OMG, I've totally forgotten this chapter! o.O Where I am it's already 2:24 of Sunday ... Somehow I just forgot this chapter ...

Well, but even if it's a little bit late, I hope you can still enjoy it. =)

Chapter 9: Mysterious civilization

Genis woke up when he suddenly felt something wet on his face. He opened his eyes and rubbed his cheek. A water drop had landed on it. When he looked at the cave ceiling he saw thin runlets of water there. But it was no surprise; after all Lake Umacy was above them. Yawning, Genis looked around.

The fire had gone out by now which was probably the reason why he was so cold. His limbs felt so stiff as if he were an old geezer but after a night like this on the cold cave ground it was no surprise. He just hoped they would get outside again today.

While Raine was still lying next to him and seemed to sleep, Kratos was nowhere to be found. But Genis wasn't worried at all because the quiet swordsman did that almost every night. After a while he always came back and didn't tell them where he had been, no matter how many times they asked. But that was like Kratos after all and there was only little hope that he would change someday … Although he already seemed a little bit more communicative to Genis. But only a little bit.

Genis stretched and poked with a stick in the charred logs but no sparks could be seen. Genis tried to lit it with a little Fire Ball but his tries were futile. He looked musingly at the wood and came to the conclusion that it was too wet.

The teenager sighed and longed for a warm house and an interesting book. It seemed like an eternity since he had been able to enjoy something like that. It probably really had been some time … But Genis didn't know how long. Since they had started this journey he had completely lost his sense of time. He just knew that it couldn't be already two years since they had started this journey because Kratos had said back then that their search – Raine's search – mustn't take more time than two years. Although they still didn't know why … Maybe the prophecy couldn't be fulfilled after two years or the Moonstone Shivers disappeared then or something like that.

Kratos hadn't explained it to them. And they still didn't know much more than when they began their journey … Raine had been furious about this at the beginning but Kratos had told them that he himself didn't know much from the prophecy either and that someday everything would be clear. But one thing he knew was that the world would be doomed if the prophecy wasn't fulfilled.

Raine apparently hadn't been satisfied with this answer but still she hadn't stopped searching for the shivers. Maybe she just believed in Kratos, maybe it was because the shivers themselves kept her moving forward with their might.

In this cave they would find the third Moonstone Shiver and with that Raine's task was soon fulfilled because according to Kratos there were only four shivers.

"The four has a great meaning. It has always been a mighty number. For example, there are only four Nature Spirits and four elements," Kratos had explained.

Genis had disagreed with him at this point and said that there were eight elements; fire, water, wind, earth, ice, lightning, light and darkness. Kratos had nodded and agreed and had then explained that fire, water, wind and earth were the main elements. Without them the other elements couldn't exist.

"Light originates from fire, ice from water, lightning from the clouds which are formed by wind and water, and darkness is caused by earth or by water as well because nobody can claim that it is bright in the depths of the sea," had been Kratos' words. "That's why most people speak of the four elements of which everything consists."

Genis then had had the thought that mana, the source of everything, was probably just a mixture of those four elements. At that moment Raine had joined in the conversation and said that many scholars were assuming that as well. The angel of Cruxis, however, had just looked contemplative and stated that it was possible, but that there was also a different theory that said that mana was a power which had created everything, so that it didn't consist of the four elements but the other way round, the elements consisted of mana.

"In the end we probably won't ever find out which theory is correct," Raine had sighed disappointedly and then their conversation had drifted to the shivers again.

It had taken a long time to find the second Moonstone Shiver which had been in the depths of Latheon Gorge in a long forgotten temple. Like this cave the temple had been apparently built by an old civilization although Raine hadn't been able to tell which civilization it had been.

Genis was startled out of his thoughts when he suddenly heard steps. Alertly he stood up, took his Kendama and positioned himself protectively in front of his sister, but after some minutes he relaxed again. It was only Kratos who came back.

"We should wake Raine up. It has to be already morning," the swordsman said.

Genis nodded and shook her shoulder whereupon she opened her eyes tiredly. "We should move on, Raine."

The Moon Healer sat up yawningly and rubbed her eyes. "I hope it isn't too far anymore …"

Kratos shook his head. "I've looked around a little bit. The hallway ends in a round room with many inscriptions. It seems to be a dead end."

"It seems?" Raine asked.

"The Minoho weren't stupid. Supposedly, they've seen the Moonstone Shiver as a treasure and protected it very well. I assume there's a hidden mechanism. Maybe the Minoho even knew that the shiver was meant for only one person." Kratos' gaze wandered to Raine.

