"Hinabi, I grant you leave to speak freely in my presence, for the sake of this young man and all of humankind!" Ave commanded, her tone firm yet imbued with a profound, almost maternal kindness.
Her once eagle-sharp gaze softened as it met the beautiful priestess's gentle eyes. There was an aura of ancient wisdom radiating from her very being, as if her eyes held the secrets of the universe, the knowledge of ages past.
"But in return for this boon, you must keep my presence amongst you a secret, until I permit you otherwise. Should you fail in this, I shall reveal myself in my own time."
Ave's voice returned to a more measured tone, yet it still concealed an unexpected depth of power, a subtle tremor beneath the surface. A promise and a warning, both spoken with the weight of untold ages from her lips.
Ave then moved with a graceful fluidity towards the edge of the towering chamber wall. From that vantage point, she gazed eastward towards Xiangdu, which stretched out far below, a sprawling tapestry of light and shadow.
Her eyes narrowed, her gaze piercingly fixed upon the very heart of that sprawling civilization, as if she possessed the power to penetrate every corner and hidden darkness within its walls.
"That foolish sibling of mine is truly and utterly corrupted by the Shadow-Plague!" She sighed softly, the sound like the rustling of ancient leaves, yet her voice was laden with a deep disappointment and sorrow that spoke of a profound familial bond now tragically broken.
Hinabi, who had been enduring excruciating pain that coursed through her back like fire, slowly and with great effort rose to her feet. With faltering steps, she approached Ave and stood beside her, her face still bearing the pale marks of the recent brutal impact.
"Lady Ave… Forgive my impudence," Hinabi said, her voice hoarse and strained, before finally sinking to her knees in a gesture of profound reverence before the imposing figure of the Grand Aeon.
A gentle smile, like the first rays of dawn, spread across Ave's lips, instantly erasing the palpable tension that had filled the sacred chamber. "Rise, Hinabi… Perhaps in ages long past, I would have welcomed such deference and worship.
But now, it is the Mother who deserves your devotion and praise. Not I, her flawed and weary daughter." She spoke with a tone of deep understanding and a hint of melancholy.
Hinabi obeyed without question, slowly rising to her feet, though a tremor still ran through her. Ave extended a slender hand, her touch light as a feather as she gently placed it upon Hinabi's shoulder.
A golden light, pure and radiant, emanated from her palm, enveloping Hinabi's body in a comforting warmth. Hinabi looked slightly surprised by this unexpected display of power but passively accepted the gentle touch.
Ave chuckled softly at the bewildered expression on Hinabi's face.
"Fear not, Hinabi. This is the Mother's life-force, the very essence of being… your pain shall vanish as if it never was."
And true to her words, Hinabi's body instantly felt suffused with a soothing warmth, and all the lingering pain from the previous impact disappeared without a trace, leaving her feeling renewed and invigorated. A miracle had just unfolded before her very eyes.
"Hinabi. You have received the Mother's blessing, a fragment of her divine power. A force known as 'Maha,' is it not so?" Ave asked, her gaze probing and insightful. Hinabi stared at Ave with wide, bewildered eyes, her mind reeling with unanswered questions.
How could Ave possibly know about such a sacred and closely guarded secret, one she had never revealed to another soul?
"Do not be surprised, Hinabi. I myself founded the first Sun Temple upon a distant continent known as Lalaluna, in the dawn of this world.
And the temple upon the Thousand Flowers Island is merely a small fragment, a single, inseparable part of that magnificent and ancient land." Ave explained, unveiling a mystery that had remained hidden for countless generations.
"And it was my purpose, along with my five siblings, to guide you and all of humankind towards enlightenment and peace, according to the Mother's divine will." Ave continued, a hint of profound regret coloring her voice.
Ave smiled again, this time with a sincerity that warmed Hinabi's heart. Then, she turned fully towards the priestess, her gaze unwavering.
"I shall now remove my own 'Maha' and bestow a portion of it upon this young man." Ave said, her words startling Hinabi with their unexpectedness.
"Lady… then you will…" Hinabi began, attempting to interrupt, but Ave gently cut her off with a wave of her hand.
"Nay, Hinabi. I feel an overwhelming guilt within my heart, a burden I have carried for far too long…" Ave turned her gaze towards the towering temple, as if seeking answers amongst the sturdy, ancient pillars.
"Does the sacred chamber still exist within these hallowed walls?" She asked, her voice barely a whisper.
"Yes, Lady… wherever a Sun Temple stands, there will always be a sacred chamber, a place of communion with the Mother." Hinabi replied confidently, her voice filled with unwavering faith.
"Take me there, then. I wish to remain within its sacred confines. Tonight, I shall partake of a portion of this young man's soul." Ave said, her gaze falling upon Jade, who still lay weak and unconscious in her arms.
Hinabi looked deeply worried by this pronouncement but dared not object to the will of a Grand Aeon.
