SWNOVELS Chapter 3: The Blue Moon
The Blackwoods was a beautiful jungle paradise. It was home to many beasts; small and large. Some travel in packs while some, like most predators in this jungle, were more solitary than the others. The canopy of its trees towered like giants, as tall as the turrets in Eleazar. Its vines hanged down from it like drapes. Vibrant flowers decorated the bushes alongside wild fruits and berries.
And in the bright morning, the sound of cicadas was ambient, enhanced by the sweet whistling of exotic birds of many colours. Meanwhile, the sun’s golden rays would peep through the leaves and touch the gentle soil. But what the night held was far more glorious.
For this jungle hid a precious jewel of its own. A treasure with the name of Dalhar! It was a thriving forest city forged by the starbornes, a race of people who appear very much like humans but with blue skin and violet hair. Their eyes, black as the night, let’s them see in the dark. For they were known to be nocturnal in nature; true hunters of the night.
But on this particular night, the fierce tribe turned elegant. For this is the night that the moon turned blue; a night which the Dalharian starbornes celebrated religiously.
“Head huntress…” a soft voice called. The curtains that hanged over the door was brushed away, revealing a tall woman with turquoise complexion, standing in front of a mirror whilst fixing a lavender flower to her hair.
“Just a moment, Mu” she replied as she glanced to see her servant entering her room.
“Oh my, Laia. That dress is divine! Is it made of moonsilk?” The girl held the laces of the dress, sleeveless and draped all the way down to her feet. It flowed like water and its texture was almost as smooth.
“Weaved by the Tarsya’s seamstress herself. I preferred something less grand, but nothing can be grander than tonight’s occasion”
“Of course. Usually you’d be all leathered up and covered with coarse cloak” Mu smiled as she grabbed a silver band from her pocket. “Your insignia, head huntress. Polished as requested by our Queen, the Tarsya”
Laia sighed and gently took it from her. A glimmering silver band, engraved with the words ’An Akhi Shae Manar’, meaning ‘My will is to serve’. It was a mark that she was the leader of a sacred group of starbornes called the Sye’rah, who were the hunters and huntresses of Dalhar as well as its protectors. Caressing the refined metal, she pushed her left arm through the band and fixed it there.
“This insignia shouldn’t be polished as if it was never worn to a hunt.”
“Well, I couldn’t refuse Tarsya Raenna’s request…” Mu smiled. “Who by the way is already with Ashosh Ma’al and is waiting for you at the square”
“It’s starting already?” said Laia, startled. She made quick fixes on her pale white dress and followed the young servant out of her chamber and head for the grand pedestal at the square.
She walked along a path towards the Square of the High Towers, where the pedestal was placed for the ritual. The path had short grass growing between the stones that line it. By its sides were glass orbs, mounted on wooden stalks. And as she walked along, moon beams struck into the orbs and filled it with glimmering light, illuminating the whole city in the dark of night. Its light was radiant but gave out no heat.
Along the way, she thought about how the Square of the High Towers had been the venue of their celebration for centuries, perhaps even since the descent of their ancestors. The Festival of the Blue Moon…a night never to be missed by any starborne in the realm. It was celebrated only once every twelve years, when the moon would appear in a luminous blue glow.
As Laia reached the Square, she neared the ritual pedestal. There she saw young priestesses danced to the sounds of harps, plucked by passionate musicians as the chief priestess chanted in the old tongue. The four High Towers grandly stood at each corner of the square, decorated by the star-lit sky. Its walls covered with vines that were blooming with indigo flowers which emits an aroma that makes all starborne hearts light and joyful.
The pedestal itself was a grand masterpiece. Every Blue Moon, the best builders in the city would gather and construct it out of red wood. They gave it twelve sides, signifying the twelve years of wait they had endured. Its platform was covered with a coarse wool that was dyed dark blue with the crescent moon painted on its centre. The whole structure was held together by vines which the builders summoned out of the ground, for not a single nail was used in its construction.
Laia’s gaze shifted from the pedestal to beyond it, where the throne of the Ashosh and his Tarsya, Raenna was placed. She approached the starborne king and queen, bowing.
