Chapter 24
Day 27
Maya and Akari were together, chanting the old Siren language that even Maya couldn't understand. They sat together at the centre of the Temple of Truth, the koi fishes circled around the pool, complete focus was achieved for the first time for the blue Siren. They both closed their eyes and the marks pulsated together. Akari was gold while Maya was blue. It was like LED lighting being programmed to dim and brighten at the same time.
Maya was not fond of spiritual teachings. Her days at The Abbey made her dislike such topics. She was fond of Searcher Red's teaching, history and philosophy that she had never heard. Searcher Kharkov was also something she liked, bit by bit, she could feel the improvement. It was tiring and painful but worth it since the results were very visible. But when it comes to spiritual subjects, involving Nonua, it was monotonous and bland.
"You're not at peace little one." Akari said.
Maya shook her head. "No, I am at peace."
"The creases of your forehead tell me otherwise."
"You opened your eyes!" Maya opened her eyes seeing Akari giggling by herself. "You said to close our eyes during meditation."
"Of course, but you're the student now is it not?"
"I need a break, Host." Maya stood up. "Meditating is making me tired."
"Oh?" Akari also stood up at the same time. "We just meditated for a few hours and you're tired?"
"Well I'm tired of doing nothing."
"Oh, you think meditation is nothing?"
"Well yes, we just sit and chant, as if it makes any difference Host Akari."
"Then I think you're doing it wrong."
Maya sighed. "I did everything that you tell me to do. I don't feel any different. Unlike with-"
"The other Searchers?" Akari finished what Maya wanted to say.
Maya paused for a moment and looked at Akari. Maya was being insubordinate and she finally realized her foolishness towards Akari. "I'm sorry, but I didn't mean to-"
"To speak of what your heart feels?" Akari finished Maya's words again. "There is nothing wrong with being honest to oneself to another in a polite manner Little One."
"How are you doing that?" Maya took a step back with a confused face.
"The heart can tell me many things. Yours is one of them." Akari said. "That is part of the teachings involving Nonua, to understand its language. I think we should have some tea, let's go to The Courtyard and ask Red to make us some nourishments."
Akari and Maya sat down at the dining table of The Courtyard. The atmosphere was calm, bird chirping at the background, The Courtyard had vibrant plants living at the cracks of the stones. Searcher Red was there, prepping the meal today as he always did. Akari had requested some drinks for her and Maya and Red answered with a nod. He quickly went to another part of The Courtyard where a separate place to make the drinks. Maya and Akari waited for their drinks while observing Red making it.
"I see that whenever it comes to my sessions, you have a certain friction." Akari began. "May I know why Little One?"
"Well back at Athenas, I've been considered as a Goddess." Maya explained. "The Abbey people used me to control the people of Athenas. They teach to be patient, to be obedient in the name of The Siren Race but in reality, they just wanted to suppress my anger. They wanted to control me so that they could control the people. "
"Is that why you are always restless? Because of your troubled past?"
"My troubled pass is what made me today and I'm going to hold it for the rest of my life."
"Very well then, hold it." Akari agreed.
"Wait, aren't you supposed to say something like letting go or forgiveness." Maya looked at Akari.
"Well if I tell you so, would you follow?" Akari looked at her student. "I think not. I can only say that most of the time that we kept dwelling on the pass, we forsake the future. But if it makes you feel better to hold your troubled pass, then so be it."
Maya was silent and pondered on her words. Truth to be told, holding to the pass was an exhaustive act. It does fuel her and make her senses high to be the better Siren, but the cost of it can sometimes be unbearable.
"That's the heart speaking to you, the Nonua." Akari pointed to her chest. "The heart knows what it wants Maya, you can't lie to it. If your heart wants to dwell on your past, then do so. But the heart is rarely a straightforward character, so you must take time and understand your heart."
Red arrived at the table with two mugs. He put the two mugs between the Sirens and nodded to both of the lovely ladies. He went off to the kitchen, restarting his work that he just left. Two hot teas with a slice of lemon on top of it one each cup. Warm and smelled nice, it calmed the strained nerves. They both have a sip and enjoyed the taste that the drink provided.
"Delicious isn't it?" Akari inquired.
Maya nodded.
"Have you ever wondered why you drink that cup of tea?" Akari questioned.
"Because I like lemon tea."
"Are you sure? Do you like the warmth of the water? Or maybe the tea? The zest of the lemon? What if the lemon tea is added ice, would you still enjoy it? Ask yourself that Maya and tell me." Akari finished. "What do you like about it?"