She was well aware of the immense power that resided within the being who stood before her, a Grand Aeon whose might far surpassed her mortal understanding.
That night, with the utmost care and respect, Hinabi led Ave to the sacred chamber and prepared everything that the ancient being required for her mysterious ritual.
Within the sacred chamber, usually reserved for the most solemn rituals and communion with the Mother, all the altars were moved aside, leaving a spacious room now transformed into Ave's private sanctuary.
In the very center of the room, Jade lay upon the Night Princess's luxurious bed, looking fragile and utterly helpless in his unconscious state.
Ave sat by the bedside, her gaze fixed upon Jade with an inscrutable intensity. Hinabi stood anxiously in a shadowed corner of the room, awaiting further instructions from the powerful being.
"Hinabi, I can sense the Mother's essence clinging to all the guards, soldiers, and even some of the adventurers I encountered on my journey here." Ave said, her voice breaking the heavy silence that had fallen upon the chamber.
"What is it, Lady?" Hinabi immediately approached, kneeling and placing her hands upon Ave's lap in a gesture of obedience and deep concern.
"It is a serum that enhances muscle strength, Lady. Made from the precious metal Mythril…" Hinabi replied in a low, respectful voice.
"Hinabi… Hinabi. Why have you strayed so far from the Mother's teachings…"
"How many humans have you sacrificed by injecting them with the Mother's crystallized tears? Do you not know that such potent power can kill mortal humans?"
Ave's voice rose slightly, betraying a deep disappointment and suppressed anger at this revelation.
Hinabi bowed her head in shame, tears welling up in her eyes at the Grand Aeon's words.
Hinabi knew very well that this dangerous practice had been passed down through generations of priestesses, long before she was even born.
And she also knew the terrible risks that could occur if the human body could not adapt to the immense power contained within the serum.
"Forgive me, Lady… Forgive our greed, we humans, for our ignorance and our desperate desire for strength." Hinabi said between sobs, her voice choked with remorse.
Ave sighed deeply, trying to regain her composure and quell the rising tide of her emotions.
"Enough, Hinabi. What matters now is that Rivotra has resumed the ancient war for the Will…" Ave stopped speaking abruptly, reluctant to utter the forbidden name that held such power.
Hinabi looked utterly confused, not understanding why Ave had suddenly stopped mid-sentence, her words hanging in the air.
"Whose Will, Lady? I do not understand your words." She asked innocently, her brow furrowed in confusion.
"It is nothing, Hinabi. You must not hear His name spoken aloud. To do so could mean your very demise." Ave replied warningly, her voice filled with a chilling undertone.
"I shall tell you a story from twenty thousand years ago, a tale of the dawn of our kind. But first, I will teach you how to truly wield the 'Maha' that the Mother bestowed upon the twin priestesses of each generation." Ave said, shifting the conversation to a more pressing and significant topic.
"And that, Hinabi, is the key to defeating a Grand Aeon absolutely, should such a dire need ever arise. But there is one more crucial element, a rare substance known as Mythrilblood, a very rare mineral indeed."
"It is the Mother's tears mixed with the very essence of life, blood."
"Forged into a weapon of purpose, it can easily pierce the defenses and even extinguish the life force of a Mystical Beast." Ave explained, providing vital clues to a power Hinabi never knew existed.
Suddenly, Hinabi's memory drifted to her beloved dagger, the one she had wielded with such skill and courage. Without hesitation, she drew it swiftly from her waist and offered it to Ave, her hand trembling slightly.
"Is it like this, Lady?" Hinabi asked, extending the dagger with its shimmering purple blade towards the ancient being.
"Yes, child, but this is impure, tainted with a purple hue. Did you mix it yourself?" Ave asked, receiving and examining Hinabi's dagger with careful scrutiny.
Unexpectedly, Ave scratched the dagger's sharp blade across the palm of her own hand, a delicate line appearing on her skin.
A single drop of fresh, red blood welled up and slowly dripped from the small wound. "See, Hinabi? Even though it is impure and diluted, it is still dangerous to us, the Grand Aeons."
"But it cannot truly extinguish our immortal essence, merely wound us." Ave said, showing the small, bleeding wound on her hand.
"Very well. I believe it is now time for you to hear the true story of us, the Grand Aeons. Stand, Hinabi, and listen closely." Ave commanded, her voice resonating with ancient authority.
Hinabi immediately stood, her heart pounding in her chest, while Ave glanced once more at Jade, who still lay unconscious upon the bed, before returning Hinabi's dagger to her.
"Listen carefully, Hinabi. After I reveal to you the true method of activating your 'Maha,' you must swear upon the Mother's name to never reveal this secret to another soul."
"Your and Hanabi's unique 'Maha' is called The Astrologer, a power unlike any other." Ave said seriously, her gaze intense.
Ave approached Jade and gently took his cold hand in hers. "Hinabi, hold my other hand. Together, we shall unlock this power." Ave said, extending her other hand towards the priestess.
