The Moonlit Spark

“Silver?”

“Yes, Lady Nxyi,” Came a self-possessed monotone girl of fourteen out from her empty room. Her hair and face were the colour of the moon, in fact, she was the said to be the daughter of the Moon Goddess herself.

“Now it’s time you embark on a journey,” said the old Lady Nyxi Selenekami. She was sixty, tutoring the girls and boys of the Paxlune village since the village had no school. Silver had been her student since she was born.

“So, I have to leave home?” Asked Silver.

“Yes,” Nyxi stood up and kept her hands on Silver’s shoulders, “The Emperor has summoned you. He wants the strongest spark holder for a certain favour.”

“I have to combat with Nemu now?” Silver asked. She did not understand anything.

“Not everything is combat, dear,” replied Nyxi and sat down again, “We don’t know what are the favours Emperor Iqayi has asked for. But he has also summoned a strong pink spark holder from the west. I say that you should go. You must go! You need to see the world!”

“You’re really an amateur at insisting,” Silver retorted, “But your ideals match mine. I shall go now then. Is there anyone else who has been summoned?”

“Yes, a yellow spark holder from the east and a white spark holder from the south,” Lady Nyxi smiled.

Silver never had any stuff, never went to a proper school, never really had any companions besides her tutor, and never had a proper ambition. All she wanted was a peaceful life, which she was living.

 Humanity had been taken over by two empires of spark holders that humans called magical beings or sorcerers. Emperor Orin Iqayi III was ruling the Iqayi empire; he was a sweet cinnamon roll who knew nothing but making others happy. The other Emperor, Nemu, was a midnight tsunami; his empire was a lost case that was getting smaller day by day because of the fleeing of humans. Everyone in Nemu’s kingdom had a black spark.

The dame had reached the palace quicker than anyone could have even expected. Silver must have been the only person in the realm to walk as fast. Silver had started at seven a.m. from Paxlune village and had reached the main capital of the Iqayi empire in less than nine hours. “Take care of yourself,” Lady Nyxi had said. But Silver did not need to — the universe itself took care of her. Silver tirelessly, well sometimes sitting down to have some water, marched on paths ways and roads all the way to Emperor Orin’s palace which was quite small in area but very tall.

The throne-room where the king sat was at the top of the castle. It took Silver five minutes to walk up ten staircases to the throne room.

“I’m here, Your Highness,” Silver said.

“You’ve reached quite quickly,” Orin gasped.

“I walk fast,” Silver replied, “I guess twenty kilometres in an hour.” The hall remained speechless.

“How d-do you walk so f-fast?” The emperor stared at her bewildered.

“Isn’t it obvious? People who hold the silver spark tend to walk faster than average sorcerers,” Silver replied. The emperor was surprised to see such a monotone expression on her face.

“What brings me here?” Silver asked, “How shall I serve your needs?” The nobles started to mutter furiously about the young dame’s absolute monotone and arrogant face.

“I do have a favour,” started the king, “But I shall let the others arrive, then I—”

“Just tell!” Silver groaned. This emperor annoyed her. Muttering erupted again. For the first time in the history of the Iqayi Empire, someone who was not the king was the main character. Silver’s impatience led to an unexpected need for her temporary imprisonment while being tied to a pillar in the courtyard.

“Hello!” Came a squeaky voice, “Are you the one with the silver spark?”

Silver turned her head to see a young girl standing there. At first, she thought she was hallucinating; a lemon haired girl who looked nine years-old with twin tails sticking out of the back of her head and dressed in her school uniform.

“Who are you?” Silver asked. Silver knew that this girl would be the total opposite of her.

“I’m Vanilla Zahinko!” She replied, “I am a yellow-spark holder from the east city of Catvang.”

“How old are you? Why are you dressed like that?”

“I’m nine! And I did not know what else to wear—”

“What is a nine-year-old doing here? This defies rule number seventy-one; no child labour…”

“But I’m the strongest sorcerer with the yellow spark!” Vanilla cried and frowned at Silver.

“Am I interrupting?” A voice came, “I hope I’m not.” Both girls turned their heads left. Two men appeared. One had pink hair and pink eyes and a caring smile, though he was dressed in a weird way — and he was really tall. The other looked stern, quiet, furious and had spiky white hair with black linings.

