Chapter 36 – A Faithful Dilemma
The remainder of the night was not particularly soothing on Diana's mind and prohibited her from sleeping soundly. Even though she had said a blessing to each Ra'Horak that she had killed, she had an inescapable feeling that their dead spirits were watching her with vengeful eyes. Anxiousness also coated her. What would Leona and the four surviving Ra-Horak do once they woke up? Leona had said that she would hear Diana out about the Lunari, but would she actually do it? Knowing Leona's stubbornness, this seemed unlikely.
Diana had carried Leona and the four Ra'Horak to where the cottage had been, doing wonders for the wound in her shoulder. Although the cottage was now a wooden wreck, she had still been able to crawl inside and find blankets from the bedrooms and cover them. Diana had also taken it upon herself to remove Leona's and the Ra-Horak's armour, and place their weapons far out of reach in the hillsides – including Leona's iconic Zenith blade - as well as wrap a cloth around the injury in Leona's leg. Beneath the excessively bulky armour, Leona had a very nice figure.
Diana rubbed her eyes and brushed her long silver hair off her face. Both of the moons had disappeared, to be replaced by the morning sun, which had only just fully emerged from the horizon. It was bound to wake up Leona soon, so Diana crawled back under the rubble of the cottage, and found some bread and fruit spread. She pulled off six pieces from the bread and wiped some of the spread on top of each piece. She then took them outside and placed them on a flat plank of wood from the debris of the cottage. Diana lied back down, watching the clouds slowly roll by. Somewhere up there, the heavens had recruited some new spirits, and it made Diana feel a sick, knowing that she was responsible.
A groan came from Diana's left. She turned her head sideways and saw that Leona was beginning to stir. 'Please let this be without strife.' Diana said in her head to the sleeping moon(s). She got onto her knees, picked up the plank carrying the bread, and placed it right next to Leona. It probably wasn't the most appetising breakfast to be welcomed with, but Diana hoped that the gesture would help to ameliorate the ongoing tensions between her and Leona.
Diana shuffled backwards slightly so as to give Leona some space and not startle her upon opening her eyes.
When she did, she was surprised to see that she was underneath a blanket, and outside nonetheless. To her right, she were the four Ra'Horak who had survived last night. She turned her head left and gasped as she saw Diana looking at her with firm but benign eyes.
'Morning.' said Diana calmly and stitched a faint smile into her lips.
Leona recalled what had happened from that night. She saw vividly in her mind how Diana had brutally sliced through most of her army, how her crescent blade had gone through her leg, and how she had glared down upon her with her hands tightly around her throat. But that was not all though. With despair, she remembered that she had said to Diana that she would allow her to talk about the moon. 'What are you doing?' she asked suspiciously.
Diana pointed at the bread. 'I've got you something to eat: a piece for all six of us.'
Leona looked down and glanced at the bread with surprise. 'That's nice of you.' she commented, hoping that her tone had made her sound earnest.
Diana nodded and picked one up and bit into it. Leona did the same. It was delightful to have something sweet to eat. 'Thank you.' said Leona. It was difficult to speak words of sincerity towards Diana, especially after last night's events. It was of course also not the first time that Diana had lashed out against the Solari. But if she hadn't taken the opportunity to kill her whilst she was unconscious, or in her sleep, and had decided to make her breakfast instead, then it was probably worth showing some sort of appreciation. 'I noticed that there's a cloth around my leg too.'
'It was bleeding profusely, so I treated it for you last night.'
'And where's our armour and weapons?' Leona inquired further.
'I moved them away from here to the hillsides, so that your bodies could all breath… and also so that you wouldn't use them kill me. But I haven't destroyed them or anything.'
Leona now forced a meek smile onto her face. 'Well, I do appreciate your concern.'
Diana nodded. 'So far, so good.'
Soon, the four Ra'Horak woke up. They grimaced upon seeing Diana, but Leona held out her hand to stop them from attacking. 'Stand down. Give her a chance and let her speak for now.'
'What do you mean, Leona?!' the one nearest her cried out. 'You saw her last night! She killed so many of our people! We must decapitate her before she finishes us off too!'
'That's enough!' Leona snapped. 'Use your head. It's now morning, and here she is having put blankets over us and made our breakfast instead of killing the last of us.'
'Breakfast?'
