When Summons Echo

Chapter 5

Incense smoked the temple with long searching fingers as six, praying priests swung an incense bowl each. Chanting rythimeticly as priestesses danced beautifully behind and before them. Their flowly, loose clothing painting pictures in the fogging smoke. Celebrating the day of the gods and beckoning them and their children to join them in Kemaki. All the divine servants' faces where painted blue and red; a pattern that circled around itself in the likeness of the yin and yang. Phoexmuss had begun.

With their own clan, everyone in Kemaki gathered where the Ceremony of Divinities took place. Creating pillars of people that lined down from the Divine Temple to the lake of water and lava. From the royal family to the lowest peasant. The offerings were laid out and ready, presented on a stone stage for everyone to witness the power and might of the gods. The door to the temple opened and out danced the priestesses, enchanting all who watched them. The incense smoke rose and fell, crawling out of the temple and into the twilight of the evening.

The priests stood at a circular trench each. The two head priests were at the larger trenches, that were carved for Goddess Kelluna and God Zusoils. While four others stood at the smaller trenches, that were prepared for the four spirits. The priests' chanting grew softer until it was an inaudible whisper. All the clans fell silent as the Kimishay and Kimay walked up the stairs onto the stone platform. The divine priests sprinkled powders into the round trenches below them as the priestess finished there dance with their hands pointing to their extended foot.

Mist lifted from each trench, draping the grey landscape in their warm light. Welcoming faint colours of; white, green, orange, ocean blue, red and light blue. The Kimishay began to kneel, putting their arms overlapping in front of them and resting theirs heads on their arms. All of Meddashia followed soon after. Ciray took her time as she smiled looking into the mist as the beings began to take shape. Her heart racing with adrenaline as she knocked on deaths door. Her emerald eyes locking with the wind spirit, Vynt, as it looked in her direction.

Ciray bowed down, before it was fully summoned. All of Meddashia dared not to look up, even the divine servants were bowing respectively. Vynt stared at Ciray, who was still smiling to herself as she remained bowed to the floor. Vynt looked on with interest, gliding on light feet to her. He turned around as he felt his other two siblings emerge from the mist. Tursha, the earth spirit, and Mullian, the water sipirt. He spoke in a soft whispery voice to them as if his voice was a calm breeze. Speaking in their spirit tongue, "Have you seen Anire? He is never late for Phoexmuss and should be here by now." Tursha shook her head silently, pieces of earth moving with and around her; imitating hair if she had any.

Mullian answered him, her voice like a waterfall splashing into a small pond. "He was not even at his sanctuary. I worry that he has found a bond-mate. He won't be alone if he is to arrive."

Vynt's aura fell knowingly... figuring out what she meant. He looked over all of Meddashia that was gathered in front if them; even to the souls who had been unable to attend. All or which were still bowed low as they waited for ceremony to complete, not daring to risk their lives by looking upon the spirits of the gods or their fallen children.

"Can we not prevent their fate?" Vynt spoke like a bellowing gust before a storm. Mullian rested her hand on his shoulder, as he bowed his head. She didn't need to tell him, all three of them knew what this meant. There was no Phoexmuss this year. At least not like the joyous, prosperous years before. When a spirit has a bond-mate, the host becomes powerful and untouchable.

They turned as they heard foot steps echo out of a trench. Nikcree strolled out from the mist and into the middle. Noticing the three other spirits in front of him, he bowed at the waist and knelt onto one knee. "It is an honor to meet the other three spirits of Meddashia." Nikcree said with pride, Anire's fiery voice overshadowing his.

Vynt stood his ground with Mullian and Tursha as they understood what was going on. The heir to the Asdrigon throne had comeback. Vynt looked back solemnly over to all the people behind him. Each soul that would breath their last breath tonight.

Nikcree rose as Vynt met his arrogant gaze. "Do you have to do it now?! Can it not wait? Of all the Phoexmuss'es of this era, you had to pick this one. Don't you think you are too soon?" His voice was a raging wind as he spoke, as if he would summon a great and terrible storm to destroy the Ceremony. Nikcree felt a shiver down his spine, but he knew he was strong enough if it came to fighting. With him and Anire bonded, they were the most powerful being in Meddashia.

Nikcree smiled, gesturing to the side with his hand, to the spirits' surprise he agreed. "Prehaps I have come too early. After all I have missed Meddashia and its beautiful nation. The chance to rule each of the clans, even the so powerful Kimishay."

Nikcree smile turned sinister, "I will wait, but only until the sun freezes. That should give us enough time to enjoy Meddashia for another ten or twelve years. Before, of course, I return to rule at my father's throne."

Vynt became anxious and did his best to mask it. Anire stepped out from the bond without warning and Nikcree fell limp to the floor.

Horrified all three spirits exclaimed like and earthquake, tornado and tsunami combined. "Anire what are you doing?! He'll die if you leave the bond. Don't you remember what your power does to a mortal when you are not within them!?"

Anire answered his siblings like an erupting volcano silencing them, "Hush! I remember very well."

Anire walked past them and over looked the Meddashian nation. The world was still for a moment as the spirits stood together.

