albany 

tHREE weeKS... Until The Celebration of RISEN SUNS!

The night air was dry, as it usually was in the early summers of Sol Victus. The moon was absent in the endless sky of indigo and carbon, leaving a swath of brightly shining stars to grace the quiet land. The gentle breeze that descended from the sky waved through golden grasses and grains of the Temple’s nearby fields.

Albany lay within the grasses, gaze unfocused on the sky above, but still in wonder of it all.

She listened to the dawntime rustle of shaft on seed, the soft bubbling of the temple’s stream, the croaking and creaking insects of the deep night, and the call of the high night sky. The sounds filled her, calmed her. Her breathing began to even, yet she was wakeful.

One...

Two...

One...

Two...

The world had blended with her being, the sounds and feel of night continuing, her existence bleeding into its.

One...

Two...

One...

...

Two...

Gods and goddesses, may our journey to Diamus be safe and in good favor. May our food remain fresh and ripe, may are water be unsullied, and may my fellow denizens of the temple remain healthy.

I call to you all in search of good favor. For my health, for those I love and cherish, and for the Celebration itself.

Gods,

I thank you for the life of this land,

and all others in your care.

I thank you for the good fortune you have brought to my life.

I thank you for the earth, the moon, all of the great skies, and the blessed sun.

Gods.

I thank you.

Bless me in the...

Albany, with the grace of the night itself, pressed her fingertips to her forehead.

Mind.

Silently, she moved them to her chest, just between her collarbones.

Body.

And then to her lips.

Spirit.

The holy prakriti.

As her breathing returned to normal, eyes opening slowly. The indigo of the night was fading into the amber of the early morning, rays streaking across the sky. A familiar, soft smile fell onto her face.

A good omen.

FoOliSH GiRL!!!!!

...

The morning was busy at the temple. Albany had been packed and prepped for the journey for a few days now, taking a turn for planning as opposed to spontaneity.

The journey was to leave within hours, a small caravan assembling at the foot of the temple’s stop. Trelk, cmonphis and a few of the temple’s local solixen were being packed for the journey to the Victusian capital, Diamus.

Albany was ready.

She had had a breakfast of rice and sweet beans, freshwater squid, and vono eggs while cross-legged, overlooking the small valleys and gurgling river of her home. The smells of orange peppercorns and roasting fish carried from the temple’s courtyards to Albany’s solitary overlook.

Today was the day.

She could hardly contain her excitement.

She was vibrating.

Viaris, may the Gods bless her spirit, brought it up moons ago.

Albany and Viaris would represent the Jezoin temple, journeying to Diamus. When word has spread around the grounds and courtyards, others approached Viaris about accompanying her to the festival, but she simply shook her head, making a larger and larger group.

And today was the day that they were to leave.

It was three weeks until the summer solstice, the beginning of the festival. It was at least a weeks travel to Diamus, to the Palacio Deimos, certainly nothing to take lightly.

Albany had long since packed, going so far as to journey into the small village nearby and acquiring some nicer fineries. A silken, embroidered scarf, a new leather belt with a small bag, and a new pair of palm-bottomed slippers were all packed in her rucksack, along with a few pairs of pants and sleeveless mock necks. The finest item she was carting along was an amber kaftan, slit up the legs and billowing in the sleeves.

Albany munched on her breakfast from her clay plate, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand as the misty hills rolled into the familiar plains of Sol Victus. The idea of a journey carried an allure that stirred something unfamiliar in her chest.

Adventure.

New things!

A new world.

Albany had only seen to domes and spires of Diamus in passing when she happened to be traveling far enough south to catch a glimpse. But still, every Victusian knew of Diamus. Seen it in drawings and models. The winding city streets, its long harbor, black sand beaches, and turquoise water, and of course, the grand Palacio Deimos. The glory of the gods stood testament in physicality in the heart of the city.

And Albany was to stay there.

As was mentioned, vibrating.

She, Viaris, and a handful of other members of the temple were to journey to Diamus while some of the more essential beings stayed behind. Kona, the astrologer had mournfully resigned herself to staying along with storying-teller orantio, Vika. Only fifteen of the temple were actually making the journey with this caravan, but there were plans for more to follow closer to the beginning of the festival.

There was a sense of... honor, so to speak, in being the first chosen to go with her mentor. Albany tried not to let the pride go to her head, but occasionally she would think about it for too long and maybe fluster herself.

Maybe.

Albany made her way back to the temple at the sun moved past dawn into the sky. Rays stretched on her back, warming her as the dew of the morning began to dissipate. A quick stop in her dormitory with her bag thrown over her shoulder and she was ready to go.

The temple was partially built into the side of a hill, half-carved of luminous gold stone and half into softer dirt of the earth. A top of the hill was a completely open, second section of the temple. Elegant carvings of the stories of the Gods as well as delicate phrases and philosophies written with the Kohn Verma decorated the outside of the shining structure. A winding pathway, carved with the occasional worn set of stairs, led to the open-air entrance. A massive arched opening, crawling with vines and flora. She passed by the entrance, heading farther back in the temple grounds.

This is my home.

There was no better thought.

The dormitories were built into a nearby rocky cliff face. Albany was lucky enough to live with a myriad of other apprentices of various ages. It had become a comfort to sleep near so many others; solitary space could be found in other places and times.

As Albany entered the large, arched sleeping room of the dormitory, she took note. It was barren, nearly. A sleeping young apprentice with a mount in the corner, a few slowly moving lumps under blankets atop cots.

