Chaos and uncertainty remain in the aftermath of the Balisekt War. With the Lands of Order in such a fragile state, the tribal races turn to Tranquility, their holy land, for guidance and stability. However, war has left the Temple more shaken than...
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When the sun came up the next morning, Ilderra's life completely changed. She awoke in her own bed, in her own hut, but she knew it would be for the last time. Tellwyn was still asleep in the bed beside her as dawn came. Her centaurian student seemed so peaceful as she slept. It seemed rest came easy to those whose lives hadn't been shattered. Unfortunately, Tellwyn's rest didn't last much longer, for there was soon a great deal of commotion in the tiny hut.
Ilderra was still stretching her muscles when a trio of human acolytes pushed past the animal skin covering her doorway. There were two men and a woman. The men carried half-filled sacks slung over their shoulders. The woman held in her hands a finely made robe of silver cloth. The small amount of light shining through the open doorway caused the fabric to shimmer.
All of the commotion caused Tellwyn to jerk violently awake. Her hooves swung out of her large bed and landed on the dirt floor. "What's going on?" she asked groggily.
"High Priestess Ilderra, your caravan awaits," the female acolyte said.
Ilderra felt her body go numb. It was the first time a stranger had addressed her by her new title. It was just two words, but those words landed upon her shoulders with the weight of a mountain. When her eyes opened that morning, there was a brief moment where she hoped the previous day's events had all just been a bad dream. But it wasn't. Her nightmare was real.
The female acolyte held out the robes towards Ilderra, bowing her head respectively in the process. As Ilderra took the garments, she studied the young girl's face. She was remembering when she'd seen this acolyte come to the Temple. It was only two summers ago. The thought made her heart hurt, for it reminded her that there were no human priestesses in all the forest, and she was the most seasoned of all human acolytes. All of these events had come together perfectly to thrust her into this position, and she silently cursed her fate. Ilderra took the robes, giving thanks to the acolyte.
The two men stepped forward. "Let us know what belongings you wish to bring with you to Meadowgold," the one on her right said.
"We will see them safely packed for your journey," the other added.
"You are very kind, all of you," she said humbly. "May I please have a moment alone to prepare?"
"Of course, high priestess," one of the men confirmed. All three bowed before leaving the hut. In a moment, it was just Ilderra and Tellwyn again, as it used to be.
As it was meant to be.
"So, this is it then," Tellwyn said after a deep breath.
Ilderra nodded but gave no verbal response. She kept her eyes down, not wanting her former student to see the fear behind them. She was supposed to be a symbol of strength and surety now, a foundation upon which the entire human civilization would build their lives.
Tellwyn put her hands on Ilderra's shoulders. "You're going to be fine," she said calmly. "The Lady watches over you, and will not let you fail."
"I hope you're right," Ilderra said, choking back her tears. "I hope you're right."
