Chapter VII: Newfound Hope
"Let us commence." I responded.
"My brethren, we must now lend our voices to the little archer, who stands tall despite, well, the sacrifice she is about to make..."
(Cue "Only Hope" by Mandy Moore in the background)
*There's a song that's inside
Of my soul
It's the one that I've tried to write
Over and over again
I'm awake in the infinite cold
But you sing to me over and over and over again
So I lay my head back down
And I lift my hands and pray
To be only yours I pray
To be only yours
I know now you're my only hope...*
As the Twilightgales began singing, the pod slowly glowed.
When it was finally brimming with radiant light, I knew it was time to chant the ritual rites.
"In the dark of night when only the Mother shines bright;
Before the Great Tree where great kings rested their might,
A royal blood commits a most noble sacrifice, a most heroic deed;
One is not cutting the tree, merely planting the seed."
While I was chanting, I witness moonlight rays, Mother Moon's caring touch, move towards and carress the pod, which soon gently began to bloom.
While it did, I felt my body weaken and my mind to gradually fade away.
"I summon thee, the Light of the People, the Son of the Mother, the Eternal Judge of All,
Long have we waited, long have we hoped, pray answer our call!
To our defilers, unleash thy wrath!
To our people, heal their wounds!
Let your presence fill our spirits with hope, let our forests once more sing,
Free us from our suffering, o MOST POWERFUL MOON KING!"
When I finished chanting, I felt my knees could no longer support my weight and I came crashing down to the ground where I stood.
As I lied there, I saw a familiar visage come out from the pod, which has now fully bloomed in all its splendor.
It was Teetee. I recognized his shadow even e
after all those years.
He looked in my direction and stopped, then came rushing down towards me.
"Mimi!"
"Teetee... I missed you, how my heart longed for your touch."
"For so long had I longed and pined to be with you... It was unfathomable the loneliness I felt in my slumber.
...while I was sleeping, all I could ever think of was the image of you, of US, together. When I felt a call to awaken, I was afraid that it was you... why did it have to be you?"
"Fate's been one heck of a comedian to us that's why *chuckles*. Also partly because I'm the only royal blood left in the capital as most of the nobles and aristocrats have already departed for Hayanaar, the elven sacred land to the far east of the Land of Dawn."
"Those nobles... how easy it is for them to abandpn their brothers and sisters at such dire times. And how can you laugh at a time at this?"
"I can laugh knowing that I'm successful in my mission of rousing you from my slumber.
I can laugh knowing that you would valiantly lead our people to victory.
I can laugh knowing that you can realize our people's future, a future that I failed to believe in, with a brilliance that puts even the stars to shame."
Teetee just stares at me after what I said. His eyes, though often leaving a mark of his signature sterness, is now soft and teary and is navigating my face.
I waited for him to say something, but he just remained silent.
"...What? Aren't you gonna say anything?"
"Forgive me for staring, but I... I couldn't help it. You are still as beautiful as the day I first laid my sights on you, my love."
"And you're still as much of a joker since the day you made that promise to me in the clearing."
After what I said, Teetee took my hand and placed it upon his hard, chiseled chest covered by his royal robes.
From there his eyes find their way back to mine, sincerity are all that it holds.
"My love for you, and the promise I had always intended to keep was never a joke. You know this full well."
"Teetee I- *coughs*"
No. Not now. I feel my body weakening further.
Mother Moon, please grant me a few more minutes with the one Iove, I still have something to tell him before I go.
Finding all the strength left within me, I find my voice already knowing the words to say.
"Teetee, I love -"
"Shhh. I know. And I know that you know, that neither the vastness of space nor the deepest chasms of reality will keep me from loving you."
I felt that. Something about his calm, deep voice makes everything he say sound so... magical.
Now, as I felt myself finding it harder and harder to catch my breath, decided to spend my final moments in Teetee's loving arms, not telling, but singing the feelings my heart so wishes to express...
"*sobs* Sing to me the song of the stars...
Of your galaxy dancing and laughing and laughing again...
When it feels like my dreams... *out of breath* are so far...
Sing to me all the plans... that you have for me over again..."
When I could no longer continue due to being out of breath, Teetee began singing and I lose myself to his soothing voice which was now all that ever resounded within the chambers of my soul.
"*sobs* So I lay my head back down, and I lift my hands and..
*cries, tears held back for so long begin flowing from his eyes*
pray...
To be only yours I pray...
To be only yours
I know now you're my only....
*cries*
hope..."
From his eyes, I turn to look to the Mother Moon in the night sky over his shoulder, before finally eing forced to close them.
And from then on, I felt nothing but blankness aside from the cold chill of death as it began taking hold of my body.
The gelid frost grew more frigid by the second, and it was then I can truly say...
I, Miya, Commander of the Moon Elves and First-Bow, finally depart from this world.
My story ends here.
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... Or so I thought.
Not long after, when the cold has settled in me, I felt something warm taking over.
It came from my heart.
Soon, the warmth spread to other parts of my body.
In the distance, I see a bright light in the form of a woman....
She stood tall, with her long white hair and flawless pale skin that glowed brightly.
Her face was too bright to fully see, but I have no doubt that her's was a beauty to behold.
She wore a legendary elven armor, the luminous Moonsilver Bulwark with details ever so intricate.
She looked wierdly identical to my friend in the woods, the white lady who I had played with when I was just a child.
She just stood there, in the distance, but I felt her presence drawing nearer and nearer to my dead body.
At the same time, I felt death's grasp being lifted from me...
I too felt myself being lifted up... flying, somehow...
When I felt like I miraculously could, I did...
I opened my eyes to see that I was indeed airborne, my feet lifted a distance from the ground below me (where I died a few moments ago).
I see Teetee, Nana and even the twilightgales looking up to me in shock, awe, and surprise combined.
