10/14/95 - 14/14/95
Church of Aelith — Entry number 534-0, by Father Cedric
The following is a compilation of logs written by the members of the church entrusted with teaching and preparing our goddess for her departure into the world.
Each entry records not only the lessons imparted, but also the observations made during those brief yet significant days. Though these records are meant to serve as a formal account of her progress, they also reflect something far less structured: the challenge of guiding a divine being through the limits of a mortal form.
As Father of this church, I find myself divided. There is an undeniable sorrow in witnessing her departure, a quiet emptiness left in the wake of her presence. And yet, that sorrow is matched—perhaps even surpassed—by pride. In the span of four days, our goddess has achieved what many would deem impossible.
What follows is not merely a record of instruction, but a testament to her will, her growth, and the beginning of a journey that will carry her far beyond these walls.
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Church of Aelith — Entry 534-1, by Brother Halven
Subject: Language Formation
10/14/95:
Our first lesson was, predictably, the most difficult.
The first lesson with the goddess was the hardest one. First of all, I had to teach our goddess how to breathe properly, using her lower belly to gather air and then, with control, expelling the air through her mouth. After around thirty minutes, she had mastered it, and we moved forward to trying to make a sound.
I first made her use the air to make an "ssssss" sound. It was the easiest way to get our goddess used to the feeling of producing a controlled sound with her vocal cords. During the first tries, the "ssss" sound deformed shortly after it started, but the goddess got the hang of it in a few attempts. After the sound was stable, we moved on to vowels for the rest of the lesson.
Observations: The goddess seems to put on a big smile once she achieves one of the class goals, but the happy expression quickly turns into a smug one, almost as if she considered it obvious that she would achieve the result.
11/14/95:
We focused on phonation. The objective was to produce a "buzz." Initially, she could only manage little gasps. It clearly wounded her dignity to sound so weak. However, her progress is incredible. By the second hour, she wasn't just humming; she was going through entire scales. She internalizes mechanical instructions with terrifying efficiency.
Observations: She finished the lesson by humming at different frequencies while watching a candle flame flicker. I think she was testing if this new, tiny voice could still influence the mortal realm.
12/14/95:
A breakthrough, though it clearly took a toll on her. We began combining consonants and vowels. I intended to stick to "Ma" or "Ba," but the goddess was determined to go her own way.
She sat in a state of such intense concentration that her face actually turned red. Finally, with a trembling breath, she forced out a single word: "Li...ra." It was clumsy, and the "R" was barely there, but it was a word.
Observations: After saying the name, she went silent for the rest of the hour. The smugness did return today, but it was accompanied by something else: determination.
13/14/95:
Her vocabulary is exploding. She's moved past nouns into short sentences.
We focused on "hard" sounds like "K" and "G." She finds these sounds "ugly" and makes a face of pure disgust every time she has to say words like "gate" or "keep."
Observations: She has found enough words to start critiquing us. She informed me that my robes are "drab" and complained that Sister Mayreel's tea was "insufficiently hot."
14/14/95:
Final review. Her speech is now fluid and eloquent, though she still stumbles over some consonants in more complex words like "procrastination." Her "R" rolls are still slightly soft, giving her an almost foreign accent.
Observations: She is ready. She spent the end of the lesson practicing a parting speech. She prefers to use as few words as possible to maintain her air of superiority. When I told her she'd done well, she just tilted her chin and said, "Naturally."
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Church of Aelith — Entry 534-2, by Sister Mayreel
Subject: Reading and Writing
10/14/95:
The first lesson with the goddess was the easiest one. For the first day, I wanted to check how she would react to small passages, simple things like the word "ball." I then gave her some items and asked her to nod if she saw the object that was written. From what I learned today, she seems to be perfectly capable of reading. For the next few days, I expect to see her ability to read more complex text and also, once her training with Sister Mareen progresses, teach her how to write.
