Chapter 16: The Goddess of Healing

Chapter 16: the Goddess of Healing

After Myliayar, Ikata and Colthan determined what should be done with Tilsitar, Colthan approached his mother Myliayar in the tents that had been put up throughout the new heavens.

“There is something that is of grave concern to me, that I would share with you,” Colthan said to Myliayar, worry creasing his brow as he spoke.

“What is it my son? What troubles you?” asked Myliayar.

Colthan turned away from her, hand rubbing his brow before trailing down to rest on Coraadrin’s amulet.

“It feels so foolish to be so concerned over such a thing as Silnethren has already given us such a wonderful gift. But we find that her state has come between us and between our work.” He said, turning back to his mother.

“I… I have come to ask that you help me… us… find a new body for Coraadrin,” he said, “Perhaps Ikata could sculpt us one with her great skill, and you could, with your magic, channel her soul into that body. I don’t know, but we fear things cannot continue as they are. What at first was a second life has become a trap.”

“Ah. That is…” began Myliayar before her voice trailed off. They both were quiet for some time, for Myliayar did not have the heart to tell her son that she did not know how to channel a soul to a body. .

“Perhaps you must reckon with the fact that she is mortal. It is in their nature to fade away.”

“But it is not! They can dwell forever in Silnethren’s halls,” replied Colthan, “They are happy and joyful there. They travel and live free in the open spaces of the great crystals, but she is confined to something so small. Why should she be?”

“Then perhaps you should take her to Silnethren. Let her go to the place that all mortals go,” said Myliayar.

“We have discussed that possibility. It is not what she desires.”

Myliayar breathed deeply, looking deeply at the ground between them.

“Very well,” she sighed, her eyes lifting to meet her son’s, “we can speak to Ikata. But know that this will not make Coraadrin like us. She will still be a mortal in a world of gods. Her new body may make her immortal but she will always have been mortal. She will always see the world more like them than us. Even without death, she may still be alone among us.”

“She will not be alone. I will… We all will be with her,” he replied, tears coming to his eyes. Turning away to leave his mother’s tent, he stopped by the door, but said nothing before continuing on.

That evening, Myliayar and Colthan went together to Ikata, and explained what they would have her do. Ikata was sitting by a fire in the center of camp.

She hesitated for a moment, then addressed Colthan.

“I can make you a body, beautiful and articulated as it should be, out of stone and metal. With my craft and your mother’s power we will make it such that it will never decay or fade. Building such a thing is not a great challenge,” Ikata stood and walked past Myliayar, around the fire to Colthan. Inspecting the crystal in which Coraadrin dwelt, Ikata continued.

“Even lesser spirits might be able to do such a thing. There is only one concern… May I?” She asked, extending her hand toward the crystal.

Colthan silently obliged her, removing the necklace that held Coraadrin.

“I have never worked with crystals like these before, nor have I ever worked with Kilomond’s soul fire. I fear that if I were to make an error in learning the secrets of the fire and the crystals, Coraadrin would perish before she would ever be able to see the world again.”

She held the crystal close to her eye, inspecting each detail and facet of the stone.

“The fire still burns bright inside this vessel,” Ikata said as she looked up to the stars, circling the campfire while doing so. Stopping next to Myliayar, she continued, “Her fire in the stone reminds me much of your fiery children in the heavens, my friend. Do you know how to connect her soul to her new body?”

“I fear I do not, Ikata,” Myliayar replied with a mournful look. She looked to Colthan taking his hand. “I am sorry, my son.”

 Ikata took a deep breath, looking down at Coraadrin’s stone in her hand.

“I think it is possible for us to give her a new body,” she said, “But we will not accomplish this without help.”

The next evening, when Tilsitar finished her work on the foundations of the heavens for the day, Ikata was waiting for her outside her resting place. Tilsitar did not look at the Architect, instead going directly to a workbench and laying out her tools for the morning.

“Is my work not good enough for you? Or do you bear me some ill tidings to deepen my grief?” asked the billows’ women.

“Your work is beautiful, Tilsitar. Exactly to my design,” said Ikata, “No, we have found another task for you. One that only you can perform.”

“Do not ask me to leave my work on the foundations unfinished,” replied Tilsitar, “You know I see my tasks through to completion as I did under the mountain.”

“No,” said Ikata, “I am not here to ask you to abandon the foundations. Come inside. Let us sit and talk, one artisan to another.”

