Author's Note:

I just noticed today, based on strangely low view counts, that the final chapter of The Tale of Izenakee, "A Loving Lullaby", was affected by some kind of bug that caused it to be skipped by the "next chapter" button. I unpublished and republished it, and the bug appears to be fixed. You may wish to go back and read it!

----

It had taken all of Izena's considerable self-control not to seize Their body, snatch little Kennalaria, blast Her way out of the hospital, and fly off to the hinterlands the second She had seen the half-dead girl in her hospital bath. And now, there she was, sitting on Her baby Sister's lap, riding in Their bench of Light, bound for Esto. This was the best day in a long time.

The now-healthy and completely adorable little cutie was a Menelyn doppelgänger! Izena was the only person alive Who realized just how true that was. If Izena went back to the refugee camp north of Kanenn, gave that little five-year-old Menelyn a bath one more time, and put the two next to each other, they would be distinguishable mostly because Menelyn would be timid and traumatized, while Kennalaria had grown up in a utopia. And little Kennalaria was faintly violet, while little Menelyn had been overwhelmingly white, to the eyes of a mage.

This pretty little cutie pie had rapidly discarded whatever lingering shyness she had, under Izenakee's constant giggling encouragement.

"She really gets it," Izena approved, with pride. "That hair is My masterpiece. The girl passes. She can stay. Can We freeze her now? Like this forever?"

Her Sisters thought She was joking, and giggled.

Tch. Moral principles of self-determination, versus infinite cuteness and nostalgia. Annoying.

Menelyn had caught Izena's powerful impulse earlier, Her staring now, and how rapidly She had become attached, and could guess why.

"She does resemble Me, doesn't she?" She said. "It didn't sink in at first because she was so sick, but she has the same...bleached appearance. But it can't be the same origin, mana coloring. She's not strong enough for that, and her mana color is not the same, anyway."

"No no no. It is way beyond just the bleaching, You do not remember Yourself at five like I do. She is Your twin. A near clone. It must be the 'intensive' mana treatment from before she was born," Izena replied. "She was bathed in it. She appeared perfectly healthy aside from the mysteriously dying part, because she was, and Your mana was the only thing that worked, so they spared none. I think I know why she was so obsessed with Us on her display. Her development was strongly affected by Your imprint. I can already guess what she is like."

Izena started counting on Their fingers.

"Feels compelled to help everyone as much as she can, loves people who help, loves to watch people help, squeals in the presence of Izenakee's hair, thinks mana-based regalia and clothing is the one true fashion sense, wants to be cuddled by her Sisters, feels completely natural at the idea of living in the Goddesses' Sanctuaries, does not flinch during combat, holds anathema in contempt and wants to go on a savage roasting monologue at the earliest opportunity, and does not complain or worry at all about her own welfare even when on death's door. You know, a ten-out-of-ten perfect divine existence, because she bathed in the Essence of One while developing."

Izena stopped to laugh at Their flaming face. What a wonderful day this was. The best since Izenakee's 7000th birthday.

"Is the Goddess of Salvation blushing?!" She taunted.

"You're good at teasing," also-blushing mini-Menelyn quavered out.

Izena's lightning short-circuited. That was it. It was too much. She couldn't take it anymore.

"Mine," She snapped, and seized Her baby-est sister for Her Own lap. "See? Literally perfect. Born perfect. She gets it. She knows. It is innate."

Now she was right where she belonged: Izena's lap. What a good day.

Time for her first lesson.

"Oh, young lady," Izena murmured directly into her ear. "I'm not just good at teasing. I'm its Goddess. You see, I'm not done. You need to let it sit for a bit, let it simmer. And then, when the time is right, and only then, deliver the finishing blow. Behold."

Izena could feel Menelyn's nerves rising to a crescendo. The time was right.

"Izenakee," She exhaled, with exaggerated casualness, "when little Kenna here saw and heard My bolts, did they...awaken, anything?"

