Chapter 4: Calling of the moon
Mengkai was standing in a vast nothingness. He wasn't distressed by this, however, quite the contrary. It was like a void or perhaps a sphere where he was enclosed, surrounded by delicate lavender color. There seemed to be no end to it and Mengkai was all alone. Strangely, he was standing on a surface of water and it felt as solid as ground beneath his cloven hooves. It was like a clouded mirror, Mengkai could just barely see his figure reflected by the water. Needless to say, the space was an odd one, but Mengkai felt calm and safe. He started to walk, his steps creating ripples on the surface of the water that would soon fade. He didn't know why he was in there, but he could sense that there was a purpose.
He kept looking around, trying to spot even the tiniest anomaly in that empty space. He didn't have to keep seeking for answers for long when something appeared in the air just a little bit further away from him. This caused him to stop on his tracks and he stared at the silvery glow. It took the form of a sphere and for some reason it felt really familiar to Mengkai. Somehow he knew what it was. Then the realization struck him like a lightning; it was the moon. The same silvery orb he had seen in the sky before he had fallen asleep. But even with this recognition, Mengkai felt such familiarity towards the moon he couldn't explain to himself. It was like it was part of him in some way.
Then silvery dust began to fall from the great sphere, glimmering beautifully like a treasure. It was almost like silvery snow and this dust fell on Mengkai, blessing him. He let it all shower on him, feeling such serenity he hadn't felt ever before, at least he thought so. He still had no memories of his past. But as he stood there and the moon shed its light on him, he could sense that this had something to do with his origin. How exactly, the answer for that was slipping away from him.
Everything had been quiet around him so far, but suddenly he could hear a sound. It was soft and gentle, even though Mengkai couldn't distinguish any words. And in his ears, it sounded like a voice of a mother, there just was something nurturing and strong about it.
“Who are you?” Mengkai managed to utter, his voice echoing in the empty space.
But the sound didn't answer him. Or it tried, but was unable to speak with words he could understand. And Mengkai truly wanted to know what this entity was saying, he felt like it was important. Then he saw how something was shifting on the surface of the moon. An eye appeared on it, a yellow cat's eye. It looked like it could see right into his very soul. Before Mengkai had the time to think about what he was witnessing, everything was suddenly gone and he faced darkness.
He opened his eyes. It took him a second to register where he was, but finally he became aware of his surroundings as he stared at the wooden ceiling above him. He was in the guest room of the manor where Ihtiriekko and Flamenial lived. Kelith, Raiica and him had all got their own rooms. At first it had felt a little strange to split up like that, they had stuck together ever since Ihtiriekko found them in the forest. But this had given them a little bit of taste of what it was like to be an individual. Still, even though they had got separated just for the night, Mengkai felt odd longing because Kelith and Raiica weren't there with him in the same room. Whatever origin and connection they shared, their bond was clearly a strong one.
Mengkai realized that it was morning. The sun had begun its ascend to the sky, but its first beams of light had already infiltrated through the window of Mengkai's room. He cranked his body up to sit and looked at the window. When he had seen the sky from it the last time, it had been totally different, like dark velvet, and the full moon had shone its mysterious light on the sleeping world below. The moon…
What Mengkai had just seen while unconscious started to flood back to his mind. Was it a dream? Or was the vision something else entirely? He pondered this for a moment, but no matter how hard he tried, he just couldn't understand what was the meaning of his vision. It felt important but he didn't know how. This frustrated him to some extent, but then he figured that he wasn't alone. Maybe he could talk about this to Kelith and Raiica. If his vision truly did have something to do with his origin, it most likely concerned his companions as well. And perhaps, it was possible they had seen similar dreams, too.
He pulled the sheets aside and he hopped off the bed, his cloven hooves clattering against the floor. He wondered whether Kelith and Raiica were awake yet. Only one way to find out. Mengkai left his comfortable little room, opening the door that creaked slightly, finding himself from a hallway. There were a handful of doors that could be accessed from this hallway and the three creatures had got rooms that were right next to each other. Mengkai didn't have to seek for his companions from far away, it took him just a few steps to stand in front of Kelith's room. He carefully knocked on the door and waited. Kelith's white figure soon appeared as she opened the door.
