Voices of the Goddess
Chapter 14
Day 3: Faith
The energy that awakened the Shobijin from their devotions was less of a shock since they were now ready for it. They smiled as it came, lifting their eyes to see Mothra's energy had calmed. It was still weak and the dying goddess was still forced to fight for existence. Yet, the battle seemed to diminish enough that the Shobijin could let go of their vigil and rest. The Shobijin closed their eyes and bowed their heads, speaking as one with a renewed joy in their voices. "Blessed Mothra, the runes of earth have been carved into the stone from the heavens. Their power is awakened and shall sustain the earth so your spirit may rest." The Shobijin left Mothra's sacred chamber, confident that the runes of the earth would sustain her until they returned.
#
The flight from the rune stone of the South was made in silence. The events that took place there were too intense to find the words to speak of it. Taiyun and Mianai landed at the site of the shrine of Mothra where their quest had begun. They approached the golden throne and bowed , paying homage to it even though they still could not understand its purpose. After a moments pause Taiyun and Mianai walked to the sandy floor of the shrine site and collapsed with exhaustion.
Finally, Taiyun broke the silence, "You saved our lives and the island, maybe more. You knew it was coming, didn't you?"
Mianai's face reddened, "I didn't know what was coming, only that it was and we had to be there."
Taiyun gave voice to the question that burned inside her heart, but was afraid to ask. "How did you know you could stop the meteor? It was so vast and the speed at which it fell from the stars…"
Mianai's simple response chilled Taiyun to the bone. "I did not know that I could."
Taiyun opened her eyes and stared open mouthed at Mianai, "You knew the meteor was coming, but did not know you could stop it from killing us and destroying the island? Why did you not tell me this?"
Mianai kept her eyes closed and replied flatly, "I saw no need to alarm you, our fate was not in our own control. My faith assured me we would survive."
Mianai returned to her feet and brushed off the sand on her body. "We should go, the journey to the West will be twice as long as it was to the North." She began walking without another word, leaving Taiyun to follow in shocked silence.
#
After an hour's walk Taiyun and Mianai took to the sky, flying as swiftly as they could so they may get as far as they could before the sun fell beneath the sea. They kept silent as they flew, the events of a few hours ago still fresh in their minds. Mianai could only reflect on how close she had come to death and the realization that she had found a store of energy within herself far more powerful than she imagined. She knew having the powers of a priestess of Mothra were formidable, but stopping a meteor the size of Godzilla's head was unimaginable until it actually happened. Taiyun experienced a fraction of what Mianai found within herself. She did not stop the meteor from falling, yet she was able to turn the gargantuan rock into a finely carved rune stone with the power of an Earth Weaver. The experience left Taiyun wondering where the limits of both of their powers truly were.
Their thoughts were interrupted when they spotted a village woman wandering through the jungle aimlessly. Her steps were erratic and her head hung low, suggesting she was under some kind of distress. The girls slowed their flight and dropped to the jungle floor nearby, careful to remain concealed. They watched the woman carefully and saw that she was indeed very ill. Closer inspection revealed she suffered from the same plague that they believed had been eradicated from the island. Mianai used her power to examine the woman's being. After a moment, she turned to Taiyun and shook her head sadly.
The sound of the woman's body falling to the earth jolted both Taiyun and Mianai from their thoughts. Though they knew saving her was impossible, Taiyun and Mianai approached the woman intent on bringing her comfort until the end. The woman was on the brink of losing consciousness from the effects of the plague. Hand in hand Taiyun and Mianai walked to a place near the woman's head, so it would not be hard for her to hear them. "May the blessings of heaven and earth be upon you."
The woman didn't move, barely having enough strength to respond. "Who are you?"
Taiyun and Mianai looked to each other, not knowing how exactly to respond. They knew that they were not yet worthy to call themselves the voices of Mothra. "We've come to guide you to your rest. Fear not, we mean you no harm. Who are you and why do you wander the jungle?"
The woman's voice became softer, "I am Kanaia, from the village of the Children of Mothra. I exiled myself when the illness claimed me, so that those I love would not die from it. I wander the jungle, so that I may feel its love for those that dwell beneath its canopy one last time." Kanaia from the village of the Children of Mothra passed from the earth in peace. Yet, before Taiyun and Mianai could offer prayers for her soul, her body exploded in a flash of radiant golden light. The girls shielded their eyes from the brilliance of it, when the light faded they found themselves surrounded by bright red Moth Orchids.
