Chapter Forty-Five

It was time. Midnight had arrived and everything was about to happen. The moon was full and so was the elemental shield. It was pregnant. Pregnant with giving birth to the Sword of Compassion. The elves were surrounding the top of the mountain in the vicinity of the Shield, the salamanders held their positions. The Chief of elves and the Shaman were present. The Diamond-Back Cobra oracle was the most hidden spectator as all the village natives were assembled at the foot of the mountain, looking on.

Atohmma was adorned and the star of the show. Nucamma hovered over the crowd to get a better look. He knew it was Atohmma. Venomma and Orgamma wondered if they'd see Atohmma somewhere in the crowd, but there were so many natives to search through, they thought it was useless to miss out on the ceremony to go looking for her.

The drumming began. The singing from the elder lady elves and the chanting from the Shaman and the Chief sage was melodious. Atohmma was well prepared. She knew what she had to do after being coached by the oracle Cobra who she knew was watching. She kept in mind all that he said, as she watched the raging of elements before her, the portal shield. It seemed to be bubbling and sometimes like the waves of the sea. She was no longer nervous or anxious being in front of it.

The rituals were being done while a group of little elves danced around the fire created by the salamanders. There was much light. The mountain was brighter than it has ever been. No one from the village recognized Atohmma. Especially not from such a distance. They could see movement and some elves flying around but they were unable to see faces clearly. Atohmma had grown and not even her wings were recognizable. They never saw her new wings. She was getting ready to reach into the portal.

The Chief sage and the Shaman cleared the path and made it accessible to her when it was the right time for her to reach into the portal. As the drum beats started becoming louder, the chanting changed and Atohmma was beginning to feel her own energy shift. Her own abilities were being heightened and enhanced. She could feel the power within her, hear the thoughts around her and she was ready. She was almost as dangerous as the elemental shield before her.

When the Chief went to her with one of his preparations, she knew it was time. The shield had become blue, as blue as the deep part of the ocean itself. The light the shield gave off was green now. The portal was absorbent and Atohmma took off the cloth that was wrapped around her hands. She was approached by the Shaman now. He held her hands and walked her as close to the shield as he could go. She had to do the rest herself. After he let go of her hands, she continued walking slowly toward the portal before her, she was somehow re-energized the closer she went to it. Atohmma, stretched her hands out and her fingers were slowly going into the portal, then her wrist, then her elbows were in and she had all the courage to reach some more, into the portal, as she felt the Sword. She held onto it, tightly and firmly she pulled. It was heavy. Her hands were coming back out slowly and then, the sword was in sight. She had to keep pulling until it was fully exposed for her to see. She used both her hands, as the sword became heavier and she lifted it out with the help of the Shaman. It was heavy because of the pull and push of the portal itself. When the sword was out, the Chief and Shaman took it from Atohmma, wrapped it in a special cloth and carried it away with them. The elemental shield's color began to change slowly and its size was decreasing. The portal closed immediately after the sword was out. The brightness of the elemental shield was dimming and the colours were also changing. It went from being ocean blue to green, then it was purple, red and finally, yellow. At the yellow, the fiery orange returned shortly after. Atohmma was seated on one of the rocks. The shield was seemingly cooler. The salamanders put out their fire and the drummers kept on with their beats. The natives were looking on in amazement. Nucamma was on a tree intently watching the entire event. The shield was grey now and the brightness was totally out. There was smoke-like vapor around it and it was losing its portal effect. It was becoming solid. The elemental shield was reforming into a rock. Atohmma had to remain seated until the Chief and Shaman returned. They had to secure the Sword of Compassion and to ensure it was well guarded. It was like a masterpiece. It was lined with gems and of many different colours and precious stones adorned the handle. The sword was sharp and it shined being golden. It was the most enchanting instrument they had ever seen.

When they returned, it was time for Atohmma to go down to the foot of the mountain. The Chief and Shaman had finished the ritual at the spot of the shield and they took off some of the attire worn by Atohmma, making room for her to be able to use her wings to fly down. Her hair was let down and she so was her cloak. She was dressed nicely in a long, silky dress specially prepared for the crowning of the chosen one. Some of the elves tidied the area a bit and then they all gathered with the others down below. Nucamma went down from the tree he was on and the oracle Cobra, took himself closer to witness the event. A structure was made for Atohmma to be seated and crowned. It was covered with branches from a special tree and lit with lanterns for extra light.