Star Blood |✔|

2| DRY

Dry.

As I laid with my head bent, holding my position, I felt the stifling heat wash over me.

Dry.

I had been sitting, kneeled over, for three hours.

But it wasn't my knees nor my neck that were hurting. This was routine. This was normal.

It was my soul.

Dry.

I felt it fester there as I silently meditated. Many others had come and gone. Some had come and kissed the top of my head as they left, wishing for my blessing.

A blessing we both knew I could not give.

I was just as caught as they were.

They are coming.

There was no stopping the inevitable.

It was like praying and asking for the moon to stop her churning of the tides. Stupid and pointless.

They would come.

I rose from my position. The air grew even more silent as the students and other elders held their breaths.

Some touched my dress as I walked by, whispering, "Arishia," silently.

Fools. I was no God. I was mortal. I was just as caught within the web of life and humanity as they were. They were the ones who held me up next to the moon. Only because I held power that they had deemed unnatural.

Powers that they would cry and kill themselves over if I gave it to them.

It did not protect me. If anything I should have been the one praying fervently and crying at the moon for the luck of my fate.

But no. My training had dried up my tears long ago. I knew how to handle emotions. Felt no pressure from even the largest weight. Most of these were disciple students. They were still developing their skills for when they would be put under great stress. When they reached that point they would understand why their elders did not show fear. Why they did not cower. Why they did not question.

But until then, these young ones did. And they needed something to hold them ashore. I refused to be that though. They could hold themselves against the tide. Then their own soul would be their greatest weapon. Not mine.

I walked past the silent halls, searching for the lead elders and council.

I found them sitting within the sun room, calmly drinking tea.

"Arishia," one said, "did you complete your daily meditation?"

I nodded as I sat down in the chair that was offered to me.

"We have heard the bad tidings Arishia, as you basked in your Mother's glow." I felt a faint annoyance at his words. The moon was not my mother.

"They are coming," he said.

The room was silent, held out and drawn as they waited for me to say the word.

"Yes," I said.

They nodded silently. They had just wanted confrontation.

"Arishia, we must hide you," another spoke. I turned my head to the sound of the voice. A woman elder. Still young but then again I was the youngest in the room by far.

"I will do no such thing," I said.

"Arishia, they want someone from here. A place they cannot step onto. They will be waiting at our gate. Prowling around our doors."

The elder, though her words were spoken with urgency, held her face blank, showing no emotion crossing.

"They will come. There is no stopping fate once it is set in motion," I told the elder. Others nodded at my words. This elder should know better.

"Arishia, you are too important to give to them, your fate would already be sealed there."

I nodded, "there is some truth within your words Elder. I will not leave once I arrive there."

"Because you will be dead."

A stunned silence filled the room. I smiled on the inside. This Elder did not beat around the bush like we had been taught to do. She said what the others thought.

"Yes," I said, confirming her words.

"Arishia," her voice sounded strained, "I cannot stand by and let a soul like yours enter such a dark place, void of Asundra's light."

I shook my head, "It is exactly why you must stand by. Because of the soul I have." The Elders all watched me as I spoke, "I will take the place of the young. I will not let them take a soul that is innocent or that cannot handle such darkness go to such a place. I will fail. But I will fail knowing that I did it to save others."

The Elders broke their stoic faces as they each stood up and knelt in front of me. Some cried saying, "Bless you Arishia, may your Mother watch over you in your journey."

I said nothing. I just watched with dry, blank eyes at the progression. They thought me a hero. What hero was I? I only did what I had to do. I had accepted my fate long ago, since they had brought me to this place and the moon had called to me through the window- painting my hair in her light.

"Arishia, you must go in prepared. Are you willing to accept the repressors?"

I nodded. Repressors. I had never had a need for them because I was within the safe barrier of such sacred ground.

The darkness could not smell us here. They could not enter here. They could not smell me and hunt me down anymore.

Except now all that was going to change.

"Let us begin then Arishia, for the night is coming fast and the darkness and all its terrors will soon be upon our walls."