THE HOLY GATHERERS

Chapter Seven: The New Era

Dear fellow writers and readers. I hope my book(story) brings you joy as it did for me.

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The silence that followed my performance was heavy, thick with shock and disbelief. Everyone stood frozen, eyes wide, mouths agape, as the women who had once been trapped in the trees-the legendary guardians of the Goddess-now stood before us in their true forms. Their transformation was a sight none of us could have ever imagined, something out of the ancient tales that had long been whispered but never fully believed.

I could feel the weight of their presence, the power emanating from them as they stood tall, regal, and free for the first time in centuries. My heart raced in my chest as I tried to make sense of what had just happened. How did I do that? What was this power?

And then, in unison, the women began to chant. Their voices, clear and resonant, echoed through the air, filling the space with a sound so ancient and profound it seemed to reach the very soul of the earth itself.

"The beginning is the end... we are free, but beyond Overa, we are chained... free the land from the curse, free the land and restore the balance..."

Their chant sent shivers down my spine. I glanced around, seeing the same awe and confusion mirrored in the faces of everyone around me. Meme, normally so composed, looked completely shaken, her lips parted in disbelief. Ivy, too, was wide-eyed, her usual defiance gone as she stared at the transformed women.

As the chant grew louder, a light-brilliant and pure-began to descend from the heavens, shining directly onto the women. The light bathed them in a radiant glow, and slowly, one by one, they began to ascend, rising into the sky as if the heavens themselves had come to claim them.

I watched, mesmerized, unable to move, as the women ascended in a graceful procession. Their faces were serene, as though they had finally found peace after centuries of being bound by the curse. The crowd remained silent, unable to comprehend the magnitude of what was happening.

Just as the last woman prepared to rise, she paused, turning her gaze to me, Ivy, and Meme. Her eyes, deep and wise, seemed to see into the very core of who we were. The three of us instinctively took a step forward, as if drawn to her by an unseen force.

Her voice, gentle yet commanding, resonated in the air. "Your strength lies within the bond you create to the seen and unseen world," she said, her words hanging heavy with meaning. "In threes, a true selfless sacrifice reborn brings balance."

Her gaze lingered on each of us, and for a brief moment, I felt something stir deep within me-a connection, something ancient and powerful, a bond that went beyond the physical world. I glanced at Meme and Ivy, and for the first time in what felt like ages, there was no tension between us. Just understanding. Something had shifted, something bigger than any of us.

As the woman's final words settled into the air, she smiled softly, then ascended, disappearing into the light. The brilliance of the light grew brighter for a moment, and then, just as suddenly as it had appeared, It vanished, leaving us standing in the now quiet and still clearing.

For a moment, no one moved. No one spoke. The weight of what had just transpired pressed down on us all. The women-the legendary guardians-were gone. The trees that had stood for centuries, holding their spirits, had been restored to their true forms. The prophecy that had been whispered throughout our history had begun.