Soleil Solstice

On the longest day of the year, a town revives an ancient solstice ritual and discovers its unexpected power.

The ancient city of Soleil always awaited the time of the Solstice. Good, reviving magic tended to fall over the village on this day and just wishes and prayers were realized with responses. The good and noble citizens, many of them downtrodden, waited for the mystic moment of the Solstice; where poverty was ended, dying crops could bear fruit once more, the sick could find healing, and good and decent lonely people could find the everlasting love of a soulmate. If it was a just and noble request, it could be submitted with confidence on the day of the solstice as the stars, moon, and sun aligned for the longest day of the year.

That was Kiran Forrester's understanding of the promises of mysticism, whispered by her church and her peers. Her elders tended to sneer at such foolish ideas anymore and, for the sake of one of her elders, she hoped that the elderly were wrong. Furthermore, she was ready to prove it...

On the dawn of the Solstice of Soleil, Kiran set out for the Church Temple of the Sun, a holy monastery that gained its power of wish fulfillment on the day of the Solstice. She filled a sack with rations and crept out of her family home to call upon Genesys Milandra, her best friend, and Malik Col, their shared third best friend. She dreaded the most that she might disturb her younger brother's rest; but each of the teens did have a mission in mind. Kiran had a wish in mind for the day of Soleil, Genesys was always up for an adventure and to prove a point to the elders that they were in the wrong, and Malik was the type of boy who would do anything for Kiran.

Finally, the expedition reached a tall mountain monastery at around noonday. They each stared in awestruck wonder at the Temple. For the briefest moment, Kiran and Malik's hands found one another and they squeezed one another's palms in silent wonder of what they saw. Genesys took the opportunity of the momentary pause to charge into the church as though she were storming a loot-laiden fortress.

The teens finally reached the hallowed hall where they could present their petitions before the God of the Solstice. In the innerchamber, Kiran was the first to fall to her knees in worship. Malik and, finally, Genesys, followed suit and faced the Sun Altar. From there, Kiran saw little left to lose in wasting more of her precious time and began her petition, as harsh as it sounded...

"Lord of the Soleil, my brother has fallen to the illness for a very long while. His life may be in jeopardy. Please heal him."

Genesys had heard Kiran's supplication; however, friend or not, she had her own whims to share with the Eternal...

"Lord, my father's a farmer. Strike down his enemy neighbor's crops and help ours to flourish instead."

Still, Malik had his request as well, not to be denied...

"God of the Soleil, thank you for this journey and my time together with Kiran this day. Help her heart to be mine, God of the Sun."

There came a gentle chuckle and an omnipresent voice.

"...My children, you've all traveled far. But I will grant but two noble requests. Name them."

Malik thought for a moment, looked at Kiran bashfully, and swallowed back his former selfishness...

"Remember Kiran's request, Lord of Sun."

"It is done..."