Maya looked down at her tea and pondered for a moment. The questions riddled her mind and she started to deconstruct each one. Massaging her chin, a few hums were made; Maya came to conclusion. She looked at Akari and gave her answer to the master.
"I like company." Maya said. "I like spending time with people and just talk like you and I would sometimes do."
"Good." Akari sipped her tea. "Then we can learn about the basics of Nonua, this time you don't need to write your notes."
"Are you sure my Host? Sometimes the teaching can be so long and I tend to forget."
"Your heart is you Little One, it resonates so close, closer than a mother to her child. Do not underestimate it." Akari lectured. "Shall we begin?"
"I'm ready." Maya put down her drink.
"Nonua is what covers the soul. The soul is driven by passion. Passion cannot be distinguished." Akari taught. "The mind is the one distinguishes the right and wrongs, that's why ideology and morals are often conflicted, it's basically what the heart wants but doesn't know which to choose or which is the right one.
"Our race is special because we have direct access to the most powerful source of the body." Akari patted her chest. "The heart. Realize that what the heart desires is the basis of all things. To understand it better, children are the best example of the heart. When you were a child, have you ever had the thoughts that you have right now?"
"No, I never had the thoughts I have right now." Maya answered.
"Indeed, because what a child wants is to survive, to get the basic needs. A child knows of what it needs but rarely does it understand what the need is. Innocence can also be interpreted as stupidity but a child is certainly stupid since it just has started to live. And if a child is stupid then that means?"
"The heart is also stupid." Maya said.
"Correct." Akari nodded. "The repercussions of a human following his or her desire blindly are big. Sirens have bigger repercussions. That's where we need to learn about the heart and how we can control it, or what most people say achieving peace. That's why you need to learn about Nonua."
"When you said about having access to the heart, what do you mean?" Maya asked.
"The marks that we have are called Channels." Akari showed her golden Siren mark. "The root of these Channels is from the heart. The more intense the passion the stronger your power. Have you forgotten during your fight with Red? You almost killed him."
"Not my proudest moment…" Maya grinded her teeths.
The two Sirens glanced at Red that was cutting onions; he realized the gazes and looked at them back. Maya smiled at him and waved her hand. Red shrugged his shoulders and continued cutting onions.
"But it was anger that fuels you, that what made you unleash your powers." Akari sipped her tea. "Anger can be so intense, but it is passion nevertheless and Nonua is passion."
"So you're saying that emotion is passion too?" Maya massaged her chin.
"Emotion is a by-product of passion. For example, a child loves sweets, when he eats it, what emotion emerges?"
"Happiness, joy, ecstasy."
"Passion is what we pursue and emotion is what we get out of that pursuit. That is the basis of Nonua, a true Siren would always give her heart the attention it demands."
"If that's the case, then why do we need to meditate for days or even weeks." Maya complained. "I mean, we're just sitting and chanting. What does it do to the heart?"
"Meditation disciplined the heart." She pointed at Maya. "The heart may be a child but we are adults Maya. Even though you're doing productive things, mostly Nomine' and Naraane, you cannot leave Nonua behind. Because if you do, you will find no meaning in what you do and eventually you will feel enraged, saddened or both of them at the same time.
"Meditation is a language that only the heart can understand, to be clear; I too do not understand fully what the chant means other than a rough translation of ancient Siren language. But it does not matter as the heart calms down and the only reason for meditation is to calm the heart. Do you understand Little One?"
"If that's the case, then why when I meditate, I don't feel any better than before?" Maya said.
"Because you did not empty your thoughts, you keep revisiting your troubled past and filling the heart with all the resentment." Akari explained. "That's why I told you to empty your thoughts every time we begin our sessions. But it seemed that you lie to me every time. Isn't that right Maya?"
Maya was quiet. She was caught red handed and one could wonder how long did Akari let her lie. Maya was clueless on how to react properly in such a situation. She was not a good liar to begin with and she thought that she could get away from lying once but the glare from Akari was not broken and excruciating at that. Maya lowered her gaze and lowered her voice.
"I'm… sorry." Maya said.
"I'm not angry with you Little One. What I say to you is only for the betterment of you." Akari put down her cup.
Akari insisted Maya put her cup on the table. Akari's cup was empty while Maya was not. Akari called Red and gestured to him to refill her tea, the young man nodded and went to take the teapot not far.
"Nonua is like a cup, passion is like the contents of the cup. And your cup is full of your past. How can I teach you with new things when your cup is already full?" Red arrived to Akari side and filled her cup full. "For you to accept new things, you must create new space for the new things ahead. Sometimes you have to put away the old to welcome the new."
"I'll try…" Maya said in a hesitant way.