The moon's light was only a refraction of the sleeping sun's light; at night it simply gave off what it took from the daytime, to keep the world from being entirely dark while the sun was off the give light to some other continents of the world. Genny always found an odd sort of comfort in the moon because of the fact that it held onto what was left; like her companions holding on to whatever hope they could find against the final battle against the Duma Faithful.
The thought of this final showdown made her shudder; it was frightening, that an adventure she hadn't even expected to experience was coming to a close. It was a matter of winning—or a matter of losing—against Jedah, and the God Duma himself as well. The Cleric was nervous at the mere suggestion of either of those foes. She was only a little girl; only 15 years of age and yet there she was, preparing for such a massive fight. The only thing she could think before she stepped away to watch the moon was, there is no way we're going to survive this battle. But the moon retaining light the way Celica and the others retained hope gave her a little bit of optimism; maybe they would survive.
Wispy clouds began to slither their way over the moon, blanketing the large, silvery white rock in the sky. It was like it was dampening her hope, and it reflected those feelings onto Genny. A cloud came over her mind, and her hope and optimism in the upcoming fight faded away. She let out a sigh, pulling her knees up to her chest and hugging them tightly; her behind was beginning to hurt, as she was sitting on a rough stone a few feet away from the makeshift campsite that she had aided Celica and her army in making. However she didn't want to go back to sleep; the impending fear was beginning to get to her again. Her fearful thoughts were soon cut off by the sound of feet shuffling through the grass behind her. Genny turned her head, seeing a tall and slender figure approaching her; the, long violet hair dulled by the dark night was all she really needed to identify the figure as Sonya.
"Hello, tiny one," the Mage spoke quietly, stopping once she was standing beside the rock that Genny was sitting on. "What are you doing here, sitting all on your lonesome?"
"Oh," Genny answered, her eyes returning to the moon above them, "I was just... looking at the moon, and thinking."
"That's a dangerous pastime," Sonya chuckled, but the younger girl didn't laugh along. The two females both went quiet, and Sonya's eyes soon joined Genny's as they watched the silvery white sphere. "You really seem to love that thing," Sonya soon broke the silence, "but why?"
Genny shrugged. "I've just... always found it pretty, I guess. The colour is nice, and it's comforting to look at whenever I'm afraid."
"And are you afraid, tiny one?" questioned the Mage.
Genny gave another shrug, but this one was weaker than the first. "M... maybe..." she mumbled, "I-I mean... it's... it's a fight with a God. I-isn't it normal to be afraid of something so... so..."
"Terrifying?" Sonya asked, trying to complete the sentence that Genny didn't seem to be able to finish, "ghastly? Grim? Completely hope-deprived?"
"U-um, yeah..." Genny nodded, "th-those..." she curled up in a tighter ball, her chin resting on her knees. A soft breeze began to blow and she shivered as it blew under the slit in her dress and brushed against her bare thigh.
"Cold, little one?" the older woman inquired, "that breeze does have a bit of a chill to it..."
"J-just a little bit..." Genny mumbled. She shuddered a second time, curling up even tighter than before. Her arms slid down lower on her legs, hoping that her sleeves would cover at least a little bit of any bare leg being bitten at by the breeze. The shuffling of feet could be heard behind her and getting further away, but as much as the Cleric wanted to look back and see what Sonya was doing behind her, she was too cold to move. The sound of Sonya walking came back after a moment, and before she could lift her head up to turn and look she felt something drape over her shoulders; the Mage had gone to get a blanket for her. "Y-you didn't have to–"
"Don't mention it, tiny one," Sonya simply brushed it off, stepping up onto the rock and then sitting herself down next to Genny, "you can't enjoy your love for the moon if you're shivering and miserable in the cold, after all."
"I... guess so, y-yeah..." Genny shivered again, wrapping herself up tightly in the blanket. Her eyes returned to the moon yet again and she went quiet again. Seconds ticked by in eternities, before the Cleric began to feel a sort of tension in the air. She glanced over at Sonya, who was looking up at the moon as Genny herself had been doing; however there was a sort of somberness on the Mage's face that was never seen before. Sonya's eyes were half-lidded, and her lips parted and curved downwards slightly. She was different at night, and Genny found herself with mixed feelings over it; she assumed nobody had ever seen that side of her before, but seeing Sonya so quiet and solemn sent a chill down the Cleric's spine. It was so different, so unlike her. "U-um..." Genny murmured, "S... Sonya? Are... you alright...?"
