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Mother's Gifts

It had been nearly three days before the Elysian Congregation's rocket finally reached the radius of the Moon. Among the High Priests, Jophiel, Gabriel, and Uriel were asleep.

"Wake up!" Ariel called out to them. They all shuddered awake. "We're here."

"We're here?!?" Uriel stood up without hesitation. He looked out the window. Outside, he could see the beauty of his goddess, MONA.

"What beautiful craters you have, Mother," Chamuel said. Ahead of the High Priests, at the main front controlling the ship's landing, was Michael.

"T-minus 15 minutes before landing, everyone." He flipped some switches to recalibrate the ship's angle. Soon, the Elysian Congregation of Elysia would be the first to ever set foot on the Moon.

"What time is it back on earth?" Raphael asked Gabriel.

"Nearly 11:00 pm."

"That's perfect. We'll set up the camera equipment for the live broadcast and have it ready by midnight, and then we can commence the Reverence."

Within a few minutes, there was a rocky thud beneath the ship. They'd officially landed. Everyone suited up and put their helmets on, ready to step foot on the sacred grounds of MONA. Michael released the lock for a particular lever and pulled it down heavily. This caused the latch underneath the ship to open up, revealing the Moon's holy rocks down below led-to by a descending flight of stairs. Each High Priest carefully stepped down, one-by-one, slowly observing the surroundings that unraveled before their sights.

"It's marvelous. Absolutely stunning." Raphael shed a tear at the sight of their goddess' beautiful gray surface. Upon being the first to step foot on the ground from the stairs, a cold breeze sent a shudder up Raphael's spine. Every other High Priest reacted the same way when making their way to the floor.

"Did anyone else feel that cold chill?" Jophiel asked.

"Yes," Chamuel replied. "But that alarms me. Shouldn't our suits be properly insulated?"

"They are," Michael assured him. "No exterior weather should penetrate these suits I've designed."

"Then why did I feel this odd chill circulate my body…? My skin has goosebumps."

"Jophiel's right," Ariel added-on. "I felt it too. It was more than just a cold breeze."

Suddenly, as if reassuring everyone that it was more than just a breeze, the freezing sensation re-established itself in everyone's bodies. They were all shaken up simultaneously.

"There it was again! What was that?" Uriel looked around. An eerie echo began disturbing the frequencies in everyone's helmet speakers, bringing about ear-scratching noises.

"˙uǝɹplᴉɥɔ ʎɯ 'ǝɯoɔlǝM" An unintelligible voice spoke into everyone's heads. It was distorted, yet the High Priests could understand what was being said.

"˙llɐ noʎ ƃuᴉʇᴉɐʍɐ uǝǝq sɐɥ ɹǝɥʇoW ɹno⅄ ˙pǝʌᴉɹɹɐ llɐ ǝʌɐɥ noʎ ʇsɐl ʇ∀"

Raphael's face by now had already been swimming with tears. "MONA?! Is that really you, Mother?"

"You can all hear that too?" Uriel asked, surprised. "I-I thought that was just me!"

"˙ʎlsnoǝuɐʇlnɯᴉs llɐ noʎ oʇ ƃuᴉʞɐǝds ɯɐ I" MONA reassured them. "˙pǝɔᴉʇouun oƃ ʇou llᴉʍ ʎǝɥ┴ ˙ɹɐɟ snɥʇ ǝɯ ɥɔɐǝɹ oʇ sʇɹoɟɟǝ ɹnoʎ ʎq pǝʎoɾɹǝʌo ɯɐ I"

Suddenly, a darker spot of the Moon ahead of the High Priests was brightened, followed by another spot, and another, and so on.

"˙sǝɔuǝɯɯoɔ ǝɔuǝɹǝʌǝɹ ǝɥʇ ǝɹoɟǝq ǝɯᴉʇ sᴉ ǝɹǝɥ┴ ˙lᴉɐɹʇ ʎɯ ʍolloℲ"

Absolutely speechless, the High Priests just did as they were told. They hadn't been on the Moon long enough to process the holy nature of the voice that spoke to them with such grace. To each of their own they were shocked beyond measure, yet emotional to an extent that brought each of their eyes to tears. They'd each spent their whole lives studying the word of MONA in the Talitem, imposing the ideals that came with Menesism, and having to strengthen their faiths to continue onwards without faltering for so excessively long. Finally their thoughts could be reassured, now that they'd finally confirmed the existence of MONA herself. The landing on the Moon to them was nothing but a miracle. One after the other, they walked slowly with each zero-gravitational step towards each spot of light that was shown. Eventually, no more spots of light were shown, and the seven High Priests were left standing in the final one.