Taiyun and Mianai felt the presence of a powerful energy coming toward them, stealing their focus away from the flowers. After a few seconds, the Shobijin appeared at the edge of the newly formed flowerbed. Without hesitation Taiyun and Mianai came before them. They were surprised to see them away from Mothra as they waited to hear what their mentors had to say. The Shobijin looked down upon the girls who would soon take their rightful places as Mothra's priestesses and smiled with pride. "The rune stones of Heaven and Earth have been placed and before you lies the path of Faith. Twice now you have guided a soul into eternal slumber. Mothra spoke of this moment, that is why we have come to you. Behind you, a bed of Moth Orchids rests where the woman's body once laid. Before you resume your journey, wait until the fall of night. Then you will see the true nature of these flowers. When orchids are awakened, take one of the flowers and bring it to the place where the western rune stone is to rest alive. The flower is a symbol of the goddess, taking it to the place where the rune stone will rest will serve as a sign of your faith." Taiyun and Mianai dropped their eyes to the earth, "We will do as you ask, Shobijin. May the blessings of the Queen of Earth go with you."
#
The Shobijin returned to Mothra's chamber. Before entering, Moll spoke to Lora. "They have grown so much since the beginning. They have suffered sorrow, found great beauty and saved the island and its people twice. I feel it in my soul, they are ready."
Lora remained reserved, "They have not yet finished their quest and Mothra has told us she will have the final say in their ascension. We cannot be certain yet if they are worthy."
Moll sighed, fear evident in her eyes. "The hour of Mothra's death grows near. We cannot search for others now if they are not worthy. They have connected with their own powers, now they must know the depth of each others powers. I pray that the true nature of their powers will be realized soon. We become weak as Mothra's spirit wanes. If Taiyun and Mianai were to find themselves in great danger I fear we can no longer help them, if they fail now all is lost."
#
Chanting echoed loudly upon the wind as the jungle around Taiyun and Mianai shined red from the sacred light given off by the Moth Orchids as night fell. "Heaven and Earth are one, the truth is revealed and all sins are laid bare." They stood embracing one another fully until they were almost one being. Their eyes were closed and their arms were so tight around one another they each felt the other's heart beating. Every memory each of them had as friends ran through their minds. Every laughter, every humiliation and every wrong each had ever done. Some were known to both, others had never been revealed until that moment. They remained steady, concentrating on the love they had for each other and the faith they had in the quest. Each of them knew entering such a connection would not be easy, but their bond remained intact.
When their minds finally cleared of all thought, they opened their eyes and looked at each other. Every piece of gold they wore that was a gift from the Shobijin glowed red including their arm cuffs and necklaces. Even their eyes had turned into globes of red that gave off a light of their own. They let go of each other and turned toward the flowers that laid before them. They spoke with one voice as a powerful force was guided them. "I am Kanaia of the village of the Children of Mothra. This is my grave, my spirit is one with the island that was my home. Know that I died free of pain. Know that my spirit is free, blessed are those who guided me to my rest and blessed is their journey to serve Mothra." A single flower suddenly rose from the earth, complete with enough soil to sustain it. The plant flew from its place to hover just above Taiyun's head. Taiyun used her power to create a small bowl which would hold the plant, while Mianai made sure it suffered no ill effect from being removed from the earth. When the plant was put to rest in the bowl and Mianai's power was used to water and heal it, the spirit of the dead woman left them to reside in the jungle she loved.
They took to the sky, holding the plant between them as they flew as quickly as possible toward the western shore. They also had to cope with a new sense of the other within themselves, a residue of that bonding that would remain for as long as they lived. Each of them always had a sense of what the other thought and felt. Yet, now that sense had been sharpened by the ritual of the bonding and the spirit of the woman who took possession of them, if only to speak one final prayer upon the earth free of the illness that claimed her life.
#
The western edge of the island was dominated by a huge cliff that looked as if part of the island that had once existed had been chopped off by a great sword. The face of the cliff was so shear, in the right light it could almost shine like the surface of a mirror. The jungle ended ten paces from the cliff's edge, leaving much of the surface bare of anything but hard rock. Tayun and Mianai surveyed their surroundings as they landed on the clifftop using the light from the Moth Orchid. Their spirits were dashed when they realized they could find no hospitable place for the Moth Orchid they had carried from the flowerbed.
