Kiora

"Kiora," Elisha asks, rushing to catch up to her. Kiora pauses and gulps, knowing the incoming question.

"Yes, Elisha?" Kiora asks softly and tries to put a reassuring smile on her face.

"Are we really going into lockdown?" Elisha asks, her bright silver eyes wide with worry. Kiora's lips pull into a tight line.

"Yes," Kiora whispers. Elisha gasps and opens her mouth to ask another question. Kiora holds up her hand.

"All questions will be answered, Elisha," she assures her. "First, we must complete our prayers to Winter."

Elisha nods her head and steps closer to Kiora. She reaches out and takes Kiora's hand.

"Everything's okay though?" she asks.

"I'm not sure," Kiora replies with a tired sigh. "But trust in Winter, Elisha. She will protect us." Kiora raises her hand and presses it against Elisha's cheek lovingly. Elisha shuts her eyes and nods her head. "Now, let's go and prepare for our prayers."

That has Elisha grinning widely and the two link arms as they make their way through the temple.

***

The rest of the morning is peaceful and full of enchanting singing. Kiora leads her sisters out to a courtyard where a large icy tree sits. Its canopy of branches, adorned with delicate, diamond-like flowers, hangs over their heads.

For the hour they pray to their Winter, Kiora feels at ease. The ache in her stomach fades away as she momentarily forgets everything the High Priestess had discussed with her the previous day.

As the sun rises, illuminating the sky in vibrant golds, pinks and purples, Kiora loses herself in its beauty. She gazes up at the ice tree which now glows as the morning sun hits it. Happy laughs leave her mouth as she gazes around at the hundreds of sparkling shards of light bouncing on the floors and walls around them.

Gentle silence fills the air. Kiora takes in a deep breath and lets it out again, allowing her body to calm. For a few moments, she feels light and free. Her mind is clear. When she speaks, her voice is as soft and gentle as the breeze.

Kiora leads her sisters in their prayers as they thank Winter for her magic and for giving them life. They promise Winter, that though Summer may reign in the rest of the Second Realm, they will ensure that the path back to winter will be smooth and pure. They promise to love Winter and obey her forever.

Once Kiora has finished speaking, she gazes back up at the branches of the tree, smiling widely. Slowly, she walks toward it. Closing her eyes, she leans forward and gently kisses its cold bark. Her sisters follow suit and once they are all done, they fall into complete and utter silence.

She shuts her eyes as a soothing presence surrounds her. Something soft touches her cheek and she leans into it. Kiora shivers and her whole body starts to tingle excitedly. She feels another gentle touch on her forehead. In her mind, Winter is giving her a tender, loving kiss.

"I am yours, forever," Kiora whispers. The breeze picks up, ruffling her hair slightly. The presence disappears with it. As it leaves, she swears she hears a soft, gentle voice.

"My Kiora."

Kiora smiles and opens her eyes. She looks at her sisters. Their expressions are peaceful and relaxed. Kiora's chest warms as she looks at them. Their eyes find hers, waiting for her to speak.

"Come," she says softly, "our morning prayers are over, and winter has given us her blessing. Now we must prepare for our sisters' return."

The priestesses' faces all fall as they remember the High Priestess's order. Kiora smiles reassuringly and gestures for her sisters to re-enter the temple.

"We should be excited. All of our sisters will be together again," she encourages and links arms with one of her sisters. "The High Priestess will explain everything soon. I promise. Now, let's not let our worry ruin what is meant to be a sacred day."

"Yes, Kiora," they all say. Kiora reaches out and cups the cheek of another one of her sisters. She smiles widely at her and then looks around at them all. Love, deep and warm fills her body and she sighs happily. They all smile back and as they make their way back into the temple, they start to sing once more.

***

Kiora walks along a narrow ridge, not caring about the sheer drops beside her. She gazes down at the valley below. The evergreen trees, which are steeped in thick snow, are like little green specks.

Kiora comes to a stop so she can admire the view properly. The mountains span hundreds upon hundreds of miles around her.

She turns back to look at her beloved temple. It sits on the rock face of one of the many towering mountains. Huge walls, windows, spired towers, and arched bridges are all carved into the dark grey, ice-covered rock, creating an elaborate and spectacular wintery palace.

On either side of the temple are steep, near vertical ledges that descend into the passes between the mountains beside it. Luckily for Kiora and the other priestesses, they can easily make their way up and down the perilous paths on the ridges.

As Kiora looks at her temple, the strange, heavy feeling consumes her once more. It has been coming in waves ever since her talk with the High Priestess. Though she was able to push it from her thoughts during their morning prayers, the feeling has returned stronger than ever.

Kiora bites at her lips, frowning. She stares at the sheer cliff face and the jagged, rocky ridges and wonders if a mortal could somehow make the journey to their temple. Such a thing had never happened before. But could they?

Kiora shakes her head. No, of course not, she tells herself. Though her own little voice doesn't sound convinced.

Standing once more, Kiora tries to push the worry from her mind by continuing on her journey. Effortlessly, she glides over the uneven, rocky, and icy ground. Yet, despite the difficult terrain, she still finds herself deep in thought.

