Day 214 (192nd)

Day 214 (192nd):
I awoke while it was still dark. I looked outside and saw people already assembling. Set joined me in my peek.
"All of them want to live here?" he asked.
"It's more than that. They want to do what I do, see the future, find what's hidden in people's hearts, and uncover secrets."
"Oh, do they get dragons, too?"
I laughed, "No, they are not riders. That is not a part of the duties of Fate's clerics."
"That makes you even more special. You do more than clerics, more than riders, even more than Faeries. No wonder I hatched for you."
"I am blessed to be with you. I am blessed to be with Vanity. I am very blessed to be with my sisters during a troubled time. It will be sad to part, but I will have the joy of seeing them find the lives they were meant to have and may not have had if the swords had not called."
"We are blessed, too," came a chorus behind me.
Callie walked up and peeked out, followed by the rest.
"Do you see anyone?" she asked, looking at those gathering.
"Two, maybe three. I will know when I face them."
Puzzled looks covered my sisters' faces as they looked outside, trying to see who I was talking about. I chuckled.
"Place you hands on me. See as I see."
Six hands laid upon me. I shared my sight with them. Set puffed smoke as he shared constantly and knew what they would see. Gasps, exclamations, and other noises told me they were fully sharing.
"Do you see like this all the time?" Anna whispered.
"Every waking moment. Let me show you something."
I turned and faced them so they could see themselves. They touched their faces with their other hand to make sure it was truly themselves they were seeing. Before they could say anything, I looked at Set. They all gasped.
"Is that...dragon magic?" Alice asked.
"Yes, all dragons radiate like this, just more as they age or gain power. Brimagor shines like the sun," Set replied with happy thuds of his tail echoing in the empty temple.
"What about you, Kayla? Can you see yourself, your colors?" Lisa asked a bit breathless.
"I can see it around my hands, body, and legs, but no, I can't fully see myself. Mirrors don't reflect auras."
With a bit of effort, I reversed the viewing and saw myself through their eyes with my sight. The Faerie rose mingled with cleric yellow. God sparks flitted through it. There was another color, but I could not see it clearly as the rest hid it. No arrogant shell, a thin strip of pride white, and an orange layer just inside the white. I was happy with my aura.
Breaking contact, we returned our attention outside. The sky was lightening and we could see more people arriving. A couple more bright glows were among them. Also, Kendar, Lehand, and Farlane appeared with a small squad of guards. We all smiled.
"Come to keep the peace?" we asked mentally.
We saw him salute towards the temple, even though he could not see us in the darkened temple. That made us smile again. The sky grew lighter.
"It is nearly time, sisters. Shall we get dressed?" I asked casually.
The rest agreed excitedly.
"What should we wear? How fancy should we be? So many choices," the other bantered.
I smiled, "Let us let Fate decide," I shyly suggested.
Everyone laughed, "We shall let Fate decide."
We took each others' hands and formed a circle.
"Fate, patron of this temple, provide us with the style of dress you wish us to wear to represent you on this day," we spoke inside the hollow building.
I could tell the cool breeze reached my sisters as well as myself. With a nod, we swung our hands inside our circle, out, back in, and turned as our hands came back to our sides. Our peasant frocks and plain clothes changed to simple, yet elegant, gowns, similar to what I wore in the Faerie Realm. We all examined them and commented on the colors. Set barked. We saw even he was "dressed" with a dragon-styled tabard bearing the faceted mirror symbol of Fate. He puffed happy smoke rings.
"I am handsome! Can I go trumpet now?" he asked, looking outside.
"Yes, Sarroset, it is time," I informed him.
Set strode out the doorway while my sisters asked what he was talking about.
"Remember hearing strange sounds at the palace? That was him, practicing his emperor trumpet. Falcon says all dragons have their own 'voice', which is a verbal call to others, usually dragons. Just watch and listen."
Outside the door, Set stood on his back legs, balancing on his tail, took a deep breath, and produced a haunting trumpet sound that, even for his small size, sounded loud and long enough to quiet the assembled citizens and bring all attention to the door of the temple. We walked out as the sound was dying away. I patted Set and told him what a good job he did. Then, I turned to the people.
"Good people, it is a good sight to see you all. Unfortunately, this temple can only house up to ten clerics. I ask only those who truly feel that they are meant to be Fate's clerics to line up at these steps. The rest, please, do not stop or hamper them."
People began walking towards the temple. I saw the bright auras headed towards us. I nodded to my sisters' mental question about them.
Once the line was twenty deep, I asked the first one to approach me. She was so afraid that she stumbled.
"Why are you so afraid?" I asked her.
"I am the daughter, granddaughter, and great-granddaughter of clerics. If I am not accepted by Fate, my family will cast me out," she said as the tears fell.
I cradled her face in my hands, her tears sliding onto my skin. I gently informed her that Fate was not her patron, but Nature had a place for her and she should present herself to that temple. She squealed in delight and ran down the stairs and through the crowd towards the city. Several people, her family most likely, followed her.