"I-I-Izena, sh-she's five!" Menelyn squeak-sputtered.

Izenakee's mouth was hanging open in sudden realization. "...She wanted to applaud..." She said quietly, then looked down at Her lap in wonder. "I see...I did think her reaction was strange. Now I understand."

She nodded to Herself while Menelyn tried to regain Her dignity. It wasn't fair that one Sister shared Her body and the Other could literally read minds.

"I liked the booms!" Kenna gushed. "And how bright they were! They were so good that they hurt my eyes and ears! Karushh-barrrahhhhh! Boooooooooof! Kpaaaaaaa!"

Annnnnnd there it went. Gone forever. Subject change, now.

As soon as Izena stops cackling...

Any time now...

...Izenakee's hand was over Her mouth, tears flooding out of Her eyes. Traitor...

...Finally.

"The press will lose its mind," Menelyn said, once Izena finally finished fawning over Her, apparently, 'prodigal' doppelgänger. "The world will lose its mind. When We land in Esto, We will be carrying with Us a glowing child who looks like she manifested directly from My Light or something. And her first appearance was descending from the sky in Love's embrace, then being attacked by the forces of evil."

Izenakee checked.

"The world is already losing its mind," She confirmed. "'Goddesses foil attempted assassination of new Sister, named Kennalaria. Currently in transit to Sanctuary in Esto. Trusted Guard confirms that She will be under their protection indefinitely per Salvation's divine mandate, but refuses further comment.'"

Izenakee giggled, then gave a summary.

"The general public reaction to the events is apoplectic outrage at the utter sacrilege, coupled with ecstatic rejoicing at the appearance of a Fourth, and speculation about her sacred purpose. At least Our Temples have been wise enough to wait to hear from Us before making statue plans."

Kennalaria didn't know all of those words, but she understood enough. "Me?!" she squeaked. "I...Me?!"

Izena laughed again. "Get used to it, little one. You're a celebrity now. That means you are famous."

----

As They approached Esto, Kenna gasped, "The Temple of the Stars! Can we go?"

It was impossible to miss, a towering blue structure extending straight to the heavens, a lift not to the depths of the ocean, but to the stars. It was the crown jewel of Esto, of the world. Esto's venerable Temple of the Renewal sat near the base. It was not a replica of a wonder of the ancient world, but a technological marvel of the modern one. Opened in 7036, it was Menelyn's 8000th birthday present from a grateful world. Finally, at long last, they had been able to give the Sun Goddess the reward She had never asked for, something valuable to Her. The world was still, 940 years later, riding the high produced by Her silent tears when She looked out the perfectly transparent walls at the top for the first time. An image taken of Her at that moment was the most iconic ever recorded. 'A Star Temple' was now an idiom meaning 'a gift so extravagant and perfect that you could be proud to give it even to the Goddesses.'

"Yes," Menelyn replied. "We always visit when We are in Esto. We have something to tell you there, a secret that no one else knows. We have a dream, a distant goal, that you may be able to help Us with a long time from now, if you choose the life of a Goddess when you are older."

"I could help, because my magic is different?"

"Maybe. It seems like it might be exactly what We need."

Kenna stared up at the sky. She had always loved the stars. She couldn't wait!

The press was waiting in the Temple of the Renewal's plaza. Kenna walked under her own power, holding Izenakee's hand.

"Excuse me, Holy Goddesses, but we must ask. What can You tell us about young Kennalaria?"

Even the press circus was restrained around the Goddesses, for which They were eternally thankful. Menelyn began to answer, but paused when a red mage member of the press frowned, squinted, and asked, "Is she...violet? A strange blue mage?"

The entire crowd turned to look at him as one. They knew what he meant. Then, they turned back to the Goddesses, dead silent.

