You, my friends, are all to me,
For you have seen me deep within
And you have loved me long ere now
And I will love you years from hence.
I go to the darkness far ahead
As from this life I now depart
With a lifetime yet to be
And a million sunsets in my heart.
The sun rose slowly over the plains that lead to the sea. In the distance, a river joined with the larger waters, rushing through the sand to empty itself into the ocean. She stood on a small cliff, overlooking the beach. She was dressed in animal skins, and she clutched a large rock in her right hand. Crouching down, she peered over the edge of the outcropping. A lizard darted out from the shade; she flicked her arm out and struck it with the rock. The small skull shattered, and the reptilian carcass dropped soundlessly to the sands, staining them red. She jumped down from her oerch, and picked up the lizard. It was nearly as long as she was tall, and had a fair amount of meat on its bones. Enough for one meal, at least, and enough skins to serve her needs.
A small breeze gusted along the shore, and she raised her head, sniffing the air. She could see a shape wavering on the horizon, just across the stream. She swuinted, her heavy brows beetling over purple eyes. The indistinct shape shivered once or twice, and slowly resolved into a shape like her own; this one, however, was a male.
She stiffened, and bent low to hide in the grass. She scooped a hole in the sand and dumped the lizard into it, smoothing the sand back over the top. She hadn’t waited three hours in the sun just to have a prize kill taken from her. She wondered if the stranger from across the river was the one who had killed her mate last winter. Life had been hard since she had been left alone, and no-one else in the tribe would care for her. She had survived, though she could count her own ribs, and had been toughened by the struggle. As the man came nearer, he seemed to be looking for her. His hair was dark, and his eyes shone like green flames in the shadow cast by his low forehead.
He paused, looking over the area where she had been standing a few moments before. A silver light flickered around his fingertips, and he stooped down to exmine the prints in the sand. Just as he began to trace them to her hiding place, she straightened up, and drove the rock into his skull with all her might.
Unlike the lizard, he did not die with one blow, and she kept striking until he stopped twitching. The silver light flickered once more in his right hand, then disappeared.
She stripped him of his clothes; nothing could be wasted. Wrapping the lizard in his rags, she placed them under the overhang, and drug the body of the man out to the beach where the tide would carry it away. There must be nothing to attract a larger beast, or she might not survive her next hunting expedition. She returned for the bundle of clothing and carcass, and slowly made her way to the small sandstone cave that she called home.
As the moon rose high, the fire flickered brightly against the cavern wall. She hummed happily, stitching the stranger’s rags into pouches and belts. Nothing must be wasted.
The Historian’s eyes snapped open. With a shudder, he sat up, rubbing the side of his head where the stone had landed. Phantom pains wracked his skull, but he shook them off: he had experienced hundreds of deaths, and this was no different than any other. He shook his head slightly to clear it, then got to his feet. The bed floated above the floor in a gentle swooping curve, perfectly designed to accomdate his shape for the years he spent living other lives. He glanced at the panel on the wall, instructing the room to turn off the life-support mechanisms that kept his body alive while his soul roamed. These machines feed him, stimulated his muscles to avoid atrophy, and kept his body in good working order for the time when he would need it again.
He pulled on his robe; it was a complex single garment that fell in folds down the front and rose in a high collar at the back. Its deep crimson color alerted anyone near him that this was a member of the Historians Guild, and no ordinary noble.
A soft voice sounded within his head. “Are you back? That was a quick trip. I think you were only gone two years or so. “
“Yes,” he responded. “My time was cut short, unfortunately. It does not concern me much; their consciousness was so primitive that I could barely interface with them. I think that I shall not go back that far again—too much risk, too little gain.”
The voice laughed. “You never did like spending time in anyone you thought unworthy, no matter what might be learned. So, who did you bring back this time?”
“No-one, I’m afraid. The body had his head bashed in before I could net anyone interesting.” He paused, straightening the robe. “The woman with the rock, though. She had something interesting: her eyes were purple. I think that may be the earliest we’ve seen that particular marker. Her people must be the ones who traversed the land bridge to Suktis at the beginning. Interesting.”
The door of the chamber opened, and he went out, robes swishing after him in a flash of red.
Chapter 1.
“Edala nekke husak Nestrada!” The high flute-like chant echoed across the plaza, bouncing off the sun-bleached white stone. The merchants all stopped their transactions, and dropped canopies over their carts. The buyers turned away quickly, and began streaming towards the center of the town.