This isn't a place for mortals. Even the hearty folk who live in valleys struggle. Kiora winces as a pang of pain shoots through her body as her stomach clenches once more. Could one of the valley folk have told those Orthanyans which mountain their temple sits upon? That thought makes her feel sick. No, Kiora assures herself, they wouldn't. The valley folk know of Winter Priestesses and know well enough to leave them alone.

The more she thinks about it, the worse she starts to feel. Her chest tightens and aches with worry and by her sides, her hands tremble.

Stop it, she tells herself and balls her hands into tight fists. She reasons that she is overthinking it and in turn, making her body react to her worry.

Eventually, Kiora comes to her destination. Her lips pull into a soft, sad smile as she steps down onto a small ledge. On it, is a cairn. The pile of rocks have been there for so long, that the gaps between the uneven stones are full of thick ice, binding them all together.

Kiora kneels beside it, her knees sinking into the soft snow. Gently, she reaches out and touches it.

"Hello again, my love," she says softly. Then, she leans down and brushes some of the snow away, revealing a smooth slab. Carved into it is a name.

Alice Fray.

Kiora had only been alive for twenty winters when she met Alice, a local farm girl in one of the valleys.

Despite it being so long ago, Kiora can still picture Alice's face as clear as day. She closes her eyes and remembers the first time she laid eyes on her.

The sun was low in the sky, illuminating the world in a deep, golden light. Everything was glowing. Even the snow looked as though it was on fire. Alice had been outside a little wooden cottage, shovelling a path in the snow. Kiora can still remember the smell of the smoke from her chimney as she burnt firewood inside.

Alice had taken off her heavy furs and left them hanging on a tree branch. Her face was red and glowing with sweat as she tirelessly worked. Strands of her chestnut hair clung to her skin and the rest hung down her back in a messy, knotted braid.

Upon seeing Kiora approach, Alice stopped and looked up. Kiora's eyes fell on Alice's. They were a beautiful, almost glowing shade of amber.

Kiora hadn't understood the concept of warmth back then. So unfazed by the temperature and forever surrounded by ice and snow, she couldn't even begin to describe or imagine how being warm felt. Yet, as Alice stared at her, with her large, amber eyes and a gentle, bright smile gracing her lips, heat filled Kiora's icy body. If she had a heart, it would have been racing at that moment.

Kiora smiles fondly at the memory, and she carefully clears the slab. She even goes as far as to take a small blade and remove the ice from where it had frozen into the carving of Alice's name.

Once the slab is clear, Kiora presses her fingers to her lips and kisses them. Then, she gently rests her fingers back on the cold slab. She holds them there for a few moments as her eyes start to sting with tears. Her chest tightens and she bites her lip to stop it from quivering.

It has been over a century since Alice passed, and Kiora still looks the same as the day the pair met. Sometimes, she wishes she listened to the other priestesses when they warned her about love. Though, despite their warnings, her sisters had not mocked her or given the 'I told you so' speeches when that dreadful time came.

They had swept her up and held her as she sobbed. They guided her through her pain and grief and helped her come to terms with true loss. Kiora smiles softly as that deep, warm feeling of love swells through her once more. She would be broken without her sisters.

Since that dreadful day, Kiora vowed she would never love anyone like that again. She could not bear to watch someone she loved grow old and die before her whilst she remained the same.

Kiora pulls her hand back from the slab and brings it up to her face. Her fingers find the tear that has started to trickle down her cheek. She lets out a long, shaking breath. In a move unusual for a priestess, Kiora clumsily falls onto her bottom and slumps back to lean against the cairn. She tilts her head back and looks up at the clear blue sky above her. It warps as more tears gather in her eyes.

Sometimes, Kiora wonders what it would be like to be mortal. What would it be like to have a beating heart and blood running through veins? What would it be like to carry a child? What would it be like to love someone and grow old with them?

That would never happen though. Like all Winter Priestesses, Kiora is frozen in time. When she eventually dies, she will look exactly the same as the day she was given life.

So, despite everyone's warning, why had she chosen to love Alice? Well, Winter wasn't cruel in her creation. Priestesses aren't just slabs of ice. If Kiora were to eat, she could taste the food. If she were to be cut or hit or even slip on a rock, she would feel pain. If she were lucky enough to experience love, then she could feel pleasure if she so desired.

Her beloved Winter did not want to create empty, emotionless shells. She wanted her children to feel what it was like to live. Alice had given that to her. She showed Kiora what it was like to truly live as more than just a priestess. Alice taught her things that all her travels and sisters could not. But, Kiora resolves, she will not put herself through that pain again. Plus, she thinks and smiles softly, no one could ever be as special and wonderful as her dear Alice.

With a sad sigh, Kiora stands. She looks down at Alice's cairn and puts her hand on one of the stones.

I won't be coming back here.

As soon as the thought enters her mind, Kiora pushes it straight out again. She shakes her head, shocked that she even thought of something like that. They are only going into lockdown. It won't be permanent. She will spend a few months in the temple, surrounded by all her sisters and when the strange mortals are gone, she can leave again.

