Chapter 4: Of Rituals, Reflections, and Raging Radiance

The house thrummed with the unfamiliar energy of celebration.

Sofia, usually a quiet shadow, was momentarily bathed in the warm glow of attention.

Relatives she barely knew showered her with gifts, their voices a cacophony of blessings and well-wishes.

Hyena, an ethereal being accustomed to the serene silence of the celestial realms, felt adrift in this sea of human customs.

He watched, fascinated and bewildered, as Sofia was adorned with vibrant fabrics and intricate jewelry.

Before the day's events had taken their toll, he had seen her in her ceremonial attire.

The intricate patterns of her dress, the shimmering jewels that adorned her dark skin, the way the light caught in her eyes—he was momentarily stunned, his celestial composure faltering.

Beautiful… he thought, the word a soft, reverent whisper in his mind.

His heart skipped a beat, an unfamiliar sensation that made him feel strangely lightheaded.

He was not used to such feelings.

He sought out one of the elder grandmothers, his voice carefully neutral, "Elder," he began, "I wish to understand more about these… rituals."

The grandmother, her eyes twinkling with a strange knowingness, smiled. "Ah, the coming of womanhood," she said, her voice warm.

"This is a pivotal moment, a passage into a new phase of life.

We celebrate the strength that comes with this transition, the ability to create and sustain life.

The adornments represent beauty and power, and the stories we share are lessons of resilience and wisdom passed down through generations.

"It is a time for family to embrace and guide her."

As she spoke, Hyena briefly flickered, his form becoming translucent, then solid again thought to himself "embrace and guide" ......

Only the grandmother noticed him, her eyes widening slightly before returning to their usual twinkle.

"Did you see that handsome young man?" she asked a young girl beside her, her voice a conspiratorial whisper.

The girl giggled, rolling her eyes. "Ahaan, grandma. Handsome boy? In your age? You're still naughty, gramps."

But the joy was fleeting.

As the celebration began to wane, the familiar shadows crept back into Sofia's eyes.

The laughter faded, replaced by a quiet melancholy.

"It was nice," one aunt remarked, her voice laced with a subtle undercurrent of judgment.

"But if only she looked more like her parents…"

"Yeah," another aunt chimed in, her voice hushed. "She's so much darker."

Hyena’s anger flared, a cold, simmering rage. How dare those mortals? He thought, his hands clenching.

He felt a visceral pain in his chest, a reflection of Sofia's own hurt.

Then, he saw Sofia’s mother, her face flushed with a mix of anger and shame, apply an excessive amount of face powder on Sofia, making her face unevenly white and patchy.

Hyena's eyes widened in shock.

What did she do?! He thought, his face contorting in disbelief.

He watched as Sofia, her eyes filled with pain, forced a smile for the photos, a hollow facade for the relatives and friends.

As the guests departed, her mother’s anger erupted.

"That's why I always tell you to do something about yourself!" she snapped, her voice sharp.

"Because of you, I was made a laughingstock!"

Sofia, her spirit crushed, could only look down.

It's my fault, she thought, the familiar refrain echoing in her mind. I'm the problem.

"You're a useless burden," her mother spat, her words like shards of ice. "You shouldn't have been born into this house."

Sofia retreated to her room, her heart a heavy weight in her chest.

She stared at her reflection in the mirror, the uneven white patches on her dark skin a stark reminder of her mother's disapproval.

Ugly, she thought, her voice a silent whisper. She slapped herself, a sharp, echoing sound in the quiet room.

Hyena flinched, as if he had been struck himself.

The raw pain in her action sent a jolt through him, a fierce surge of protectiveness. I can't… I can't let her hurt herself, he thought, his hands trembling.

She washed off the makeup, her thin pajamas, a gift from her aunt, clinging to her damp skin.

Hyena, waiting outside her room, intending to cast warm, stress-relieving spells as she slept, saw her as she entered. He abruptly turned away, his face flushed.

Thump… thump… His heart pounded in his chest, an unfamiliar rhythm. What… what's happening? He thought, his mind reeling.

I've seen her since she was a child. This isn't… new.

Is it because she's… a woman now?

"No, no," he muttered, his hands pressed against his temples. "I need to find a celestial physician. This is… God, what have you done to me?" ....well that's not important now....

"let's focus on healing her pain and put her to sleep....I wish I just crush this world in to particles , so without those annoying ants....I can make her smile without worry".

God watched Hyena's flustered reaction, a sardonic grin on his face. "For my sake , tsk tsk.....bless you my kids...I wish you both find what I had prepared for you" ........

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