“Sya’amar, an-Ashosh! Sya’amar, an-Tarsya” she greeted, “forgive my late attendance, I was-“
“It should be a crime to arrive later than the Ashosh and Tarsya.” Her king spoke.
“An-Ashosh…I-“
The Tarsya giggled and smiled “Sya’amar Laia! Sit down and enjoy the night.”
Laia looked up and was pleased to see the wrinkles on the Tarsya’s cheeks. Her wavy hair was as luscious as it was when she was younger, even though its colour had faded. Her dress was equally beautiful.
Meanwhile her old Ashosh just gave a soft smirk. His balding head bore no crown, unlike human royalties do. Instead, the symbol of his rank was around the sleeve around his right arm in the form of a green stone band, matching the colours of his tunic. His Tarsya also wears a stone band but purple of colour.
Laia nodded and helped herself for a seat next to the Tarsya.
“You look stunning tonight, head huntress. Your dress matches your insignia, which is finally polished, I see.” remarked the queen.
“An-Tarsya, there was no need to go through the trouble of refining this silver” she replied humbly.
“You can scratch and dent it all you want after tonight. But now, you must be perfect!” the queen giggled. “Mu, get the head huntress a drink!” the queen ordered. Mu went up and got a jug of wine and poured it into Laia’s cup. When Laia tasted it, her eyes squinted and coughed as the burning sensation ran down her throat and into her belly.
“This is too strong” she choked as she rubbed her chest.
“You speak as if you’ve never tasted Dalharian wine”
“How old is it?” Laia asked, still coughing
“Two blue moons.”
“I thought we finished that batch during last blue moon?” Laia said, giving the cup a little sniff. The Tarsya just shook her head. But then her smile faded as Ma’al reached his head across her. The Ashosh then neared his wrinkled lips to Laia’s ear.
“What goes on in Eleazar? What did your scouts say?” he whispered to Laia.
“For goodness sake, Ma’al!” Raenna interrupted. “Out of all the times you could’ve picked, you choose now to discuss this?!”
“I am the Ashosh and I can discuss this whenever I wish!” the king replied sternly with a crusty voice. Raenna was stunned and just turned towards Laia, telling her to make her reply quickly.
“The scouts…” Laia said, also stunned. “They were supposed to reach Dalhar last night”
“Well, that’s not good. Have you sent a search party?” Ma’al said, worried.
“I’ve sent Keira to lead a party of three, an-Ashosh. She is the best among my apprentices. They should be back by dawn” said Laia. The Ashosh gave a sigh and planted his back to his throne.
“I don’t trust these humans, head huntress. Not those from Eleazar.” He said while clearing his throat. “They invaded the Nazarians’ fertile lands three decades ago and claimed it as their birth right. And mind you, the Nazarians are humans too. Ever since they established a kingdom there, I grew weary of them. Next thing you know, we’d be the ones pushed to the deserts like the Nazarians were” He said with a heavy breath.
Laia was short for words. It was silent for a moment. But the queen interrupted the awkward silence with a chuckle.
“Why are we worrying about tomorrow? We’re having a festival, yes?” she assured them. “Mu, more wine!”
Laia smiled as she received her second cup. But in her heart she was very troubled as well. Ka’kana, Kana. She sighed. ‘Tomorrow’s tomorrow’. A common expression among Dalharians, meaning ‘let tomorrow’s trouble be tomorrow’s worry.’
Suddenly, the music and dancing stopped. The luminous blue glow of the moon filled the silence as it shined the pedestal, lighting up the crystals that decorated it; crystals made of precious Terazine Ore.
The chief priestess awakened from her meditative chanting, stood up and prayed.
Your staff is our strength. Your crown is our pride. Your water’s our wisdom. And your night is our sight. In the name of the moon and the stars, O Alana, O great goddess of ours, we come to you in awe and grace.
The old priestess was dressed in a black robe, laced with golden thread. She supported her hunched posture by holding onto a wooden staff. But the staff was not merely for her stature. It housed a Terazine ore itself which holds great power, the greatest amongst the priestesses of Dalhar. The old priestess inched her way to the pedestal, facing the great number of audience and started to speak.
