Lightless Path

Chapter 3: Climbing to Salvation

      Here's the next part, please enjoy and thanks for reading!

Mae drew her arms across her face and swayed her body side to side precariously. The ritual dance was supposed to reflect the story of the first Celestial Queen being filled with Alathan's light. The New Moon was the start of the dance and the beginning of their enlightenment. She doubted the ritual had been some sort of instant knowing gifted to them by Alathan. After all, why would it need a somatic aspect for the ritual to engage if its energy source was divine?

She nearly missed the next step in the dance before she quickly tilted her head back and curved her left arm across her stomach as she raised her right arm. She balanced on her right foot and gracefully turned in a circle moving to her right—stepping on the waxing crescent moon. Nystaryl's dance mimicked her own but moved away to the left. Mae watched her reflection in the obsidian black floor, little twinkle around her slightly white glowing form caught her eye in the floors dark depths. The pressure in the room increased and squeezed her neck. Her vision swam, and she was barely able to draw breath.

She flicked her eyes to Nystaryl in a panic, nearly slipping as she arched backward and lifted her leg high. Instinctively, her arms flicked out to catch herself and she pushed them further behind herself hoping the move looked inconspicuous to the Selenes. Nystaryl was too enmeshed in her own dance to offer any aid. Mae felt like her heart was about to explode and a high ringing screamed in her ears. No one would reach her in time before she collapsed. Black spots swam in her vision, Alathan! Please help me!

Her legs nearly gave out under her weight, but the force squeezing her neck lightened as it pulled her forward. She sucked in air greedily, the urge to stop the ritual right there burned deeply. The Selenes were perched silently in their seats watching her intently, had they seen her fumble? Mae checked her positioning to Nystaryl, who was already at the half moon position, ahead of her by two phases. How long had she held that arched position?

She let her eyes focus on Alathan's symbol dead center of their lunar circle—a quarter moon cradling the sun. Mae lost her breath when her feet lost contact with the floor an intense burning filling her chest. Unable to call out, she felt herself rise into the air and a tingling sensation flared into a burning pain that spread throughout her body. White flashed before her vision and she felt her weight released.

It took her a moment to regain her senses when she was returned to her feet, her balance was off, and she couldn't tell what direction she was facing until a Selene steadied her shoulder.

"To your knees pure moon," the woman spoke softly. Mae appreciated the assistance down to her knees, Nystaryl had finished her dance and kneeled already before the three Selenes in silent prayer.

Mae kept her eyes on the women, her head felt heavy and she felt as if her body was sapped of energy. Maybe I did need Alathan to remove my magical bindings. In theory, her magic had been bound at birth, it hurt, but she figured that was more due to the fact that the ritual had cleared out the dammed magical flow.

"What has Alathan woven in the stars for us Pure Moons?" The three Selenes intoned. The cue for the opening prayers of their ceremony had begun.

"The strength of our love and faith," Mae said in unison with Nystaryl, relieved the ritual hadn't stopped for the strange event, she wasn't quite sure what happened despite her suspicions. Mae knew she should press her hands together in supplication, yet the urge to fold them in her lap was stronger so she did that instead.

The Selenes clapped once. The ritual chamber was left in silence.

"That we will love nature and people equally. In our hearts, we are all one family. One beating heart." Mae swore she sounded breathy in comparison to Nystaryl. The pressure from the room was completely gone and she felt almost too light.