The Trinity War (Book 3 of the Trinity series)

Chapter 24

Gerrard and I exited Jeya's home feeling down. I had initially wanted to stay in Aghbad not for my training in how to master fire, but to find more information about my mother. Now that I had that information, I felt like I was grasping at thin air. I was in no way closer to finding an answer than I had been at the start of this journey. And it was already October. I had already wasted two months. Time was ticking away quickly and I was afraid that my mission would be left unresolved. 

"Caley!" I heard my name being called. I looked up to see Meekhail walking towards us with some of the other palace guards. 

"Meekhail," I said, nodding at him. 

"The Sultan has asked me to show you around the city. He will be making his speech shortly and then the real festivities will begin," he told me. 

I glanced at Gerrard. 

"Let's do it. We need a good distraction right now," he said to me. 

I couldn't have agreed more. So we for the next half hour, we followed Meekhail around as he showed us various landmarks in the city and explained to us what exactly this festival was for. 

"The Festival of Lights is an ancient tradition started by our ancestors to honor the new generation of witches and wizards. Since it is nearing the end of October now, and the Harvest Moon, or as you may know it, the Yellow Moon, is at its fullest, a new generation of witches and wizards will be receiving their powers tonight. This festival honors that," Meekhail explained to us. 

"The entire city comes out to honor the new generation?" I asked, slightly in awe at the incredible amount of nationality that the city had. Meekhail nodded.

"It is custom for most magical communities to honor the new generation of Magii. Each community has a different way of celebrating the milestone, but everyone celebrates it nonetheless," Meekhail said. 

"And you celebrate by lighting lanterns, right? Is that because this is a fire nation?" I asked. 

"That is one of the reasons," he replied.

"What's the other one?" Gerrard asked.

"It really looks quite spectacular," he answered with a smile. I felt the corners of my mouth tug up as well. I decided I liked Meekhail. He was nicer than most of the other guards. 

All around us, the city was alive. It seemed like everyone was outdoors, enjoying each other's company. The smell of fire, food, and wine filled the air. I dodged a couple of children that were running aroun, chasing after one another with fire cracklers. I smiled as I watched them run off. On the side street, a folk band was playing music, except instead of actually playing the instruments themselves, they were using magic to make them move and create sound. 

I fell in step with Meekhail. 

"I have a question," I said to him.

"Ask away," he said.

"How is it that the moon supplies our powers? I thought that was Mother Nature's job?" I asked. 

"Well, the moon is actually part of Mother Nature. That is vital to understand. The sun, the moon, the trees, the earth, the stars, the animals. All of it is a part of Madra Nurtura, or Mother Nature. We live in a natural world with powers of its own and only on special nights are these powers at their height," Meekhail told me.

"So why this night? Why is it that it's only the night of the full moon at the end of October, or the Harvest Moon, or the Yellow Moon or whatever you want to call it. Why is it that this moon is the one that supplies powers to the new generation of Magii?" I asked.