So the two discussed the details of building Coraadrin’s body all through the night. And again on the next night. And the night after. For twenty days, Ikata and Tilsitar discussed what would be needed to construct Coraadrin a body that would capture both her mortal visage and be durable through all ages. Finally, when Ikata exited from Tilsitar’s dwelling on the morning of the twenty-first day she did so with a scroll rolled up under her arm: the design for a new goddess.   

Ikata then went immediately to Myliayar and Colthan. 

“I have reached an agreement with Tilsitar to construct a body for Corraadrin,” said Ikata, “But to do so, I must go and gather materials for the body. For what her body must be built from is rare and unusual. I must go find it.”

“I will go with you,” exclaimed Colthan immediately, “I will do whatever I can to help you in this.”

“No,” replied Ikata, “I must go alone. It is part of the agreement with Tilsitar that I keep the secrets she shared with me. I cannot let you go with me. I also need you here. You and your mother will oversee the construction of the new heavens in my absence. Tilsitar refused to leave her work unfinished. She insisted that she must be allowed to finish the foundations, and I do not wish to delay the construction of permanent homes for the spirits who have gathered here.” 

Colthan’s face fell at this, but Myliayar spoke quickly.

“Do not be downcast, my son,” said Myliayar, “Your work here will make the time seem short, and you can build her a home for your wife to dwell in when her body is complete.”

“You do not understand mother. I will not stay when her body is finished,” replied Colthan, “We will leave again to continue our purpose, healing the wounds and bodies of mortals. No, I will oversee the building of homes for the spirits and places for the spirits themselves to heal.” 

Myliayar did not respond to this. Instead, Ikata spoke, saying, “Very well, I must go prepare for my journey.”

Thus did Ikata leave to retrieve what Tilsitar had instructed. All through the vast reaches of the world she went gathering the stones, crystals and metals needed to create for Coraadrin a new body. So Ikata journeyed for five years and seven months before returning to the new heavens. When she came back, she came with seven beasts of burden each pulling a wagon filled with crates of materials. 

Tilsitar was waiting at the gates of the new heavens, her hands resting on her hammer, when Ikata returned. 

“I have waited every day here for your return. It has been three years since I have completed the foundation of your heavens. I have now built this gate house as well. Myliayar insisted that I was not allowed to build you a wall. So I have stayed here and waited. Many spirits have come and gone through this gate since you left. I wish to begin immediately so that I may be free once more.”

“Very well!” replied Ikata, “let us begin.”

So some of the spirits that served Ikata lead the beasts of burden to a new workshop that had been built for this purpose in the time it took to collect the materials for Coraadrin’s body. In it was a forge and workbenches, as well as all of the fine tools of a sculptor. Tables as well were laid out for enchanting and the weaving of spells. Every preparation had been completed. 

Ikata, Tilsitar and Myliayar worked diligently on their crafts. Many nights the clanging of the forge continued until the moon was high in the sky. Early in the mornings the softer sounds of a chisel molding stone filled the workshop. Soon they would be joined by the sounds of chanting rituals and the weaving of spells. These sounds filled the workshop for five years before all the pieces of Coraadrin’s body were made.

This is how the body was assembled. Tilsitar forged from copper the skeleton to mimic Coraadrin’s human form. At the joints, each bone was seamlessly capped with a smoothened diamond. Around this skeleton, Ikata sculpted the torso, head and limbs of green marble, uniquely suited to the enchantments required for receiving a soul. Over this she laid a skin of alabaster, with rings of browns and reds, whites and golds running throughout it. When the light of the sun fell directly upon the frame it pierced through the whites of the alabaster to reveal the brilliant green of the marble underneath. 

In the face of the body Ikata set two cut emeralds as the eyes. Her face was carefully sculpted by the Ikata from the recollections of Colthan, as well as those of Corraadrin’s family who still lived. For Ikata had sought them out when she went to gather the materials needed for the body. In the chest, Ikata carved a small indent where the gem of Corradrin’s soul could be placed. Once this was complete, Myliayer weaved over the whole body spells of longevity, durability, and permanence so that Coraadrin’s body would never decay or rot away. As long as Coraadrin desired the body, it would be hers. All that remained was to infuse her spirit into the body. 

