Forgotten Sea: Chapter 9
That day very quickly arrives.
After many millenia, this city that has been silent and still for too long is once again holding a Sea God Festival.
Because of that, before dawn, the entirety of Whalefall City has become lively—everyone is looking forward to celebrating their Sea God’s official coming of age, when he will possess the power to protect the entire ocean.
Algie: Konche you useless fish, you said you’d save us the best spots, but now we can’t even spot a .
Konche: Algie, sis, act a little more civilized, your class teacher’s right in front of us…
Algie: MC, what are you doing hiding back there? Our Lord Sea God won’t even be able to see you!
MC: Why should he have to see me, besides, there are so many people, he might not be able to see…
Konche: Stop talking, he’s here!
The crowd bursts into cheers. I lift my head. A gigantic shadow is gliding across the space above Whalefall City.
That is a beautiful and sacred sea creature, like a whale, but with a pair of outstretched wings like a bird.
The young Sea God rides on its back and passes by his devout people, finally coming to a rest before the gates of Whalefall City.
The Sea God passes through the crowd and walks to stand before me. He lifts the veil covering my head, and takes my hand.
On his body are painted beautiful totems. His gaze also holds a warm smile, as if he has waited for this moment for a very long time.
I inadvertently hold my breath.
The crowd parts to allow us a path directly to the temple, our destination. Every young child gives us their blessings in Lemurian.
They throw beautiful coral branches behind us, and watch us as we walk to the entrance of the temple.
The great doors to the temple slowly close, the sound of prayers outside the door gradually merging into chants.
Within the grand hall where rays of light rise and fall, the flame within the niche is uneasily writhing within the shadows, about to die out.
The Sea God grabs my hand, ten fingers intertwining, and places it on his chest above his heart.
I subconsciously close my eyes, reciting his name silently in my heart—
I’m willing to offer my heart for him.
I’m willing to offer all of my faith for him.
I’m willing for his mark of ownership to be carved on my soul, to sing his praises and prayers every day and night that passes.
The sea god's flame lightly touches my palm like silk thread.
That thin slender thread enters my palm, forms a new palm line, and becomes part of my life and my soul.
Rafayel—the young Sea God gazes at me, his voice like a soft breeze, extinguishing the sole flame in the darkness.
Rafayel: This is my promise to you.
Rafayel: This is Lemuria’s eternal covenant.
No one knows what happened in the temple on the day of the festival.
Lemuria was suddenly plunged into darkness, and the Sacred Flame’s light did not glow for a very long time.
The entire ocean was steeped in an air of unease—rising tides, roiling waves breaking apart rocky cliffs, rocks falling nonstop into the ocean, and even the shrine that was being rebuilt also fell down.
After a long time, their sea god finally walked out of the temple alone, and light subsequently returned to Lemuria.
When he walked out of the doors of the temple, the follower beside him was nowhere to be seen, and the niche that held the old sacred flame had collapsed.
Amidst the dust and ashes and sparks, everyone saw his palm was holding a tiny flame pulsing like a newborn.
Some said this flame was born from the purest faith, and others said the sea god sacrificed his follower, exchanging it for Lemuria's continued existence...
All sorts of tales of unknown veracity spread, until people gradually forgot the ceremony that took place on that day.
Later Lemurians never again saw the follower who was always beside the Sea God in the beginning. The little fish beside him had also disappeared, and no one knew where they had gone.
And after a very, very long time, many years after the god had fallen into slumber and the dazzling kingdom sunk to the bottom of the sea, in quiet Lemuria again arose a legend—for the sake of the person he loved, the sea god deceived the entire ocean.
<<Lemuria - The Days After>>
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