Moon Blessed

Chapter 20 ~ A Soul's Restoration

    She found herself kneeling upon lush brown grass, watching as Saint Daniil carved a sculpture from starlight. Her predecessor did not acknowledge her presence, but she did not feel unwelcome. She tilted her head curiously as the Saint formed a pair of empty eyes upon a beautiful face.

    "Starlight can be shaped into anything you desire," Saint Daniil said. His voice was different than she expected. It was low and gentle, not matching his age-hardened features.

    He faced her, moonlit gaze mirroring her own. "But remember, what is not alive cannot grant life. The unliving are merely vessels waiting to be filled."

    She furrowed her brows, but asked no questions. She followed Saint Daniil's gaze back to his sculpture. Beneath its glassy skin, stars shown within inky darkness. Saint Daniil rose and stretched a hand over his creation.

    Her lips parted with a gasp of surprise as the sculpture's chest rose and fell, almost as if it had drawn breath. Slowly, the creature sat up, then pushed itself onto its feet.

    "Remember this as well, young Princess," Saint Daniil continued. "A vessel filled is a vessel sealed." There was no time to question his meaning. Darkness invaded her surroundings, accompanied by a tearful wail.

•༻᯽༺•

    Nastasia blinked her eyes open and cried out, rolling just in time to avoid a blow from a spirit's taloned hand. Moxie shrieked and reared back on her hind legs, yanking against the reins that kept her tied to a tree. Nastasia scrambled onto her hands and knees and flung herself at Morana. Talons whistled through the air. She managed to catch the blow on the flat side of her sword.

    Nastasia gritted her teeth, grunting as she fought to hold back the spirit. She kicked her legs, but to no avail. Her feet passed right through the spirit's lower half. Her muscles screamed against the force of the spirit's attack, but Nastasia struggled on. She thrust Morana up, throwing the spirit a few feet away.

    Nastasia hurled to her feet, starlight sparking to life at her palm. Shadows coiled around both of her arms, waiting for her to wield them. The spirit recovered itself and floated towards her, arms outstretched. Nastasia fought the gag that threatened to seize her throat.

    This spirit had very little clothing compared to some of the others she had seen. As such, she could see almost every inch of the creature's decaying form. Sinewy flesh hung from cragged bones. Crimson thorns were wrapped around the spirit's exposed ribcage, and had choked out a portion of its chest where she assumed a heart had once been.

    There was no skin whatsoever on the spirit's face and it was missing its lower jaw. A long tongue lolled from the roof of its mouth. Its nose was nothing but a gaping hole, and two red orbs glowed within empty eye sockets. Coarse, stringy hair hung from the spirit's skull in long locks, mingling with the tattered skin and cloth floating around it.

    "Let me in," the spirit begged, the sound of its voice more sorrowful than anything she'd ever heard. "Let me in."

    "Something tells me that's not a good idea," Nastasia replied. The spirit drew closer and she raised an illuminated fist. Starlight flared and the creature paused. "Why do you want me to let you in?"

    "Warmth and sound instead of cold and silence."

    "Silence? The wails of you and your kin fill every inch of this forest."

    "A memory of sound is what you hear. The echo of what has long since passed."

    "You're speaking to me now."