"She is violet, and it is not a peculiar variety of blue," Menelyn confirmed. "Kennalaria is the first known violet mage, a wholly new color. We have learned that violet mana is hazardous to its user, far more so than even black mana. For her health, it is necessary for Us to take her into Our personal care. She will be safe with Us, and We are eager to see how she develops. We ask the public to remember that, as remarkable as she is, she is still a five-year-old girl, and to respect her childhood as much as possible."

"What does violet mana do?" The red mage couldn't help himself. Menelyn didn't blame him. She turned to Kenna and crouched down to speak to her. There was no point in hiding it. Everyone would know soon enough.

"Do you think you can show them? Take Love with you again, like when you jumped through the roof?"

Kenna thought for a moment. All she had to do was scream but not scream while thinking about where she wanted to go, right?

"I'll try," she said. "I don't feel so...excited right now as I did then."

Menelyn nodded. "That's alright, that's better. Just a small jump is good."

Kenna understood. She focussed. Scream but don't scream, and go just a little bit up, like jumping through the roof but not as far.

Kenna screamed without screaming, and jumped without jumping. She and Izenakee disappeared, then reappeared about ten paces above the ground. Izenakee summoned a platform as She had before, and levitated back to the speechless crowd.

Izena applauded.

"...A new color, after so long..." the mage finally managed to say, in open-mouthed wonder. "Unbelievable." He wasn't alone. Finally, they came to their senses and began to report the news.

What a gift for the networks tonight, Menelyn thought. They'd have enough material for weeks of breathless broadcasts from this day's events alone.

As the party walked toward the lift to the Temple of the Stars, Izena said, "This trip is thousands of leagues, but not nearly so boring as the thirty leagues to the bottom of the sea. The views are much nicer."

Yes, the views were pretty. Above the atmosphere, Menelyn could see the stars again. But it was not all good.

When the party reached the top hours later, the Sun Goddess stared out at the stars. They were as beautiful as ever, uncountable points of light, but ignorance was bliss.

Menelyn turned, to describe the Goddesses' goal to Kenna.

"We have told no one this, because We do not wish to upset the happiness and contentment of Our world. We are telling you, because you have the right to know what We believe your power may be able to accomplish, the unique long-term goal that you could help Us with, if you choose. Please, keep secret what We are about to tell you."

Kennalaria nodded, and turned her attention away from the stars, to focus.

"When We are this far from the surface, Our world's voices grow quiet enough for Izenakee to hear whispers of prayers from others. They cry out desperately, but no one helps. They suffer, but no one brings Salvation. They demand Justice, and there is none. They need Love, and there is no one to provide it. Our world is an Island, a Sacred Peaceful Garden where Benevolence was victorious. The stars are beautiful, but the view is tainted by knowing what they contain. I wept when I reached this place for the first time partly because I was glad to see the stars again, but partly because We were horrified at how much of Our work remains unfinished."

Menelyn remained silent for a few moments, before continuing.

"They are too far for Us to help them. Our world cannot fill Our pools with enough mana, to provide Us enough power to affect them. We cannot grow any stronger than We are. To help them, We must go to them. And We cannot help but wonder: If they are in range for Dawn to hear, but only just, then might they be in range for Twilight to reach, even if only just, when She achieves Her ultimate potential? Your jumps already seem to have a good range, and there is a lot of room to grow."

Menelyn sighed, and looked at Kenna regretfully.

"It would be a long, difficult, and painful process, if it even worked--We do not know if you could reach them, and We do not even know if We would remain as strong as We are, so far from home. You are five years old. You have twenty years to decide. But We want you to know that this is what you might be able to do. This path is open to you. You can choose it, if you want, if you wish to make the sacrifices. This would be the sacred purpose of the Twilight Goddess: bringing divine intervention to those who need it, no matter how distant they are."

Just, let people never feel Love's fuzzies? Kennalaria could never do that.

"I'll help," she declared.

The Goddesses wordlessly gave her a group hug. There were lots of fuzzies and scritches.