were young as laughter, young as tears and-Gaidar was right. Looking back through time, Mina could see herself
in Goldmoon's eyes.
She saw a girl growing too fast, awkward and gawky, with long red hair and amber-colored eyes. Every night,
Goldmoon would brush the red hair that was thick and luxurious, and answer all the questions Mina had thought
up during the day. When her hair was brushed and plaited and she was ready for her bed, Goldmoon would take
Mina onto her lap and tell her stories of the lost gods.
Some of the stories were dark, for there were gods who ruled the dark passions that are in every man's heart.
There were gods of light in opposition to the gods of dark. Gods who ruled all that was good and noble in
mankind. The dark gods struggled endlessly to gain ascendancy over mankind. The gods of light worked
ceaselessly to oppose them. The neutral gods held the scales of balance. All mankind stood in the middle, each
man free to choose his or her own destiny, for without freedom, men would die, as the caged bird dies, and the
world would cease to be.
Goldmoon enjoyed telling Mina the stories, but Mina could tell that the stories made her adopted mother sad,
for the gods were gone and man was left alone to struggle along as best he could. Goldmoon had made a life for
herself without the gods, but she missed them and she longed more than anything for them to return.
"When I am grown," Mina would often say to Goldmoon, "I will go out into the world, and I will find the gods
and bring them back to you."
"Ah, child," Goldmoon would answer with the smile that made her eyes bright, "your search should carry you
no farther than here." She placed her hand on Mina's heart. "For though the gods are gone, their memory is born
in each of us: memories of eternal love and endless patience and ultimate forgiveness."
Mina didn't understand. She had no memory of anything from birth. Looking back, she saw nothing except
emptiness and darkness. Every night, when she lay alone in the darkness in her room, she would pray the same
prayer.
"I know you are out there somewhere. Let me be the one to find you. I will be your faithful servant. I swear it!
Let me be the one to bring knowledge of you to the world."
One night, when Mina was fourteen, she made that same prayer, made it as fervently and earnestly as she had
on the very first night she had ever prayed it. And, on this night, there came an answer.
A voice spoke to her from the darkness.
"I am here, Mina. If I will tell you how to find me, will you come to me?"
Mina sat up eagerly in bed. "Who are you? What is your name?"
"I am Takhisis, but you will forget that. For you, I have no name. I need no name, for I am alone in the
universe, the sole sod, the one god."
"I will call you the One God, then," said Mina. Jumping out of bed, she hastily dressed herself, made ready to
travel. "Let me go tell Mother where I am going-"
'Mother," Takhisis repeated in scorn and anger. "You have no mother. Your mother is dead."
'I know," said Mina, faltering, "but Goldmoon has become my mother.
She is dearer to me than anyone, and I must tell her that I am leaving, or when she finds that I am gone, she
will be worried."
The voice of the goddess changed, no longer angry but sweetly crooning. "You must not tell her or that would
ruin the surprise. Our surprise-yours and mine. For the day will come when you will return to tell Goldmoon that
you have found the One God, the ruler of the world."
"But why can't I tell her now?" Mina demanded.
"Because you have not yet found me," Takhisis replied sternly. "I am not even certain you are worthy. You
must prove yourself. I need a disciple who is courageous and strong, who will not be deterred by unbelievers or
swayed by naysayers, who will face pain and torment without flinching. All this you must prove to me. Do you
have the courage, Mina?"
Mina trembled, terrified. She didn't think she did have the courage. She wanted to go back to her bed, and then
she thought of Goldmoon and how wonderful the surprise would be. She imagined Goldmoon's joy when she saw
Mina coming to her, bringing with her a god.
Mina laid her hand over her heart. "I have the courage, One God. I will do this for my adopted mother."