From the roof of the temple, Sela could see the pdd patterns that the pedestrians made as they jostled their way toward the plaza for the morning prayers. The patterns would be repeated during the noon prayers to Su, the afternoon prayers to Sembala, and the evening prayers to Temala. Only a few would come for the other prayer hours, for they were not required.
Sela turned away from the parapet, and headed downstairs. She was late for the vesting, and know she would be scolded. At least I had my hair prepared earlier, she thought: a long rope-like braid hung down her back, and another was coiled around her head like a crown.
Sula slipped downstairs and quickly lost herself in the throng of sapphire-robed young women who were vesting for the temple ritual. She shrugged out of her rough robe, and pulled a temple robe over her simple shift. The robe hung from her shoulders, and was tightly belted around her waist. At noontime they would don the white robes of Su, the sun god, and in the evening, the red robes of Sembala, in petition for a blessing on the day's work. The dark blue was for the goddess Nestrada, goddess of the sea, to whom prayers were offered this hour. The long folds of the robe whispered over the floor as she walked into the incense room: each priestess spent at least ten minutes in the perfumed air, breathing deeply and meditating. Sela sank down gently on a cushion and closed her eyes. She began to sink down within herself, falling through levels on consciousness. She was nearly to the center of herself when a loud sniff jolted her out of her contemplation. Irritated, she began again, and again was interupted by a sniffle. Sula opened her eyes and looked around. The room was mostly empty--the other girls had not finished arranging their hair yet--but there was a young girl across the room. Sela couldn't see her very clearly through the clouds of incense, but she appeared to be miserably huddled into one of the cushions. Getting up, Sela sighed, and crossed over to where the little girl sat.
"Is today your first day in the main temple?" she asked quietly. The little girl nodded, her white-blond hair falling in her eyes. "How long were you in Lede's House?" The little girl's brow furrowed as she thought hard. "I don't know...I think I'm six years old."
Sula nodded, and quietly slipped an arm around the yougn girl's shoulders. "So you entered as a baby, then? Most of us do. I think it's easier that way." The girl nodded listlessly, and Sula smiled. She gave the girl a quick hug and laughed. "I know, it's not really easy either way, but at least you're used to temple life. I remember when I first came to the temple. It think it was about nine years ago now, and I was even more scared about it than you are now!" The little girls eyes widened as she looked up at the older girl. Sela nodded, and continued. "I don't remember my mother. I was taken from my home when I was about a month old: I was born during a conjunction of Lede and Lotha, at the stroke of midnight, so the priests knew that I was destined for the temple. I was raised in Lede's House, as you were. Is LeLe still working in the kitchen?" The little girl grinned shyly and nodded. "I take it that she still slips sweets to anyone who's feeling a little sad? I thought so. She was always good to me, and to so many others! I loved the classroom times, when I got old enough. I think the classes started when I had been there for four years. Learning the names of the gods, their consorts, their concerns, and how to pray to them. I loved it all, and learned quickly." Sula absent-mindedly ran her long thin fingers through the young girl's pale hair. "You must have learned quickly too, if you're here so young. I loved the story about Su and Lotha the best." She bgean to sing softly, under her breath.
The little maid full of laughter,
Her twin sister, silent and slow
Su saw them both and loved them
But only one to him would go.
for the laughing one would not wed
Must always live and live free
But the silent one's heart was pledged
And lover of the sun was she
When time came for Su to wed
Lotha was dressed in robes of white
And to the sun she was lead
And stepped into his aweful light
The light consumed her and she fell
Her husband-god left to morn
Her soul he placed in the sky to shine
With her sister for evermore.
As Sula sang, the room had slowly filled with the other girls, their robes rustling. They saw Sula sitting and giggled quietly. Sula had always been odd, even in Lede's House; no-one was surprised that she was acting so strangely here.
Sula ignored them, and recited the rest of the story. The little girl watched, unaware of the other women in the room.
"And Su fell in love with Lotha, she of the raven hair and quiet countenance, and Lede was glad that she had not been chosen, for she wished to remain young and free forever. Lotha was clothed in robes of pure white that shone in the light of lover, and each arm glistened with jewels and precious metals. Lede was her attendant in robes of bright yellow, and danced behind her sister, sprinkling the ground with diamonds. But as Lotha approached her husband, his light was so bright that it overwhelmed her, and she fell down dead. Su was so stricken that he sent her soul to the heavens, and placed her there as a shining light. Lede joined her, and the two of them still dance over the diamonds that Lede sprinkled, for they have become the stars of the sky."