Late risers.

Albany smiled to herself, clipping and tying her waist pouch to her waistline. She hefted her backpack over her shoulders and adjusted her slippers as needed.

“Albany?” A sleepy voice asked from the corner. “Are you and the others leaving now?” It was the apprentice with the mount, a young cmonphis caught in deep sleep, twin tails still against the tiled floor.

“Yes, soon, the caravan will be leaving,” Albany knelt down by the other apprentice, smoothing their hair on their pillow. “We’ll be back soon after the festival.”

“We will miss you all,” The apprentice yawned, leaning into Albany’s hand. “Will you bring me back something?”

“Anything in particular?” Albany leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to their crown. The apprentice giggled, causing their cmonphis to let out a feline grumble, pressing its snout into the apprentice’s ribs.

The apprentice shushed their cmonphis with a clumsy pat, shaking their head, “No- maybe a rock. From the black sand beaches.”

“Easy.” Albany ruffled their hair as she stood. “A black stone from Diamus. Don’t let this place burn down while we’re gone, alright?”

The apprentice let out a sleepy chuckle, fading into heavy breathing a moment later. Albany wasn’t sure that they would even recall the conversation.

She left the dormitories without so much as a final glance, far too caught up in her excitement.

A fOOL For Not APPRECIATING WHAT SHE hAS!!!!!

The caravan was already packed when Albany arrived at the courtyard of the temple. The solixen were already strapped with wide howdah over their furry, well-groomed backs. Habitually, Albany went up to one the beasts and stood in front of it, petting its nose that had to be the size of her head. Its three sets of eyes went crossed to look at her, huffing. It stomped its feet, all twelve, causing a few of the apprentices atop its back to let out a humming shriek.

“Oh, coama, no need to do that,” Albany chuckled, slipping the Kohn Verminian in without thought. She kissed the beast’s nose, unable to reach any higher than that. They were massive.

It rumbled in response as it pressed into her, dwarfing Albany’s form.

A gentle hand on her shoulder pulled her from her jovial musings, “Are you planning on riding a solixen or your own mount, my apprentice? I would appreciate your company immensely.”

Viaris, slightly hunched over an ornate cane, stood behind Albany as a few other priestesses and priests loaded her bags onto a nearby cart.

“I’ll be on my own leorelle, apologies, Solasis Viaris,” Albany placed her hand over Viaris’s, squeezing. “But, I would appreciate if you didn’t give the other apprentices too much trouble.”

“Oh, never too much,” Viaris giggled in far too much of a young way for her appearance. It was easy to forget how young she actually was outside of her illness. “Just enough to remind them who’s the real high Priestess.”

Albany reached out and hugged Viaris, something stirring in her chest, driving her to do so. The other returned her gesture, chuckling, and speaking quietly, “Excited?”

“Very much so,” Albany whispered back, hearing the low sound of her leorelle. “It will be amazing to be able to live amongst the others, in Diamus. Be in the city.”

“It is true, the blessing of travel cannot be understated.” Viaris hummed, looking up at the massive solixen. “It will be good to return. It has been since the last Celebration of Risen Suns.”

It was not the first time Albany had heard Viaris mention it. She could recall many nights that she and the other apprentices sat around Viaris in the light and heat of agna krystallin to hear stories of the faraway capital. The stories of the Lux Deorum previous, the Palacio Deimos and all of its ethereal grandeur, the feasts, the wine, the gods and goddesses that would roam and speak with human tongues.

The stories were all punctuated by one very important feature.

The ending.

Viaris would grow quiet, cloudy eyes recalling that this reality she knew was gone. Torn away by something-

The leorelle nudged Albany’s hand, sensing her turbulent thoughts.

She silenced them, shaking her head.

“When do we depart?” She scratched behind its tufted ears, feeling its soft fur and bumpy skin, whiskers flicking against her arm.

Despite the thing being a head taller than her, it stooped its massive, tawny body down in order to nuzzle against Albany. They were affection beings for being so tough looking.

Viaris gazed up at the caravan fit with southern trelk, mountain horses, solixen and Albany’s leorelle, “Soon, I imagine. Everything is packed, some of the other apprentices are just checking to make sure all of our supplies are packed. Speaking of which...”

The aging priestess leaned on her thick, knotted staff, digging through her small waist bag. She pulled out a crystal, softly glowing, the color of the southern, bright seas. It was wrapped in gold wire and was adorned with a few beads and charms. It hung on an old-looking piece of leather string.

Albany was entranced as Viaris held it up, allowing the sun to shoot through the stone, casting magnificent patches of light on the tall grass around them.

“This is a casting stone, given to me by the last Lux Deorum,” Viaris looked glassily at it, recalling a time Albany could not possibly imagine. “It is a casting stone. It can be used for a variety of purposes, some semi-divine.”

Viaris beckoned Albany’s palm, placing the stone necklace gently in her palm, “I’d like you to have it. In Diamus, it may be more useful than in a drawer here.”

Honor.

That’s what surged in Albany’s chest as she placed it over her head, the stone resting a few inches beneath her collar bone.

“I expect you’ll tell me what you learn about it, yes?” Viaris laughed, as though she didn’t already know all of its secrets.

Or did she?

Albany smiled, gleaming in the morning sun.

And so the journey began.

tThings haVe BEGUN T o MOVE !!!