“Did I wake you up?” Mengkai asked quietly.
“No, not really”, Kelith replied. “I've been up for a moment.” She tilted her head a little. “What do you have in mind?”
“I wanted to talk with you and Raiica about something”, Mengkai explained.
Before he even tried to knock on the door of Raiica's room, the cat was already peeking from the gap of the door; she had heard the silent exchange of words.
“What's going on?” Raiica asked curiously and opened the door some more.
“I have something to tell you”, Mengkai said. “Maybe we should gather in Kelith's room?”
“Alright”, Raiica responded and stepped outside to the hallway. Kelith opened the door to her room, giving free access for her companions. Once everyone was inside, she closed the door, although she knew there weren't really people who could eavesdrop on their conversation; the only people in the manor were Ihtiriekko and Flamenial.
“So. What did you want to talk about?” Kelith inquired.
Mengkai began to describe his dream. The nothingness, the moon and its dust and the warm voice speaking to him, the sensations he felt and then the yellow eye he had seen before the scene faded from his view. He tried his best to explain everything as how he had sensed, but it was a challenging task. Nonetheless, Kelith and Raiica seemed to understand what he was telling them.
“Did you two have dreams last night?” Mengkai asked once his story was over.
Kelith and Raiica shook their heads. For some reason Mengkai felt a little disappointed. Perhaps he had hoped that they had seen something similar and could have put the pieces of the puzzle together as a group.
Kelith was able to read his disappointed expression and said: “Maybe someone around here can help you to decipher your dream. We could ask Flamenial, perhaps she can help.”
Mengkai swayed his ears in excitement. “That's a good idea. What do you think, is she already awake?”
Raiica shrugged. “Well, let's go downstairs and look for her.”
The three creatures left Kelith's room, emerging to the hallway again. Under the silent guidance of the portraits of people of the past that were watching them with their stationary gazes, they walked through the corridor, heading towards the stairs leading down. The manor was quiet, only the clanking of Mengkai's cloven hooves brought some noise to the building. Eventually the trio reached the stairs and began their slow descent. They came to the entrance hall and from there, they took the turn to a right corridor, the same where Flamenial had guided them yesterday.
The trio managed to find their way to the dining hall and that's where they luckily found the dwarf, humming and immersed in setting the table for four people.
Flamenial did notice the trio approaching and said cheerfully: “Good morning! Did you sleep well?”
All three nodded.
“That's good”, she commented and began to walk away to another room, presumably to the kitchen. “Please, sit down, I'll bring you breakfast.”
Wanting to remain polite, the trio did as she had suggested and sat down side by side on the three spots Flamenial had assigned for them, marked with tea cups waiting to be filled. They waited quietly for the dwarf to reappear and it didn't take long for Flamenial to come back, carrying a tray. She placed it on the table in front of the trio and they curiously looked at what she had brought to them. Flamenial picked up the teakettle and started to fill the cups with tea, while there were slices of bread waiting to be snatched along with some delicacy. The trio wasn't sure what it was, but it looked delicious; it was a baked goody that had blue berries in it.
“There you go”, Flamenial said as she placed the kettle back on the tray and she sat down, in the opposite direction from the trio. “Eat as much as you like, there's more in the kitchen.”
“Thank you”, all three said almost in unison, their words getting a little jumbled up because of it. But the point came across and so the trio reached for their first slices of bread and began to eat.
A silent moment passed by as the trio and Flamenial enjoyed their breakfast. That was when Raiica decided to open her mouth.
“May I ask, why isn't Ihtiriekko with us?” she asked.
Flamenial looked a little apologetic. “She's still meditating. It's not a good idea to disturb her.” She then stared at the contents of her cup and a concerned expression crept on her face. “I'm starting to get worried, though. I'm not sure if she has ever meditated this long. Something is troubling her and if she is troubled by something, it is serious.”