"But if I'm the only person who can find the shivers then it wouldn't have been necessary for them to protect it," Raine objected.

"Everybody can find the shivers," Kratos replied.

Raine frowned. "But back then at the Otherworldly Gate you said …"

Kratos nodded. "The shiver at the Otherworldly Gate could only be found by you."

Raine looked at him confusedly and Genis didn't really understand it either.

Kratos sighed when he realized that it wasn't enough for an answer and so he explained it to them. "Unlike the others, this shiver was at a place where the power of the moon played a big role. That's why he had more moon power in it and this power made him invisible for the eyes. Only the Moon Healer could see it but only in the night of a full moon that coincided with the festive day in honor of Selene."

"Selene?" Genis asked curiously.

Before Kratos could answer Raine pre-empted him. She spoke very quietly and thoughtfully. "Selene is the Goddess of the Moon …"

"The Goddess of the Moon? But I thought there was only one goddess, namely Martel!" Genis exclaimed surprised. Again something he hadn't known. Slowly he really felt unknowing …

"Many people think there would only be Martel. That's because she has most believers. But there are far more gods," Kratos said.

"A god is born as soon as somebody believes in him …" Raine murmured as if she was in a trance.

Kratos looked at her musingly and then turned to Genis. "There are many examples that there are more gods. Or at least that there is the belief in other gods. Near Hima. for example, is a hidden village that has barely contact to the rest of the world. The people there believe in a God of Healing. In the past there were much more villages that believed in this god but sometime the belief in Martel has prevailed. Another example are the elves. For a long time they have believed in the Goddess of Knowledge but their belief slowly fades because their prayers seemingly aren't heard any longer. At least that's what I've heard."

Raine was suddenly overwhelmed by an undefined feeling which seemed to be a mixture of fear, grief, anger and desperation. "L-Let's stop talking about this!" Without another word she walked into the next hallway and left a confused Genis and a thoughtful Kratos behind. Shortly after this they followed Raine while still thinking about the gods.

A question suddenly formed in Genis' mind which he asked the swordsman. "Which people believes in Selene?"

"The Minoho have believed in her."

Genis looked surprised at Kratos. "The Minoho?"

Raine, who was only a few steps ahead of them, suddenly stopped and turned around to the two. Apparently she had heard their conversation because she now asked: "Isn't that ironic? Two shivers are connected to this civilization in one or another way …"

"It's not ironic. It's fate. And probably all shivers are connected to this civilization," Kratos said.

Raine shook her head. "That's not possible! The temple in the Latheon Gorge had nothing of the Minohoic architecture!"

"Nobody has claimed that. But it's still very possible that it has been them who have hidden the shiver there."

"Is it possible that they have known of the prophecy? Maybe they knew that Raine would come someday to get the shivers …" Genis murmured.

"Who knows. The Minoho are a very mysterious civilization …" Raine said and the three of them walked on.

"Maybe we'll find out more by the inscriptions," Kratos assumed when they entered the round room which he had mentioned.

"But do we even have the time to deal with them?" Genis asked. Actually he wanted to get out of here quickly and finally eat something. They had left all of their supplies on the surface which had been definitely a mistake.

"I'm sure that the inscriptions are the key to move on," Kratos answered.

Grinning, Genis wanted to tell his sister that she now was allowed to go into ruin mode, but then he realized that she was already standing in front of the wall and examining the inscriptions. The half-elf rolled his eyes. That was so typical of her!

Um, because it's already so late where I am and I only want to go to bed I haven't proofread this chapter yet, but I will do so tomorrow (if I don't forget that as well ...) So I'm sorry if there are more mistakes then usual ...

And because I haven't read through it now I don't know exactly what it was about, so I can't really say anything about it ... Maybe I'll say some things tomorrow if I read through it again, so if you want you can look here tomorrow again. =)

EDIT: Geez, after I've proofread this chapter I've found so many mistakes ... o.O I couldn't believe it ...

Ok, um ... So, yeah, in this story there are more gods than only Martel. ^^ Selene is by the way a Greek goddess; most of the other gods in this story are from the Greek mythology as well. I just love it. =)

The Minoho are really very mysterious, hehe ... ^^ You'll get to know more about them as the story continues. (Not really surprising, is it? xD)

Well, hmm ... I think I don't have anything else to say. xD

To be continued ...