“The Cassiopeian people were the people who vowed to rise up and destroy the dark queen when she rose to power once again. The royal family consists of ancestors of the top knights that fought against Cassiopeia. You’re descended from these people.
Caprice stared up at the Namiga in wonder as he finished the story.
“Wow… Cassiopeia had the power of the stars…” She said, her eyes going starry.
“But she was also very evil.” He added in.
She waved that off. “I know I know… and someday she’ll be back…”
“Princess!” He scolded bewildered by her reactions to the story.
“Sorry. I’m just trying to imagine what it would be like to be her…”
“To have everyone hate you?” He began to grow increasingly worried.
“To rule above all…”
“Your evilness making it so you’re always very lonely.”
“To not need anyone.” Her tone began to grow more enthusiastic.
“To be the only person who knows what it’s like to have power.”
“To be the strongest above all I rule.” They both paused.
“To have all fear you.”
“To have all fear you.”
Silence sprung up between them as they finished on the same sentence. MizunoKierer was aghast. The only sounds heard were from the thundering of the Falls as the two stared at each other. He finally looked down and shook his head.
“She was evil…” He finally concluded, exasperated.
Caprice glared up at him. “But that’s not the point.”
“Yes it is. Evil is evil no matter what form or shape. Evil should not be tolerated, it should be cast out.” He argued.
“Oh really?” She said huffily. “My parents think I’m a bad child for wanting to do things.. for wanting to be things that normal girls aren’t. I can’t be happy with my current surroundings and state of mind even though I’m a princess. My parents often tell me that to be bad is to be evil. Am I to be cast out then? Because that would mean I’m evil for wanting my own happiness! And I don’t care!”
On this she turned and just began running away from the falls. Jumping over rocks and shrubs and heading for the woods she ran all out just for the sake of running. MizunoKierer took off and easily caught up to her he landed ten feet in front of her, looking perplexed and slightly hurt.
“Caprice.. I wasn’t trying to compare you to the evil one. You are nothing like her in the sense of how evil she was.” He said, trying to console her and calm her.
Caprice clenched her fists then walked over and leant up against a tree, glaring at him. “I still think you’re mean.”
He sighed loudly and looked away getting annoyed with her. His feet scratched at the ground in a half stomp.
Her eyes grew softer and she began to feel guilty. After all, he was only trying to tell her a story. The tension seeped out of her and she walked to him and gave him a gentle hug. He turned and looked at her trying to sense what kind of mood she was in. his eyes brightened as he came up with an idea to seal the make up.
“Would you stop thinking that I was a ‘meanie’ if I showed you where her staff was hidden? I could show you where the sacred Namiga shrine is, as is that I am an elder of the Namiga.”
Her head jerked up and her eyes widened with genuine surprise. “The actual shrine where Cassiopeias staff is hidden?! You know where it is?!” Her eyes widened further in wonder at her friend, MizunoKierer.
“Of course I know where it is. As I said before, I am an elder… Would you like to see it?” He asked airily as he scanned the trees almost nonchalantly.
“Yes! Yes! I absolutely must see it!” She paused and added after seeing him raise his eyebrow at her. “Please.”
At her newfound manners he smiled and took a step toward her. “Alright then. But If I’m to take you to the shrine I must tell you the rules and give you the gift of entrance. Be seated and listen carefully.”
She sat down, smoothing her dress out, and stared up at him solemnly. He paused a few moments and shut his eyes. Slowly he looked at her and began.
“The shrine of the namiga was created less than on hour after the Evil One was annihilated. As I said earlier after she was gone and the prophesy told there was still the matter of what to do with the items of Cassiopeia. The twelve mages sealed away her source of power and only they would know out of all the Cassiopeian where it is. It’s said that when Cassiopeia reincarnates she will be irresistibly drawn to the location of where it is but not able to get near the shrine without her staff or crystal. Even if she had her staff and crystal she would need the permission of a descendants, of one of the original warriors who defeated her, permission t enter the shrine. The Crystal is located on the top of her staff, and the staff is in the shrine. Only the Elder Namigas have the knowledge of where the staff is hidden and sealed away. No human has ever seen the staff or the shrine. To have an elder Namiga allow a Cassiopeian to even catch a glimpse of the shrine is a rarity. What I am about to do with you will be a first in both Namiga and Cassiopeian history. After I have given you the Gift of Entrance then you will be able to enter the shrine.” He paused once again to make sure everything was sinking in. She looked up at him and blinked then nodded for him to continue. “But, once you enter the shrine you must not touch the staff . If a person without the right amount of power touches it other than Cassiopeia they will be annihilated by its power. If they are not killed automatically the Namiga will rise up against them and destroy them. As of today there has only been one Namiga that has been destroyed because of this. Rule Number Two: You must never tell another living soul, Namiga or Cassiopeian or anything, that A.) You’ve seen the shrine and the staff. B.) You know where the shrine it. Do I make myself absolutely clear on this princess?”