“Sya’amar, an-Ashosh. Sya’amar an-Tarsya. Sya’amar, my sisters and brothers. Tonight we gather under the glow of the blue moon to remind ourselves of our ancestor’s pilgrimage from the dying heavens and onto this fertile land! It was written in the Scriptures of Old as so…” The priestess was handed a thick, dusty book. She turned to a page and read aloud.
“In the age before, your ancestors were dwellers of the heavens in a world named Kanhar. But as greed consumed their hearts, they invited destruction to that world. However, the moon goddess Alana, in her mercifulness, took away the few who were good-hearted. Then she placed them in this world on the night of the blue moon. To flourish once more as their mothers once did! And in that night, moonlight was harvested for the first time in this brave new world. Hence, all starbornes shall celebrate this night as a night of harvest for all ages to come!” the priestess closed the book and continued to speak.
“This night, we harvest the moonlight in its purest form, the Galaviere; our source of magic! And into these Terazine ores, we shall embed them. It was by this ancient knowledge that Alana blessed our ancestors. This was how our ancestors built this great city for us. And this is how we will preserve this city for our future kin! Alana Sya’!”
Then the drums were beaten, and the young priestesses start to perform the ritual dance. Their arms swayed like the wings of birds while their toes stepped rhythmically to the beat. The chief priestess continued her prayer.
Alana ta’ira. Alana maha. Mekhisya’naho. It means ‘Beautiful Moon Goddess, Mighty Moon Goddess, bless us all’.
The drums played louder, the harps and flutes started to enter the theme. The music was like fluid, lingering through their ears. Young priestesses danced and rang their bells to the drum beat while the chief priestess chanted in trance. She recited a spell in the old Dalharian tongue, incomprehensible to many of them, especially their youth.
As the beats of drums shook the heart of every starborne, the blue moonlight started to appear in the form of luminescent strings. The eloquent rays swayed to the music and danced. They watched as it twirled in magnificent, abstract lines, shining their houses, towers and arenas. At that moment, they could see the moonlight divide itself into variegated colours as it entered into the Terazine ores.
Laia watched in awe and excitement. The Tarsya was more thrilled. Even the stern Ashosh was happy, smiling while praising Alana. Everyone was in a spiritual state of mind.
But out of a sudden, Laia heard a faint rumbling sound. It was like thunder brewing in the clouds. Her keen instincts kept her on the edge of her seat. She turned to her king and queen and it appeared that they were just as uneasy when they heard it too. But the crowd did not notice it at all.
“Sisters, pause” The Ashosh ordered. But his voice was too faint to be heard and the music kept playing. “Sisters, please…” but the song kept playing, everyone was still dancing. Growing impatient, he shouted with all his breath “SILENCE!!!”
The musicians were shocked and immediately stopped playing. All the beauty and magic were disrupted as the strings of moonlight gently faded. It made the young priestesses stopped their dancing too; their faces filled with fear and confusion. Even the chief priestess halted her chanting. A moment of silence ushered in, followed by the rumbling sound that’s getting louder. Now, the people began to be scared.
From afar, the pitter-patter of hasty footsteps was coming closer from a dark alleyway. Laia stared into the shadow, her hands pulled up the lace of her dress to reveal a dagger sheath wrapped around her thigh. When suddenly, a starborne huntress came out of the alley with an arrow head stuck to her shoulder.
“Take cover!!!” the huntress shouted.
Laia quickly jumped down from her seat and went to her aid.
“Sister, what’s wrong?” she asked.
“Everyone run! Take cover!” the huntress kept shouting.
Just then, Laia heard a deep pitched snap followed by a whipping sound of crackling flame. When she noticed the sound was getting louder, she looked up. To her demise, she saw fire rocks hurdling inevitably towards them. Blazing red and spitting trails of ashes from its tail, it crashed on one of the High Towers!
The burning tower crumbled down the square, landing on the pedestal along with many people nearby. Then the fire from its ember continued to spread until it swallowed the pedestal and adjacent buildings. What followed next was the wailing of Dalharian brothers and sisters burnt alive. More fire rocks hurled in from above, destroying their pillars of worship and killing dozens of starbornes with it. Some try to run but ended up being crushed and scorched. Not even little children could escape the tragedy.