As Sula spoke, the other girls took the requisite few minutes in the incense room, then hurried out to join the temple ritual. As she spoke the last few words of her story, the room was empty, save for the two figures sitting on a cushion.
Sula stood, and held out a hand to the girl. "We have to go into the ritual now, we're late as it is. Stand next to me, and you'll be fine. What is your name?"
"Ledan," the child whispered.
“Ledan?” Sula smiled. “Then I take it you were born in her month?” The child nodded, shyly returning the smile. “I thought so. I was born in the month of Su, and since it was such a propitious time, they decided that I must be beloved of Su, and that I was destined for greatness in the temple. Many of the other girls during training mocked me and my life, since I shall never leave the temple of Su again, but I don’t mind. I have always loved the temple, and it is the only life I’ve ever known.” They came to the end of the corridor, and Sula put a finger to her lips. “Now we must be silent, for the temple rites are starting.” Thye took their place at the end of the line of blue-clad girls, and sedately entered the sanctum.
The priestesses entered from behind the altar of the goddess, and walked slowly around the circular dias until they surrounded the altar, and the priest who served there. Sula walked until she found the star of bronze set into the stone where her assigned place was. She gently tugged Ledan until she stood upon the star that had been vacated by Anda the previous day. Anda had decided that the service of the gods was not her true place, and had married a young man from the city. Ledan had come from the House of Lede to take her place. Sula straightened up, feeling the energy surge up through her feet, channeling it to the others in the circle, and sensing it as they channeled their power through her. The circle was weaker than usual, since Ledan had not yet mastered the intricacies of the temple stance, and any imprecision lessened the power available to the group. But she would learn.
A clear chime rang out in the halls of the temple, and the worshippers, priest, and priestesses, all held themselves motionless, arms raised to the goddess.
“Nestrada aken koli das,
Su doktis dali hanamas,
Folikti lederna matis
Sanad meran lajitis.”
Nestrada, hear our cry,
Su, your father give you to us
Give us your bounty
Bring your gifts, we pray.
With a single fluid motion, each priestess lowered her arms to touch the hand of the woman next to her. Sula could feel the power waver as Ledan missed her hand and brushed her wrist instead. She quickly raised her own hand to meet the girls’, and both could feel the power pass between them.
Since this was simply a daily prayer, and not one of the goddess’ great days, there would be no real sacrifice, merely a giving back of what the goddess had already provided. A merchant from the city square made his way up to the circle, where he bowed low, embroidered robes brushing the floor of the temple.
The priestesses turned on their heels and reached out again to each other, barring his way. With one voice, they cried, “What business have you before the goddess?”
In languid tones, he responded, “I bring the fruits of our labors, the gifts of the sea.” He motioned behind him, to a servant who carried a large basket, headped high with fresh fish, winged eels, and a few pearls, which Nestrada loved above all else.
“The goddess accepts your tokens,” the priestesses intoned. Sula couldn’t help noticing that Ledan knew the words of the ritual perfectly, and uttered them in unison with all the others. She would make a fine priestess, Sula mused.
The oldest priestess reached down to accept the basket from the merchant’s servant, and placed it in the middle of the round altar. A circular crystal container rose above the surface of the altar, enclosing the offering.
The priestesses stretched out their hands towards the altar, and began chanting; the song began slow and soft, but increased in volume and speed until they were almost shouting, straining to preserve the sythym. The priest raised his hands high, then slowly reached out and touched the crystal.
“Esta Nesrtadan nani ediktis, ert Nestradan nani eliktis.”
The offering quirved, shivered, and slowly crumpled until it waqs nothing more than sea water. The priestesses, continuing their chant, slowly stepped forward until each could touch the crystal with her fingertips.
“From Nestrada these come, to Nestrada these go.” At this final intonation, the water began to churn. The crystal heated beneath their fingers until they thought they could bear it no more. Then, with a mighty rush, the water turned to steam; the cloud of water vapor soared out into the congregation, and settled like a soft rain. Many in the congregation bowed their heads in reverence, though most were disinterested, and seemed glad that the ritual was almost over. Sula was sure she saw one woman yawn, and had to hold back a surge of anger within. Ledan glanced at her out of the corner of her eye, but the moment had passed, and Sula regained her composure.
