I woke up in my bed, panting and breathing heavily. My heart raced so fast that I could feel it pounding in my ears. What was that I just saw? Was it another vision? And what did it mean?
Sitting on the bed with my legs bent and knees pulled close to my chest, I rested my arms on them, trying to steady myself. I took a deep breath to calm my mind, running my fingers through my hair, but nothing seemed to help. My entire belief system felt fragile, teetering on the edge of uncertainty, leaving me questioning what was real and whom I could trust.
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Author’s POV
Unknown to Selena, the High Priestess observed her through the narrow creak of the door. She slowly shut it, but the slight motion caught Selena’s eye. Her gaze darted to the door, only to find it still and empty. Convincing herself it was just her imagination, she lay back on the bed, pulling the covers up to her chin. She clutched the fabric tightly, as if it were her only anchor in a storm of uncertainty, staring blankly at the ceiling. Slowly, exhaustion overcame her, and her eyelids grew heavy until they finally closed.
Outside Selena’s room, the High Priestess lingered for a moment before retreating silently down the corridor. She stepped out of the castle and continued walking until, with each step, a glowing staircase appeared in the air, leading her upward into the dark sky. The steps behind her vanished as she ascended toward a luminous spot in the heavens. Finally, she stood before the ethereal presence of the Moon Goddess.
“Goddess, how long do I have to see my daughter suffer?” the High Priestess knelt before the Moon Goddess, her voice heavy with emotion. “Is it truly necessary to put her through all this?”
“It is necessary,” the Moon Goddess’s serene voice echoed softly, like the rustling of leaves. “And you knew it from the beginning.”
The High Priestess lowered her head, her expression shadowed with sorrow. “I’ve known it since the day she was born. But sometimes, a mother’s heart struggles to bear the weight of watching her child endure so much.”
“It is her destiny,” the Moon Goddess replied with calm certainty. “She was born to save the universe and the Lunar Realm. For that, she must make the ultimate sacrifice.”
The High Priestess felt her heart sink, the weight of truth pressing down on her chest. Sensing her inner turmoil, the Moon Goddess spoke again, her tone gentle yet resolute. “Are you having second thoughts? Remember, it was you who offered your firstborn to bear my powers. You knew she would be my chosen descendant and the sacrifice needed to save us all.”
“But we can at least tell her the truth,” the High Priestess pleaded, her voice trembling with desperation.
The Moon Goddess remained silent, her expression calm and serene, as though unmoved by the plea.
“Say something, Goddess,” the High Priestess begged, her voice breaking under the weight of her emotions. The Goddess looked at her with compassion.
“The ancient prophecy foretold that when doomsday descends, only the supreme sacrifice of a goddess with lunar powers can save the universe,” the Moon Goddess explained once more as she had told the high priestess countless times to remind her. “At first, I intended to sacrifice myself. But as the gods and goddesses convened, a new possibility emerged-my descendant could fulfill the prophecy in my stead.”
Her luminous eyes softened, betraying a flicker of sorrow. “That is why Selena was born. Her birth was not by chance but induced and meticulously planned to align with the prophecy. Every moment of her life has been controlled to prepare her for the ritual.”
The High Priestess listened in silence, her heart heavy with the truth she had known since Selena’s first breath. In fact, she was the one who erased Selena from the memories of her mate and her family, from the minds of everyone who had once known her. Now, she no longer existed in their world. Even after her ultimate sacrifice, there would be no mourning, no remembrance-her life reduced to a void as if she had never been. This thought plunged the High Priestess deeper into the abyss of guilt, the weight of her decision suffocating her with each passing moment. Yet, she had accepted this cruel reality. No mother could be as heartless as she was destined to be. But it was for the world. For the realm. For the people. A selfless act demanded of her.
However, as the time drew nearer, guilt gnawed at her, and desperation took root. She looked at the goddess with pleading eyes, her voice trembling. “There must be a way to delay this process,” she begged. “Just a little more time… so she can live.”
“Let time decide her fate,” the Moon Goddess finally declared, her gaze shifting upward to the endless void. “I, too, wish to see how a pure soul like hers can alter the course of destiny.”
The High Priestess’s lips quivered, her hands clenching tightly. “If she can change our fate,” she murmured softly, almost to herself, “then why can’t she change hers?”
A flicker of hope, fragile yet desperate, ignited in her heart as the Moon Goddess’s silence left room for the unknown.