Imperial Orders

♕The High Priestess♕

The Temple of Ikmanon was much bigger on the inside than its exterior suggested, but was surprisingly simple for the centerpiece of an entire civilization. It had no interior walls or other such divisions: it was merely a single rectangular hall lined with benches on both sides that had a hollow, creepy look to them when empty. 

As Tuofah walked down the spacious aisle between the rows, guided by Goulder, her grip on Hugo's hand tightened. At evenly spaced intervals along the aisle were ornate wooden pedestals topped with glass cases, each of which contained an incredibly old piece of machinery. The relics of Ikmanon. He had built these himself! She wished more than anything to put her hand to the cases, to feel in them the history that these objects had lived, but something about the stern look on Goulder's face as he led them steadily forward told her that wouldn't be a very intelligent move. 

They moved closer and closer to the front of the hall, where they now saw was a small dais on which the High Priestess stood. Her back was to them, but she was clearly aware of their presence. Tuofah drew in a sharp breath as they walked past the final two glass cases, stopping just before the dais. The second to last contained a pair of identical metal bracelets, covered in engravings too complex for Tuofah to decipher, and the last was empty. It must've housed the pair of Armlets that Nexetra stole! 

"Thank you for your help, Goulder. You may return to your duties: my acolytes will take it from here," Karishma Idala commanded as she turned around, raising a slender hand adorned with at least four massive metal rings. Her long gown, too, appeared to be made entirely of steel from its stiff, silvery appearance, but Tuofah knew that couldn't be true. She had enough experience with metal to know that it couldn't possibly be as light as the High Priestess' detached, graceful movements made it look. 

"Welcome, Tuofah Lynnstrijker and Hugo Pearce," she smiled broadly, stepping down from the dais to be level with them. "How incredible your arrival was- you are the first Celatysians to come to this planet in centuries and you bring with you a carrier of the Great Gift," she gave Tuofah an approving nod. "I saw what you did to my men the day you came here. Your powers are far greater, far more precious than that of a simple Gifted." 

With that, she made a complicated gesture with her hand and half a dozen people dressed in loose, white robes and hoods stood up from their seats on the benches and began to make their way toward her. Tuofah almost jumped at the sight of them: they had been so quiet and so still that she hadn't even noticed that there were other people in the Temple. Something about their slow, weary steps was oddly unsettling. Tuofah watched, spellbound, as one of them lifted his head, revealing the most vacant pair of eyes she had ever seen. Yet, she was in for an even bigger surprise when he opened his mouth for brief moment to yawn. His blindingly white teeth surrounded the entrance to an entirely unobstructed red cavern. She knew almost immediately that something was very wrong, but it took her a moment to place what it was. He had no tongue. 

"This is my most recent batch of acolytes along with my daughter, Aikoro," the High Priestess smiled, gesturing toward one of the hooded figures, who was now separating from the rest as she walked toward the glass case containing the Armlets. Tuofah watched with mild apprehension as she reached into it, retrieving the Armlets with reverent care before balancing them on the large metal disk in her hands. 

"They were recently found attempting to build a spaceship and escape to Celatys," Idala continued. "They betrayed Ikmanon in the highest way, but he has forgiven them and given them a place as his honored servants. He has even granted Aikoro permission to keep her powers of speech so that she may, if properly corrected, still serve as his High Priestess someday. So that they can learn to curb their ambitions, none of them will leave the temple ever again." 

A terrified look crawled its way onto Tuofah's face as she glanced from the hooded girl carrying the Armlets to Hugo to the High Priestess, who still wore a lofty, smug expression. It was clear now that she was simply posturing, starting out by showing them who was in charge. 

She wasn't yet done. 

"Would you like to see the footage we captured?" It wasn't a question, it was a command. The High Priestess fiddled with the buttons on a tall, black device in front of her- what looked like an antiquated projector- until a surprisingly clear image appeared on the white wall in front of them. 

The scene was set in the village, though it must've been very far from the main courtyard as the Temple was nowhere to be seen. Two people, one of whom Tuofah recognized as the tongueless boy, stood in the shade of a far-reaching oak tree. The other was a slight girl who had a fragile beauty to her- like something that would disappear if you looked at it too long. She wore the same mesh-like clothing as the others in the village with the addition of several rings that looked much like those of the High Priestess. 

"Aiko..." the boy whispered. "We shouldn't be here. If they catch us, they'll-" 

"Send us to the Temple to rot," Aikoro spat. "I know. Why do you think I am taking this risk, Ben? There is a whole world out there- a world that my mother does not control. Am I to sit here while she forces me to marry one of her temple minions, to learn her old-fashioned, deceptive ways, to live a life that is not my own? I have read all the old books. I know what we need to build the ship, and I know where we can find it. With the others' help, we can do this! We can get away from this nightmare, start a new life someplace better!" 

"Aiko, you will be High Priestess someday," Ben sighed, running his fingers through her silky, blond hair. "Would you give that up for the uncertainties of the beyond?" 

"I would give that up for freedom, yes," Aiko nodded resolutely. "And for you." 

And as those words left her mouth, he pulled her against the oak tree for a kiss. 

"Oh, Aiko, you are so much braver than even I knew." 

Tuofah felt a pang in her stomach as the video faded out of existence. The High Priestess' own daughter risked everything to get away from here. This place must've been even worse than she thought! 

"It is a shame, is it not?" The High Priestess shook her head, casting a condescending glance at her daughter. "But the young will learn. Aikoro, bring the Armlets to our guest." 

Tuofah watched in surprise as the young acolyte walked toward her, holding the plate containing the Armlets out in front of her. Was she literally being handed what she needed on a silver platter? After everything the High Priestess had just shown them? 

"I know why you came," Idala said simply, folding her hands behind her back. "And it is a righteous purpose. After all, who would want her own powers to be able to hurt those she loves? There was another like you who came here many years ago. Yet she was not so respectful. She came in a glass cage with an army, and demanded the first pair of Armlets. But I could see that she was not exactly like you: her power was something different, something darker." 

Tuofah nodded. Nexetra Serpis. But what the High Priestess said next was entirely unexpected. 

"I will give you the Armlets. Ikmanon did not mean for them to sit idly in boxes for all eternity. He wished for them to be worn by others of his kind. Already one pair has been taken for evil, so it is only natural that we give one to be used for good. Yet, they are not a gift to merely be given. They are relics, and must be bestowed in ceremony. Tomorrow, the Temple bells will ring, and I expect that both of you will be here to formally receive my offering." 

"T-thank you, High Priestess," Tuofah smiled sheepishly. Had it really been this easy? 

And that was when Aikoro Idala somewhat intentionally prodded her in the ribs with the side of the platter. "Get out now. My mother cannot possibly plan to give you anything but sorrow," she hissed softly. Something about the smug expression on the High Priestess' face suggested that she had heard, but chose not to respond.