For this, Tilsitar instructed Myliayar and Ikata to lay the body out flat on a large stone table in the workshops they had built. The bellows women took the stone that held Coraadrin’s soul from Colthan. Placing the stone on the chest of the body, Tilsitar stood astride the body with Heavenmaker in her right hand and tongs that held a crucible of molten gold in her left. Reaching out with the tongs, Tilsitar reached out and poured the gold over the stone, sealing it to the body. She then raised Heavenmaker over her head, chanting strange words taught to her by her master, and brought the hammer down on to the gold four times, until a resounding shattering sound filled the workshop. 

Tilsitar stepped back away from the body. Myliayar and Ikata watched her carefully. For a moment, Myliayar drew herself up to challenge Tilsitar for it seemed that their works had failed. Then a deep breath filled the room, air gasping into stone lungs for the first time. Coraadrin sat up in the center of the room. 

“It was dark for so long… I could only hear my husband’s voice…’ 

Coraadrin’s emerald eyes go wide, her stone fingers clutching her shoulder. 

“You were in a form with no eyes. There was no way you could have seen,” said Tilsitar, “You have been given something that no creature of the soul fire has ever been given before. A second body.”

Myliayar rushed forward, wrapping Coraadrin in a fine sheet. 

“Ikata, go bring my son in and find clothes suitable for her,” said the great mother, wrapping her arms around Coraadrin, “be still, my daughter, you are safe and you are whole. Healed goddess and goddess of healing.” 

“Goddess…” 

The word was barely spoken by Coraadrin. She looked down at her hands, turning them over. She looked at the ceiling before standing, as Myliayar withdrew. Quickly, Ikata brought Coraadrin a robe and draped it over her shoulders. 

“Is Colthan here?” she asked, voice still low. 

“Yes. He is outside,” said Myliayar before leaving to retrieve him. Coraadrin inspected her body, turning to Ikata and Tilsitar. 

“Did you make this for me?” she asked the two crafters. 

Tilsitar’s hands rested on the handle of Heavenmaker. She glanced at Ikata, before speaking. 

“Yes. I built the frame that you now inhabit. Your appearance and muscles are Ikata’s work.”

“She sells herself short, Coraadrin,” Ikata said, “She taught me how to make muscles of stone and metal. I ensured that you would recognize your own face and Myliayer ensured it would endure, but Tilsitar spoke the spells to bind your soul to the body.” 

“Then I owe both of you a great debt,” said Coraadrin. 

“I hope it serves you well,” said Tilsitar. She then turned to Ikata, “I take my leave. I must prepare to depart and find what is next for me in the world.”

So she returned to her dwelling and began to gather her things and the tools she had made in the new heavens.

After this, Myliayer returned with Colthan.

When Colthan entered the room, he rushed across the room to embrace Coraadrin. At first no words were exchanged. Only a long embrace. The couple wept together, Colthan’s warm tears mixing with the cold water that flowed from Coraadrin’s emeralds. 

“You’ve come back… you are real…” whispered Colthan.

“Yes, I’ve come back,” said Coraadrin, “I am real.” 

The couple rested their foreheads against each other. 

“For so long you were only a voice in a stone… Part of me thought that I was going mad!” laughed Colthan through his tears.

“I know,” replied Coraadrin, nodding, laughter crossing her lips as well, Her eyes were full of kindness as she spoke, “You told me when I was just a voice in a stone.”

Colthan dried his tears, laughing again, holding her shoulders.

“I am such a fool. Here I am complaining about my lot but you have been in that stone this whole time. But you’re back! Are you okay? How do you feel?” 

“Strange..” replied Coraadrin, her focus drifting into the distance, “but strong… I am not the same… but I am the same. I am still your wife. I still love you.” 

“I love you too,” said Colthan, pulling Coraadrin close again, “I have always loved you, even in that stone.”

At this Coraadrin laughed, a deep lovely laugh, the laugh of someone who discovers that though years have passed, the good and the blessed things they had left behind are still the good and blessed and whole. 

“I should certainly hope so, Colthan, for now you will have to love me in many stones,” she said, smiling brightly, gently holding his cheek, “I cannot wait to wander the world with you again.”

Tilstar stayed only one day after the completion of Coraadrin’s body. For she longed to go into the world and learn what she could of the rumors she heard in the new heavens. Rumors that mortals had become great smiths themselves. Rumors that many former servants of Kilomond had made small dominions of their own on the earth. And rumors that Milyos had some grand design for mortals.