Mianai's eyes met Taiyun's, desperately hoping to hear an answer to her question that deep in her heart she knew would not come. "Is there anywhere we can lay the orchid to rest?"
Taiyun shook her head, her eyes began to well with tears. "I see no place where it would survive. A plant like this needs to be shaded from the sun. Plus the ground is too hard, there is no actual soil here, only solid rock."
Mianai refused to give up, "Is it in your power to somehow extend the jungle, or make the ground beneath us suitable?"
Taiyun's eyes fell, "We have discovered a source of power within each of us we never knew existed, yet I do not believe it is enough. I do not even know if we have the right to change the island in such a way."
Mianai turned toward the mountain at the center of the island. "Then we must ask Mothra."
Taiyun was taken aback by Mianai's suggestion, "Mianai, we are not Mothra's priestesses. The Shobijin…"
Mianai interrupted strongly, "The Shobijin cannot intervene! They must hold vigil for Mothra who is dying! We have not yet been named priestesses, yet we have been given the vestments of the Shobijin." Mianai touched the cuff on her arm and the necklace around her neck. "We have prayed every day and every night for blessings from Mothra, as well as the Heavens and the Earth and blessings have come to us. We have come so far on this quest, we cannot give up now."
Taiyun replied exasperatedly, "Even if Mothra were to listen to us, to deem us worthy of speaking directly to her, I cannot do as you ask. The task is too great, even as an Earth Weaver."
Mianai's voice softened, "The task is too great for an Earth Weaver alone. Yet, you are not alone Taiyun."
Taiyun gazed out to the sea, after a moment she turned to Mianai. "Mothra is dying. The sacrifice of the Shobijin is the only chance for her to be reborn. The people must have voices for the goddess they can understand… We cannot fail this quest, we must ask Mothra for her intercession."
Without further discussion, Mianai dropped to the earth and reached out her hands toward Taiyun with her palms facing the sky. "I am Mianai, a child of Mothra and a child of the stars. The stars lift my spirit and speak my name, in turn I give them my reverence."
Taiyun marveled at her strength and unwavering faith. She could do nothing more than join her, placing her palms over Mianai's facing the earth. "I am Taiyun, a child of Mothra and a child of the Earth who calls her Queen. I feel ancient rock beneath me, through its spirit I take root and hold fast against the storm. The earth speaks my name upon the wind and I give the earth my reverence."
They reached out their souls to touch the energy of the earth, feeling every grain of sand or stone beneath their knees all the way down to the tips of their toes. For Taiyun, such a connection was easy since the earth was her element. For Mianai, the connection was more difficult. The stillness of the energy of the Earth was jarring against the ever moving energy of the heavens. Yet, with Taiyun's gentle guidance it did not take Mianai long for the stone beneath her to feel as comfortable as her own skin.
Mianai smiled in spite of herself, "The earth's spirit rose to the heavens and accepted. The spirit of the heavens descended to the earth and a miracle was witnessed. Now the true faiths of an Earth Weaver and a child of heaven meet, joining together in a common prayer."
Without prompting, they began to reach out for the spirit of Mothra. When they began to feel the Goddess's presence, they remained close to her without actually touching the chaos that was her dying soul. They spoke with one voice, each of their hearts filled with hope that Mothra would hear their prayers and give her blessing. "Through death and plague we have walked, through the dark night of our own souls we have carried your light. Through discovery of the depths of our own power we have been made stronger. Yet, we are humbled by the task before us. Great Queen of Earth, may your power allow the impossible to come to pass." Taiyun and Mianai opened their eyes when the prayer was finished, finding themselves suspended in the air while still holding each other's hands. Below the cliff had turned from a barren rock to lush jungle, with a green bed of moss to greet them when they landed. The Moth Orchid which sat nearby, now stood atop a great stone shaped like the monoliths of each of the other rune stones, the roots of the orchid noticeably sinking into the stone. Taiyun and Mianai lowered themselves so they would be kneeling before the stone as they had for each of the others. Together they reached out with their power and carved the runes into the rock which immediately began to glow red, just like the Moth Orchid at nightfall.