Ascension

I sit on the side of the mountain, watching a strange green light on the horizon. It moves, almost dances across the black starry sky. Up, down, left and right, in a rhythmic pattern, widening with each repetition of movement.

The rock beneath me is warm from the hot desert sun, which is setting behind me. The wind whistles through a scrubby bush to my left, and I hear the rustle of a snake or lizard. I don’t care to find out which. The wind is warm, but refreshing as it hits my sweaty body. I’ll have to toss my lightweight, flowing robes when I get to my father. I’m getting ripe, but who wouldn’t in the desert in July. The robes are made for the heat, a light muslin fabric that breathes well. Serviceable, just like me. And after this trek, they deserve to be retired. They will never come clean. Their dull brown color matches my mood, and the color of most things around me.

I reach for my water bottle and splash a few drops on my face, swiping it with my arm. I run a hand through my long dark curls. They are dripping with sweat again. I need to get moving. Only 20 more miles to go. I’ll find good water about 2 miles away, according to my map. I pray it is correct, because my water is running low.

My feet ache as I stand. Five nights of travel and five days of sleep. It wears a body thin. My mind is clear, focused and determined. I will make it to Luthana in two more days, I promise myself. My brothers wait there for me, holding up our father’s transcendence ritual until I arrive. He waits patiently, my father, knowing his peace will soon come. It is time for him. He’s so lucky.

I don’t hate living; I just want more out of life. The meager pittance I earn farming at the other end of the valley is just not what I’d set my sights on when I was young. I thought I was beautiful, and would be lifted to the Priesthood. Now I have no choice. It is my destiny to farm and feed the people. That’s what I was assigned. That’s what I do.

I hum softly as I trudge along, kicking at rocks. I stop kicking, because I don’t have energy to waste. I need to make every motion count. The heat wave picked a fine time to hit, just as I left the farm. I’ve been fortunate to find safe nooks to sleep during the day, with shade from something, whether a rock or a bush. Not too many bushes out here. This morning, it was a ledge on the mountain, between two large rocks. It almost made a cave, and a very dark spot for sleeping away the hot day. I felt a few crawlers on me during my rest, but nothing harmed me.

Anartha rises, lighting the sky with a pinkish glow, and I glance again at the green light, now so far from where I stand it is just a flicker. It moves toward me again, fast. Much faster than it moved before. I see it flying at me, closer, closer, and I finally duck down to the ground when it dips very low not far ahead. I think it wants to hit me.

As it comes closer, I see that it is not green, but silver. An oblong cylinder with green lights on it. I've never seen anything like it. There are windows through which I see something inside. Not a man, at least not a Tigrella man. The being inside is silver like the object. I am so baffled.

I begin to run, stumbling over small rocks and ragged plants in the moonlit desert. A lizard runs out of my way, and I hear rattles as I pass a large rock with a briar growing next to it. The snake slithers away, and I continue to run. I cannot out run the silver thing. I cannot move any faster. It stops in front of me. It opens.

My younger brother walks down a ramp that opens from the belly of the object. Another being comes out. It has only two arms, very strange, and shorter legs than I. I sit. I sip some water and shake my head, but it is still there. My brother comes to me, and enfolds me in his arms. “These people are visitors from a far-away planet. Their ship moves quickly, so we asked them to help us search for you. We must hurry to bring you to Father.”

The two-armed creature speaks to my brother. It speaks a strange language, but my brother understands. I don’t know what it is saying. I am frightened. It walks up to me, and shows its teeth. It is ugly and trying to frighten me, I know.

The being reaches for one of my left hands. It grasps me with its silver hand, and gently pulls me toward the silver cylinder. I cannot resist, and am pulled into the "ship” with it. Air rushes at my face inside the ship, a rich oxygen blend, and I get dizzy. My brother sees me falter, and touches something on a panel next to my head. I begin to breathe easier, smelling the sand of my desert. My head clears.

The ramp closes, and we fly over the desert, past the mountains and toward Luthana. As we approach the city, the ship lands again. My older brother waits beside the city gate.

“You are safe, little one.” He gestured toward the silver beings. “These are friends from Earth, a planet far away. They have been here for some time, and we are learning from one another,” my brother says as he pulls me close with his four arms.

I start to shake, and he holds tighter. “Father is waiting, very weak, and we must hurry, Belina.” We walk toward my father, at the site of Ascendence.

“Daughter, I know you must be frightened. The earthlings have been visiting for a while now, and we saw no reason to alert the rest of the valley to their presence until we have established relations. They were kind to go and bring you to us. I know you are tired, and you need a bath.” He smiled as he wrinkled his nose. “Please, go and wash, and prepare yourself for the ceremony. I am waiting.” My father said, his face gray and pained.

Tears slipped from my eyes as I turned away. It would be hard to go on without his wisdom. I entered the bath house and did as he asked, returning as quickly as possible.

The Priestess blessed my father. Extending her blessing to me and my brother, she put her hand on my head and said, “Lady Belina, you have been selected to enter the priesthood. Your father has paid your fees. You will not return to the farms. This is the first ceremony you will witness, and you must be prepared spiritually before we begin.”

We walk together to the Temple of the Moons. Entering the sacred tunnel, I see a large cavern, shining from moonlight pouring through small openings in the ceiling. Almost like stars, but brighter tonight because of the Anartha’s fullness. The Priestess calls me into a private chamber, filled with burning incense and crystals. She bids me sit on the crystal chair in the center of the room. As I sit, a bright pink light comes from above and below, simultaneously. She smiles.

“Just as I suspected. You are a priestess of Anartha. See the pink light you emit! So beautiful and strong.”

“But - me? I’m just a farmer. I was sent to farm. I don’t understand.”

“You were sent to learn the value of service, Belina. To serve the people is the greatest calling of all, and to be a Priestess, especially of Anartha, you must have a heart for service. Also, strength and endurance when called upon. You have these qualities and many more. You will train here with me until I ascend next fall. Then you will take my place as High Priestess.”

We leave the chamber of light, walking out to the wide-open skies above my father’s funeral pyre. He lays among the flowers, waiting for the Priestess to lead him in the ascendence chants. Anartha glows in the sky above, casting her pink light over the clearing. All the creatures of the countryside gather together, beasts and Tigrellans alike. All loved and revered my father. The chant begins softly, building to a crescendo and holding the power of all life in the sound. The light that was my father lifts, a pale purple cloud beginning as a flat plane of light. As it rises, it begins to swirl. His spirit touches each of us, one by one until he comes to my brothers and I. He wraps us in light, giving his last and best hug to the three of us, his babies. Then he lifts, dispersing and becoming part of Anartha’s light.

I tell my brothers goodbye, and enter the Temple for the second time as a full initiate. Other initiates braid my hair in the traditional secret braid of the Priestess, and my calloused hands and feet are treated with scented oils.

We enter the meditation room as a group, and I notice the others are glowing, different shades representing their particular gifts from and to the Universe. Mine is a brilliant pink, the color of Anartha herself. I am now her child, as I always prayed I would be.

As I enter deeply into my meditation, I focus on the light in my mind. I see the green light in the desert, flitting to and fro in my memory. That light brought me to my father’s side, and to the beginning of my journey into the light of the priesthood.