Their faces looked like they just saw someone from the dead come back to life.
I look down at my arms and legs, which I can now once again move freely with every energy, vitality,and vigor my seasoned body once had.
I no longer felt weak, nor tired.
I was instead, confused as to how in the world this has happened. And by whome.
I know not of mortals who have the power to raise people from the dead... but...
I think I know of IMMORTALS who can.
I look up above to see her, in her beauty, Mother Moon, shining her light on me.
She has returned breath to my lungs and life to my body.
But... she was not the only one I saw. I see a humanoid figue ontop of her...
Soon, the figure began talking, her voice echoed loudly even though she is far.
"My child, you are not the hero this land deserves, but you are the hero it needs. I returned life to you once more so you may lead our people together with the Moon King. Let none stand in your way and let nothing but triumph follow in your wake!"
Her voice was strong and with every authority of a goddess. I turned to look at Teetee, Nana, and the others. Judging by their faces it would seem that only I heard her voice.
Could she be, Mother Moon?
No, that can't be. I feel like I've seen this figure somewhere else, almost KNOWN...
Then it hit me.
Long white hair, fawless pale skin, EQUIPPED WITH THE LEGENDARY MOONSILVER ARMOR?!
IT ALL CONNECTS.
The white lady who was my playmate as a child, the woman I saw in a distance while I was dead, was MOTHER MOON ALL ALONG?
If true, then she never abandoned me all this time.
She was there, even in times when I felt alone. I was just too blind to see.
I have her, and no other, to thank, for this newfound hope she has bestowed upon me.
After a while, the light image of Mother Moon, the elf in armor, soon began fading softly along the moonlight that shined down on me (broghter than the other).
I also felt myself slowly descending, and I was filled with satisfaction the moment the soles of my feet landed unto the ground. I hate heights.
I was fully healed by then.
From there, there was one thing I must do. What I had planned from the start.
... to run at Teetee with open arms and kiss him like there's no tomorrow.
"TEETEE!"
"MIMI!"
I run to him and he takes me in his arms, holding me tight as we spun through the night.
We then kissed with the passion of a thousand flames, only breaking apart in our need for air.
We kissed one (or two, maybe three) more times before Teetee slowly put me back down on my feet.
"*happily* I thought I'd lost you forever."
"I thought so too. But Mother Moon..."
"What about her?"
"I know now that she had never forsaken us all along. She is present, in her own mysterious ways, and she watches over us and protects us when we least expect it."
"I couldn't agree more. It's hard to understand the nature of immortals, but one thing is for sure: Mother Moon loves her children and has greater plans for them."
We stood there, conversing, Teetee's hands rested on my waist and mine on his shoulders. Suddenly,
"Ahemm."
I turn to see Nana, who's face is teary eyed but glowing with happiness. I grab Teetee by the hand and drag him towards my leonin friend.
"Nana! I'm sorry for not being able to tell you any sooner..."
"What? That you'd die? Thanks for almost giving a heart attack."
"Sorry! >.<"
"Nahh it's okay really. So, this is your prince charming huh?"
"Correction, my KING charming. Teetee, this is Nana, my new leonin best friend."
"Hey, I though I was your bestfriend?"
"You're my plus one bestfriend, Nana is my girl bestfriend. If it weren't for her, I wouldn't have been able to collect enough empyrean shrooms for the ritual."
"It was nothing. I figured I could use my knowledge to aid such a beautiful soul."
"Aww, that's really sweet, Nana."
"Believe me when I say, I meant it. But enough of me! You two as a couple look like some Eternium Bob shrooms."
"I'll take that as a compliment."
"Trust me, it is."
"Little archer!"
The twilightgales called out from a distance. I waved at them and they flew to where we were.
"Thank you for your aid, great birds."
"On, no biggie always little archer. What we witnessed just know was something to be treasured for a lifetime. We are followers of Mother Moon too you know."
"A precious tea indeed! Like the one you gave us!"
I remembered the truth I gave to those birds, and with Teetee here with us now, I pray they don't go over that.
"What tea?"
Asked Teetee with curiosity.
"N-nothing really."
I answered him hastily before any of those birds release a word.
"Oh you know, the tea that your little plus one here gave us in exchange for our services for the ritual."
"Yes yes. I remembered it clearly. You said that you couldn't bring yoursf to hate King charming because quote-unquote, "I'm still in love with him, so thirsty as flies!"
"WOAH WOAH WOAH that last part was made up!"
"Really now? *chuckles*"
Teetee looks at me, almost mockingly.
I hate this.
"I would rate that tea 11/10. That high score just earned you something to drink when we get home."
Something to drink? What does he mean? Moondew? This is for general audiences for stars' sake! Teetee keep it down.
"Well, this has been fun. But we have to warp out of here now. We must return to the Eclipsed Grove to share our newfound tea with all who ought to hear. Farewell, everybody!"
"FAREWELL!"
Responded the three of us.
After the twilightgales have left, my mind rested on one thing and one thing only.
"What, the thing you'll be drinking once we get to your bungalow?"
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"If you say so *hides back laughter*."
One thing I forgot to say about Teetee, is that he can read minds. That PERVERT!
"Aaand you just called me a pervert."
"Stop reading my mind or you'll be sleeping in the couch."
"Okay okay, I'll stop. Please, continue."
As I was saying, my mind rested on one thing and one thing only.
"Teetee, we still have a war to win against Alice, her minions, and the Lord of the Dark Abyss' forces."
"And Nana, you have helped me through so much already. This war with the Blood Queen won't be easy, so I advise that you stay out of it."
"What am I, a child?! No war is ever easy!"
"Then I'll take that as, "I'll fight with you!"
"You bet it is!"
"Then let's go, because the biggest adventure yet is waiting for us."