The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance (Season 2+)

Desert of The Dead

Maudra Seethi knelt before the effigy of the Crystal of Truth, eyes closed and head bent in silent prayer. The Wellspring Cloister was now empty and silent. She was alone in the cavern temple. The only other with her was Rek'yr, but the sandmaster was out by the cloisters entrance in his role as her personal guard. The priests were down in the Wellspring itself, helping the Dousan clan pack up so they could move to Stonewood. She hated to leave their home, the place they had spent cultivating and building up, but upon her return she had found her settlement gripped by a blight, and the oasis was drying up. This was the only course of action to save her people, and she was now praying to Thra that they would all be alright.

"Maudra Seethi," Rek'yr called.

The Maudra opened her eyes and looked up to the effigy. The translucent crystalline structure sat silent and still in its hollowed out cove, and Thra remained silent to her prayer, giving no indication. In her reflection, she saw her one guard and closest advisor standing behind her at the entrance of the crystal chamber. He had a new scar that ran from the side of his head, over his eye, to the corner of his jaw. A reminder of his brush with skekMal.

Are we ready? she asked in vojeye, the Dousan sign language.

We are, he replied. Permission to speak in common?

"You may," she said, standing and turning to face him.

"Is this necessary?" he asked. "The Wellspring has had its fair share of droughts in the past. We've survived through all of them, we could make it through this one."

"The waters have receded way below the safety limits," she said. "There is not enough to make it through the drought season when it does come. Besides, we neednt stay here and suffer prolonged as we have in the past. Especially when we have allies who can help us."

"But this is the land our ancestors cultivated," he argued. "We are the ancestors of Chal and Kataal. Our people carved these halls. Built this city. We made the unlivable a paradise for our people and now we're just going to up and leave?"

Maudra Seethi inhaled and breathed out calmly, switching back to vojeye.

You broke vojeye in the presence of your Maudra, she signed. Thats a start, no?

Rek'yr bit his tongue behind his tightly pulled lips.

I understand youre scared, she signed, stepping closer to him. But these are desperate times, which call for desperate measures.

He looked down, shuffling his feet and crossing his arms. She stepped close enough that he would see her hands.

The world is changing, she signed, causing him to look up to her. Can you not taste it in the water that gives us life? See it in the shifting sands as they shift our landscapes? Smell it on the winds that carry our breath?

She took his hands in hers and gave them a heartfelt squeeze. Her reassurance was returned in kind though he was still unsure. And it showed on his face.

What once was is now no more, she continued.

All the more reason to preserve it, he said.

Our way of life is preserved, she said. In the carvings of these ancient halls. In the history penned by our people, which we will take with us. A new age is dawning, and with it we must change our own way of life or be lost in the dunes of time.

Not everyone sees it that way, he responded.

It will take time, she signed. It will be difficult, but we will prevail.