“Hi there!” The pink-head greeted, “I am Pearlynn Marceau, pink spark holder. I am from the Lagunahith City in the west. And this is Aurelius Bayutalo, white spark-holder, from the Kattuzengal village.”

“Hello,” Aurelius said, “Leave me alone…”

“Is there anyone else?” Silver asked, “Because if there is, get them quickly dead or alive. This king’s going to kill me through irritation...”

“Or perhaps you’re going to kill him through irritation,” Aurelius retorted, “The way you’re tied up, it’s obvious that you have annoyed him quite much. Why are you even tied up?”

“It’s none of your business,” Silver snapped; the only emotion she showed was anger once she was irritated.

“Who do you think you are?” Aurelius asked.

“Silveramina Selenekami, silver spark-holder, from the Paxlune village on the Paxluna Mountain,” Silver replied, “I possess the strongest spark over here.”

“But king is stronger than you,” said Pearlynn. Silver guessed he didn’t know what and when to speak.

“Finally, you all have assembled,” appeared Orin, “before I begin, I shall educate you all about the spark system, teaching this in schools is not encouraged and I find it illegal due to the possibility of criticism between young peers—”

“You find teaching children about sparks illegal but make them do child labour legal?” Silver said. Orin had not let her free yet, which was good, but he had made the mistake of not covering up her mouth.

“We’ll come to that later Miss Selenekami,” Orin continued, “I shall continue now… There are nine different sparks and nine gods. Yellow spark-holders possess the power of the god of wisdom, pink spark-holder possess the power of the goddess of kindness, white spark-holders possess the power of the god of light, and the silver spark-holders hold the power of the moon goddess. I wouldn’t be surprised if you four don’t earn you purple spark soon, it is a tremendous blessing by the supreme God Zyndrel. His words are stronger than my golden spark of the sun god. The same way, some have red sparks — the fire god, blue sparks — the water goddess, green sparks — the land goddess, etcetera…” He loved giving long lectures.

“So why have you called us here?” Aurelius asked, “I’ve work—”

“Please be patient, Sir Bayutalo,” The emperor’s voice became slower, “I have here gathered the strongest and smartest in all the realm for a peculiar task. You must… eliminate Nemu and his threats.”

“Kill Malric Nemu?” Vanilla whimpered, “That’s impossible, your majesty. He’s a demon, he kills…”

“That is why we have to diminish him,” Orin replied, “My army alone cannot defeat him. We have to defeat him; the human race and the sorceror race are in trouble due to him. He plans to war against the gods. We must act before it is too late! We must do our best!” Pearlynn and Vanilla nodded.

“Can you untie me now?” Silver said, “How am I supposed to execute your plan unless you are to untie me?”

With the flick of his fingers, golden lightening strikes appeared and let Silver down.

 “Thank you,”

After an hour of arguing for absolutely no point, they sallied forth, unaware how to perform such a perilous task.

“Where do we go?” Vanilla asked.

“We’re marching to no point of success,” said Silver.

“If we fail,” Aurelius started, “You’re all going to be dead.”

“I did find a map,” Pearlynn spoke up, “It’s a map to locate Nemu’s palace.” Silver looked over his shoulder. It was an extremely complicated map — antediluvian and labyrinthine. Silver did not know how to decode these cues leading to the arcane castle. Even though his empire was not so widespread as Iqayi’s, the Nemu empire was big; it was somewhat as large as the present-day China.

“I know how to decode this!” Vanilla exclaimed, “I know how to decode this!”

“Sure, you do it,” Aurelius said, “I’ll go for a nap while you think, wake me up once you’re done—” He felt a cold chill run done his spine, colder than that of ice.

“Vanilla will decode it as we walk,” Silver growled. Argent lightening strikes left her hands and engulfed Aurelius. “No sleeping until midnight and no sleeping after the first ray of light hits this planet.”

“Are you seriously going to be able to wake up?” Aurelius asked, rhetorically.

“I’m the daughter of the moon goddess herself,” Silver said.