Kiora gulps. "I'll come back," she says, her voice quivering slightly, "as soon as The High Priestess says it is safe to leave the temple, I'll come back."

The churning in Kiora's stomach only grows and that strange feeling of something being wrong looms over her.

Kiora grinds her teeth and brings her shaking hands up to smooth her ruffled hair. She takes in a deep breath and composes herself.

"Goodbye, Alice," she whispers and then turns and starts walking back toward the temple. As she leaves, that same thought crosses her mind.

I won't be coming back here.

Kiora grits her teeth and speeds up. She scolds herself for thinking that way.

As she steps back onto the ledge, Kiora notices dark grey clouds in the distance. They fill the horizon, rolling toward the temple. Soon, it will encase the whole mountain. Already the wind starts to pick up. Kiora can already feel its strength now that she stands on the exposed ledge.

She pulls up the heavy velvet hood and pushes forward, unfazed by the howling winds. Her pace remains steady, and she makes quick progress.

Carried by the wind, she starts hearing a strange noise. Kiora comes to a stop. She lowers her hood and tilts her head, trying to hear properly. A frown crosses her face and her pointed ears twitch.

The sound is muffled at first. She could easily pass them off as just a random noise of nature. But that feeling tells her it isn't that. Kiora holds her breath and for a few moments, the wind stops howling. Everything goes still and silent.

A loud shout echoes through the air, the sound bouncing off the mountains. It is followed by a strange clanging noise and the jangling of metal. Another shout follows, the voice is deep and clearly male.

Kiora freezes. The colour leaves her face and her throat dries. For a few moments, she stands there in shock, her mind completely blank. Then, she looks toward the cliff beneath the temple as a flash catches her eyes.

As she focuses, she can see a trail of dots climbing up the frozen waterfall. The next shout, she can hear a word clearly.

"Hurry!"

Kiora's mouth drops open and she starts to tremble. People are climbing up to her temple! But that isn't possible. No. Mortals should not be here. Why are they here? How did they get here so fast?

Kiora takes off. She runs across the ridge, hurdling over boulders and climbing around obstacles with ease, her silver dress and cloak fluttering wildly around her. Kiora's eyes remain focused on the temple as it gets closer.

Not having a heart or lungs, she doesn't desperately pant for breath or feel a racing thudding in her chest. Her speed doesn't falter, nor does her focus. She just keeps going at speeds that should be impossible for the terrain. Yet, despite her fear and panic, she still moves strangely elegantly. It is almost as if she is hovering above the path.

Her eyes dart back to the waterfall. Somehow, the mortals are also making fast process. Perhaps it is out of fear. When the storm hits, they are sure to be thrown off. Now she is closer, she can see them a little clearer. The clanging sound comes from the gear they hammer into the ice to climb up with. They rattle with every movement they take.

She turns back to the approaching storm. The wind is howling more now, and she sees the mortals bracing against it, but not slowing. Hurry, please, she begs the storm. She looks away from them and quickly climbs up the final, near-vertical section of the ridge to get to the entrance.

Kiora bursts into the temple, calling for the high priestess. The other priestesses rush over to her, their expressions grim.

"Kiora," The sculptor shouts as she bursts into the hall. "Come quickly," she says, her voice shaking with panic.

"Sculptor, outside-"

"Outside doesn't matter. You need to get to the carving hall. Now."

"But-"

"NOW!" the sculptor bellows, her eyes wide.

"What's going on?" Kiora asks, her voice shaking as the sculptor grabs her arm to pull her.

"The new priestess is waking up," she replies.

"But isn't that a good thing?" Kiora asks, her mind going foggy with all the fear and confusion. The sculptor comes to a stop. She turns to face Kiora and grips the sides of Kiora's arms harshly. The sculptor's eyes shimmer with unspilled tears.

"The High Priestess has awoken her," the sculptor says, her voice trembling.

Kiora blinks and her mouth opens and closes in shock. She shakes her head harshly. "That's not possible," she says and almost laughs at the stupidity of it. "I am the High Priestess's charge. She can't have two. Not unless I am claimed back by winter," Kiora argues.

"Kiora," the sculptor almost pleads. "We need to hurry. Something bad is happening." The sculptor grabs her wrist and starts trying to drag her.

Kiora trembles, her mind so cloudy with confusion after everything that has happened.

"Yes, something bad is happening," she snaps, her voice coming out harsher than she intended. She yanks her wrist out of the sculptor's grasp.

"There are mortal men climbing up to the temple as we speak!" she shouts. Silence falls across the hall. Kiora gulps and takes a step back to look at the priestesses. The colour drains from their faces and their eyes widen. Shocked gasps and cries of horror fill the room.

Just as Kiora is about to order that all the doors into their temples are closed, a huge, deafening boom sounds around them. Before Kiora can process it, there is a blinding light. As she brings her arms up to protect her eyes, a powerful force throws her off her feet and sends her crashing into the wall behind.