'The bread over there.' Leona pointed. 'The ones with the fruit spread on them. She made them for all of us, and both of us have tried one. They're safe to eat, so I suggest you do the same.'
Diana picked up the plank and carried the bread to each of them. The first who had objected to Leona's order slowly picked up the bread without saying anything. He eyed and sniffed it multiple times before conceding and took a small bite.
The next two picked theirs up without a fuss, and the final Ra'Horak actually had the courtesy to say: 'Thanks.' and his tone of voice suggested that he genuinely meant it.
After they had finished eating, the first Ra'Horak demanded to know where their armour and weapons had gone. Leona repeated what Diana had told her.
But now all eyes and attention were on Diana.
'Alright, Diana. I said that I would listen to you speak of the moon.' said Leona firmly. 'And I suppose that I should let you talk about the… Lunari as well, if there seems to be two moons in the sky now.'
Diana nodded. 'Thank you for showing your willingness, Leona.'
'I would hardly call it that, after everything that's happened.'
Diana took a deep breath. 'Now, where do I start?'
I had been tempted to try and walk backwards on my way to the Lunari's cave: any excuse to continue gazing at the moons for as long as possible. It was of course impractical so I had just walked normally, yet I would look over my shoulder every ten seconds. How could I help myself? Those moons would be alluring to virtually anyone.
'I bet even the Solari were transfixed by this.'
I am sitting outside the cave entrance. In fact, I didn't go inside at all for whole of the night. Presumably I must've fallen asleep, which is surprising. To think that I could have possibly slept after what had transpired, although I do remember briefly being engaged in prayer, as my sister had advised. Perhaps it's a good thing though. Better to be refreshed than completely exhausted from a lack of sleep. It's the "morning" again. By that I mean the sun has come back up. It rose normally though, unlike how it had become night instantly. The two moons set below the horizon and daylight had resumed. I'm unsure now what time it is. I can't even be sure of how long it had been night-time. I don't know though if that really matters much. The excitement at the possibility of it happening again is making me shake. Although I can't speak, I really want to convene with the rest of the Lunari about this. Everyone presumably felt the earthquake, and therefore many of them probably also went outside and saw the moons. I also have to tell them about the Aspect of the Moon and how she had handily beaten a bunch of Solari.
'Who's going to speak for you on your behalf?'
You can be very funny sometimes.
'Drawing pictures? Writing it out for them?'
It would be handy if someone other than me could hear your voice.
'The same is true for you as well: only I can hear you. In fact, there aren't many people who remember what our voices sound like.'
To my surprise, I haven't seen anyone from the Lunari yet this morning. I didn't even see anyone last night for that matter. How could it have been possible when such a prodigious, unprecedented lunar event occurred. Perhaps they had been injured from the earthquake. I do remember running past someone when I went outside to see what had happened.
Or what if they had been too afraid to step outside? It was possible, but it doesn't seem likely. The Lunari, although highly anxious of being persecuted by the Solari, are some of the most courageous people in the whole of Targon, and I say that because I mean it.
'I wouldn't worry about the Lunari not knowing about last night. News of this event will undoubtedly spread.'
But by whom?
'The aftermath inside the caves should be evidence of this, and some of the landscapes too?'
What are you talking about?
'Earthquakes leave behind damage in their wake. Besides, I have no doubt that some of the Lunari went outside after it had finished.'
Yeah, I suppose you're right.
I finally decide to head back inside. To my horror, the same elder whom I had ignored last night is in the exact same position as he had been when I passed him. I rush to his side and kneel, putting my left hand over his heart to see if he was still alive.
Yes. He's just asleep or unconscious. However that doesn't mean he's uninjured. I gently raise his head to see if he had hit it badly. There's a bruise on his bald spot at the back of his head. Hopefully he didn't have a concussion. I carefully lay his head back down and go to the atrium to see if I can find something to cushion his head. Now that I'm no longer in a rush to go outside, I immediately see that this whole place is a horrendous mess. Worse than that actually. Some other Lunari are lying on the floor, mostly elders, with younger acolytes sitting beside them.
They hear my footsteps and look at me as I make my entrance.
"Aphelios!" the nearest Lunari calls out. He's rather young, with long, brown hair and silvery garments. I wave at him and widen my eyes to indicate that I register the urgency in his voice. 'Thank the moon that you're hear. You've seen what's happened, right?'
I nod my head.
