A hundred more feet, Vesta thought to herself, hidden among the shadows. Her hood covered her face as she dodged the moonlight. Her chest heaved with worry, and her muscles tensed to focus on every step. Carefully, she avoided the squeaks of scattering rats, interrupted in their search for scraps. She could teleport with magic, ...

Each mystery Anahí brought to light was an affirmation of men’s ignorance. Every new plant and animal walking those lands confirmed our sins were more outrageous than tales told. Otherwise, we would have borne witness to those wonders from the moment we were born. As we left the city, I showered her with questions, many ...

Sur Nam Khaar was a place that changed only with the shifting seasons. Beyond that, male existence resembled that of an old tree–peaceful. We had our duties. Sewing, practicing arts, and cooking, but we also learned about humankind’s history and the Mother’s compassion. Our elders taught us about the Great Cataclysm and the Years of ...

When I was fifteen, the harvest that year was richer than in previous years. Old Shu even seemed to grow younger with so much joy, and realized we needed a bigger barn. He and Jacob asked for the Mage’s aid. Two days later, they roamed the village.  I was summoned to be the cook’s helper ...

The happiness I clung to blinded me to her absence. Dim, flickering lights suffused the moment with a ghostly breeze, and I surrendered to it. The atmosphere thickened, every barrier dissolving with the seductive mist. My mind shifted to the problem unfolding before me. Did I do something wrong? The instruments kept playing, mirroring the ...

The music I had waited for all night finally played: her voice. Fireflies and lunar moths made their appearance, presents of the Mother herself, matching the perfect tune of the crickets. Although I felt the danger of losing her was gone, my mouth went dry. “Is there something amiss?” She spoke for the second time.  ...

Our troupe of younglings played and sang diligently as we crossed the towering wooden gates. The stone courtyard greeted everyone with icy facade, covered in green cloak, as the passage behind us slammed shut. Torches hung from the inner walls, and candles adorned the path that led deeper into the patio. The atmosphere was majestic ...

Even though I continued talking with my parents as if nothing had happened, my mind was churning with thoughts, and my throat was aching to speak. The conversation with Ji-Ah left a powerful impression on me. She made clear that the Great Mother had been listening to my prayers. Was that why the Late Sovereign ...

As the second song ended, the village exploded in cheers. The younglings were too busy catching their breaths, and there I stood, trapped under the Rainbow Mage’s gaze. Those eyes, dark as the night sky, had powers beyond my comprehension — my whole body yearned for her, and the surrounding world no longer mattered. She ...

“Shut up, you loud bunch of hungry monkeys!”  Elder Shu yelled at the top of his lungs, waving his cane in the air. Those who had experienced the Solstice covered their mouths with their index fingers. My parents, like the other adults, whispered for me to be quiet and leaned against the walls to clear ...