We are like the bright moon, we still have our darker side.

~Kahlil Gibran

Tonight. Awen Lockhart noticed the full moon was strangely larger than its usual size while a dark-reddish color was gradually expanding from its edge. It was a bizarre phenomenon which very rare to occur in the land of Uria, and Awen was well aware of what would happen once the dark-reddish color consumed the moon. She had seen it before, everyone had seen it a month ago. The night turned darker and eerie until a creepy-crimsoned yet beautiful full moon shone above.

The blood moon.

Awen could not stop the wide grin on her face at the upcoming events, not because of another blood moon which about to reappear but because she had a clear recollection of what was bound to happen inside the shrine.

"No priestess on hallways, no annoying big-mouth kitchen crews, and finally! No scary head priestesses were lurking in the dark. This is my only chance!"

Awen's mind was full of mischievous tactics when she hauled the large baggy bag on her shoulders which unexpectedly, and nearly break her slender legs, shook her slim body, and mentally cursed her in an ancient language she had secretly learned several years ago here in the shrine of Aumanda. Or better say she came across the word when she was sneaking in the forbidden archives and unconsciously became her favorite habit almost on every occasion.

Another horrible curse Awen uttered and a bit loud this time when she took the stairs. Pinching pain spread in her shoulders and legs, aching terribly because of the effort while heavy sweat gradually forming on her forehead down to her body, causing her cloth to slightly stick to her, mildly suffocating her in a very unpleasant way. She'd plan not to make any noise but fail in every step she made.

Despite her current dilemma, her mind was mishap too, partially contemplating how long the blood moon will last to buy her time, what on earth she had collected-rather the right word was 'stole', in several months for her baggy bag to gain this massive unbearable weight that almost three times than her.

She was certainly not long ago that she had carefully selected things for her journey and with a heavy heart, avoided unnecessary stuff, especially munchkins.

The idea to leave behind the bag was lingering in her head because for sure it will make her journey at a much more comfortable pace. However, she knew she could not do such a thing, remembering how awful and cruel to become penniless in the land where diamonds and gold were known as Lords.

Instead, she inhaled deeply as if it would lessen the heavy baggy though she knew it wouldn't. In the end, she forcefully accepted her bitter-sweet predicament and lulled herself with the words she hated. There are always sacrifices to reach your desire.

"If these are things which I needed to endure to get out of the life of priesthood. Wholeheartedly, I've accepted it with open arms."

To be a priestess was a big joke for Awen, it was never her dream nor the slightest desire to become one. The reason she decided to become one was because of three simple reasons in her so-called game of life.

Shelter, food, and clothing.

Three essential things to survive in this land which the Shrine of Aumanda generously offers to anyone willing to become a servant of the sun. Nevertheless, the best escape for an orphan like her.

Awen paused when she heard something and nervously glanced back from her left to right while maintaining the baggy bag on her back.

She thoroughly examined the grand halls while hiding in the shadows, and for unknown reasons, her eyes fell on the gigantic golden statue of the Goddess Aumanda in front of her.

The statue was proudly standing between two huge pillars with golden leaves around them, while the goddess's slender arms were stretched out above as if she was expecting something from the sky. Her long slightly braided hair was decorated with small flowers that casually cascaded on her slim shoulder while her gorgeous gown with a long slit in her right leg was perfectly fit for a goddess like her to show off her femininity and power.

Awen could not deny she was always mesmerized every time she would look at the ethereal beauty of the goddess. And as if the goddess knew what she was thinking, a small smile was fixed on her beautiful face.

Awen look away from the statue and observed her surroundings again. It took several moments until she had confidence no single soul was lurking around that might interfere with her plans until a huge white floppy green-eyes cat emerged from the shadows behind the gigantic statue of the beautiful Goddess Aumanda.

Her heart jumped thanks to the strange cat that cutely scratched its ears in the middle of the hallway and reluctantly looked at her as if, the cute little thing knew her plans and intentionally helped her to leave the shrine, or perhaps the other way around.

Awen rolled her eyes at the sudden surprise of the unexpected visitor and drew the frustrated breath she was holding before she hissed the poor cat away, thinking the unfamiliar cat might cause annoying noise that eventually the cat did.

Carefully, quietly and with panic. Thanks again to the cat. Awen was half-walking, half-running through the labyrinth of pathways for her most precious desirable freedom until she saw the gates.

Her smile reappeared when she saw the gates. They were wide open as if gods had opened them for her. Deliberately, assisting her to leave or perhaps the gods knew she wasn't fit for the profession.

Awen Lockhart could confidently say that life inside the shrine was the most comfortable life she had ever experienced. Better than wandering in the dangerous alleyways of the Roseriff kingdom, being shunned and degraded with different spiteful words from nobles and heavily armored guards. On some occasions sit shoulder-to-shoulder with fellow beggars and become an awful decoration of the magnificent borders of Spartus to beg for psalms, and in some desperate events.

Stealing often happens.

Her life in the street was a mess gruesome in many ways. It was a nightmare for a little girl to live in such circumstances. But despite these facts, Awen did not stop to hope for her future. To formulate the most brilliant and fastest solution in the unexpected easiest way possible, and that was the day when she heard about the shrine for the very first time in her life.

"If only street beggars would use their heads and would follow what I did. The number of priestesses in the land of Uria will double, considerably nonetheless."

Though beggars were illiterates, with no names from the day they were born, and no future to unfold. Yet, Awen doesn't want to acknowledge such cruel norms.

"If someone has the slightest desire to do something and has a goal to lift himself from the slum even though everyone is against it. That someone might change his future."

And to achieve the life Awen always wanted. She had to force herself to memorize the hundreds of prayers, wear the sacred cloth of priestess and pledge her loyalty to the gods even though it was only for an act, and that was one of Awen's underrated talents which had saved her in many awful circumstances and for sure will also save her in near future.

"Acting is just the beginning."