The rite ended, and the priestesses headed back through the incense room to the robbing room. Sula shed her blue robe, and pulled on her simple cloak over her shift. Ledan did the same, struggling a little to fold the blue robes as neatly as the others did.
Sula peered outside to the inner garden of the temple complex, where the great clock stood. A thousand years ago, a council of Suktisian priests had built the clock, and embued it with some measure of their own power. It now faithfully recorded the movements of the seven planets, the two Ersadan moons, and the years, months, and days of the Suktisian people. It took some priests a year or more to learn to read it, so complex was the clock, and yet once the system was completely understood, it appeared so simple as to be childish.
It was nearly three lects until the prayers to Su would be said, and she had her class to teach in one lect. Sula sighed, and climbed the stairs to the priestesses common room. It was already crowded with the other girls, laughing and teasing each other. The baths were being warmed, and clouds of steam were beginning to billow from behind the curtains at the end of the room.
Sula drew aside the tapestries that curtained off her sleeping space. Most of the girls slept out in the main room, but since she was a more advanced adept than the other her age, she was permitted a small sleeping nook. The older priestesses slept in an adjoining room: the bathing area lay between the two rooms. Sula's bed was a ledge carved into the stone of the wall and covered in cushions and blankets. The curtains, which hung from a small ledge about seven feet above the floor, enclosed an area around the bed, which was just large enough to contain a small shelf, a rug, and a little wooden chest. Sula sat on the edge of her bed, and slowly ran her fingers through her hair, untangling the braids and shaking her tresses free of the metal pins that had held it in place. She pulled out the pins carefully and placed them in a large shell that sat upon her shelf. She was careful not to drop any of the pins; getting new ones from the older priestesses was sometimes a bit of an ordeal.
Sula grabbed a clean shift from the wooden chest, and slipped out from behind the curtain. She padded her way across the noisy room to the baths. Pushing back the tapestries, she smiled as the warm moist air wafted into her face. The rooms were lit with candles and hanging lanterns, which cast a warm golden light; the dampness in the atmosphere diffused the light into a cozy glow. The bathtubs were placed along the edges of the walls, and large rugs covered the stone floor. In the center of the room a stone wall enclosed a natural hot spring. The steam filled the room, and many women were filling buckets with the hot water to fill their tubs.
Noticing a tub on the far side of the room that was unoccupied, Sula scooped up a bucket, and filled it with hot water. A bunch of dried herbs hung above the bath, and she crumbled a few into the hot water. A chute with a pull chain was installed in the wall above the tub; Sula pulled the chute down, and a stream of cold water rushed into the tub. After dumping several buckets of hot water into the tub, she pulled the curtain across the nook and slipped out of her robe.
She sank into the water with a sigh, hair pulled into a loose bun on top of her head to keep it from getting wet. She let her mind drift as she watched the curling steam. The scent of the herbs drifted up, and her eyes slowly closed.
She was woken what felt like only moments later by the clatter of a dropped bucket, and realized that her water had turned cold. Shivering, she stepped out of the bath, and wrapped her robe around her. She drained the tub, and made her way back through the steam to the curtains that separated the girls’ sleeping chamber from that of the women. Not for the first time, she wondered when she would be allowed to move into the women’s quarters. It would mean giving up her private sleeping space, but it would be worth to be with those who had been taken into temple service permanently. Most of the girls in this room would be married and gone within a year, but she would stay. No-one ever said anything to her directly, but she heard the whispers as she went by.
Sula smiled slightly as she shook her hair out. It hung in long dark tresses down her back, brushing against her thighs. She looked at the small image of the goddess Lotha that sat on the top shelf. “I don’t mind, you know. I love my life here, and the stories they tell about you.” She sat on a large cushion and combed her hair until it shone. She twisted it up and pinned it securely in place, then attached a long veil that trailed down her back. She gathered up a stack of scrolls from the wooden chest, and walked down the corridor into the garden.
The garden was completely enclosed by a high white stone wall, and though there could be no possible contact with the outside world, it felt spacious and open. Sula loved to walk here, especially in the night when the winecups were blooming. Now, in the late morning, the garden was warm, and the diurnal flowers were blooming brightly.
