Chapter 47 - Passing the Torch

The chamber of the Great Mother was bleak and devoid of decoration, even the glowing plants from her den were absent. In the center of the room was a raised earthen mound where she laid, her black tattered cloak covered in dried blood and vomit. Down here with the limited air, Agog could not light a fire and the air in the room was already dangerously thin. She was suffocating before their eyes and yet the trapdoor opening did not rush air into the chamber. These tunnels made for desperate situations intentionally lacked ventilation, but the upper levels were still choked with thick smoke.

“Ma…” Agog stepped forward, “Vinaraeya has come back.”

The haggard face of the Great Mother turned to look in her direction, the wrinkled face and leathery skin seemingly having begun to melt as the flesh sagged off her face. Her stomach twisted and the sense of pain flowed through her. She was suffering and waiting for her.

You know what you have to do.

Belo’s voice echoed within her. Was it the flames above that enabled him to reach out? Was it that ‘inner flame’? No. She recognized the source of his power, enabling him to reach out to her. In her withered hand was a red crystal. The same sort of crystal that Cake had used to draw upon the power of the god. The crystalline fragment of Belos’ beckoned to her. As the Great Mother struggled to sit up and failed, her body already at its limit, she let out a raspy gasp, “Vinaraeya… come. Tell me… why have you returned with your trial unfinished?”

She stepped forward and Ruha grabbed the hem of her tunic, “Do not break her spirit. Accept it as I have accepted my fate.”

Ruha had wanted power. She wanted nothing more than to be special and did all she could to advance in the tribe. Now that she had taken her father’s place it seemed strange that a young child would be capable of chastising her. Such purpose, such a sense of direction, to throw herself without fear. Ruha was willing to risk her life for what she wanted. It was hard not to be jealous of her. She knew what she wanted.

“Ruha…” She looked down at the small girl, “My life was supposed to be one of suffering for something a different me, in a different world, had done. Even so, that me had saved someone who suffered even more. For years, I accepted my misery and my place until the last scrap of myself was to be taken away. Leaf, the Great Mother, and Belos have awakened me and now I have begun to find myself.”

“And what have you found?”

“That I am alive. That I want a family. That I want a warren. That I want to bring happiness and safety to our land. Even if I was born a noble, even if I was a hero in another life. What I am is not who I am. I am Raeyn, one who walks with our enemy and awaits the direction of Belos, to save this land.”

“Have you taken a life?” Agog asked.

“In a way. I was lit on fire by a Dark Elf and clung to their body. The flames leapt and consumed us both.” She felt Ruha’s hand fall away at the mention of the fire, “My own hand? No.”

The Great Mother let out a heavy cough, fresh blood trickling down the side of her mouth, her eyes fixated on Raeyn, “Have you saved a life?”

“Yes. Of another priestess. A female Mahn named Violetta.” She said, “I was ready to die for her. I do not know why but I was willing to die to save her, the same way I would die to save the warren.”

“One would have thought the newborn was enough,” Agog explained, “She was the one you were with that night. The Dark Elf you speak of, was he with them?”

“Yes. He betrayed her and killed the others and was about to kill her as well.” She explained to the Great Mother as much as Agog, “We went to their settlement, and I was tested by a powerful noble. I do not know how, but I know that Maelyn’s blessing is part of me. Perhaps I can save you.”

“You’ll kill her.” Agog protested.

“I would not! The same power healed my burned hand. I know the blessed word.” She explained.

“Child,” The Great Mother began, “The flame is best passed when the other torch is extinguished. Belos has no need for two bright torches in this land.”

“No… that can’t be right.” She shook her head, “I won’t kill you. That makes no sense! On the surface a bunch of Dwellin want to see and thank you for all you have done. You just need to be healed and rest until you are well.”

Ruha said flatly, “You did it in one life. Now you are being ordered to do it again.”

“No. No. I refuse. This is not right. You said she was dying. You two brought me down here to finish her off? I won’t do it. This is not right.”

“Child, you have not yet completed your trial for Belos. Take the crystal and don the necklace. Listen well and you will see that it is his way. By taking my life, even in these final moments, you will forever know the weight and burden of your mission. It is one thing to take after me, but it is quite another to be burdened with the memory. It will keep you true.”

“No! No! No!” She shook her head furiously, “I refuse to kill you. You saved me. You saved us all a long time ago. You are the guardian of this land. You are a hero.”

“You are still a child at heart,” Agog shook his head, “Disrespecting your elders and your god. Instead of listening, you are protesting and refusing like a petulant child. Ruha here has been more mature since long before you showed up. She abandoned her childhood for responsibility and her purpose. If you have not yet completed the trial then perhaps it is too soon, but the time has come.”

“Belos’ wanted me to deceive and kill my slaver.” She said, “I have become friends with her, and she owes me her life. Belos’ has not told me what to do, but I have listened to him so far.”

“Slaver?” Ruha crossed her arms while holding the mace, “You mean Mudohoon?”

“I believe he meant Violetta.” She explained, “As she had me on a length of rope.”

“The one who ostracized you and forced you to live as you did, was Mudohoon. Perhaps you misunderstood?” Agog concluded.

“Belos is wild and fickle, but he enjoys being cryptic. This… Violetta. She is a priestess. Has she expressed any intention to bind you as a slave?” The Great Mother tried to calm her, but each word pained her to speak.

“She let me go and said she does not bind children. Eighteen is still a child to them. Not until they have a year for each of their hands and toes do they call themselves adults. Such strange creatures” She scoffed and continued, “I wanted to kill her when I saw her. As Belos spoke to me, so I believed it was her I had to kill. I have been waiting for him to impart his will again. Though perhaps she is not my slaver after all. It seems Mudohoon was waiting for that moment and had all but shackled me in advance. That is until the Great Mother saved me in my final hours.”