'Well, I guess that was obvious. But you must've also seen how the sun completely disappeared in an instant, and that the moon rose into the sky with a second one beside it?'
I nod again, more vigorously this time. Thank the celestials that I did not have to explain that to anyone. Yet, they had probably not seen the brawl between the two Aspects. It feels crucial to inform them of this. At the same time though, even I can recognise that it's more important to make sure that everyone is okay and help clean up the mess.
'This is monumental! It's our chance to appease the Solari once and for all!'
I raise my hand left hand and signal the rest of the atrium with my other hand.
'Ah, yes of course.'
'We should check to see if everyone else is okay, across the Lunari caves.' Another Lunari from across the atrium piped up.
'Indeed, but we must also ensure that our leaders are okay.'
"Leaders". I remember why I had come rushing in here in the first place. I indicate in the direction of the entrance to the caves, where I had come from, using my other hand to point at the elder by the young Lunari's feet. I am so relieved that he understood what I mean.
'What's that, Aphelios? Is there… and in the hallway?'
I nod and then tap the back of my head.
'And he's hit his head?'
Once again, I nod.
'In the case, you should bring him here so that we can look after the elders together.'
Without hesitation, I run back down the hallway and pick him up in my hands. My acquaintance is right; it will be better to take care of the Lunari as a group. Fortunately for me, he isn't very heavy: fasting from food.
As I bring him into the atrium, my peers are there with a blanket, which they have folded to make a pillow. How miraculous that we're on the same page. They have also cleared a space for me to put him down, and I do so, being as careful as I can.
'Thank you, Aphelios.' another Lunari says to me, to which I smile back.
He should be fine, so I take it upon myself to go further into the cave and see if anyone else is in need of aid.
It's such a shame. Paintings have fallen off the cave walls and ornaments have shattered as they made impact with the floor.
'Save those worries for later.'
I know, I know. It's just quite upsetting to see.
I take a quick look inside every room that I pass, prayer rooms and dorm rooms more specifically. Surprisingly, most of the Lunari prayer rooms aren't completely destroyed. The rooms themselves are in shambles, but praise be to the moon that they didn't cave in. Presumably they felt the earthquake, but once it had gone, began praying and/or went to sleep. It would be more practical to see if each of them are okay, but I decide instead to not disturb them.
Eventually, I re-enter the cooking room. No one is in here, but I groan at the mess. At the very least, all the cabinets were sealed against the cave walls, but the same cannot be said for everything that had been inside them. Chinaware, food and liquids all over the floor. It's going to be a pain to fix everything, but I feel especially sorry for the person who has to clean this mess up. Food and drink are nowhere near as easy or simple as solid debris.
'It's infinitely better than having to clear up bodies.'
Too true. Imagine having to deal with bones and blood.
'I'd rather not.'
Wait! What about my elixir?! I move to the liquid's cabinet and stare down at the floor. Its distinct colour has mixed in with all the other ones, but I can still tell that it's all there, in a disgusting puddle on the stone floor.
Great, now I've got to go and get some more…
'Continue to think of the positives, Aphelios. Lives are not gone.'
Yes, you're right. I'm thankful to be reminded of that. Thank you, Alune.
Leona's eyes remained tense. Even though she felt rekindled to be hearing Diana's voice again without the harshness of the night before, she could not let go of the anxiousness of what Diana was about to preach.
'Actually, Leona, I think I want to ask you a question before beginning.'
'You do?'
'Yes.'
'What is your question then?'
'It's just… why are you so strongly opposed to the moon and the Lunari. Seriously, what is it that causes you to be so stubborn about it.'
Leona felt as if the question had punched her in the stomach. She wasn't sure if she had any clear answer. 'Because… it's what I believe, and what I've always believed ever since I was a child: that the moon is a heretical distortion of the truth. To me, there is no question that the sun is the source of all nourishment and life.'
'But Leona, is that not just blind faith? To ensure that you know the truth, you must challenge it, and put it to the test. Because I did not take the Solari's word for granted, I went to the libraries and discovered the purposeful removal of references to the moons within tomes, and even when our teachers assigned me punishments to deter me from exploring the moon any further, I didn't back down, because I knew that there was more to be discovered.'
'All sections on the moon have been removed for a reason. Because they do not communicate the truth, and the Solari were the ones who realised it.'
