Prayer - Taha, Elise, Lillie

The temple of Empyria stood before them, a huge ivory stone structure with intricate designs. Many of the details were lost to time, weathered away by the weather, and yet it still stood tall, surrounded by greenery and crystals like it had been adorned by hand. But it hadn't, and they knew now, where the crystals were coming from. Long vives curled around the pillars, and yet they were still white underneath, proving that the plants were there intentionally, and that the temple was not left to bear the passing of time. From inside, the scent of incense drafted out of the door, who where wide open and offered a full view of the altar inside.

 

The four reos padded slowly up the steps at the entrance of the temple, their paws silent, their arrival not a disturbance for those in the temple. Haldor entered first, with Taha, Elise and Lillie after him. Elise and Lillie had to stay one after another, their hands tucked in as close as possible, with their size.  

 

Inside the temple, the pews were bathed in the morning light that entered from the high arched windows. The rays caught on all the gold decorations, on the censer strung from the ceilings, on the statues with gold accents and that adorned the walls of the temple. Many of these statues depicted either Empyria, her believers, or both, in an act of prayer. 

 

At the end of the temple stood the altar, an ivory stone structure with a gold top and gold accents, and on it stood a statue, fully gold, of the Goddess. Tall, elegant, her eyes gazing on who came in her presence.

 

But, as much as the atmosphere was serene, the four reos could not let themselves be bathed in it, as the conditions of the Matriarch were weighting on them, her situation dire and her pain felt and shared.

They had been discussing about it, as they came to the temple, “She has been down there for so long,” Lillie murmured, her voice barely more than a whisper. Her eyes were low, full of shame. "Fused to the crystals. Sustaining them with her body. While we've been here. Forgetting about her. I can't shake the guilt at having lived my life comfortable, the fruit of luck, of my ancestors being locked in the right place at the right time."

 

Elise shook her head, her wings trembling slightly. “It's not your fault, or mine, as much as it feels like it is. We did not even know of your existance” she looked towards Taha.

 

"I know" Taha said with a sigh. "Us both did not know about the existence of the other. We knew some of our kind got locked to the surface, but it was inhabitable to us at the time, that's what my grandparents told me. We thought you were dead."

 

Haldor cut her off "The Matriarch shouldn't have been left to suffer, no matter what. Many might have died, to change from your body to those of Elise and Lillie must have taken long. and yet, it is not an excuse to forget about her. What happened down there? how can she have become one with the cave? Why did she have to suffer, for your specie to survive?" 

 

They all had been spiraling for the past couple days, going to the library to search for clues when their daily duty was done, trying to find an answer. And yet, nothing came of it.

 

“No one deserves such life. To be bound, unable to move. I cannot start to think about how she spent her days." Lillie said. She looked up at the statue they were in front of now, and sighed. "I'm glad she still breathes. I'm glad she's still conscious. I'm glad she had the caregivers to take care of her. And yet, my heart hurts for her."

 

They all looked at the statue in front of them, and Taha spoke. "We're not asking to be changed." were the first words she delivered to the goddess. "We do not ask for anything. We are small compared to you, powerless. But you helped us once. You gave us the means to survive above ground in exchange for nothing. I know many of my kind prefer other Gods who i will not name. I have read the stories, i have read the past. What i ask for is understanding. For who we are, what we've done, what we've become."

 

The other three stayed silent, as Taha expressed her deepest feelings.

 

Elise started talking once it was clear she was done. "It might be presumptuous of me to ask, but i ask for help. I do not ask for easy solutions, not for light work. I ask for work that is hard, but that it means something. That our efforts be hard and challenged, but that they come to fruition. I do not ask for the easy way, i ask for the way that would help others."

 

Lillie thought for a while, "I have nothing more to ask than what the others have asked. I will ask something maybe selfish, maybe selfless, but i hope one day to bring my pastries to the haedians. I hope to celebrate many birthdays with them. I hope to be there, as a delivery person, as a guest, as a close friend, as a lover if fate has that in mind for me. I hope i get to see them happy."

 

Haldor expression hardened, but he said nothing. He prayed inside, and did not let his thoughts out of his lips.

 

They all went to the altar and lit a candle, then placed it in the holder. They also left an offering, a small contribution to the pile that was already under the altar. Many had visited, and many more would continue to visit.

 

As they stood side by side, looking up, Taha spoke "please guide us once more."

 

They all turned and walked out. 

 

You do not overstay your welcome in the house of the Goddess.

 

Gods are fickle, they will help you if you please them, and will hinder you if you anger them.

 

Up above, Empyria was listening.

Down below, the Matriarch was crying.