Mana Moth

The moths begin dancing together, circling one another in the air. It's both a mating display and a danse macabre… They follow one another, turn around and around, and quiver to the sounds of a requiem that only they can hear. Their union will mean their deaths. Yet they are inexorably drawn to one another, like two celestial bodies pulled together by gravity. In reality, the moths are only an illusion, creatures of pure thought. Suddenly, the two Mana insects collide inside their glass jar. The explosion is instantaneous, and it releases a cloud of physical spores inside the jar, born of their fleeting connection. Then, much to my surprise, I see the spores condense and shrink in on themselves, until two moths are again dancing before my eyes, but with the steps reversed. It's as though time is being rewound. Another explosion. Pause, rewind, slow motion. As the loop continues, I can observe every detail of the tiny conflagration.

Peering through the glass jar, I can't help but glance through at Akesha, whose eyes are sparkling at the spectacle being endlessly replayed under her influence. She's the one who's manipulating time, running it backwards and forwards, forwards and back, to give us a closer look at each step of the process. It's quite a useful talent, and a dangerous one, too. I catch myself staring at her rather than studying the moths' method of reproduction. I notice her deep brown complexion, her shining eyes the color of titanite, her long and lustrous black hair cascading down over her shoulders… and the smile that lights up her face each time the two evanescent insects come together. Collision. Cloud of dust. Through the glass wall, our eyes meet for a fraction of a second but which feels like an eternity. She quickly looks away, and I can see the discomfort on her face as her cheeks flush ever so slightly.

SASKIA

393 AC