'Falsehood doesn't need to be hidden, so long as you can be taught to distinguish it from the truth. If the Solari believe that any teachings on the moon are lies, then they should be available to read, under the condition that they are to be understood only as literature and not doctrines of truth. Otherwise, their omission suggests that the Solari have something to hide. And remember Leona that I did find it. I discovered that alcove within the mountain, depicting both the sun and the moon together.'
'But that can hardly be called sufficient evidence, can it: mere imagery in an alcove?'
'Maybe not, but it was a start of a far greater discovery. Is everything else not further testament to the sun and moon's companionship? You were there when we both became aspects atop Mount Targon. We fought each other; wielding our power that was lent down from the heavens. You've even experienced the earthquake that came before the sun's abrupt descent and the appearance of this second moon. What reason do you have to still deny the significance of the moon? What more evidence do you need?'
Leona struggled for a response. She hated to admit it, but Diana seemed to be correct. Certainly she had higher ground to stand on. What she said flew by the face of everything that she had ever been brought up to believe, but she could not repudiate what she had witnessed. Additionally, Diana's word was not to entirely refute the sun, but to show that it could coexist in harmony with the moon. 'I think that… I need to see this second moon twice. Once the sun has set later, if the second moon is present once again, I'll believe.'
Diana's eyes widened with hope. 'And what if it doesn't appear?'
'I can no longer act as if the moon does not possess any significance, but I will not see it as the sun's equal unless I see that second moon again.'
'Well, I guarantee that it will.' Excitement built up inside Diana's heart. Was she soon going to enlighten Leona to the truth once and for all? She desperately hoped so. Years of disagreement could come to an end with one more sighting, and could even repair their friendship.
'Can you be sure of that?' Leona asked. 'You yourself said last night that you had no idea why this moon had suddenly appeared.'
'Yes, I don't know where it came from or why it was here, but moons don't just suddenly enter a planet's gravitational pull. I'm convinced therefore that we'll see it again. It's probably here for a reason: perhaps a sign or message of some sort.'
Leona ran a hand through her hair. A part of her dreaded the idea of seeing the moon again, for she did not want to be entirely wrong. At the same time though, she had already been shown enough to disprove half of the Solari's fundamentalist beliefs. Seeing the moon again wasn't going to make much difference to her unstable position in reality. Moreover, she too genuinely wanted to be friends with Diana again. Even through their passioned debates and arguments prior to their transformations, their friendship had held strong. Now was the time to mend it. 'Okay then. We'll wait for tonight'
The particularly hostile Ra'Horak opened his mouth to object, but Leona held her index finger up at him. 'We shall return to the monastery and tell the Solari to get ready for nightfall. If the second moon makes its return tonight, the Solari shall adopt a new tolerance of the moon and the Lunari. We will amend our religious creed and explore a faith that sees the moon as parallel with the sun.'
'B-but, Leona, you can't just do that! It'll be seen as upmost heresy!'
'Do not defy my word!' Leona snapped. 'As we've come to learn from Diana, it is wrong to both deny and hide the evidence.'
The Ra'Horak bit his tongue to refrain from arguing. Instead, he sighed and stood up, with the other three doing the same. 'Are we allowed our armour and gear back?'
Leona, looked at Diana.
'Yes.' said Diana with a sincere smile on her face. 'Shall I take you to where I put all your gear?'
'Please do.' said Leona.
The two Aspects both got to their feet as well. Diana went to pick up her crescent blade and the six of them began to walk up towards the hillside.
Leona winced after she had made her first few steps, and clutched the wound in her leg.
'Are you going to be okay?' Diana asked.
'Yeah. Let's just take the walk slowly, if that's okay with you.'
'That's absolutely fine.'
'Wait, I just realised…'
'What is it, Leona?'
Leona stared at the plains where they had all fought, feeling sorrow being sprinkled over her.
'What do you want to do with them?' Diana asked uncomfortably.
'It would be good if we recovered and buried their bodies later.' Leona replied.
'I know that it would seem completely unfitting, but I would be happy to help.' Diana offered solemnly.
Leona nodded. 'Thank you.' she said.
A mix of emotions ran through Diana as she stepped inside the Solari monastery for the first time in ages. It was is a mess from the earthquake, but it looked pretty much just as she had remembered it. The Solari called out to Leona, expressing repose that she had returned. The only thing that had changed was the severity of the looks on their faces towards Diana. Before, they had been contemptuous but tolerant. This time however they contained conspicuous beams of spite. This was understandable, but their expressions made her feel rather uncomfortable. They weren't even aware yet that she had killed more of their peers. It was surreal therefore to see Leona speaking defensively: ordering everyone to not shout ill of her.