“She began meditating right after she brought us here”, Kelith mumbled. “Does that mean she has concerns about us?”
“I don't know”, Flamenial responded and shook her head. “Whatever she has in mind, we just have to wait.”
Silence fell over the dining hall again. The three creatures focused on eating for some time and so did Flamenial. They ate their slices of bread and curiously snatched pieces of the other delicacy that had been waiting on the tray.
“What is this?” Kelith asked before she took a bite out of the piece of food.
“Oh, it's a traditional cake by my people, I baked it with my own hands!” Flamenial responded, seeming a bit more cheerful now that the topic changed. “I'm sure you'll like it.”
Encouraged by her words, the trio decided to taste the sweet delicacy.
“It's delicious”, Raiica commented while munching on her piece of cake.
Flamenial smiled radiantly, pleased by the compliment. “Thank you. I love to bake.”
The three creatures quietly finished their breakfast. When every crumb of bread and cake had been eaten and the last drop of tea drank, the trio then looked intently at Flamenial, preparing to ask her the question that had lingered in their heads.
“Flamenial, we have something to ask from you”, Mengkai said.
“Oh? What is it?” The dwarf had been in the middle of collecting the tea cups and placing them on the tray, but now looked at the trio curiously.
“Do you… happen to know anyone who understands dreams?” Mengkai asked.
A serious expression spread on Flamenial's face as she pondered this for a moment. “Hmm… I don't really know. Lady Ihtiriekko could possibly help, but… you know. There is, however, a magic user in the village. I think she's your best bet. Her name's Verha.”
Feeling a little bit of hope in his heart, Mengkai nodded. “Thank you. Where can we find her?”
“She lives in the southern part of the village. You can easily find her house because there's a huge bell on the roof”, Flamenial said.
“The house with the bell, got it”, Raiica repeated the instructions. “Thank you so much, Flamenial, for all the things you've done for us.”
The dwarf smiled again. “I'm glad I could help.”
“Well, I suppose it's time for us to go”, Kelith said and she stood up. Mengkai and Raiica followed her example and they were ready to go.
“I hope you'll get answers for whatever you're seeking”, Flamenial stated and she hopped on the floor, picked up the tray from the table and started to wander towards the kitchen.
As her small figure disappeared, the three creatures left the dining hall and headed outside the manor. They walked to the entrance hall and pushed open the double doors that led outside. The early morning sun welcomed them as they stepped away from the manor's gentle shadow and all three took deep breaths, inhaling the fresh air. Sparkling dews still decorated the plants, the sun hadn't evaporated them just yet. Birds were singing their early songs and clouds were rolling by in the bright sky. It was such a beautiful morning, almost making the trio feel like there were no worries at all in this world. They took a moment to just enjoy everything around them, but after a while they began to walk to the southern part of the Village of Newfound Hope.
Some people were already doing their early chores, the trio noticed as they walked through the village. They still got curious looks from the people, though it wasn't surprising, they had arrived at the village just yesterday. Some people even waved at them and greeted them with a friendly tone. It brought warmth to the hearts of the trio, because it made them feel accepted. They returned these courteous gestures as they walked around and somehow, their morning seemed even more beautiful.
Although the trio was looking for Verha, they enjoyed their little stroll around the village. It felt almost like a place from a fairy tale as it basked in the light of the golden morning sun. Eventually they got in sight of a house that had a construction on the roof where a blue bell was hanging. The three creatures couldn't help but wonder what was the purpose of the bell; why only this house had one? It looked a little magical as the rays of the sun made it glimmer. It had captivated the gazes of the trio as they approached the front door of the building. Raiica knocked on the door and then they waited.
Soon enough the door creaked open and a woman peeked from the gap. She was an older one, her long hair had started to turn grey. She was wearing a beautiful blue dress. It appeared that she had been a pretty woman in her youth, for sure, even though a nasty scar ran across her right side of the face, even her right eye was missing. Her left eye was startlingly bright blue and there was a curious look in it as she stared at the three strange creatures knocking on her door.
