"Priest Hill" Garima said and looked at the handsome Grandpa. "From here, nobody should interrupt me. No one from the shrine is to intervene"
"But, You Holiness" Priestess Ava looked at her in alarm.
"Your Holiness" "You shouldn't" several of the priests and priestesses shouted.
"Your Holiness, if something goes wrong" Priest Hill looked tensed.
"Even if something goes wrong, nobody shall intervene. It's your responsibility now." she said and looked at Priestess Agatha who stiffened.
"It's your responsibility to hold Priest Hill. Agatha, I trust you"
The air felt heavy. Like hundreds of breaths held together. Garima stepped forward.
People. There were so many of them.
Mothers with their infants. Small kids holding their parents' hands. Rebellious, but curious teenagers. Excited young adults. And old people leaning on sticks.
Some looked like commoners with worn out clothes. And people with shiny clothes trying to fit among the rich. And Nobles with golds and silks.
And they were striking in appearance.
Garima almost forgot to breathe.
She had doubts.
Even the beggars looked rugged and imposing. The women looked gorgeous and well-proportioned. The Nobles were elegant and refined.
Is it fan service? It must be fan service.
Everyone looked stunning. Garima had no more words to describe them. She just wanted to faint. Too many good looking people were overwhelming.
And they just looked at her. With intense eyes.
But siilence didn't last long.
"Saintess—one word!""Your Holiness"
"Please, just one question" "My son— is he safe?" "My husband hasn't returned—is he alive ?" "My future, please tell me?" "When will I get married?" "Did my lover cheat on me?"
Voices overlapped. Desperate and hopeful.
Too close. Too fast. It was too much.
A man pushed forward "My crops failed last year.. will this year be better?"
"My mother is sick, please help me!" A boy begged.
Garima stiffened. They were surrounding her. Not aggressively. But tightly. It was suffocating. Scary.
This is bad. Thori na customer support center hu. Mummy.
A hand reached out. Garima flinched. Then another. "Please just–one word" someone shouted.
Garima inhaled sharply and raised her hand.
"Stop!"
Even then, one voice slipped out "...will my mother survive?" the young boy kept asking.
Garima looked at him, then looked away. She couldn't afford to look at him again.
"Please, stop"
And people stopped pushing. The crowd didn't go silent. But it paused. That was enough.
Garima turned slightly. The priest and priestesses stood at the entrance, ready to intervene. To pull her away.
She shook her head. Waring again.
Then faced the people again.
Her expression softened.
" I understand…really. I do" Her voice was gentle. " You want certainty. Someone to tell you it's alright"
A few people stepped closer.
"But I can't do that," she said calmly. "I am not a fortune teller, nor someone who can decide your fate with cards and stars".
The disappointment was instant. Some people stiffened. Others looked sad.
"Then what kind of Saintess are you?" Someone muttered. A few joined his question.
Garima ignored him. She couldn't break now. She had to continue. Or it could turn for the worse.
"I am not here to predict your lives,"
A murmur spread. Their faces showed uncertainty. They looked at her with resistance.
"But isn't that what the Saintess must do?" Someone challenged.
Garima smiled, a soft controlled smile. "That's what people want Saintesses to do"
There was a subtle shift in the air.
"Then are you not the Saintess?" a child spoke.
"I am" she replied.
"Then why?" he asked again.
"I am just a messenger" she said. "I can't predict your futures. I only see visions which are necessary"
"Then tell us about the rumours!" Someone snapped.
"Why the princess?" "Why don't you see us?"
Voices started rising again.
Because she is the Supporting character. And you all are unnamed filler characters. I don't even know your name. I don't know about you. And I am sorry for that. If I knew the art of Astrology. I would have tried atleast. I am sorry.
Garima spoke. Her voice was a bit louder.
"I cannot speak about them, yet. It's better if you don't know about them".
"Are you even real, what's the use of you" "Do you not see us as common people? Why the princess?"
"Then at least tell us this," a man insisted. "The rumours—will we survive what's coming?"
That question spread like fire.
"Yes, tell us!" "Are we going to die" "Should we run"
"It's the truth," Garima shouted. "If I say yes, you will become careless, and die meaningless deaths" she looked at them again, her voice breaking. "If I say no, you will run in fear and die before anything happens"
The crowd stilled. And heavy silence followed.
"...then what are we supposed to do?" Someone whispered.
Garima exhaled slowly.
"You live"
People looked at her in confusion.
" Wake up tomorrow. Eat. Work. Protect what is yours"
"That's it?" A Noble scoffed.
Garima's gaze snapped there.
"Yes, That's it"
"Then what will you do?"
"I will protect you." Garima didn't hesitate. That was what she came here for. Protect this world. Inclusive of all beings here.
The answer was straight, simple and absolute.
"But you said you can't predict our futures." a young girl whispered.
Gotcha. Garima lips curved upwards.
" I guide outcomes," she said. And confusion deepened among the crowd.
"I will intervene when it matters…so you won't face it alone."
The crowd went still again. And Garima let the silence sit. Then she continued.
"But if you are still afraid-" she gestured around. "Remember–this place exists". She smiled "If you feel lost, come here and If you are struggling, seek help."
The people looked around with different expressions. Some shifted. Some looked sceptical yet accepting. Others still looked confused. A few looked unconvinced. And most looked optimistic.
Garima relaxed. And looked around, smiling gently at the huddle of beautiful people. And the glitterati at the back.
It looked like a certain doll movie with perfect lives. Perfect bodies. Plastic and Fantastic. Though these people were very much alive. And they have suffered too. Otherwise they wouldn't come here running.
"So tell me" Her gaze moved slowly now. "Why did you run here today?"
No one answered.
"It's not faith," she said. "So what is it?"
"Fear?" She asked
A woman clutched her daughter tighter.
"Or Hope?"
There was still silence.
"It's both, right?"
"Why doesn't it matter?" Someone asked.
"Nothing, Just curious," Garima smiled.
"So what if it's not faith? Are you biased? You won't help if we don't have faith" Someone snapped.
Garima shook her head. "I am not" she smiled at the person who spoke " I will help you regardless of faith…..that's a promise. I already swore to help you to someone"
"Who?" the boy, who was begging for his mother, asked.
Garima looked at him.
"Someone, the Previous Saintess failed to introduce"
Her voice softened.
"A presence, or maybe a witness…that has always been here"
She took a slow breath and looked at the crowd.
"The one who doesn't demand worship, who doesn't punish doubt, doesn't rule, and doesn't judge…just watching over you–your joy, your sadness, your struggles…your fear and loneliness,"
Garima smiled gently.
"And when it becomes too much…she sends someone like me"
Technically it's true. Just some details are missing. Cosmo…no that was just a nickname. It won't work in public. She needed something holy sounding. A name that would stay.
Luminous sounds nice. So Luminous. Lumi. Lumi…nae.
"She is called…Luminae"