The Tarsya kneeled in anguish, begging the moon goddess to help them. But Ma’al dragged her away to safety, with every little strength he had, right before the throne itself was demolished as well.
Smoke rose up the sky, covering the blue moon’s glow from sight. Thus, Dalhar became dark and the only light that shined was the scorching inferno! Brothers and sisters alike lied lifeless and charred on the ground of ashes.
Laia quickly called out her fellow Sye’rah to rescue as many people as they could. They pulled their kin from burning rubble, then guided them to a safer location distant from the flames.
Meanwhile the priestesses tirelessly conjure a water spell to put out the fire. With glowing Terazine medallions on their chest, they levitated the water out of a nearby fountain and dragged it to the square, extinguishing the flames as fast as possible.
Never in countless of Blue Moons had a tragedy of such degree took place. What was supposed to be a night of joy became a night of terror. Henceforth, that night was named ‘The Blue Moon of Ashes’
After a horrendous hour, the flames finally died out. The huntresses were comforting the starbornes while the hunters then came and turned every piece of burnt wood to find if there were any survivors left from the flames.
Laia was also helping the hunters and found a familiar old man, buried in ashes. What was once blue skin was now pitch black. Where there was once hair now had nothing more than a couple of fragile strings. She slowly pulled him out then carried the cadaver to a young girl who was brushing up her wounds. But when the young girl saw Laia coming towards her, she immediately broke into tears.
“Father!” she shouted and ran towards Laia. Laia could only hand the poor girl the remains of her dead father. The girl moaned loudly, as were everyone else who lost a loved one that night.
“Head huntress!” a voice called Laia. She turned and saw a huntress carrying an infant starborne. “Her mother died in the fire.” the huntress said.
She gave the child to Laia, who held the infant with such care. The infant was pale skinned and white haired, sleeping soundly. Laia gave a small smile amidst her tears and wiped away the ashes that were covering the little starborne’s face. “You are a strong little one, aren’t you?” she said.
She took a deep breath and wiped off her tears. “Tensa!” she called a young priestess. Tensa came to her, with her dress half burnt. “Take care of this child” said Laia as she handed the infant to her.
“Where was the huntress just now? The one with the arrow in her shoulder”
“Over there, by the pedestal.” Tensa pointed. “Or…what’s left of it, I suppose.”
Laia left Tensa and went towards the huntress who was just patching up the wound on her shoulder. The huntress saw Laia coming and quickly stood up.
“What happened at the walls?” Laia asked, her brows furrowed.
“Eleazarians” the huntress replied. “They opened fire before we could even see their banner.”
“Then why didn’t you sound the horns?! If you’ve warned us sooner, it wouldn’t have been this catastrophic!” Laia scolded.
“All of us on the wall were shot, head huntress! Even I was shot till I fell off the edge” Her words trembled. But Laia just gave a deadly stare into her eyes. Startled, the poor huntress blurted out “I…I panicked. The Square seemed closer than the stairs to climb back on the wall and I, I…”
“Worthless!” Laia’s rage built up with her breath and stormed off. “Mu! My bow, now!”
Mu quickly came to her with a bow and a quill of three arrows. Laia grabbed it from her and turned away. She rushed her way to the Blackwoods.
Even with a half torn dress, she climbed a tree to its peak. As she faced west, she saw the light of a bonfire. From branch to branch she jumped towards it. Rage flowed in her veins.
The light led her to an encampment. A human encampment. She observed it and found a blue flag with the emblem of a ship waving at the peak of a pole. She could count there to be one catapult, five tents and a pen for the horses. There was also a metal cage with five starborne scouts, stripped of their hunting attire and only rags for clothes. Then she saw about 20 men surrounding a fire, roasting a boar. But one of the starbornes were with them, pushed around like a dog.
“Do a little victory dance for us, will you blue whore?” teased one of the men.
“I will only dance for the Goddess.” the starborne said.
The man smirks. “What’s your name, fancy maiden?”
The starborne was hesitant. But in pride she looked up to the man.
“I am Keira, daughter of Mareva!”
The men looked at each other and burst out in laughter.
“Well, Keira daughter of Mareva, let me ask you, can you give me half-starborne babies?” he teased. Then all the men cheered for him, as if it was some kind of sport. He took a huge gulp of ale as he pulled Keira close while undoing his belt.
