voices remained low, ready to hear their leader's next words. She continued: "He did not name an heir, and the courts are likely in disarray as a consequence. As such, I am needed in the palace and will be leaving immediately. As such, I will need to delegate my tasks. Sister Vanaba." At the call of her name, Sister Vanaba stood from her bench, about two rows from the front, and awaited her orders. "You will now be the temporary head of this temple. All daily tasks will be directed by her."
"Yes, my lady," Sister Vanaba responded, and she sat back down.
"Brother Parin." A young man stood this time, two rows further back. "There is a messenger raven named Taire in the resting rooms of the eastern wing. Once he is ready, you will have him take a message to the Northern Ushya Monastery that the emperor is dead with no heir, and that the Ushayn Masters are to come meet me at the Palace as soon as possible."
"Yes, my lady," Brother Charin responded, and he returned to his seat.
"Brother Alpan and Sister Tahl." Both of them were on the front row. "You will accompany me to the Palace as my personal guard. Bring only what you need, and prepare for battle."
"Yes, my lady," they responded simultaneously and then sat back down.
"The rest of you, I wish to reiterate the importance of this temple in the defense of The Empire. Once its enemies hear the news of the emperor's death, they may see it as an opportunity to attack, so shore up your defenses and maintain your training. In the words of Nenso the Warpriestess, 'An army is only as strong as its weakest soldier.' See to it that you build each other up in strength and unity."
"Yes, my lady," the entire crowd responded, their trained voices sounding like a choir of discipline. "To your duties," Kesta responded, and they dispersed. Sister Vanaba approached her high priestess first.
"Our armory is low on weapons and supplies. I will need to order more, but I don't have the authority to do so on my own. How can I prepare the temple's defenses with what I have?" she asked.
Kesta responded by taking the ring with the deep blue sapphire off of her right index finger and handing it to Vanaba. "This is The Right Ring of the High Priestess. Wearing this should give you the authority you need." Vanaba was a little startled by this, but eventually took the ring from Kesta and muttered a "Thank you, my lady," before heading off to take care of her new duties.
Brother Alpan and Sister Tahl came next. "Where do you want us to meet?" Alpan asked.
"I have Karal bringing my carriage to the front gate. Meet me there in 30 minutes," she stated.
"Yes, my lady," he responded, and Tahl nodded in response as well. Then they both departed.
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