"W-Where shall we go now, Mother…?" Raphael asked. Dissolving from darkness, directly in front of them, light unraveled to reveal a pyramidal temple constructed by space nature alone. It was made up of smoothened Moon rocks that fit together like pieces of a puzzle, too perfectly forming the shape of a pyramid. A single open doorway could be seen at the bottom of the temple. The High Priests could only watch the beauty of the structure in awe. Unable to be seen under their thick helmets, their mouths hung wide open.

"˙uǝɹplᴉɥɔ ʎɯ 'ɹǝʇuƎ"

The High Priests all entered one after the other. At first it was dark, but as they stepped deeper into the hallway, the floor began to light it up. Eventually, the hall led to an immense room directly in the middle of the pyramid, with a tall open roof from which they could see earth.

"That's home," Raphael said. "Elysia is waiting for us back there."

"It's almost 12:00 am," Gabriel told him. "The Reverence will start soon."

"˙ǝɔuǝɹǝʌǝɹ ǝɥʇ ǝɔuǝɯɯoɔ noʎ ǝɹoɟǝq 'llɐ noʎ ɹoɟ sʇɟᴉƃ ǝʌɐɥ I"

MONA's spirit was felt circulating the room, as was a cold breeze that surrounded the High Priests. The darker walls of the room were enlightened, revealing things the High Priests had never seen before.

"˙lɐᴉɹǝʇɐɯ ǝʌᴉʇɔnɹʇsuoɔ sɐ pǝsn ǝq oslɐ uɐɔ ʇnq 'ʎƃɹǝuǝ ǝsuǝɯɯᴉ ɟo ǝɔɹnos ɐ sɐ ʇɔɐ uɐɔ ʇI ˙plɹoʍ ɹnoʎ ǝƃuɐɥɔ uɐɔ ʇɐɥʇ ǝɔɹnosǝɹ ǝɥʇ ǝq llᴉʍ ɯnᴉɹǝuʎW ˙puoʎǝq puɐ ǝɔuǝʇsᴉxǝ sɐ ƃuol sɐ ɹoɟ ǝʇɐɔᴉldǝɹ llᴉʍ ʇᴉ 'suoᴉʇᴉpuoɔ ɥʇʍoɹƃ ʇɔǝɹɹoɔ ǝɥʇ ɹǝpun ʇɟǝl ɟI ˙lɐᴉʇuǝʇod ǝʇᴉuᴉɟuᴉ ɟo ǝɔɹnosǝɹ ɐ sᴉ ǝuoʇs ǝɥ┴ ˙ɯnᴉɹǝuʎW noʎ oʇ ʇuǝsǝɹd I 'ɥʇɹou ǝɥʇ o┴"

At the front wall of the room, a singular white glowing stone of irregular edges was held to the wall. Upon looking towards it, the High Priests were hit with an excruciatingly bright glare to the eyes.

"˙ʇɟᴉƃ sᴉɥʇ oʇ ʇsnɾpɐ oʇ sʇuǝɯdolǝʌǝp ǝɥʇ ǝʇɐǝɹɔ oʇ uǝɹplᴉɥɔ noʎ oʇ dn sᴉ ʇI ˙ǝʎǝ uɐɯnɥ ǝɥʇ oʇ pǝʇᴉns llǝʍ ʇou sᴉ ɯnᴉɹǝuʎW ɟo ssǝuʇɥƃᴉɹq ƃuᴉɹɐǝqɹǝʌo ǝɥʇ sɐ 'ǝzɐƃ ɹnoʎ ɟo ǝɹɐʍǝq op"

The wall to their right now lit up. On the wall, an ancient book of glowing pages could be seen embedded tightly in the rock's grasp.