“The fact that you’re blue skinned makes it so much more exci-” Suddenly he choked. Not a word could be muttered.
All his friends found his sudden pause to be odd. And just like that, he dropped face first to the ground with an arrow planted on the base of his skull. That’s when all the men were alarmed. They quickly stood up and pulled out their swords.
“Come out, coward!” said one of them as he grabbed Keira from the back and placed a sword at her throat. Little did he know that he was next to be shot. An arrow suddenly brushed through Keira’s messy hair and right into the shouter’s eye.
Keira immediately pulled out the arrow and used it to stab the man next to him in the neck. The soldier next to her quickly swung his sword, but Keira dodged, only to be held by another man. But she slipped through him, gave him a little kick in the belly and snapped his neck. She grabbed down and took out the arrow from the first victim’s head.
Now Keira had two arrows to play with. Two arrows for another two kills, swift as the wind. But after that she was circled by the men, their swords pointing towards her.
At that moment, she could’ve sworn that she thought her life would end there. A soldier was just about to shove his sword into her until another arrow pierced through his hand, leaving a gashing hole in his palm! Blood gushed out as he screamed in pain. That was the third arrow.
Noticing her quill is now empty, Laia jumped off from the trees, right in the midst of them. Her half torn dress expressed her agony and wrath. Her vengeful stares made the men even more startled to see her.
“I yield!” said the one with the punctured hand.
Laia didn’t care. The dagger she gripped suddenly glowed white and she became invisible, concealed in moonlight; a trademark technique of the Sye’rah. In an instant, Laia stabbed thirteen of them. Swiftly. Elegantly. Violently. Which left only one man alive, the yielder with a hole in his hand.
“Keira, go free your sisters! Let me talk to this imbecile.” Ordered Laia. She marched towards him, intimidatingly.
“Mercy! Mercy, my lady!” said the yielder, showing his punctured hand.
Laia smiled and offered her hand. The yielder slowly reached her with his shivering, well hand. But Laia brushed it off and grabbed his injured hand instead, jabbing her finger through the hole. Her smile disappeared in an instant. With the man’s palm worn like a ring, she pulled him up. The yielder shrieked in agony! He was so loud that it silenced the woods for a moment.
“How many of you are there?” she gripped tighter. The man screamed in pain, trembling.
“This is all we are, my lady!” he spoke fast, and muttered in pain. “Mercy, please! It hurts!”
“I’m curious as to why you didn’t bring infantry along with you to finish the massacre” said Laia slowly as she forced another finger through the hole. The man was choked up by his own screams.
“It wasn’t meant to be genocide. It was only to disrupt your festiv-arghhhh!” Laia only gripped his hole harder.
“Why?!” she asked sternly.
“I don’t know! I only followed orders.” He screamed. Laia was not amused with the answers.
“Was it also an order…to rape my sisters?” asked Laia while she gently rubbed a third finger around his wound.
“No, my lady! Forgive me, I beg you! I am a lusting fool! Just kill me now, please!!!” he whimpered, inhaling deeply to pull his dripping nose waters back up.
Laia looked sternly into his eyes and pulls out her fingers fast. He gave a loud shriek and laid on the ground, quickly putting his holed hand pressed between his thighs, crying. But the angry huntress just pulled an arrow from a body nearby, nocked it on her bow and aimed straight to the man’s face.
“No, no, no! I take it back! Please n-” those were his last words as an arrow passed through his face, disfiguring anything human about it into a mush of flesh and blood.
Laia sat down by the fire, gasping deep breaths. The blue moonlight, giving out the last of its rays, shined on the encampment. She looked at her starborne sisters who were looking for their clothes in a chest.
“Are you alright?” she asked.
They nodded.
“The humans…they have such disgusting customs. Impure and lustrous. I’d kill them all if I have to!” she said.
Keira sat next to her. Laia slide closer and placed her hand on Keira’s back, comforting her.
“I’ll see to it that all of you be replenished by the chief priestess. I am deeply sorry for causing this trouble”
The other scouts joined them and gave Laia a cloak they found in the chest. Laia wrapped it around herself as she stared deeply into the bonfire that’s slowly losing its kindle.