Observations: The goddess did not really like my approach to seeing if she knew how to read basic words; she seemed a bit flustered and angry when I brought the items and asked her to point to the one that appeared in the text. For the rest of the lesson, she had a mad expression on her face.
11/14/95:
We moved on to writing. I gave her paper and charcoal, but since she's still working on her hands with Sister Mareen, her grip was incredibly awkward. She understands the logic of the letters, but her hand simply won't obey her mind yet. She spent the lesson trying to draw the symbol for "Sun," but it looked more like a jagged, broken circle.
Observations: She has no patience. When the charcoal snapped in her grip, she stared at it like she expected it to spontaneously combust. When it didn't, she let out a very un-divine huff and threw it across the room.
12/14/95:
Now that Halven has her making noise, I had her read a passage from our logs. She read "Log number 101: 'The light guides the way'" with perfect understanding, even if her voice hitched a bit. Afterward, I had her try to write "Lira." It took ten minutes of her poking her tongue out in concentration, but she did it. Shaky and oversized, but legible.
Observations: Once she finished writing the name, she ran her finger over the ink. She muttered something about it being "too small" for someone as important as her oracle. It's the first time she's critiqued her own work rather than blaming the tools.
13/14/95:
"Contextual Reading." I gave her a book on regional history. She reads at a speed that is frankly unnerving. Her eyes move across the page in a way that reminds you she isn't human. She started muttering under her breath, though. When she got to the Treaty of Divine Right, she made a strange expression and stayed silent for some time.
Observations: She's developing a "mortal" personality. She treats history like a gossip column, calling parts "boring" or "incorrect."
14/14/95:
Final review. Her handwriting is still poor, spindly, and leaning heavily to the left, but she's functional. She spent today reading poetry. She told me a poem about the stars was "technically inaccurate but passable."
Observations: Before she left, she scribbled a note on a scrap of paper and hid it in her sleeve. She wouldn't let me see it, but she had that smug smile on her face again.
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Church of Aelith — Entry 534-3, by Sister Mareen
Subject: Fine Motor Development
10/14/95:
The first lesson was acceptable. Because her body was synthesized so recently, her hands are stiff and have no "memory" of how to move. I had her move small stones between bowls. She can't calibrate her strength yet; she either lets them slip or squeezes too hard.
Observations: She is fascinated by the sensation of touch. She spent several minutes just pressing her thumb against the rim of a ceramic bowl, watching the skin turn white and then red again.
11/14/95:
We progressed to more delicate tasks. I gave her a needle and thread. It was a disaster at first. She couldn't coordinate the tips of her fingers to hold the thin metal, and her frustration was palpable. I had to guide her hands with mine. The moment I touched her, she stiffened, but she didn't pull away. By the end of the lesson, she managed to thread the needle once.
Observations: She is incredibly competitive. When I mentioned that Lira used to thread needles by touch alone, the goddess's eyes narrowed. She refused to leave until she had done it three times in a row by herself. She ended up spending a whole hour trying, but she did it.
12/14/95:
A significant leap in dexterity today. I introduced the concept of "resistance." We worked with clay, molding small shapes. She is no longer struggling so much; her movements are becoming more deliberate and precise. She even managed to use a small knife to carve a crude sun into the clay.
Observations: She complained the wet clay was "unpleasant" and "messy," but she wouldn't stop until the shape was perfect. Her focus is terrifying when she deems a task worthy of her.
13/14/95:
Today was about the "utility of the mundane." I had her button a tunic, tie boots, and pour tea into a porcelain cup. She did it all with a grace that felt wrong, too smooth, like a puppet on strings. She didn't spill a single drop of tea.
Observations: After she tied her boots, she asked me if all mortals spent this much time "managing their own shells." When I said yes, she looked genuinely exhausted by the idea of such a high-maintenance life.
14/14/95:
Final review. Her motor skills are indistinguishable from a normal person now. She spent the lesson flipping silver coins over her knuckles with a speed Halven couldn't match. She has mastered the human hand.