“Are you?” Vanilla asked.

“They say so,” Silver replied. She then fell into a dilemma; why did they call her the daughter of the moon goddess? Maybe it was her appearance; pale face, silver hair, grey eyes. Maybe it was her personality; cold, gloomy, dark.

“Where are we?” Pearlynn asked.

“We’re about to reach the city of Marbellus,” Vanilla said, “fifty-two metres away from this grassland.”

The sun was setting. The sky was bathed in the warmth of the vesperal effulgence. The sky looked like a dome. And for the first time in her life, Silver had seen the sun setting with warm shades of crimson and saffron.

“Are you thinking that this is the prettiest thing that you’ve ever seen?” Aurelius asked. The city of Marbellus was in sight.

“No,” said Silver, “I’ve seen things significantly prettier than such, like auroras painting the full moon.” Vanilla skipped towards the gates of the city like she had no care at all. Silver had not expected more that this from a nine-year-old. According to the sun’s direction, they were swaggering south-eastwards.

“Shall we stay a night here?” Vanilla asked, “There is still a long way to go — one hundred point six kilometres… I am a bit tired—”

“Alright,” said Silver. They spent the night in Marbellus — Silver performed her ritual, Aurelius slept, Vanilla read, and Pearlynn gathered supplies. By sunrise, they were already crossing the next forest.

“Isn’t this a great opportunity?” Pearlynn asked, “We get to bond together!” Silver and Aurelius stared at him.

“All I care about is bonding Nemu with hell,” Silver said. Pearlynn remained quiet or the next hour.

“Why are you all silent?” Vanilla asked, “Even I do not remain this silent during class. Let’s talk about ourselves. You go first, Silver!”

“I was raised by Lady Nyxi,” Silver started, her voice slow and gradual, “She says that I’m an orphan. She taught me, gave me education, made me who I am today…”

“Lady Selenekami isn’t as boring and cold as you,” Aurelius interrupted. Silver ignored him, at least he did not insult Nyxi Selenekami.

“That’s my life,” Silver continued, “I do not have any specific goal in life…”

“Not at all?” Vanilla asked. Her face was that of a curious cat who wondered if her milk was cold or not.

“Maybe I do have,” Silver said, “I just don’t know it yet. Your turn, Bayutalo.” Aurelius grunted and sighed.

“Can’t we keep quiet?” Aurelius asked. Vanilla refused and swore that she will take them through the long cut if he did not speak up.

“Alright,” Aurelius started, “My village performs these rituals for the god of light… and then there’s this chosen one for the ritual which is done for the New Year. I’ve been practising the ritual since I was five or six. After I turned ten, I was chosen for the New Year’s ritual. I don’t know why I was — I just was. And then every year, I was chosen, the spiritual candle chose me… and my weak spark strengthened. And now, I’m here, stuck with the lot of you.”

“My childhood was much more different,” Pearlynn said, “I’m the only pink spark-holder in Lagunahith. Everyone else was either having a blue spark or a green spark. The villagers thought I was some chosen kid, they spread rumours… that’s it. Maybe, the emperor just chose me because he believed the rumours.”

“I just go to school,” Vanilla chirped, “And study hard so that I become a godlet…”

“So, you’re the smartest in the realm?” Silver asked. Vanilla nodded and continued to chirp about her life and ask questions that were utterly otiose.

It took them two days to reach the border of the two empires. A Stygian, flame like fence was behold ahead them, an eldritch empire beyond it.

“Before we enter, how are we to kill Nemu?” Silver asked.

“I’d ask the same thing,” said Aurelius.

“We walk through,” Vanilla sighed. She was scared; shuddering. Silver went in first. It felt like Silver was accepted in there. Vanilla was so scared, the fence pulled her in. Pearlynn and Aurelius were pushed out many times, but managed to get in. Silver led they way this time, something felt wrong; as if she knew this place.

“Silver, where are you going?” Vanilla asked, so concerned it reminded her of Lady Nyxi.

“Just follow me!” Silver said. She didn’t know where she was going… but… she felt something wrong.

“You’ve finally come to me, haven’t you? Silver…” An echo came. Silver stopped dead in her tracks. Upfront a few ten metres away from Silver, a cloaked man adorned with grey ornaments stood.