Leona took them to the High Priests Chamber. Immediately upon stepping inside, Diana's mind reminder her that this room hosted her deepest regrets. Even though it had been some time since that day, she could still see the bodies and spilt blood across the floor. The only difference this time was that it was chunks of rubble instead.
Leona placed her sword and shield on the ground. 'I want to call for a meeting to explain everything that has happened.' she declared, and it was not long before the majority of the Solari and the Ra'Horak had congregated in the Chamber. Murmurs about Diana could be heard reverberating off the Chamber walls.
Diana was becoming more anxious. What was Leona going to say? 'It doesn't really even matter. They're not going to response well to me, whatever I say.'
Leona cleared her throat. Within seconds, the hall went silent. 'Thank you all for coming.' Leona greeted. 'I'm sure that most of you are aware of what happened only a few hours ago but allow me to fill in on some of the details and explain what happened to us during my momentary absence. Following the earthquake that hit us, the sun disappeared in its entirety, and was inexplicably replaced with not just the moon as we know it, but also a second moon with a shattered surface. After the earthquake ended, some of the Ra'Horak and I left to investigate. As we moved in the direction of the moons, we encountered someone who is standing next to me and whom a lot of you probably recognise. My immediate order is that you do not show any undue hostility towards her. Do I have your word that you will withhold any antagonistic comments?'
Approximately 70% of the room nodded their heads, but undoubtedly most of them did so hesitantly. Even among the youngest of the Solari, stories of a former, blasphemous devotee had been retained within their community.
'Good. This is Diana. An old and once good… friend, of mine. Diana was a Solari like all of us, but her curiosity ultimately led her down a different path of faith, one that revered not just the sun, but also… the moon.'
She braced herself for the boos and obloquy, but they didn't come. Diana swept the chamber with her eyes. It was easy to spot the people who were looking at her scornfully, yet no words parted from their mouths. Was Leona really so imperious that she could silence the Solari even in spite of what she had just said?
'Very well. I shall now ask you all to lend her your ears as she preaches to us about the moon.'
Diana gasped. 'Wait, what?'
Leona held out her hand to show that she was giving Diana the power to talk. 'It would be more authentic to hear it from the words of the Aspect.'
Forcing a smile, Diana stepped forward and, like Leona had done, cleared her throat. She hoped that she could make it concise. 'Thank you… Leona, for… allowing me to set foot once again in the Solari's monastery. I also beg you to hear me out, for I, like all of you, seek both the truth and a lifestyle that breeds peace. As Leona briefly mentioned just now, I am proclaiming that the sun and the moon are not incompatible. In fact, they are complimentary of each other.' Diana stopped speaking momentarily to gauge the attitude of her audience. Good so far. 'When I was an acolyte of the Solari, just like all of you, I discovered this through forbidden teachings and an alcove inside of the mountain that depicted imagery of sun and moon warriors fighting alongside each other, as well as both the sun and the moon hanging in the sky above Targon's peak. Moreover, Leona and I became aspects of the Sun and the Moon as I climbed Mount Targon and she followed me. Although we both battled once we had transformed, I knew that the Solari and the Lunari needn't not be at arms with each other, and now, Leona does too.' Diana stopped again, pleading to herself that someone would show a positive response. Not that she was expecting a round of applause. Just something would be nice.
'Can you prove that you are an aspect?' A slightly older Solari member, who stood in the middle of the crowd, called out.
'Ask Leona, and she can confirm it.'
'It is true. Diana is the Aspect of the Moon.' Leona said clearly.
'Therefore, I urge you all to do two things. The first is to dispose of your animosity towards the Lunari. Although we show partiality to the glow of the moon, we acknowledge and respect the warmth of the sun. So let us no longer persist in our meaningless conflict, but reunite as brothers and sisters.'
Although there were no cheers, it felt good to hear murmurs of concession. 'She has a point.' 'Doesn't sound like too bad of an idea.'
'The second thing that I urge you all to do, is to attempt to show reverence towards the moon. Tonight, when the sun sets and the moon rises, if not also the second moon from last night, then practice. You will find that it is not as difficult as you might assume. And I guess another thing would be: don't lynch me.'
