The grey stone temple was silent. Night had taken the sky captive and its diamonds littered the deep blue heavens. She lounged in her ancient throne and lazily gazed at the emptiness in her place of worship. The shimmering pools were silent and the bare trees were still. She sighed and rose to her feet.

Stepping down the stones to her vast corroding courtyard, her thin silk ivory dress trailed behind her with a whisper. The stone statues before her stared down tauntingly. She closed her sapphire eyes in a sad smile. In the daylight, these creatures breathed the sun and trampled about her temple as she watched helplessly from behind glass. Now they held their tongues in her presence. "As it should be." Her languid voice mused.

She passed by the frozen young woman on a pedestal, not giving her a glance. A few more dismissive figures she walked by, heels echoing softly on the granite ground. A cold breeze flittered through her raven hair as she took her time in her steps. She came to the end, one statue standing higher than the rest.

He stood tall and with a soldier's stance, a sword and shield in hand. She tilted her head up and smiled wistfully. At one time, he had broken free of the sun's curse and joined in her twilight sanctuary. At one time, he yearned for the moonlight like she did. At one time. Now he stood just as silent and motionless as the others.

Her pale fingers caressed his stubborn face with a distant longing. "You were supposed to be mine." She whispered softly. Lingering a moment longer, she then turned her face from the statues.

She was half way down the courtyard when she felt the ground tremble. She paused and turned slightly around. One tremor and then another. The stone sanctuary quivered and shook beneath her feet. Confusion and fear flickered across her face; sunrise wasn't expected for countless hours, what was shaking her haven?

Tiny chasms played across the stone faces. Pieces splintered and started to slide down the statues. Soon they shuddered and broke into shards, stone melting away to fresh flesh beneath. Rocks collided with the ground giving way to the humans encased inside. She saw the statues thaw of the stone and immediately looked to the end of them.

Her knight of stone was crumbling just like the rest. She ran forward, past all of the others with no concern, stepping over and dodging the falling rocks. Grey stone crashed at her feet, dust started to cloud the air behind her. She watched intently as it all washed clean from his form, his chest expanded with a deep gasp and his brown wicked eyes flew open. His knees buckled and he fell from his pedestal.

She knelt to catch him in her arms. He trembled and struggled for breath, remembering that this night air was so much different. She held him close, brushing the pebbles from his hair. He clutched tightly at her arms around him as he coughed and tried to see in the moonlight. He watched as the rest of the once-stone inhabitants fell from their perches and collided with the cold harsh night. "The others." His voice fought to stay steady.

Her glistening eyes looked up to see the figures writhing on her sacred ground, and narrowed in disgust. She turned back to the one in her arms and hushed him with a caress. "They don't matter."

"They—they don't know how to survive in your element."

"Nor should they." Her voice was low and soothing as she held him close to her warmth, waiting for the transition to pass him.

He suppressed the shivers and reminded his lungs to breathe deeply. This world was different in every way. He watched from the safety of her arms as the others gasped and choked for air, they squirmed on the concrete ground and cried out for help. "They'll die without you." He said, his body finally adjusting to the environment.

"I know." she paused and smiled slightly. Under her moon, she would mend whom she chose; those already bearing her scars.

He knew he couldn't help them. This was her temple, her place of worship under the silver stars.

"Don't cry for them, my darling." Her voice flowed into his subconscious.

He smiled then; the moon's healing rays enveloping him. "You wouldn't allow me to."

More to come?

© j.t. 3/4/07