She stood up and nodded at him, an almost scary look of determination passed over her face. “I understand you completely. I’m ready.”
“Good. Then lets be off.” He made a move to pick her up and she quickly sat back down. “Princess?”
“Do you think that … we could have lunch first?” She asked rather sheepishly. He looked at her blankly then face-vaulted.
* * * * * *
Around an hour later after lunch and in front of a large shrine deep under the forest floor…
Caprice stared up at the beautifully engraved shrine doors, anticipating what was behind them. Nervously she began to play with her shoulder length purple hair and long bangs, twisting them around her finger.
MizunoKierer made a move to open the shrine doors and hesitated and turned back to Caprice. He chuckled at himself.
“I almost forgot the Gift of Entrance.” He turned back to her and put his face down near to where she was. He stood there basically nose to nose with her as she stared into his deep green eyes, waiting innocently.
“Shut your eyes, Princess.” He told her. Obediently she shut them. He leaned forward and touched his nose to hers.
A warm light feeling came over her and seemed to enter right above the middle of her eyes. The warmth moved quickly to her hands and heart then slowly faded, leaving a feeling of peace and relaxation with her.
“Alright then Caprice.” He said softly and tenderly.
She opened her eyes and saw for the first time where the handles to the shrine doors were. She took a step out and touched them tentatively. “These weren’t here before… How did they get here?” She looked up at him questioningly.
“They were always there.” He said and left it at that. He padded forward and wrapped his long fingers around the handles and pushed the doors open.
At first all she got from the room was a very sweet and comfortable smell, then she took the final few steps forward and entered the room. Darker color swirled around the room slowly looking as like a hurricane. Deep greens, purples, and blues mesmerized the eyes as they circled the thing that was the eye of the storm. The silver staff stood, with the crystal perched at the highest point, in the very center raised up slightly on a circular platform and levitating a few inches. By merely standing in the same room as the staff she could feel its power and history weighing down on her, it was an otherworldly pressure.
She took a step forward, as MizunoKierer watched her, to get closer to the staff. The warm scent became stronger around her and distinguished itself as a mix of Juniper and Lavender blooms. It began to focus itself on her and as she shut her eyes and breathed it in something broke and awakened inside of her.
Her mind abruptly became blurry and she could not remember why she wasn’t supposed to touch the staff. All she new was that it was ridiculous not to reach right up and take it and that it was very important that she get it. Her eyes snapped open, shining with a single-minded purpose. She stood up straight and proud with a dignified air about her and confidently reached forward to grab it and take it down.
A Namiga rushed forward and began to restrain her. “Princess! You promised! You mustn’t!” MizunoKierer yelled out at her, holding her back.
A panic swept over her and gave her more energy. She began to struggle with the Namiga, punching, kicking, biting and shrieking as she struggled to get near the staff. He grabbed a hold of her arm, just as she strained to stretch out and touch it again, a half a second too late.
A gigantic flash of light quickly lit up her hand and rushed through her and she fell back screaming and scratching her forehead. Then she collapsed, the rush of energy being too much for her slight form.
At the flash of light MizunoKierer had jumped back. Now he rushed forward in confusion and horror as little Caprice fell to the ground. He gathered her up rushed out of the shrine and shut the doors. He shook her and tried to awaken her to no avail. Caprice’s bangs fell forward onto her face and he made no motion to move them. Unbeknownst to him the sign of the great evil of their planets, the symbol of Cassiopeia, glowed on her forehead, hidden under her dark hair.