Anire shed a tear, that fell in a drop of lava and burnt a wandering scorpion to ash. "I know Prince Nikcree will survive. I only wanted to see this version of the nation before the cold sun. I will not have this chance again for a while."

He looked over his shoulder to Vynt. "It had to be done. The curse... the prophecy. I couldn't say no. No matter how hard I tired to prevent myself. I created the bond with him before I could see what I was doing. Forgive me. It is the time for Meddashia fall."

Anire pushed past them as they watched him walk back to Nikcree's body. "I will see you all again on the day of cold sun. Don't repeat history... we don't need another great war."

Vynt became desperate to stop him, but he was too late. Grabbing at nothing, Anire had already re-entered into Nikcree's body. Nikcree recovered slowly, getting up. Vynt watching in remorse as he knew I shouldn't do anything to stop this. Nikcree wandered back through the mist, after having one last glance of the kneeling nation. Imagining it was for him. He smiled as he vanished back through the portal.

Mullian held Vynt's shoulder firmly in her hand as Vynt sat on his heels defeated. Thinking over everything that has happened and the cursed prophecy. Vynt forced himself into a mind ready for battle. He turned to Mullian grabbing her shoulders, pulling their faces closer. "Mullian, we haven't enough time! Is his brother awakened?" Vynt said in a rush as he tried to piece together his plan.

Mullian brushed him off in annoyance, "How would I know that? My job is firmly in the sea, ocean and lakes. Unless you help me into the sky and let it rain over the castle, I can't help you Vynt."

Vynt became excited, "Then we will do that! You have to check, if he is here you have to bond with him! It's the only way."

Mullian was about burst with protests and argue, - the weather becoming a swirling storm of hail and strong winds - when Tursha stepped into the conversation. "Vynt. Mullian. Calm down. I have a better chance of finding Prince Nikcree's brother then Mullian. Also, you know she can't force him to bond with her, it won't be strong and could break."

Sitting down with her siblings, as the weather calmed, she continued, "Honestly, you forget so much when you are in this state. Might as well blow all of Meddashia away with your panic storms."

Vynt opened his mouth to say something, but decided to keep his mouth closed. Tursha looked them both over to make sure that she had their attention and then proceeded to tell them her plan.

Amoung the Kimishay, Ciray peeked above her overlapped arms. Watching the spirits talk to each other excited her. Although, puzzling as it was that she couldn't stop the fire spirit, Anire, Ciray enjoyed the soothing, chilling sounds of the spirits' voices. It was as if the earth, sky and ocean were speaking to each other. However, that is what was happening. Ciray hid her face again, as Vynt caught her watching them. Tursha and Mullain glanced over their shoulders at the Kimishay who still remained bowed.

Vynt got up from his sitting position speaking to his sisters in a hushed tone, "We have stayed too long, we will talk more in our relam."

Tursha and Mullian nodded and then proceeded with him to leave. However, Vynt hesitated. Having a final look at Ciray he still couldn't shake off his curiosity. Ciray looked up again as Vynt vanished back into his relam. She got to her feet cautiously as the rest of the nation behind and beside her followed her lead.

The Ceremony proceeded as the divines, Kelluna and Zusolis, watched from the mist that summoned them; unable to leave the sky. The priestesses and priests burnt incense, the offerings of livestock, the year's harvest and the wealth of the Meddashian nation. Then they each took the ash from the burnt offerings and mixed it with holy water. They painted this on each of the Kimishay and the Kimay. Each of the people of the nation took turns to come up to receive the blessings from the gods. The priests and priestsesses dipped a fern into the ash-water and splashed the blessing on to the mortal in front of them. Chanting fortunes, wealth and favour from the gods upon them.

The divine servants entered into a trance as they finished the Ceremony of Divinites. The lower class, that were at the end of line, helped them to lay down until the trance had past them. Ciray noticed Ryenaè who kept trying to rub the wet ash off her face. Her poor older brother, Garnrath, pushing her hands away telling her to leave it alone where it is. Ciray's ceremonial robes trailed and flowed behind her as she glided across the floor to meet them.

Ciray crouched down to Ryenaè's level as everyone around them bowed low onto one knee. Ciray gently took Ryenaè's hands in hers, "Do you know what it is the Divine Servants splashed on you?"

Ryenaè shook her head, caught speechless as now she had learnt who Ciray was. Ciray smiled as she continued. "Its the gods favour upon you. When Zusolis accepts an offering he burns it. Keluna accepts it by giving their divine servants her tears; a holy water. The black specks on your face is a blessing, only bestowed once a year to those who have earned such honour."

Ryenaè looked all around her and then wrapped her little arms around Ciray's neck. Ciray was taken aback and hesitated to return the hug. Then she realised what was really going on as Ryenaè rubbed her face on her robes. Ryenaè broke from the hug beaming up at Ciray, "You can have my blessings from the gods. I don't need it."

Ciray wasnt sure how to reply or what to do. Before she could do anything, Ryenaè had run off to her abopted-mother as her family began to leave down the stone steps off the platform.