Observations: She is ready for the world. She doesn't look at her hands as alien tools anymore; they are part of her now.
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Church of Aelith — Entry 534-4, by Sister Sasha
Subject: Structural Movement Development
10/14/95:
The first lesson was exhausting for us both. When I arrived, she was like a statue. Her legs were weak, and she had no instinct for shifting her weight. I had to hold her under her arms just to get her to take a single step. She looked at her own feet like they were enemies.
Observations: She was humiliated by her lack of balance. Every time she wobbled, she'd growl and try to "command" herself to stay upright. She could stand alone for thirty seconds by the end, though she was trembling.
11/14/95:
We moved to walking. It's a very mechanical process for her. I tried to teach her heel-to-toe, but she keeps trying to walk on her tiptoes, as if she still wants to hover above the ground. She took ten steps today before she fell into my arms.
Observations: She's starting to understand momentum. When she fell today, she didn't get angry; she just stared at her knees with a strange curiosity, as if fascinated that her body could be brought down so easily by the earth.
12/14/95:
Massive improvement in her stance. She doesn't need my hand anymore. She paced the church for the entire hour. We also practiced sitting and standing without using her arms for balance.
Observations: She has discovered "speed." Once she realized she could move faster by leaning into it, she started power-walking in circles. She looked very smug when she realized she could outpace me.
13/14/95:
High-impact movement. I took her to the courtyard and told her to run. She was clumsy at first, but within twenty minutes, her limbs were coordinated. We moved on to jumping. She looked terrified the first time she left the ground, but when she landed, she let out a short, genuine laugh.
Observations: She spent the last ten minutes jumping over the garden. I think she enjoys the brief "flight" jumping provides.
14/14/95:
Final review. She is fully mobile now. She can run, jump, and navigate the bell tower stairs with ease. Her movement is fluid, though she still lands too heavily.
Observations: We ended with a race to the church gates. She won, of course. She didn't say a word at the finish line, but she stood there with her chest heaving and a wild, triumphant grin on her face.
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Church of Aelith — Entry 534-5, by Father Cedric
14/14/95:
Tonight was the last day the goddess would be with us before leaving. She has now learned the basics needed to experience the world on her own.
The dinner was exceptional today. We have made—and will continue to make—the great effort of filling these logs to record the progress of the church with as much seriousness and devotion as possible.
For that reason, there are details that normally do not appear in these archives due to their nature, but I believe today deserves an exception.
The dinner prepared by Sister Mareen was probably the best any of us have ever had in our lives. She outdid herself tonight and, as such, deserves to be recognized for it in this entry.
As for the goddess herself, when the meal was done, she stood and gave a speech that Halven helped her prepare. The speech was as follows:
"Dear members of my church, tomorrow I, Aelith, Goddess of Light, shall depart to seek my oracle, to travel this world as one of you. I have spent the entirety of my existence observing this world through the lens of the veil. Now I am here, as a mortal.
The experience of having my number of arms reduced to a third and these feet grow was, to say the least, overwhelming. I have spent many years longing for this, but it would be a lie to say the first day was not overwhelming. Even so, all of you did your best to help me adapt to this shell.
I may have spent these days learning how to speak, but I am still not the best with words, though I likely will be soon. What I am trying to say is: thank you, all of you, for making one of my greatest desires possible.
For this, I, the great Aelith, will carry all of you in my heart as I travel this world."
The speech was met with a variety of reactions. Some among the clergy seemed unsettled by her mention of her former form, particularly the reference to her many arms. Others appeared proud to have played a role in what they clearly perceive as a historic moment.
For my part, I was happy. The usual warmth that filled the room when Lira was here was present in this moment as well.
The night concluded without further incident. The goddess retired early, stating she wished to be ready for the journey of the next day. Mayreel and Sasha will depart with her and accompany her until she meets Lira.
A monumental change will occur for the church tomorrow. We all hope to be ready for it and face it in the best way possible. I know we will. I only hope that my daughter and my goddess are ready as well.
End of entry.