She glanced at the clock again, and sighed, realizing that she only had twenty maktis before her class began. This new class of girls did not seem as bright as the last class, but Sula smilingly remembered that she had thought the same of every class at the beginning. It just took a little while for the girls to learn, that was all. The nobles of the great city sent their sons and daughters to be educated at the temple: the girls were taught by priestesses from the House of Lotha, and the boys by priests from the Temple of Su. Very few of the girls would ever chose a temple life: most would be married off to increase their family's standing or trade relations, and a few would enter the temple if they could not be married. She herself had not chosen this life, having been taken from her family before her first birthday, but it was the life she would have chosen had the choice been available.
She sat on a warm stone bench, and leaned back against the vine-covered wall. Sula closed her eyes, and breathed deeply, relishing the scent of the rich earth and growing vines. She could hear the faint scratching sound of metal against earth; one of the accolytes must be working in the garden. The sounds faded, and were replaced by the soft slap of sandals against the stone walk.
"I beg pardon, I didn't know anyone was here." Sula looked up and squinted; a thin form was silhouetted against the sun. "I thought everyone would be off preparing for classes, and decided to get some work done, since I haven't been assigned a class yet." The accolyte's voice was a clear tenor, and he seemed to be slightly discomfited by the encounter. Sula smiled and rose to her feet. "No, that's alright, I was just wandering for a moment before my class convenes. We're covering Temple Life today, not that any of them have the slightest interest. They only care about court intrigue and the latest cloth come in from Astaldak. A few of the more perceptive ones are interested in the great battles of history, but I think they spend more time fantasizing about the warrior monks of Temala than they do learning the events!"
The accolyte laughed, and moved out of the sunlight. "Yes, well, weren't we all fascinated by them at some point?" His green eyes sparkled in the sun, and he wiped his hands on the leather apron at his waist. "I remember, as a boy in the temple classes, day-dreaming about being one of the monks. I could just see myself, standing on the edge of a cliff overlooking the cold sea, with a wolf by my side, spray from the ocean dashing up against the cliff and freezing as it soaks into my fur-lined cassock." He laughed again, as his black hair was mussed by the warm breeze. "But I grew out of it, as we all must. So here I sit in sunny Suktis, never coming within sight of the sea, living the easy life of the temple."
Sula laughed as she stood, brushing dust off her robes. "Ah, yes, the easy life of the temple, with prayers every three hours, teaching the indolent offspring of the nobility and constantly working to increase the power of the sacrifice. We do nothing all day long!" She laughed again, and her purple eyes sparkled against her honey-colored skin. An odd look passed over the accolytes face, and her laughter faded. But a moment later, his cheerfullness returned, so quickly that she thought she must have imagined the shadow.
"I must take my leave now, I'm sure my class will be eagerly awaitng my arrival with the riches of knowledge!" She walked away as quickly as dignity and long robes would allow; Sula knew she was late, but perhaps she could make up the time by sprinting to the classroom.
She arrived at the classroom more or less on time, and paused outside the entrance to straighten her robes. She was sure that her hair had come undone a bit, but decided not to concern herself with it at the moment. Pushing aside the curtain that hung across the doorway, she entered the classroom. As she swept in, the students--who had been lounging about on the cushions--straightened up guiltily; one of the girls loudly shushed another who let out a giggle.
"Hello ladies, I hope you are all well. We have a lot to cover before the prayers to Su, so let's get started. Who would like to read first?" She looked around the room, as each girl found a nonchalant way to avoid eye contact. "Yari, why don't you start us off?" Sula handed a small, rather battered scroll to a white-haired girl, who seemed to be all knees and elbows, even through the flowing temple robes.
Yari cleared her throat nervously, and glanced around at her friends before beginning to read in a halting voice:
"From the book of the Priestesses of Lotha, in the Temple of Su, sedna two, of the nature and purpose of Temple Life.
"The nature of Temple life is quiet and considered: no action should be taken lightly, as all actions strengthen or weaken the power of the community. The priestess must learn to do every action in harmony with the others, as a misplaced hand or foot may ruin the power of a sacrifice." Sula held up a hand, and Yari paused.
"So, who can tell me why this is important?" Sula's eyes scanned the room, looking for someone with a small spark of interest. "Luthe, can you explain?"
The tall girl tossed her dark hair, and responded, "All of our sacrifices and rites are efficacious--" she was interupted by giggles, and scowled at her classmates. "--Which means that they effect actions, that they do things. The priests and priestesses are the means by which this happens, as each contributes to the power of the group. So getting the positions, words, and gestures is of absolute importance."
