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Under the Violet Moon - Part 3b
Alera waited– along with several priestesses of the Church– for the High Priestess of Lunos. She’s wasting my time. Alera thought grudgingly as she made mental note of all the things she had to do once she went back to her church.
“Do you know what this is about?” someone broke Alera’s concentration. It was a voice she had recognized, “She has never called an urgent conclave.”
Alera turned around to see Para, Priestess of Lower Gaynamede, “I have no clue,” Alera said with a frown, “I heard someone say something about a vision.” Hmm. I hope it isn’t a vision. No one can predict the future.
The chapel fell silent when they heard footsteps echoing off the high walls, “The High Priestess of Lunos,” the usher spoke loudly, “Rise.” Alera got to her feet with a silent sigh and watched High Priestess walk into the chapel wearing an embroidered purple robe with a silver tiara. Alera narrowed her eyes and saw a Violet Crescent painted on her forehead. What’s up with violet? Alera thought.
“I’ve been a Priestess of Lunos for half a century,” the High Priestess said, “I’ve seen Kingdoms rise and fall and rise again. I’ve seen people lose their faith when the Lord sent his draught. In these changing times, my faith in Lord Lunos has only increased. I’ve served the People of Gaynamede and anyone who seeks Lord Lunos and I’ve fervently propagated our Lord’s words.
“The Lord has been gentle and loving to me. He’s always shown me the way and offered me his strength when I was weak. It is with Lord Lunos’ grace that King Luthor of Gaynamede has protected the Chruch from the heretic Tamsius.” the High Priestess paused and drank a little water.
“The Heretic Tamsius has raised an army of the dead and his soldiers pillage, rape, and destroy whatever falls in their way. The Heretic calls himself, the King of Undead. He goes against the very laws our Lord Lunos wrote for this world. The Heretic is courting a Necromancer. The Heretic wants to destroy everything Gaynamede stands for.” Why is she talking politics? Alera scratched her forehead.
“Wouldn’t it be wonderful,” the High Priestess said, “If Lord Lunos returned to Riara and cleansed it of all evil? Wouldn’t it be wonderful if Lord Lunos showed us a way himself?”
“Yes.” the Priestesses said.
“A long time ago, I when I ascended to become the High Priestess, I had read a book that only the High Priestess was allowed to read. In that book was a passage, ‘When the dead walk again and the Moon turns Violet, Lord Lunos the creator of Riara will wake from his sleep and cleanse Riara from all evil.’”
No. No. No. An Alarm went off in Alera’s head, No, you idiot.
“The dead are walking again,” the High Priestess said, “If we turn the Moon Violet, our Lord, our Creator, shall wake from his sleep and cleanse Riara from all evil.”
“How are we going to do that?” someone asked, No. No. No. The Violet Moon will mark the end of the world as we know it. It will herald a world of sorrow and regret, not of bliss. You idiot.
“With magic. Ancient and powerful.” the High Priestess said, “There are a few amongst us who are old enough to remember the days when the Church of Lunos trained mages and wizards. We’ll do that again, we’ll train mages strong enough to turn our beloved Moon Violet. Do you all agree?”
“Aye.” the Conclave said. The High Priestess got off the podium and drew a Crescent Violet Moon on their forehead.
Alera tried to keep her eyes open– she had been in the library of the Church of Lunos for three days straight. I’ve to stop her. Alera thought as she flipped through the pages of another tome she had found buried in a dingy shelf of the library.
“After the war the battle of Gaynamede and Eos…” the passage read and she knew it was not going to help her. She flipped to the next chapter and read, “When King Arthor took the throne…” not nearly ancient. Alera sighed. Her shoulders and neck ached and she adjusted herself in the seat, I should take him for a walk sometime soon. Alera thought about her dog who must have destroyed her apartment by now.
Sighing, she dumped the tome away from her and rested her head on the table, “How can I stop her?” Alera spoke to herself. She had occupied a nook in the library and surrounded herself in tomes and scrolls and at one point she read through a passage written on a dried leaf. She had hoped that dried leaf would contain something ancient, but it turned out to be an idle scribble by a peasant.
Alera got to her feet, stretched her back for a minute, and picked up another tome, “History of Church of Lunos.” Alera read the title, “I’m sure this is going to be another gigantic waste of my time.” she flipped the parched, pigskin pages of the book. She was greeted with ominous words written in beautiful script, “The Church of Lunos is built on lies. In this book, we’ll analyze the history of the Church and debunk its lies.”
Sounds interesting to me, Alera thought, not sure if it is useful.
After an hour of carefully flipping through the pages of the book Alera sleepily stumbled upon a passage, “If we trace back the history of the Church, we’ll go some four thousand years into our past and find that it was found by the House of Lunos of the ancient Kingdom Ganya. The House of Lunos fervently protected the Kingdom of Ganya. It is said that members of the House of Lunos have passed down a secret– long forgotten by the ordinary– King Vandor the thirteenth founded the Church of Lunos to protect the secret.
“As time passed, the Church forgot its true mission and instead meddled with the politics of Riara. The Secret of the House of Lunos can still be found in the crypt of the Church of Gaynamede– although it is near impossible to get down there. I’ve risked many lives to get the writing inscribed on a small metal sheet in the original script of the Ancient Kingdom of Ganya. The following is a rough translation of the words:
When the Moon turns Violet, the world will drown in countless death. And when the Moon shall turn Silver again ‘morrow, the widows shall weep bloody tears of sorrow. Alera read the lines at least five more times, Yes. This is what I saw in my vision. The Violet Moon destroyed the world.
Alera shut the tome close and ran– The High Priestess must stop this madness. Violet Moon isn’t Herald of Lunos.