The Mage sighed quietly. "I am," she responded slowly, "just... thinking, I suppose."
"O-oh..." Genny murmured, "m... may I ask what you're thinking about?"
"Just my sisters, and our time at the priory..." Sonya's eyes never left the celestial body they were locked into, " I think of it often... part of me wishes I could go back to those times, even if it was a terribly drab lifestyle... it's far better than the lives we live now; Marla and Hestia are witches now, doomed to a life of sacrificial torment, thanks to our own father. And I'm here, just... existing. Well, I suppose I do have a purpose at the moment; I fight for Celica, and I plan on freeing my sisters from their torment. But after that?"
Genny watched Sonya's lips the whole time that she spoke; they didn't part far from each other as her volume of speech was low, as if she was nervous about speaking her mind. "Well..." the Cleric said, "isn't that the exciting thing about life? It's kind of like an adventure novel; if you don't keep going, then you'll never know what's coming next."
Sonya glanced down at Genny, a look of slight confusion on her face. "What do you mean?" she questioned, "I hardly find it exciting knowing that anything could happen; that means death could come and take you away in the next few minutes."
"I... suppose that's true as well..." Genny mumbled, "but isn't that... a little pessimistic?"
Sonya responded only with a shrug, and the Cleric let out a defeated sigh. It was hardly helping her nerves about the upcoming fight, but the company was better than wallowing in fear alone. The two continued to sit, the silence growing ever thicker between them. Genny's eyes returned to the moon, gazing into the silvery white entity. She found herself getting lost in the reflection again as what remained of obstructive wispy clouds left its front, and her nerves began to feel spotted by its calming brightness. She sighed again, but out of love for the moon instead of defeat. A small smile curved on her lips, and she was entranced once again.
Time ticked by in its ever-moving ways, slowly pushing the nighttime darkness to make way for the hope of morning again. By the end of the first hour the moon began to fade away into the lightening blue, making way for the golden rays of a new day. Genny let out a quiet huff as the entity began to fade. Dawn was here, which meant Celica and Saber would awaken soon. Plans for the march on Duma's Temple would be made by Celica, whilst Saber went off to find food. They would no doubt question both her and Sonya, and why they were awake and for how long.
"Perhaps..." Genny's train of thought was broken by the nearby mumblings of Sonya. She looked over at the violet-haired woman, a look of confusion plastered on her young face. "... perhaps a novel life wouldn't be so frightening after all." A smile curved Sonya's lips, and she raised her head from its place buried in her thighs. "I think I know what I plan to do after all of this."
"Oh? Do tell!" Genny responded with interest.
"I'm going to find a cure for witches," Sonya explained, her smile widening ever so slightly, "and not just for Marla and Hestia. Of course, they would come first. But all of these women who have been given up to Duma, willingly or otherwise... they bear the same torment as my sisters."
"That sounds like an adventure!" Genny clapped her hands together lightly, "and a wondrous one at that!"
"It does, doesn't it?" Sonya chuckled, "I'm... rather excited, if I'm to be honest. For the adventure, and especially the outcome." To Genny's surprise, the Mage wrapped one arm around her for a gentle side hug. "Thank you, tiny one," Sonya whispered.
Genny leaned into the hug with a giggle. "I don't understand what you're thanking me for, you thought of what you wanted to do all on your own!"
"I suppose I did," Sonya mused, "but I wouldn't have thought of it if you hadn't prompted me to. So thank you." She pulled away from the hug. "Now, what say we surprise Celica and Saber by getting preparations in order before they awaken?"
Genny giggled again, a bright smile across her lips. "Yeah, I like the sound of that!" she stood up from the rock, as did Sonya. The two headed off to find firewood and preparations for food, each with the new hope of morning burning brightly in their hearts. Even when night and the battle of Duma fell upon them, they wouldn't let go of it. They would hold on, just as the moon would.
The Freedom of Witches—The Adventure of Sonya