Auden’s Blessing
Wherever the phoenix passed, it left behind a faint, slender trail.
Below, the crowd stretched endlessly. Valhalla looked even more majestic that night, like a giant standing at the pinnacle of the world. Heads turned in waves, like rows of dominoes collapsing one after another.
I was just about to turn back, to avoid being noticed by more people, when I looked up and saw it—
A silver statue appearing above the Palace of the Mist Sea. A goddess crowned with white feathers, dressed in white robes, her long hair cascading to her waist. Her hands were slightly outstretched, her chin tilted upward, as if receiving the spring rain.