Chapter Two - Regret

Sara's eyes blinked open to the sound of a small chime. The light tinkling sound reminded her of the faeries and pixies she always dreamed about living with. They lived lives of such magic and wonder, it was hard for Sara to not be envious. But that was one of the God-Empress' Sacred tenants. To never be jealous or envious.

Following the tenants was not fun.

Sara's teachers were always admonishing her for being stuck in her own imagination, but Sara didn't much mind. She was only ten years old after all - she still had time to fantasize and daydream. She'd have all the rest of her life to do all that meditating and praying after all. Just because she was an orphan taken in by the God-Empress' clergy didn't mean she couldn't have as much fun as she could, while she still could.

She blinked a few more times, lifting her head up from her own cradling arms. The rest of the class had awoken too, groggy and a little disconcerted - not to mention the few with distinct grumpiness. Her class was one of the largest within the God Empress' capital city, Helio, and she was friends with all of them. She had met some of the other classes from the other Sacred Temples within Helio, but found most of their progeny to be grotesquely large morons. One of the bigger buffoons even thought it was hilarious to push her into muddy puddle, for no reason at all.

Brother Erran had told her the little boy had done it because he liked her, to which Sara had responded indignantly. Boys weren't mean to the girls they liked. Brother Erran didn't push Sister Trelli into dirty puddles! Brother Erran had merely chuckled at her response, scruffing up her hair affectionately.

It was her betrothed, Brother Erran, who now led Sara's class. And it was Sister Trelli who had first found Sara lying on the Temple doorsteps as a baby. For the better part of Sara's life, she had idolized Sister Trelli, mimicked her every move, demeanor, appearance. Sara had cried for a week when her self-declared big sister had left for the Skycatcher Temple.

"Awake at last, young ones? Hope you enjoyed your nap, we've got a lot to go over this afternoon."

The sun was beaming outside; it was an absolutely beautiful day. The kind of day meant for young children - like Sara, for example - to be outside, running around with her friends, playing 'Beasts and Priests' or 'Magic Dice.' Listening to Brother Erran's history lessons were usually quite interesting to Sara, but days like these demanded something more ... lively.

" ... and so when all the chaos in the world settled down, and man finally learned to live peacefully with each other, the God-Empress returned to us. She gave us a wondrous gift - she gave us paradise after life, and all of the Empire has been grateful since."

A pause. Sara looked up to find Brother Erran scanning the room. "Can anyone tell me how we know that the God-Empress gave us paradise?"

Sara raised her hand eagerly, along with almost all the class. Brother Erran picked on her, smiling encouragingly. "We know, because the God-Empress also gave us the ability to talk to those who have passed," Sara chimed eagerly.

"Exactly right, little one! Most of us have been lucky enough to speak with our family or loved ones who have passed on before us. They've told us amazing stories about just how wonderful paradise is. And if we live a good life, following all the tenants of the Divine Mother, we'll join them there when it's our time to pass too."

Sara raised her hand again, though this time it was for a question that had just popped into her head. The other students groaned audibly. Sara's questions usually would drag the class longer by at least fifteen minutes; fifteen minutes that could be spent having actual fun. But Sara didn't care - her curiosity never relented until it was satisfied. Brother Erran chuckled and nodded for her to proceed.

"Father Inthan told me that there are lots of different peoples, and not all of them follow the God-Empress."

"That's right, Sara. There are many different races of man, and not everybody worships the Divine Mother. She does not force it on us, she merely watches over us and hopes we lead good lives."

Sara continued, speakingly slowly to make sure she understood her own question. "But ... what if I were to make friends with somebody who didn't follow her? When we die ... would I be able to see my friend in paradise?"

"Ah ... well ... that's a bit compl -- " Brother Erran was obviously trying to come up with a suitable response when Father Inthan stepped into the class. Sara caught on to his distressed expression immediately; some of the other children didn't seem to notice, but Sara grew instantly worried. Father Inthan was the jolliest old man she ever knew. It would take a great tragedy for him to lose his characteristic smile.

Brother Erran noticed it too. "Father ... what is it? What happened?"

Father Inthan stepped close, obviously trying to whisper in Brother Erran's here, but the old monk had long since lost most of his hearing, and with it the control over his volume. The entire class heard everything.

"It's Trellian, my son ... I-I'm so sorry ... her temple was attacked. She ... passed while defending it."

Brother Erran stood in stunned silence, staring blankly at Father Inthan with eyes devoid of any light. The rest of the class was deathly silent Sara could not believe it. She moved her hands to her face to rub her eyes and was surprised to find she was crying. Tears streamed out of her gray eyes in a torrent, and she couldn't control them. She didn't understand why she was crying. After all, Sister Trelli had passed onto paradise, hadn't she? Wouldn't they see Sister Trelli again?

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