The Great Mother raised her hand with the crystal, “Take this and you will always have him close to your heart. No matter what Belos advises, you will find yourself with the strength while you wear this.”

As she took the necklace, the Great Mother’s hand closed and gave her a reassuring if feeble squeeze, “Vinaraeya. Every powerful priestess in this world carries a fragment of their god with them. The fire inside me comes from this crystal. A part of myself dwells within it and once you take it from my hand, my life will end. This is the Torch. The heart of the volcano. A piece of Belos himself.”

She tried to pull away as she realized what taking it would do, “Stop… I don’t want to… I don’t want to! I don't want to kill you for power.”

“My body is withered and spent; it is but kindling for the fire. You have found your place and your purpose. Now you only need the will to see it through.”

“Please! Not like this. I am not ready.” She pulled harder but stopped as the Great Mother shifted towards the edge of the earthen mound, “I don’t want this!”

“If you lack the will then the whole of this land will fall. A guardian is not perfect, not without fault. You will have your hands stained with blood. This world requires suffering, and I have suffered enough. Let me die. Please. Let me fulfill my final duty and die.”

Hot tears rolled down her face as the Great Mother pleaded.

“Great Mother. Am I to be a demon? Am I going to lead to the deaths of thousands? Why does this path seem to lead to bloodshed?”

“That is between Belos and yourself. The one called Maelyn is but another you will have to deal with. As for the one called Rynathalia, whose bonds are incredibly strong on your soul, you will also have to face.”

“Rynathalia?” She did not understand the name, “Who is that?”

“That will be for you to figure out,” The Great Mother pushed the necklace into the palm of her hand, “Now, grasp the crystal and listen to Belos.”

She did not want to, but she grasped the crystal and felt it burn into her skin, yet she did not pull away out of fear of it sticking to her skin, “What is happening?”

Vinaraeya, hold firm as the power of Kikulani engraves itself into your being. You are my agent, my guardian to the green ones. Protect my precious adopted children. Take the Torch and the greater power to protect yourself and the people of this land from the grim deeds of Mahn.

“I don’t want to be a guardian if it means killing the Great Mother!”

Such a pity, your resolve so easily wavers. Same as before. Have you learned nothing in these last few days? You are weak. And your weakness only furthers her suffering. Complete the ritual and free her. Accept the power and the will she imparts with her dying breath! Do not break the chain. Do not let the flame die like this. Accept it and face reality.

“Please Belos! Please! I don’t want to. I don’t want to!”

Then I will give my power to another. To the only other one possible. To Ruha. One so fragile, so desperate. She'll kill them all or die trying. And it will all be because you lacked the resolve. You have the potential, the power, and the makings of a proper guardian. Accept reality. Accept this burden and protect everyone. Accept the will of Kikulani and become my High Priestess.

“No!” Raeyn shook her head, “This is wrong. Everything about this is wrong.”

Another voice echoed from deep within her, the voice of Maelyn. Unlike the dream where the voice pretended to be her, she knew that this warmth, this compassion was true. With strange words, imparting only meaning through her, the incomprehensible utterances of the Goddess filled her with grim resolve.

“Maelyn… this is different from that time, but… I accept.” She wiped the tears streaming down her face with her left hand, “Great Mother! I accept. I will do my best to protect this land and our people.”

“Thank you, Vinaraeya.” The Great Mother closed her eyes and let go at last.

She raised her right hand, and a surge of fire erupted from the Great Mother’s chest, a swirling fireball that shifted and was pulled into the crystal. The scorching flame enrobed her right hand and emblazoned three burn marks on the back of her hand. For a brief moment, the Great Mother’s form seemed to rise into the air and dissipated in a burst of light.

Darkness reclaimed the room and the brilliant white light which had blinded her gave way to the soft dull grays. The body of the Great Mother was visibly crumbling to dust before her. Her arm had already become a pile of black soot at her foot. Piece by piece, her body began to crumble as embers burned within until the husk fell in and resembled a dying campfire.

“Ma…” Agog fell to his knees and sobbed, “MA!”

Ruha wiped the hot tears in her eyes and sniffled, “Carry that weight, Vinaraeya.”

Dropping to her knees, she cried and clutched the crystal in her right hand tightly. Some fragment of the Great Mother was instilled in that crystal, and so were countless other fragments of other Great Mothers. The whole of the largest chamber could not support them if they were made real. It was as if the weight of hundreds of sympathizing thoughts resounded through the crystal. Goblins and Dwellin alike, thousands of moons, thousands of years worth of lives, all belonging to the guardians of this land, left their mark and a piece of their soul in the crystal. It was a heavy burden but now marked by the flame as a true guardian and not just one simply chosen by Belos, she felt proud to receive such a blessing. Though she did not feel it, she was now a High Priestess. Now, she needed to find the will to do it.

“Ruha.” She sniffed and fought back the tears, “I am going to leave the tribe to you. I am going to go into the dungeon, find the Magnesia and then deal with Mudohoon.”

“Yes, High Priestess Vinaraeya.” Ruha nodded

“It is Raeyn.” She turned and smiled, “I have yet to complete my trial. No hard feelings, but I think Belo’s given us both our places in one way or another. I cannot be a crybaby forever. Sorry, but I am going to burn your dad to a crisp.”

“No need to be cocky,” Ruha smirked, “Raeyn. One last thing before you go.”

“Yes?”

“He took the last of the Bura women and the keys to the fortress. He has my mother, and I don’t know why. Bring her back if you can. If you can’t, make sure he suffers. If you don’t make it back, I will be forced to come after him myself.”

She started to head out and nodded to Ruha as she passed, “I will do what I can, Chieftainess Ruha.”