“Malric,” Silver growled and positioned for combat.

“Is this how someone greets their father?” Nemu sneered, “Insolent child…” Pearlynn gasped, Vanilla screamed, Aurelius said that Nemu was blind.

“None of this makes sense,” Silver said. Nemu crackled with laughter. Ramparts arose from the ground as he guffawed. Combat started. The group unleashed their sparks. Nemu defended them all — actually it backfired; Silver felt a surge of pain and stumbled backwards.

“Malric Nemu?” A menacing voice came.

“The moon goddess,” Silver gasped, “It’s an honour…” Down from the moon came the moon goddess with the unmistakable face of Lady Nyxi. Silver was filled with confusion and shock.

“Lady Nyxi, what are doing? Go back!” She cried.

“Do not worry, my dear,” said Lady Nyxi, “Do you think the moon goddess will perish against a demon.”

“You’re the—” Silver couldn’t believe it; her foster mother was the moon goddess.

“You didn’t tell your biological daughter the truth?” Nemu chuckled.

“I don’t think the daughter of the moon needs someone to help her,” Lady Nyxi — no — the goddess said. The squad was too shocked to even move. Silver took a deep breath and charged at Nemu at her top speed.

Attack.

Defend.

Attack.

Defend.

Attack.

It could have never ended. Nemu was the demon king after all.

“Think twice,” The moon goddess said, transforming into her true form, “before you attack the gods and their godlets…” Nemu shot her furiously with black sparks and she vanished. Silver filled with rage. She knew everything; the moon goddess incarnated herself as Nyxi Selenekami, mothered Silver, and prepared her to become a godlet. It was tenebrous.

“What’s happening to Silver?” Pearlynn asked himself. Silver floated mid air, a purple light dawned upon her, music played. Silver had earned the purple spark.

“Use it,” said Lord Zyndrel, “You must do this, Silveramina Selenekami!” Silver showed all her emotions at once. She charged at Nemu. His warriors, finally arrived to support their king, charged back.

“Let’s help her,” Aurelius kicked three warriors at once. This was real combat. A hundred versus four. Vanilla, too young to know how to even punch, released such force from her spark, it killed ten warriors at once. Pearlynn didn’t hesitate to be brutal while using his pink spark unless he was helping and doing the right thing, which he was doing.

It went extremely intense.

“Can you do better?” Nemu asked. Silver growled, she had become a monster. Purple and silver lightening strikes left her hands and plundered the earth. Nemu regretted what he had said before.

“We’ve got your back, Silver,” Pearlynn screamed as pink lightening strikes hit Nemu. Vanilla joined. Aurelius joined. Pitch black.

Daylight.

Happy.

Silver woke up. She felt dizzy.

“Where am I?” Silver slurred, “My head hurts.” Infront of her was Lady Nyxi.

“Shall we go to the Castle of Paradise together?” Nyxi asked, “My dear godlet?”

“Are you seriously my mother and a goddess?” Silver asked. Nyxi nodded.

“Then let me meet my friends one last time,” Silver said and hurried outside. She was back in Paxlune village. It was cold. Pearlynn, Vanilla and Aurelius sat on some rocks in their sweaters.

“Thank you,” Silver said.

“For saving your life?” Aurelius chuckled.

“Yes,” replied Silver. She smiled.

“Silver,” Pearlynn called, “Have you thought of a goal yet?”

“Yes, I’ll succeed Lady Nyxi and look upon you all,” Silver replied.

“Silver!” Vanilla exclaimed, “Since you’re a godlet already, I’ll graduate and study enough to catch up to you! Then we’ll work under the gods!”

“The king really praises you,” said Aurelius, “Everyone likes you. They’ve decorated streets for you.” Silver could hear music from afar and decorations were everywhere.

“Well, thanks!” Silver said, “We shall meet in paradise now!” The three of them nodded. Silver smiled genuinely. Aurelius gave a stiff nod, Vanilla gave a happy smile and Pearlynn — was praying.

“Shall we?” Lady Nyxi said. Silver took her hand and off they went to paradise.