[Matriarch] Prayer

The three vayrons decided to pray next. It was Sin’s idea, though she meant it as a joke, Eva took it quite seriously. Wolf didn’t care either way, but wondered who they would pray to. He was going to ask Oris for his assistance, but he wondered if the sisters would do the same or if they would choose Empyria. Wolf shook his head, clearing his thoughts so he could focus on moving through the crowd without too much notice. 

Eva guided Sin through the crowd, it was always a challenge in spaces like this that were crawling with all sizes of reoseans. She couldn’t let her focus stray for a second or else she feared Sin would step on something. So Eva hoped that Wolf had managed to follow them as they headed to the other side of the cavern. 

Sin, in her black world, let the noises wash over her. She focused on her sister’s light guidance. Sin placed her paws with confidence, Eva hadn’t led her astray so she was confident nothing was in her way. The only things that managed to distract her were smells. The strongest scent was, of course, earth. The smells of dirt nearly drowned out anything else, nearly. 

“Something smells good,” Sin whispered to her sister. 

“Not now,” Eva shook her head, though she knew her sister wouldn’t see the movement. 

Sin paused, “Is Wolf still with us?” 

“Uh,” Eva stopped next to Sin and quickly looked around, “He’s pretty small, I can’t see him.”

“Let’s wait a second,” Sin hummed, quietly. 

Wolf was slinking between reoseans. He moved smoothly through the crowd before he spotted Eva and Sin. He approached Eva, staying close to Sin’s larger form so the reoseans around them wouldn’t knock into him as they rushed by. 

“There you are,” Sin said with a blind smile. 

“Stay close, we’re nearly there,” Eva said. 

Wolf nodded. 

Eva made an attempt to guide Sin, but the large puller held her position. 

“Sin, we have to get moving,” Eva insisted.

“I really think we should follow the smell,” Sin replied, twisting her head towards the smell, “It smells delicious.”

Eva sighed, looked at Wolf who shrugged, and then agreed. 

Sin started walking towards the food, this time Eva only warned Sin if she was about to run into something or someone. Wolf followed them, staying as close to them as possible without getting in Sin’s way. The food Sin smelled was offering reoseans had made to an altar dedicated to Empyria. Eva breathed out a sigh of relief that this detour wasn’t going to completely derail their goals. 

“Perfect,” Eva said. 

“What?” Sin asked, flickering her ears and tail, “What’s the smell? Can I eat it?”

Wolf smiled, while Eva laughed, “No, the food is an offering to Empyria.”

“What a waste,” Sin mumbled. 

Wolf and Eva laughed before the three vayrons approached the altar themselves. They stood by the white and green altar with accents that spoke of Empyria. Orange gems, pieces of gold, and other knicknacks sat on the altar next to a few foods, all adorned the altar as offerings to the god. 

Wolf stood in front of the altar, uncertain. Eva and Sin spoke to each other in low voices about how they were going to ask Empyria for assistance. But, Wolf wasn’t sure he should be standing there when he knew he was going to speak to Oris. The small puller looked around to see if there were any other altars for the bull-shaped god, but couldn’t see any in the immediate area. Wolf looked over to Sin and Eva to see they were already praying, so he pushed the thought aside and thought of Oris. 

Eva closed her eyes and tilted her head to the ceiling. Her thoughts flowed like a leaf delicately balanced in a light breeze. She maintained her calm thoughts as she insisted that Empyria help the Matriarch. She thought of some miracle, some godly act, that would show her magic and thoughts were heard. She knew it wouldn’t happen but in her mind’s eye, the earth pulled away from the Matriarch with a gold glow and she was free. Eva smiled as she let the thought fade. 

Sin had difficulty praying in images. She was born blind and couldn’t know what anything looked like. Her eyes remained open, but she bowed her head to offer her thoughts. To her the world was made up of noise, smells, and tactile feelings. For her, the prayers she offered Empyria were in the noise of celebration when the Matriarch would be freed; the smell of delicious food for the feast that would surely come with her freedom; and the feeling of the earth shaking under her feet when the Matriarch finally walked free. 

Wolf, despite still being by the Empyria altar, prayed to Oris. Wolf closed all nine pairs of eyes, but didn’t bow his head. He wished for the chaos the god would bring down on them, but only so it would crack the earth around the Matriarch and help her shake the rock and crystals off. He offered the god his chaotic thoughts as he imagined deep cracks pulling the earth apart. The chaos continued in his mind until he thought it was enough and then he opened all of his eyes, letting the chaos fade. 

The three vayrons stood in silence. There was something about praying that surrounded them in magic. They let the feeling simmer before it faded and the group stepped away from the altar. 

“Do you think it will work?” Sin asked quietly. 

“Maybe,” Eva chuckled and then guided Sin away to make space for others. Wolf followed closely behind. 

[952]