'Although I am reluctant to comply, you have heard her word loud and clear. Come nightfall and the rising of the moon, we will all go outside and partake in worship of the moons. No excuses.'
No doubt there were protestors holding back their objections. Diana knew first-hand that to propose the idea of worshiping the moon, inside the Solari's home was nothing short of shocking. She couldn't be more thankful towards Leona though for giving her a chance.
The burial of the Ra'Horak was as awkward as Diana had anticipated and it wasn't helped by how long it took to dig each hole, place the soldier it, refill the soil and give a blessing. Only Leona's authority kept the Ra'Horaks' anger at bay. Still, it gave Diana something to do as they waited for dusk. Even after finishing however, they still had hours to go before the moons would rise. It also seemed like the sun was moving across the sky slower than usual. At first, they had thought that it was a temporal illusion, but by the time seven hours had passed and the sun was still burning as if it was the afternoon, there was no denying that the day was definitely moving slower than usual.
'Do you think this is related to the moons in any way?' Diana asked.
'I don't know at this point.' Leona said back.
They sat outside the monastery, next to the entrance, wishing for something to do to pass the time.
'Maybe I should start a conversation. It'd be good to get on better terms with her again.' Leona thought to herself.
'You know, I really did miss you, whilst you were gone.'
'Huh?' Diana murmured.
'After you ran away, I genuinely missed your company. I'm not joking when I say that you were my closest friend when we were growing up. Even though we disagreed about faith, I just enjoyed being with you.'
'S-same here.' Diana replied. 'That came out of nowhere.'
'Where did you go, when you left us?'
'… I went to Ionia.'
'Ionia? Why? That's a long way to go.'
'Because I just needed some time away, to find out more about this world, and more about myself. I figured that a long travel would take my mind off of what had happened between us.'
Leona nodded. 'And when did you come back?'
'Not too long ago. It was fascinating to explore the Shurima, Valoran and Ionia itself. Once I got to Ionia, I settled by the sea, interacted with some of the natives, and even got into fights with some of the indigenous animals. Overall, it's a beautiful place, but I decided that it wasn't the place for me, so I returned to Targon. I eventually realised that my destiny was here, because I had become an Aspect. It was my duty to guide the Lunari in their faith.'
Leona supressed a wince and nodded again. 'I'm glad to have you back.' she said with a smile.
'Me too.' Diana replied, also putting a smile on her lips. 'And how about yourself? What did you do after I had gone?'
'Nothing of great significance, really. You know what we're like. The Solari spend all the time in worship – it's all that we really do.'
'Yeah, go figure.'
Evening eventually came. During that time, Leona and Diana had eaten, walked around Targon just for exercise, helped to clean up the monastery from the aftermath of the earthquake and continued to force conversations, even though they really did not have much to talk about. Leona had asked Diana to go into more detail about what she had encountered on her time away from Targon, but she could only say so much before the details became mundane and meaningless.
But now that the sun was finally beginning to submerge below the horizon, excitement and anticipation began to build up. Leona, Diana and the Solari gathered on the hillsides for the best possible view.
The sky was becoming progressively darker. The sun was almost entirely gone. It was a painfully long wait, but it was time.
The first moon crawled its way up into the sky, and sure enough, before it had completely emerged, the second, shattered moon also made its reappearance.
'There it is!' Diana exclaimed.
'Really? I couldn't see it.' Leona returned.
Diana gave her a gentle nudge. 'Alright then. Let's all pray and try to show reverence to the moon and the celestials.' she commanded.
Leona and the Solari gingerly got onto their knees and assumed a position of worship.
I watch as the sun sinks below the sky. Any minute now, I will hopefully find out if it was a onetime occurrence, or if it is here to stay. Standing here on the hill is an almost agonisingly slow process. Although I could be wrong, I am almost certain that today went by much slower than usual.
'I can confirm that you were not imagining things, brother. In the spiritual realm, the moon is moving not as quickly. Whatever has happened over these last two days, I am yet to determine if it is for better or worse.'
Two moons in the sky can't be a bad thing though, can it?
'A moon that is broken almost seems like an omen of some kind. The sun disappeared so abruptly yesterday, to be replaced with our moon and this new one. An earthquake and an exceptionally long day. This is highly unusual, so we cannot assume anything.'
Yeah, I suppose you're right.
The sky is losing its evening orange.
