Ah.
I was finally done with my responsibilities to the community. Now all that was left in my long day to finish was my duties to the temple to honor the Master.
This was one of the more enjoyable tasks, as it was a time for me to reflect upon myself and to connect with the spirit of the Master. I had become a servant of our Master by going through the rigorous process of being selected as a priestess at my local temple. The priestess before me there still believed in all the old traditions and, most importantly, the existence of our Master. So many of those who are sworn to our goddess aren't convinced that she actually exists, all the time trying to convince others to believe in the same deity. It's so hypocritical, but I understand why they do it, and why it's important for everyone to believe. Because mortals are not perfect, they need someone to blame in times of bad fortune, and someone to look up to in order to better themselves.
Due to the fact that I had learned under someone who believed, and had always myself been convinced that a higher power must exist, when I told someone to continue having faith in the Goddess and life, it came from the heart and was an absolute truth that I myself held. I think it makes a difference, that it's obvious when you are first being true to yourself and then spreading this truth, rather than trying to convince yourself and others of something you do not believe.
In any case, I seemed to have a skill in assuring people that things would get better, that the Master would not look upon her subjects so uncaringly, as she asked nothing of us, then what other wish could she have of us besides that of wanting us to be happy? It helped people feel stable and loved, and that was extremely important especially in these uncertain times full of strife and violence.
And at some time this was noticed by a high priest in our region, and I was relocated to be a priestess at one of the bigger temples in a more important city. Even though this new city was not that large, about sixty thousand residents, it was a huge change from what I had been used to all my life. It felt like there were people bustling around and doing stuff all the time, even though I would later consider it to be a very calm place. At the new temple, there were multiple priestesses, and a lot more to do in a day. With so many people coming for guidance, it would not be possible to help them all individually, so at this place there were mass lectures, blessings, and the priestesses only talked to the people in person if it was truly of importance. It seemed so much more impersonal and cold, and it made me wonder if any of these people were actually being helped. With this in mind, I made it a point to stand by the entrance to the main room, where these gatherings took place, at the beginning and end of each and make sure to at least give everyone a smile and, when they were looking especially down or troubled, ask them what was wrong and whether I could help them. While it wasn't much, I hoped that I was making a difference. I was enjoying myself, feeling that I really was making something better, I had a few friends and I was on good terms with the head priestess. But of course this bubble of happiness was not to last. The head priestess, who was quite old, had died in her sleep, saved from having to bear any misery by the Goddess, a favor granted for years of faithful service. It fell onto the other priestesses, including myself, to go through the burial and passing on ceremonies for a servant of the Goddess, especially one of high rank. After the prescribed mourning period had passed, we awaited the instructions of the head priestess of our region on who was going to become the new head priestess. It was a time of much jealousy and faked commitment, everyone vying for the position. And then the letter came. Thick white paper, with a green wax seal and flowing golden calligraphy. I was not part of the throng who crowded the messenger, I was almost late and as such just stood awkwardly against the wall, not having any wish to be trampled. After breaking the seal for all of us to see, the messenger started reading. You would have thought that we would have the sense to be quiet at such an important moment, but the opposite occurred, until the phrase "The next Head Priestess of the Jast Division will be -" was uttered, at which point it was dead silent.
And the name? It would change everything forever.
"Priestess Mogami"