But Hinabi looked hesitant, her eyes lowered in apprehension. "Do not be afraid, child," Ave continued, her voice gentle as she tried to quell the uncertainty etched upon Hinabi's face.
Hinabi still looked unsure, but finally, she dared to reach out and take Ave's offered hand, her fingers trembling slightly.
Ave smiled gently at Hinabi, a reassuring warmth in her eyes, and said in a soft yet undeniably powerful voice. "This, Hinabi, is how you truly activate The Astrologer..."
Darkness! Suddenly, the very air around Ave and Hinabi seemed to solidify into a tangible, suffocating pitch-blackness. Yet, the sacred chamber had moments before been brightly lit by numerous lamps flickering in every corner.
"Lady! Where are we? Lady? Where have you gone?" Hinabi's voice sounded panicked and disoriented, trapped in the absolute and unexpected darkness that had enveloped them.
Ave laughed, her voice echoing through the darkness, as if they were standing within a vast and deep cavern.
"Hinabi… Hinabi. Do not allow fear to claim your heart. I am still holding your hand, child. Trust in the Mother." Ave replied calmly, though a soft chuckle lingered in her voice, as if amused by Hinabi's sudden disorientation.
Slowly, a small, faint light began to coalesce in the oppressive darkness. The light was initially just a tiny dot, but gradually, it multiplied, blossoming into countless shimmering orbs that twinkled like fireflies on a warm summer night.
"What are those lights, Lady?" Hinabi asked Ave, her voice filled with awe as her eyes were captivated by the unprecedented sight.
Unlike ordinary fireflies, these ethereal lights emitted a myriad of vibrant colors that swirled and blended into one another, creating a breathtakingly beautiful and mesmerizing spectacle that defied earthly description.
The luminous objects fluttered gracefully around them, increasing in number until they illuminated the entire area, dispelling the oppressive darkness and revealing a wondrous new reality.
Ave and Hinabi now appeared to be standing on the surface of an endless, dark, and utterly silent ocean. In the far distance, the majestic silhouette of a colossal pyramid-like building was faintly visible against the starlit expanse.
However, at the very pinnacle of this imposing structure, there rested a throne crafted from glittering Mythril stones, radiating an otherworldly luminescence.
Strangely, Jade seemed to be sitting comfortably upon this ethereal throne, his chin resting thoughtfully upon his hand, yet his eyes were closed, and he appeared to be sound asleep, oblivious to the wondrous scene unfolding around him.
Ave then answered Hinabi's unspoken question calmly, her voice filled with a gentle wisdom.
"This place, Hinabi, is called 'Nypocampus,' the realm of consciousness and soul, the very fabric of thought. And look closely at the handsome young man seated upon that throne."
Ave said, pointing towards Jade with a gentle gesture.
"We are within that young man's Nypocampus, Hinabi. This wondrous place, this realm of dreams and memories, is the true manifestation of The Astrologer's unique and potent ability."
Ave concluded, ending her explanation with a mysterious and knowing smile.
"How do you activate this power fully, Lady? And is Jade truly alright there, in that strange place?" Hinabi looked deeply worried about Jade's condition, her brow furrowed with concern.
"You can activate it now, Hinabi. I have shown you the way, you understand the connection now, do you not?" Ave replied, her gaze encouraging.
Hinabi indeed felt a nascent understanding bloom within her, as if the power had been waiting for Ave to unlock its secrets, considering Ave was the very founder of the Sun Temple and the originator of this sacred knowledge.
Ave smiled reassuringly. "Yes, child, he is quite alright. He is merely asleep, just as his physical body rests in the sacred chamber."
"I shall train him within this realm, guide his spirit, and share a portion of my own 'Maha' with him, strengthening his very being." Ave replied to Hinabi's worried query.
"If you share your 'Maha' with him, does that mean you will take Jade as your consort, Lady?" Hinabi seemed to protest, her face full of concern and perhaps a hint of something else.
"My siblings and I are known as the Order of the Sun, those who follow the benevolent will of the Mother."
"And Rivotra, in his current corrupted state, is now aligned with what is known as the Order of the Moon, those who have fallen under the sway of the Father."
"Those of us who remain true to the Order of the Sun are forbidden from directly harming our siblings, no matter how far they may stray from the Mother's light."
"Not even Rivotra, nor the fiery Ifrit, can we strike down with our own hands."
"How about we sit here, near young Jade? I shall now recount the history of twenty thousand years ago, so that you may understand the true nature of our existence and the forces at play in this world, Hinabi."
They both approached the ethereal throne upon which Jade rested and sat on either side of him, their presence not disturbing his peaceful slumber. "Listen well, Hinabi," Ave began, her voice taking on the tone of an ancient storyteller.
"This place, Nypocampus, is not bound by the constraints of time as you know it. Here, you can commune directly with the Mother, and here, in times of dire need, you can even summon a Grand Aeon to aid your cause."