I went through several people before the first bright aura approached. He was a small boy, but strongly built. He looked me straight in the eye. No arrogance surrounded him, a thin line of white pride, which was nearly eclipsed by the cleric yellow and god sparks. The instant our skin touched, his eyes went snow white. He gasped as Fate made contact. I asked him to stand beside my sisters. A cheer erupted from the crowd. I turned back to the line.
After a few more people, another bright aura approached. A female centaur stared at my feet as she stood before me. I raised her chin and looked into white eyes. I smiled.
"Have no fear, sister, Fate has a place for you."
Sarah walked her over next to the boy and consoled her about her fears. The crowd cheered again.
By mid-day, a total of five had been found. I looked at the crowd. There was a bright aura not in line. Pushing aside the emotions of the rest of the crowd, I felt anger and hate around this bright aura. Set, feeling what I felt and seeing what I saw, took to the air towards them.
"Kendar, follow Set, a cleric is being stopped," I urgently told him mentally.
Kendar and his squad parted the crowd. I made my way towards the bright aura as well. I arrived to see Set guarding a girl, shooting flame at any who dared approach. The ones who had stopped her were shouting at Kendar and the guards to destroy Set, calling him "dangerous" and a "foul beast".
"They will do no such thing," I told them firmly, "He is guarding a cleric of Fate."
Their anger grew.
"She is no cleric. She is insane. Tells outlandish tales them makes them come true so others believe they are visions. You would think sound beatings would have cured her of such foolishness," one man said as he moved to strike her.
Set's growl covered the sound of Vanity sliding out of her sheath. I brought the blade to his chest.
"Step back or it will be you who learns a lesson," I said as I stepped between him and the girl.
His anger gurgled in his throat. I turned to talk to the girl. Set's growl told me the man was trying something. His growl was followed by six swords being drawn.
"Lay a hand on Kayla and you will lose that hand," Lisa's commanding voice left no room for negotiation.
Set stepped aside so I could face the girl. She was shaking in fear. Even so, her aura was so bright I could barely see her face.
"What is your name?" I asked gently.
"N...Nina," she stammered, looking at her feet.
"Nina, please look at me," I urged her.
She raised her head. When our eyes met, she gasped, "You! The purple eyes! I dreamt of a lady with purple eyes. I was in prison and she had the key and released me," her eyes went to Vanity, who was still in my hand, "The key! That was the key! That opened the cage."
"Shut up, stupid girl!" another man shouted, "No one cares about your dumb dreams. Let's sell her for a whore. That's all she's good for."
"No, she is a cleric of Fate," I said as I touched her cheek and her eyes went brilliantly white.
Everyone around us gasped. Nina smiled a purely happy smile.
"I am free. They can't hurt me anymore."
"You sully Fate's temple with this mongrel? She's not even a half-breed. No telling how many races are in her blood," one of the men growled.
Alice spoke up, "Nina is one-quarter elf, one-quarter human, one-quarter dwarf, and one-quarter gnome."
"See!" he shouted, "A mutt! She is not worthy to be Fate's cleric."
"Bloodline is not important," I firmly told him, "All that matters is an open mind and an honest heart. Nina, please follow me."
Nina and I parted the crowd, followed by Set, my sisters, and the guards. We went up the stairs.
"Fate's clerics are not chosen by bloodlines or any other such mortal biases. Open minds and honest hearts are the only requirements," I told the crowd.
Nina took her place beside the other five. I looked out and saw no more bright glows. It was late afternoon.
"There are no more clerics of Fate in this crowd. The finding is over," I stated.
Those at the steps sighed and turned to leave. Kendar and the guards took up positions to keep anyone from coming up the steps. We seven and the six new clerics entered the temple.
"If there is anything you wish to get from you homes, please do so tonight. Tomorrow, we will be making the Wheel of Fate according to Fate's instructions. A friend is providing more sleeping mats for those who sleep here until real beds can be made. Other than the doors and window shutters, you will decide what goes into this place, as Fate guides you. You will write Fate's rituals and rules. You will be the elders and founders future clerics will quote. Tonight, we rest."
Four of them said they had personal items and went to get them. Nina and Lorevatala, the female centaur, said they had all that they owned with them. We showed them where we had slept and the mats. Six new mats were piled up, a new gift from Mattis, plus a small mount of pillows. We showed them the facilities, bathing area, and "kitchen" area. With the pure fountain just a hundred paces from the front door, water was no problem.
Kendar set two new guards for the night. He also reported that the doors and window shutters were finished and should arrive sometime tomorrow to be installed.
Two returned with an armload of clothes, some candles, and a variety of bowls, pots, and other containers. Dean, the small strongly built boy, said his family were potters and volunteered any bowls, pots, or anything similar to the temple. Wellon, the oldest of the six at seventeen years old, brought an armful of baskets, telling us his family of basket makers also volunteered baskets for the temple.
We laid out the mats while sharing food Kendar had given us. We talked about our families, home life, and when they knew there was something special about them.
Not long after sunset, our young clerics were getting sleepy, so we settled down to sleep. I knew Fate would be instructing us as we slept on the construction of the Wheel.