The Holy Gatherers

Meme stood before me, her eyes filled with tears, her hands trembling as she spoke. “Tiya, I’m so sorry. I should’ve told you the truth from the beginning. I didn’t mean to betray your trust… I only wanted to help. I only wanted to protect you.”

I could see the pain in her eyes, the regret weighing heavy on her heart. And despite everything, I couldn’t help but feel the same ache in my chest. I nodded, swallowing the lump in my throat. “I know, Meme,” I said softly, tears welling in my eyes. “And I’m sorry too—for what I almost did to you. For letting my anger get the best of me.”

We stood there, both of us broken and raw, and slowly, hesitantly, I pulled her into a hug. Meme clung to me, her body shaking as she cried softly against my shoulder. I felt my own tears spill over, and for the first time in a long time, I let myself truly feel it—the sadness, the betrayal, the guilt.

But as we shared this moment of reconciliation, Ivy stood apart, lost in her own thoughts. Her eyes were distant, focused on something we couldn’t see. She was trying to piece it all together—what it meant for Overa, for the prophecy, and for the future of our land. Finally, she spoke, her voice breaking the fragile silence.

“We should rest,” Ivy said, her voice firm but thoughtful. “Tomorrow, we face the priestesses. We don’t know what will come of it, but we need to be prepared for whatever happens. And I think the High Priestess needs to know what’s been happening with Tiya… about the dark figure, the visions, everything.”

Her words hit me like a physical blow. I pulled away from Meme, my heart hammering in my chest. “No,” I whispered, panic lacing my voice. “Ivy, please. Don’t tell them. I’m not ready.”

Ivy raised an eyebrow, her face hardening with determination. “You don’t understand, Tiya. Keeping this to ourselves puts everyone at risk. You’ve been touched by something powerful—something none of us fully understand. If we don’t get guidance from the elders, things could get worse.”

Meme nodded, reluctantly agreeing with Ivy. “Tiya, she’s right. The High Priestess has the knowledge and power to help you. If you try to keep this hidden, you could be cast out—or worse. But if we go to her, maybe she can help you control this darkness before it consumes you.”

My head spun, filled with tension and confusion. I felt like the walls were closing in on me, the weight of their words crashing down like waves. “But you both said you’d help me figure this out,” I protested, my voice cracking. “You said this was our path, not just mine.”

Ivy’s gaze softened, but her resolve didn’t waver. “We will help you, Tiya. But we don’t have your dreams or your visions. We didn’t invite the dark figure into our land. This… this is bigger than us. We need help.”

Meme looked at me, trying hard to keep her tone gentle. “Tiya, you’ve been through so much, and I know this is hard. But Ivy’s right. If we don’t do this, the community will be divided. You’ll be cast out, and we might not be able to protect you from what comes next.”

I felt my heart shatter at her words. I had never felt so alone, so misunderstood. It was as if the very people I had relied on were slipping away, their faith in me eroding by the second. The realization left me feeling utterly hopeless.

I wiped my tears, my voice filled with rage and despair. “Do what you think is best for the community then,” I spat, stepping back from both of them. “Clearly, I don’t belong here. My existence has done nothing but bring chaos and destruction to this land.”

“Tiya, that’s not what we mean,” Meme said, her eyes wide with alarm.

But I was already turning away, the pain too great to bear. “I curse the day Mother Cora saved me from the land of Girar,” I said bitterly, my voice cracking as I stormed toward my room, tears blurring my vision.

Hours passed, but the pain didn’t fade. I cried until my body was exhausted, my heart heavy with the realization that I didn’t belong in Overa anymore. I wasn’t just different—I was dangerous. I couldn’t control the darkness inside me, and now even the people I loved most were pulling away.

With a heavy heart, I made a decision. I couldn’t stay here any longer. I couldn’t put Overa at risk. It was time for me to leave.

I packed my belongings, careful not to make any noise. The night was still, the stars twinkling softly through the windows of my small room. I waited until I was sure that Ivy and Meme had returned to their domes before slipping out into the quiet streets, my footsteps muffled by the soft earth.

I ran toward the cave that led out of Overa, my heart pounding with a mixture of fear and resolve. At the entrance of the cave, I stopped, turning to look back at the land I had called home one last time. The village was bathed in moonlight, peaceful and serene, but to me, it felt distant, as if it had never truly been mine.

Just as I was about to leave, something caught my eye. In the distance, where the Goddess tree once stood, a light began to glow, faint at first but growing brighter with each passing second. I felt an invisible pull toward it, as if the light itself was calling to me.

Curious, I dropped my belongings and approached the light, my sword drawn in case danger awaited me. The closer I got, the brighter the light became, expanding until it filled the entire space around me.

And then I saw it—a figure, bathed in radiant light, standing in the center of the glow.

“It is not yet time for you to leave,” the figure spoke, its voice soothing and ethereal. “You must face your shadow self, speak your truth, and give your community the undiluted truth.”

I stared at the figure, my heart pounding. “What truth?” I asked, my voice barely a whisper.

“The balance of light and dark exists within every creation,” the figure continued. “The laws of your land were made out of fear, but in the coming world, fear has no place. Trust your abilities… trust in your union.”

As the figure spoke, a warmth spread through my chest, filling me with a love and peace I had never felt before. Tears streamed down my face, but this time, they were tears of joy, of understanding.

The light around the figure began to fade, returning to the ground and spreading through the land of Overa. As it did, I felt the power of the light travel through me, and in the distance, I knew it was reaching Meme and Ivy too. Their rooms glowed softly as the light entered their bodies, and I knew—they felt it too.

I collapsed to the ground, overwhelmed by the magnitude of what had just happened. My tears hit the earth, glowing just like the Crystal Lake I had seen in my dreams. I placed my sword on the ground, wiping my tears, and touched the blade. As I did, the sword began to purify, transforming into a radiant crystal sword, emanating pure white light just as I had seen it before.

Holding the sword in both hands, I chanted a word of protection, restoring the spell that had once guarded our land. The energy spread through the cave and outward, blanketing Overa in a protective glow.

But as the light spread, I felt a darkness stir in the distance, far beyond Overa. Something was coming—something dangerous, something powerful.

And I knew this battle was far from over.

As I stood at the cave’s entrance, a chilling wind swept through, sending shivers down my spine. The light had returned, but so had the darkness. And this time, I wasn’t sure if we would be ready for what was coming next.

The figure’s final words echoed in my mind, and I knew that the real test had only just begun.