"˙ɥʇɹɐǝ uo ɐɹǝ ʍǝu ɹnoʎ oʇ ǝpᴉnƃ ǝɥʇ ǝq llᴉʍ ɯǝʇᴉlɐ┴ lɐᴉɔǝds sᴉɥ┴ ˙ɯnᴉɹǝuʎW uᴉɥʇᴉʍ ʎƃɹǝuǝ ɟo sǝɹnsɐǝɯ ǝɥʇ ǝʇɐnbǝ puɐ ǝsn oʇ ʍoɥ uo uoᴉʇɐɯɹoɟuᴉ ʇuǝᴉɔuɐ ɟo sǝƃɐd uodn sǝƃɐd suᴉɐʇuoɔ oslɐ ɹɐlnɔᴉʇɹɐd uᴉ ɯǝʇᴉlɐ┴ sᴉɥʇ ʇnq ˙ʇǝuɐld ɹnoʎ uo ʞɔɐq sɯǝʇᴉlɐ┴ ǝɥʇ ǝsᴉʌǝɹ uɐɔ noʎ ɥɔᴉɥʍ ɥʇᴉʍ 'sƃuᴉɥɔɐǝʇ ʎɯ ɥʇᴉʍ sǝƃɐd ɟo ɹǝqɯnu pǝpuǝʇxǝ uɐ pǝpnlɔuᴉ sɐɥ ʇI ˙ɯǝʇᴉlɐ┴ ǝɥʇ ɟo uoᴉsɹǝʌ ǝʌᴉsnlɔxǝ uɐ uǝʌǝs noʎ oʇ ʇuǝsǝɹd I 'ʇsɐǝ ǝɥʇ o┴"

The High Priests gasped with amazement at what they'd been provided.

"We can now provide the Menesis community with even more content to preach…" Chamuel envisioned the dream. He was more than excited to continue teaching his disciples with the new words of MONA. Finally, the final wall to their left lit up, shocking the High Priests with what was held on the walls.

"˙noʎ ɟo ǝuo ʎɹǝʌǝ puɐ ɥɔɐǝ ɹoɟ sʇɟᴉƃ lɐuosɹǝd llɐ noʎ oʇ ʇuǝsǝɹd I 'ʇsǝʍ ǝɥʇ oʇ 'ʇsɐl ʇ∀"

Hung up on the walls were what appeared to be seven pairs of distinct wings.

"˙sʇɟᴉƃ lɐuoᴉʇᴉppɐ pǝpnlɔuᴉ oslɐ ǝʌɐɥ I 'ʇɥƃᴉlɟ ɹoɟ ǝsn uɐɔ uǝʌǝs noʎ ʇɐɥʇ sƃuᴉʍ ǝɥʇ oʇ uoᴉʇᴉppɐ uI ˙ɐᴉsʎlƎ ɟo slǝƃuɐɥɔɹ∀ ʎɯ ǝɹɐ uǝʌǝs noʎ 'sᴉsǝuǝW ǝɥʇ ɟo uǝɹplᴉɥɔ uǝsoɥɔ ʎɯ s∀ ˙ɹǝɥʇo ou ǝʞᴉl ʇɥƃᴉlɟ noʎ ǝpᴉʌoɹd llᴉʍ ʎǝɥ┴ ˙sʞɔɐq ɹnoʎ oʇ ǝsǝɥʇ dᴉnbǝ ʎɐɯ no⅄"

Included along the wall was a sealed bag of ancient cloth, a watch, and a giant broadsword.

"˙ʎlǝsᴉʍ ɯǝɥʇ ǝsn os '0ϛ ɥʇᴉʍ llɐ noʎ ƃuᴉpᴉʌoɹd ʎluo ɯɐ I ˙ǝsn uodn pǝʇᴉɔǝɹ sᴉ pɐǝp ǝɥʇ ɟo ǝɯɐu llnɟ ǝɥʇ ɟᴉ ʎluo 'pɐǝp ǝɥʇ ǝʌᴉʌǝɹ oʇ ǝsn uɐɔ sᴉsǝuǝW ǝɥʇ puɐ noʎ ǝɔɹnosǝɹ pǝʇᴉɯᴉl ɐ 'sɯǝפ ʎʇᴉuᴉɹ┴ ǝɹɐ ƃɐq ǝɥʇ ǝpᴉsuI"

MONA was stern with this instruction. The High Priests could tell that the so-called Trinity Gem was truly a miraculous item to be gifted, as they were only limited to 50.

"We can rewrite deaths with those…? Wow…" Jophiel muttered under his breath.

