Night's Prophet

Harvest Time

Wrapped in darkness, she is come.

In Starlight brightly shining, she is come.

In Moonlight and Shadow, She is come.

When all was lost and our forest blazed,

We sought the darkness and cried out in loud voices filled with sorrow.

When the shining ones turned away from us,

only she remained. Dark and terrifying!

Terrible in Beauty and wondrous in Shadow.

Tremble and Pray

SHE IS COME

The Letters of the Priest

Azurian Cycle

Gathan ran through the darkness navigating the tunnels almost by memory. He was late for the harvest gathering, It was the 40th day of Arnala and the mushroom harvest was beginning, It was a time of joy for all the people. Today all the mushrooms that had been planted, cared for and worried over would be gathered. Some would go to the infirmaries to be ground into powdery medicines, some would go to the kitchens to be dried for stews and spice, and some would go to the temple for the priests to use in the worship of the Dark Lady. Gathan turned the corner and skidded to a stop at the end of the tunnel that opened out into the mushroom fields. He looked up at the ceiling that soared high above the fields at the glow worms which speckled the stone with light. He loved coming here to the mushroom fields, he could pretend that he was outside under the stars like his grandsir told him he had done.

Gathan ran to his mother as she stooped in the rows using her Akan to cut the mushrooms low near the ground. He took his place next to her and began to gather the mushrooms into the basket that his mother had strapped to her hip.

"Gathan, you are late. The harvest began at Glow-up." His mother said pointing to the ceiling overhead.

"I'm sorry momma, I got sidetracked at the temple greeting the Dark Lady." Gathan's mother smiled ruffling his hair.

"I'm sure the Dark Lady appreciates your good manners but I think that she would want you to tend to your responsibilities as well." Gathan's mother turned and started on another row of mushrooms. She was very careful in handling them because these were the Azura-nu mushrooms which were used in the sacred rites of the temple. Gathan worked quietly by her side gathering the mushrooms that his mother cut. It was simple repetitive work and so Gathan allowed his mind to wander back to the time he spent in the temple with Kayvon. Gathan liked spending time in the temple. Kayvon would tell him stories about the time above and how the people once slept in large trees and and hunted the great Tatanka that roamed the plains. Kayvon was wise and revered among the Umbrai and had been high priest of the temple for many years. That was until Ismeth began to speak about new ways and the people turned away from the words of Kayvon to listen to the flattery of Ismeth. Things changed when Ismeth began to lead the temple, he told the people that the Dark Lady had brought them to the Shadowed land because the above place had become corrupt and its people wicked and unholy. He said the Dark Lady saved the people and brought them to this sacred land to begin again. Ismeth said that the people were the chosen ones of the Dark Lady and would never again walk in the above places. Kayvon's voice was stilled and his eyes dimmed as he saw the people turn away from him and become prideful and vain. Kayvon turned away from the people and went into seclusion to seek the will of the Dark Lady. Gathan spent his every free moment with Kayvon learning the old stories and making sure Kayvon knew that there were some who still valued his guidance.

"Gathan, pay attention! Take this basket to the temple. The apothecaries will need to begin the preparation of the Nightmist for the Festival of Dreams." Gathan's mother handed over her basket and pushed him towards the tunnel leading back to the temple.

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