Elderberry #30 [Stream of Life], Strawberry #15 [key], Mulberry #3
Title: Key To A Good Goddess Servant
Author: Lady Macbeth
Story: Cracks in the Dawn
Character: Sohzi
Challenge: Elderberry #30 [Stream of Life], Strawberry #15 [key], Mulberry #3 [Use your enemy’s hand to catch a snake]
Topping: Hot Fudge
Summary: Now that Sohzi has someone to follow, she needs to learn how to.
Notes: Anyone feeling the Sohzi love tonight? And, I love the Goddess. She's so human, and yet inhuman.
“Key to working with me, Sohzi, is control. I give you powers; you channel and use them appropriately.” Sanda’s voice was steady as she paced around Sohzi, who was sitting on the floor of the temple, breathing carefully and trying to calm her mind to the point of meditation. The Goddesses feet didn’t make a sound as they touched the cold marble, nor did she flinch at the marble’s cold hard stone under her bare feet. “I know you dislike magic,” The goddess admitted as for the umpteenth time Sohzi’s resentment of magic ran through her mind, “but it’s important that a warrior use all skills at his disposal.”
“I have more than enough of those.” Sohzi grumbled, making the Goddess shoot her a look of stern dislike, which Sohzi couldn’t see through her shut eyes.
“Ah!” Sanda said, her quick movements making Jack open her eyes as the Godess stood over her, almost imposing, though she was still smiling. “You gave me an oath of loyalty, which means you do what I say, when I say it, little one.”
“Stop calling me that.” Sohzi grumbled, making the Goddess laugh her beautiful, musical laugh which made the whole temple echo with it.
“Okay kiddo.” She agreed, smiling. “Now, close your eyes again. Let my voice ring in your ears.” Sohzi did as she was told. “Imagine you are the cold floor underneath you. Imagine you two are together, one, and you are cold. Cold channels through your veins and is pumped around by your heart. You aren’t uncomfortable; just cold. Now try and project that.”
Suddenly, Sohzi felt something go through her, a push or a stream of something going out of her, going through her, and going from something general into something specific. Though Sohzi couldn’t have told you without the textbook knowledge she had that what she had felt was magic, this magic was different. She opened her eyes and saw Sanda grinning at her.
“You almost got it kiddo!” she said happily, pointing to the area of the floor. Sohzi looked closer. It was covered in frost.
* * *
“Concentrate!” Six hours later and still Sohzi’s channelling of the Goddess’s power was weak. After working with the cold only produced frost, Sanda had hoped that after lighting a fire channelling the heat would be easier. The marble warmed up and the air steamed slightly, but no real fire erupted. Sanda patiently continued to explain to Sohzi what she was doing wrong, while the more erratic of the two began getting angry and failing more and more often.
“Getting angry doesn’t solve anything.” Sanda said placidly as Sohzi shouted because, once again, only the floor felt warmth.
“It doesn’t work!” Sohzi shouted, turning her eyes towards the fire wood she had collected earlier. Suddenly, unexpectedly, she felt the goddess’ power surge through her. She watched as suddenly the firewood burst into flame.
“There we go!” The goddess perked up. “I thought you’d never get angry. Remember Sohzi, you are no longer a fighter. In my business, emotions are everything.” She paused for a second, considering. “Well, the right emotions like anger, hate and vengeance anyway. I’m not sure about the others.” She added with a wave of her hand, making Sohzi smiled as she watched the wood burn.
“It felt different than you had said earlier though.” Sohzi muttered. “It felt like I was making it change, rather than asking or even commanding it to change.”
“Of course!” Sanda said, waving a hand. “I explained it wrong. You need to be angry to experience it for the first time.”
“You’re mean.” Sohzi said, pouting and making the goddess smile endearingly.
“Of course I am. What else would you expect of the goddess of vengeance?” Sanda demanded, making Sohzi smile. “You know my motto: never show mercy or any humanity.”
Sohzi snorted. “That’s a catchy motto.” She teased. “You should get together with my sister, though, she has an almost identical motto.”
“Really?” Sanda looked intrigued.
“She’s a Peace Keeper right now though.” Sohzi added quickly, making the goddess’ expression fall in disappointment. “Sorry.”
“Don’t worry.” The goddess waved the disappointment aside. “I am also the goddess of war, which means I don’t like Peace Keepers anyway.”
“You’re the goddess of everything.” The teenager complained, sighing. “I will have a lot of trouble keeping up with all my duties.”
“Actually,” the goddess corrected, “your duties are quite simple. Someone prays to me, asks for vengeance, you give it.”
“People still pray to you?” Sohzi demanded in surprise.
“Not really.” Sanda demanded in dejection. “The Faction made worship of me illegal because I grant people’s vengeance desires, which brings confusion. I have one temple in the south of Sciss, but no one comes to ask anything but forgiveness, which I have to give them.”
“Why do you let the world treat you that way?” Sohzi’s question was almost aggressive and Sanda bristled at the implications of her weakness.
“I don’t let them treat me like this. I can’t do anything. I don’t have corporeal form, so I can’t physically disobey what the Faction says, can I?” Sanda demanded. “Anyway, without people requesting vengeance I can’t give any.”
“Says who?” Sohzi demanded. “I mean, I’m sure people idly wish for vengeance. You can read their thoughts, listen into their conversations, do whatever you want. You’re a goddess. What stops you from fulfilling unwished wishes?”