"˙ǝɹɐʍǝq ˙lnos s'lɐnpᴉʌᴉpuᴉ ǝɥʇ ʇdnɹɹoɔ ʎɐɯ ɥɔʇɐʍ ǝɥʇ 'ǝsodɹnd ʇɔǝɹɹoɔuᴉ ǝɥʇ ɹoɟ uɹoʍ sᴉ ɥɔʇɐʍ ǝɥʇ ɟᴉ ʇɐɥʇ noʎ ɟo llɐ uɹɐʍ op I ʇnq ˙ɹnouoɥ ʎɯ dᴉɥsɹoʍ oɥʍ ǝsoɥʇ ƃuᴉpuǝɟǝp uᴉ ʎɹɐssǝɔǝu uǝɥʍ pǝsn ǝq oʇ ʎluo sᴉ sᴉɥ┴ ˙ʎpoq ǝɥʇ uᴉ sǝɹnɾuᴉ ǝʇɐɹǝuǝƃǝɹ oʇ ʎʇᴉlᴉqɐ ǝɥʇ puɐ 'ʎʇᴉlᴉqɐɹnp 'ɥʇƃuǝɹʇs lɐɔᴉsʎɥd pǝsɐǝɹɔuᴉ lɐnpᴉʌᴉpuᴉ uɐ ʇuɐɹƃ llᴉʍ ɥɔʇɐʍ ǝɥʇ ƃuᴉɹɐǝM ˙ɯǝʇᴉlɐ┴ ɟo ɥɔʇɐM ǝɥʇ sᴉ ʇsɹᴉℲ ˙sǝɔuɐʇsɯnɔɹᴉɔ uᴉɐʇɹǝɔ ɹǝpun pǝsn ǝq oʇ ʎluo ǝɹɐ ʎǝɥʇ 'sʇɟᴉƃ oʍʇ ʇsɐl ǝsǝɥʇ ɹoɟ s∀"

The ring glistened in the brightness of the temple.

"¿sɯǝʇᴉ snoɹǝƃuɐp ʎllɐᴉʇuǝʇod ɥɔns ɥʇᴉʍ ǝɯoɔ ʇɐɥʇ sǝᴉʇᴉlᴉqᴉsuodsǝɹ ǝɥʇ puɐʇsɹǝpun uǝʌǝs noʎ op ˙oᴉɹɐuǝɔs plɹoʍ-ǝɥʇ-ɟo-puǝ uɐ uᴉ ɹo 'ǝsɹoɯǝɹ ou ɥʇᴉʍ sᴉsǝuǝW ǝɥʇ ʇsuᴉɐƃɐ uᴉs ʎlnɹʇ oɥʍ ǝsoɥʇ ʇsuᴉɐƃɐ sᴉɥʇ ǝsn ʎluo ʎɐɯ no⅄ ˙sɹǝuuᴉs ʇuǝsǝɹdǝɹ oɥʍ ǝsoɥʇ ɟo spunoʍ ǝɥʇ uᴉ uoᴉʇɐsuǝs ƃuᴉuɹnq ǝsuǝɯɯᴉ uɐ ǝsnɐɔ llᴉʍ puɐ 'ǝɔuɐʇsᴉp ʎuɐ ɯoɹɟ lɐnpᴉʌᴉpuᴉ uɐ ɥsɐls uɐɔ pɹoʍspɐoɹq ǝɥ┴ ˙uoᴉʇnqᴉɹʇǝɹ ɟo ǝpɐlq ǝɥʇ sᴉ puoɔǝS"

The seven High Priests replied in unison. "Yes, Mother."

"˙ʎɹolƃ ʎɯ puɐ ǝɔuǝsǝɹd ʎɯ ssǝuʇᴉʍ uǝɹplᴉɥɔ ǝɥʇ ǝʌɐɥ puɐ ǝɹǝɥ ǝɔuǝɹǝʌǝɹ ǝɥʇ ʇsoɥ llɐ noʎ ǝʌɐɥ oʇ ʎddɐɥ uɐɥʇ ǝɹoɯ ɯɐ I ˙ǝɹoɯ ǝɔuo 'ʎpoq ʎɯ oʇ ǝɯoɔlǝM"

"Thank you, so, so very much Mother. We are all astonished by your grace, and wish to please you with the upcoming worship service. Please relax as we prepare for the Reverence." Raphael looked at Gabriel, who nodded that it was time. The seven began to set up the camera and computer that would be used to broadcast footage from the Moon live to Elysia. As they prepared just outside the temple, something else in the form of a rocket approached their location, very much unbeknownst to them.