“Yes? How can I help you?” she asked with a resonant voice.
“Sorry to disturb your morning like this, but we're looking for Verha. Is that you?” Kelith inquired.
The old woman nodded. “Yes, I'm Verha. What can I do for you?”
The three creatures exchanged glances with each other, as if not being sure how to proceed from there.
“We have something to ask you”, Kelith continued. “Can we… possibly come inside?”
“Of course, of course”, Verha said and she stepped aside so the trio could freely walk in.
“Thak you”, Kelith uttered as she and her companions moved past the old woman and reached the insides of her house.
Verha closed the door behind them and the curious three creatures looked around. It was a cozy little clean house, about what you would expect from an old woman. She had lots of ornamental objects scattered around, on the shelves, walls and on tables. She also had a few unusual-looking potted plants, placed near the windows so the sunlight could reach them. A decorative clock was ticking on the wall, its pendulum was almost mesmerizing to look at.
“You are certainly peculiar little fellows”, Verha stated. “I have traveled quite a lot and have never seen anything like you.”
“Well, we don't know where we are from”, Raiica said, explaining once again their situation. “We just woke up in the forest with no memories of who we are. Ihtiriekko brought us here.”
“I see…” There was a curious sparkle in Verha's only eye. The trio got this odd sensation that even though she had just one eye, she still was somehow able to look deeper than the other villagers. “Anyway. You can sit down there”, she said and gestured with her hand in the direction of a bench that was standing next to a table.
The trio did just that, sitting on the assigned bench side by side, while Verha turned her rocking chair to face their direction before she sat down as well. She looked at them with great interest and then she asked: “So, what did you little ones want to ask from me?”
“You're a magic user, correct?” Mengkai inquired.
“That's right”, Verha answered. “You surely have noticed the flowers decorating the buildings in this village. That's my work.”
The three creatures looked at her with amazement in their eyes. They didn't know anything about magic, it was something mysterious and new, so seeing what you could do with it was incredible to them.
A smile appeared on Verha's face; she seemed to appreciate the soundless compliments of the trio. “But I'm sure that's not what you wanted to ask from me. Go on, tell me the real reason why you're here.”
“Do you happen to understand dreams?” Mengkai uttered the question, his ears sprung up from anticipation.
“I see, you had a dream that felt important somehow, am I right?” Verha stated. When Mengkai nodded, she continued: “Unfortunately I lack the skills to interpret dreams.”
“Oh…” Mengkai's ears slumped down from disappointment. Kelith and Raiica appeared saddened by this as well.
“However.” Verha's voice caught the attention of the trio again and they looked at her. “You can still tell me about it. I may be able to give you some answers.”
“Oh, that would be great, thank you!” Mengkai exclaimed.
He then began to describe his dream. Verha listened carefully, it was like she wasn't even blinking her eye during Mengkai's narration. Eventually, when he was done, Verha remained quiet for a moment.
“I think what you saw was a vision from a deity”, Verha said, breaking the silence. “From Goddess of Moon, I presume.”
This answer baffled the trio, but mostly Mengkai. They knew nothing about deities, but also, why would one try to reach him in his dreams? He still didn't know what it meant or if it had anything to do with the origin of him and his companions. Could it be that this Goddess of Moon held the truth about them all?
“How much do you know about gods?” Verha asked like the trio were an open book she could read.
“Nothing”, Kelith muttered.
They recalled that Ihtiriekko had mentioned the Mother Goddess when they had escaped the Forest of Cursed Cries. Also, Iirenz had brought up the God of Wind in his story regarding the forest's tale. But that was everything they had heard, just names said in passing.
“If you really don't know a thing about gods, you truly are out of place”, Verha stated. “Everyone knows about our deities and generally all people worship them. It differs from region to region depending on which one they favor, though. There are, of course, some misled people that have no faith in any god, but they're a sorry lot. After all, we can thank the gods for all the things we can enjoy in life, the sun, the rains, bountiful harvests, enough fish in the streams… Everything.”