Sanda paused. “I don’t know.” She admitted after a moment.
“Then why don’t you?”
Author: Lady Macbeth
Story: Cracks in the Dawn
Character: Sohzi
Challenge: Elderberry #30 [Stream of Life], Strawberry #15 [key], Mulberry #3 [Use your enemy’s hand to catch a snake]
Topping: Hot Fudge
Summary: Now that Sohzi has someone to follow, she needs to learn how to.
Notes: Anyone feeling the Sohzi love tonight? And, I love the Goddess. She's so human, and yet inhuman.
“Key to working with me, Sohzi, is control. I give you powers; you channel and use them appropriately.” Sanda’s voice was steady as she paced around Sohzi, who was sitting on the floor of the temple, breathing carefully and trying to calm her mind to the point of meditation. The Goddesses feet didn’t make a sound as they touched the cold marble, nor did she flinch at the marble’s cold hard stone under her bare feet. “I know you dislike magic,” The goddess admitted as for the umpteenth time Sohzi’s resentment of magic ran through her mind, “but it’s important that a warrior use all skills at his disposal.”
“I have more than enough of those.” Sohzi grumbled, making the Goddess shoot her a look of stern dislike, which Sohzi couldn’t see through her shut eyes.
“Ah!” Sanda said, her quick movements making Jack open her eyes as the Godess stood over her, almost imposing, though she was still smiling. “You gave me an oath of loyalty, which means you do what I say, when I say it, little one.”
“Stop calling me that.” Sohzi grumbled, making the Goddess laugh her beautiful, musical laugh which made the whole temple echo with it.
“Okay kiddo.” She agreed, smiling. “Now, close your eyes again. Let my voice ring in your ears.” Sohzi did as she was told. “Imagine you are the cold floor underneath you. Imagine you two are together, one, and you are cold. Cold channels through your veins and is pumped around by your heart. You aren’t uncomfortable; just cold. Now try and project that.”
Suddenly, Sohzi felt something go through her, a push or a stream of something going out of her, going through her, and going from something general into something specific. Though Sohzi couldn’t have told you without the textbook knowledge she had that what she had felt was magic, this magic was different. She opened her eyes and saw Sanda grinning at her.
“You almost got it kiddo!” she said happily, pointing to the area of the floor. Sohzi looked closer. It was covered in frost.
* * *
“Concentrate!” Six hours later and still Sohzi’s channelling of the Goddess’s power was weak. After working with the cold only produced frost, Sanda had hoped that after lighting a fire channelling the heat would be easier. The marble warmed up and the air steamed slightly, but no real fire erupted. Sanda patiently continued to explain to Sohzi what she was doing wrong, while the more erratic of the two began getting angry and failing more and more often.
“Getting angry doesn’t solve anything.” Sanda said placidly as Sohzi shouted because, once again, only the floor felt warmth.
“It doesn’t work!” Sohzi shouted, turning her eyes towards the fire wood she had collected earlier. Suddenly, unexpectedly, she felt the goddess’ power surge through her. She watched as suddenly the firewood burst into flame.
“There we go!” The goddess perked up. “I thought you’d never get angry. Remember Sohzi, you are no longer a fighter. In my business, emotions are everything.” She paused for a second, considering. “Well, the right emotions like anger, hate and vengeance anyway. I’m not sure about the others.” She added with a wave of her hand, making Sohzi smiled as she watched the wood burn.
“It felt different than you had said earlier though.” Sohzi muttered. “It felt like I was making it change, rather than asking or even commanding it to change.”
“Of course!” Sanda said, waving a hand. “I explained it wrong. You need to be angry to experience it for the first time.”
“You’re mean.” Sohzi said, pouting and making the goddess smile endearingly.
“Of course I am. What else would you expect of the goddess of vengeance?” Sanda demanded, making Sohzi smile. “You know my motto: never show mercy or any humanity.”
Sohzi snorted. “That’s a catchy motto.” She teased. “You should get together with my sister, though, she has an almost identical motto.”
“Really?” Sanda looked intrigued.
“She’s a Peace Keeper right now though.” Sohzi added quickly, making the goddess’ expression fall in disappointment. “Sorry.”
“Don’t worry.” The goddess waved the disappointment aside. “I am also the goddess of war, which means I don’t like Peace Keepers anyway.”
“You’re the goddess of everything.” The teenager complained, sighing. “I will have a lot of trouble keeping up with all my duties.”
“Actually,” the goddess corrected, “your duties are quite simple. Someone prays to me, asks for vengeance, you give it.”
“People still pray to you?” Sohzi demanded in surprise.
“Not really.” Sanda demanded in dejection. “The Faction made worship of me illegal because I grant people’s vengeance desires, which brings confusion. I have one temple in the south of Sciss, but no one comes to ask anything but forgiveness, which I have to give them.”
“Why do you let the world treat you that way?” Sohzi’s question was almost aggressive and Sanda bristled at the implications of her weakness.
“I don’t let them treat me like this. I can’t do anything. I don’t have corporeal form, so I can’t physically disobey what the Faction says, can I?” Sanda demanded. “Anyway, without people requesting vengeance I can’t give any.”
“Says who?” Sohzi demanded. “I mean, I’m sure people idly wish for vengeance. You can read their thoughts, listen into their conversations, do whatever you want. You’re a goddess. What stops you from fulfilling unwished wishes?”
Sanda paused. “I don’t know.” She admitted after a moment.
“Then why don’t you?”