…
Ah! There's the moon, and… it's here! The shattered moon has returned, Sister!
'Indeed, it has, Aphelios.'
What does this mean then?
'Although I still think that we should be cautious, it is best that we continue to praise them both.
Yes, let us do that.
I drop to my knees, raise my hands and say a chant of worship and prayer out loud. The sight is just as beautiful as yesterday, if not even more so. My eyes water again; it's just too much to behold.
'Right now, I wish to step outside the temple and see it for myself, because I did not do so last night.'
You are allowed to, right?
'I do not want to lose connection with you for even a second, brother.'
What can you see inside the spiritual realm then?
'I can see a spiritual reflection of what you see. It is beautiful in its own right, but I can't help but wish to see the physical one with my own eyes.'
I understand, but you don't have to be so hard on yourself.
'Thank you, brother, but now is not the time for talking.'
Of course.
I resume my worship. Basking in its glorious radiance.
Leona stared directly at the moons, with each of her eyes on one of them. She could not deny that it was a gorgeous sight to behold, just as it had been the night before. The way that the shattered moon contrasted with the perfectly whole moon was especially mesmerising.
She briefly glanced around at everyone else. Diana had her eyes open, but hands clapped together. Some Solari had their eyes open too, whilst the rest had theirs closed. She could tell that their muscles were tensed, whereas Diana looked relaxed. How long were they going to stay there? What were they waiting for or expecting to happen? Often in a session of worship towards the Sun, an hour could feel like a minute, because they were so absorbed in it. Leona could tell however that this was not the case here. She was the one who was encouraging her people to partake in this, and yet she felt uncomfortable, despite the moons' beauty. If she felt this way, then no doubt the more sceptical Solari weren't able to focus.
At last, Diana had finished. She rested her arms and hands on her side. She turned to face Leona. 'How are you feeling?'
'I'm not sure. The moons themselves are dazzling, but I'm not really feeling anything.' Leona confessed.
'Well I guess I wouldn't expect you to do so if it's your first time attempting to worship the moon. Shall we stop for tonight then?'
'Yes please.'
'We can resume tomorrow night, but in exchange, I'll join you in worship of the sun.'
'Really?!' Leona gasped.
'If the sun and moon are to be allies with each other, I think that it's only fair if I do so.'
Without warning, Leona embraced Diana in a tight hug.
Diana waited for her to say something, but she remained silent, so Diana put her hands around Leona too, and patted her on the back.
They all returned to the monastery. Diana's old bed had been long given up to a younger Solari, so Leona made the impromptu decision to give Diana blankets and a pillow, and allowed her to sleep on the floor next to Leona's bed. It wasn't ideal, but better to keep her safe from any Solari who still might have a grudge against her.
The night also went by extremely slowly, for the sun did not rise until hours later than usual. The second day also passed as slowly as it had done yesterday to. What was going on?
They gathered at the same stop on the hillside as last night. Was anything likely to be different about this one?
Leona tried and tried again to show genuine deference to the moon, but she could not force herself to do it. To her, it felt like she was standing in front of ice instead of fire and expecting to be warmed up by it. No doubt the Solari felt the same way. Each subsequent night for almost a week turned out to be fruitless as well. Conversely though, the same was true for Diana each day that they praised the sun together.
'Now you're getting why we're finding this very difficult, right?' Leona asked Diana on the sixth afternoon that they had been reunited.
'I do, but I'm still determined to keep this up. Even though I am the Aspect of the Moon specifically, I want to embrace the sun too. I think that it's safe to say we're friends again, and I want to keep it that way.'
'Me too.' Leona agreed. 'We've been in the sun for a while now. Do you want to go back to the monastery to get something to eat?'
'Yes, that would be nice.' Diana smiled.
They got to their feet and made their way back. As they walked however, a thought popped into Diana's head. For the first time that she had been back in Targon, Diana realised that she had not yet been to see the Lunari. 'If the sun and moons are going to be in harmony with each other, I should at some point convene the Solari and the Lunari to come together and make amends. That'll be an interesting meeting…
But Diana decided that she would raise the issue another time. All she wanted now was to recover all their lost time together. Even after almost a week of being with Leona, she still could not believe that they were friends again. It had seemed like an outright impossibility, but thank both the sun and the moons that their paths had been destined to cross for what seemed to be at long last the good. Friendship is a bond that can be severed, but can also be woven back together again.