“Which gods do you worship?” Raiica asked curiously.
“Me? God of Wisdom, of course”, Verha answered and looked satisfied for some reason as if her statement was worthy of praise. “And the Mother Goddess. Of course, I respect all deities, but I am most devoted to those two.”
“Ihtiriekko mentioned the Mother Goddess when she escorted us from the forest. What is she like?” Kelith inquired.
“Oh, Mother Goddess in the greatest of all and the holiest figure there is”, Verha responded eagerly. “Her true name is Azimiva and she came from somewhere beyond the ocean of stars. She created our world, named Evanthel, and all the other deities. Almost everything you see is the work of Mother Goddess. Of course, the other deities have crafted bits of Evanthel as well, but mostly we can thank Mother Goddess for all the wonderful things we have. However, creating everything took an enormous amount of energy, so much that our mortal minds can't possibly ever comprehend it, and Mother Goddess fell into a deep slumber. She is still sleeping to this day while the other deities look after Evanthel.”
The trio was completely captivated by the old woman's words. Even after she had uttered her last sentence, the three creatures stared at her with awe. They were slowly getting a better understanding of the world around them. Everything was still so new and shrouded in mystery, but it was like they were following bread crumbs, gradually making progress on their dim path.
“Anyway…” The old woman eyed the trio curiously. “About your dream, I think you should consult Ihtiriekko. She is an overseer, one of the beings that look after Evanthel and protects it. They have the closest affinity with gods than any other race.”
“Ihtiriekko, huh…” Mengkai's mood darkened a little. Who knows when they could have a word with her. “Flamenial said that she is meditating and shouldn't be disturbed. But we will talk to her when we can.”
Verha nodded slowly. “She probably has sensed something about you three. I'm only guessing here, however, but you three are more mysterious than you appear; there is definitely a great force behind your origin. You are not ordinary beings. Even I can tell.” She then looked directly at Kelith. “You, white raven. Are you aware that you can use magic?”
All three were completely surprised by this, but especially Kelith. Both of her companions turned to look at her. “Me? How… how can you tell?”
A smile appeared on the old woman's face. “When you're good enough of a mage, you can tell if someone else is capable of using magic. It flows all around us, but only some exceptional souls can harness its power. You all probably have hidden talents you're not aware of, since you have no memories. But there is great potential in all of you.”
The three creatures had come to visit Verha regarding Mengkai's dream. They didn't get the answers they had been hoping for, but instead, they got caught up in a net of bewilderment. It was strange how much an old woman with only one eye was able to see. But they were interesting to her, that much was certain, and perhaps that's why she had been so helpful.
“Could you… probably teach me how to use magic?” Kelith asked, sounding really hopeful.
“Yes, I can help with the basics”, Verha consented. “Maybe it will rattle something in your brain and help you remember. Come visit me tomorrow. I need to prepare.”
Kelith nodded in agreement. There was an excited sparkle in her violet eyes. “Thank you – for everything. See you tomorrow.”
“Have a nice day, all of you”, Verha said as the trio started to get on their feet.
“You too”, Kelith uttered to her and waved her hand as a sign for goodbye, her companions following her lead.
The three creatures were soon basking in the golden glow of the morning sun. Their visit to Verha's place had been a brief one, but somehow it still felt like it had lasted far longer. They all felt a little baffled, but Mengkai and Raiica could see the excitement in Kelith's eyes. At least one of them had found a missing piece of themselves. Mengkai and Raiica were happy for her, but felt also a little envious; they had thought that they could stay on the same line, that they could figure everything out at the same time, but now Kelith had advanced past them. However, perhaps they too could get back a piece of themselves soon. Maybe everything they needed was to have a conversation with Ihtiriekko – she seemed to possess all the possible answers to their greatest questions.
Only time could tell.