"Good. Yari, please continue with sedna three."
Yari blinked, then continued reading. "Those in the service of the gods must live alone, cut off from all distractions and the carelessness of common life. Periods of solitude must be practiced, so that each may know himself: his own strength and weakness, his own power and control."
Sula halted her again. "Why must those who accept temple life live alone? Anyone is welcome at the sacrifices and prayers, but no-one sets a foot on the dias except the priests and priestesses. Why? Selna, can you answer?"
The brown-haired girl blushed, her freckles blending together, and shrugged a little. "Um...because it wouldn't work?"
"Why not?"
"Um...because they don't know what they're doing?"
"Think harder. Why would that be a bad thing?"
Sedna blushed redder, and shrank into her cushion a little. "Um...because the sacrifice wouldn't work right?"
"Better." Sula smiled, making a mental note to ask Sedna to help her in the priestesses gardens some evening: she might relax a little while working with her hands. "Someone else? Why do we live alone? Why do the common people not join us?"
Sula glanced at Luthe, hoping that the girl would have an answer, but she evaded the teacher's eyes. "Alright, let's think about it. When a priest of Sembala calls down lighting, why does he stand alone?" Several hands shot into the air, and one voice rang out. "Because if someone else is standing there, they could get hit."
"Exactly. Lighning is strong, and unpredictable. It can be called, but if there is more than one target, no-one knows which one it will choose. It is the same with our power. Each motion, stance, and gesture affects that power: we direct it, channel it, control it. But if someone with untrained power, or even no power, were to step inside the sphere of our influence, he could very easily become the target of all that power."
A hush fell over the room again as the girls imagined the results of such an accident. Yari's eyes were large as she raised a tentative hand.
"Yes?"
"Has that ever happened?"
Sula nodded. "Yes. It took us a long time to understand the rules of power, and even now we are still experiementing to find new powers, or new ways to use our existing power. That is one of the duties of the priests of Su. That is why so few accolytes become priests of that order: they must have great power, and have it under perfect control."
She let the solemnity hang in the air for a few more moments, then laughed quietly. "You all look so serious! Don't be so worried: most of you will never enter temple life, and even if you do, you'll go through years of training before you will participate in the sacrifices. It's very safe; no priest or priestess has died this way in a thousand years, except those who have taken it on themselves to perform their own experiments."
Most of the girls brightened up at Sula's words, but a few of the younger ones still looked concerned. One of them raised a tentative hand. "But I've seen little girls up there for the sacrifices..."
Sula nodded. "Yes, but they never chose the temple life. They have been living here since they were infants. They were raised with the rituals, and even then, we do not send them on to participate in the sacrifices until we know that they are capable. Even then, the rest of us are strong enough to keep the energy in balance.
"Here, pull your cushions closer, let's just talk for a moment about temple life." There was a mometnary scuffling as the cushions were pulled into a loose circle in the middle of the room. Sula sat down on the stone floor gracefully; the train of her white temple robe piled in graceul folds beside her. She looked around at all the faces in the circle. Some were open and receptive, like Selna's; others were closed and disinterested, like Luthe's; most were simply uncomprehending, like Yira's. Sula took a deep breath, and began to speak without any of the usual teacherly condescension.
"I just wanted to tell you about temple life, the things that we don't cover in the curriculum. Your families send you here because everyone needs a working knowledge of the basics of our magic. You won't be using them, but our society is built on our temples, particularly the Great Temple of Su. Most of our priests and priestesses were chosen because of our birth, but sometimes the gods chose someone of an inauspicious birth. These are often our most powerful priestesses; the gods calling does not go amiss." She looked at them each in turn, her purple eyes blazing with a deep fire. "Any of you could be called to our life.
"It's a beautiful life. I know that you must think it dull, since we have none of the intrigues of the courts, but you would be wrong. It is a quiet life, for the most part, but never dull. You've never felt the power surging through you during the sacrifices, or held hands with another priestess and felt the ebb and flow of your joined energies."
Sula looked around the circle again, and noticed with a hint of despair that the looks of incomprehension had increased, and the younger girls once again looked frightened. At that moment, the sound of chimes filled the halls, and the girls stood rapidly.
"Alright, that's all for today. We'll pick up with sedna four when we meet next week. Please keep up your readings!"
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