The Waiting Hour

Mariza sat cross-legged on the cool stone floor of the temple, her fingers tracing the goddess symbols on her jacket. The building looked more like a cozy house than a sacred place, with wooden walls and soft lighting from crystal lamps.

"They should be here by now," she whispered, checking her phone for the third time. El, Feather, and Clover always arrived exactly on time for their weekly meetings.

A familiar dark voice echoed in her mind. "Let me out, Mariza. I can find them faster than you ever could."

"No, Karma." Mariza squeezed her eyes shut. "We agreed you stay hidden unless we reach the Shadow Realm."

The voice laughed coldly. "And when will that be? Your precious goddess friends are probably in real trouble while you sit here waiting like a helpless child."

Mariza's phone buzzed with an urgent message. Her heart dropped as she read the words. The goddesses had been captured during a war in another realm and were severely injured.

"Now will you let me help?" Karma's voice grew stronger.

The Sparrow's Path

Mariza jumped to her feet, her phone still glowing with the terrible message. Her heart hammered against her ribs as she read it again. The three goddesses were hurt and trapped somewhere dangerous.

"I need to get to them," she whispered, pacing the wooden floor of the temple.

Karma's voice purred inside her mind. "Finally, you're seeing sense. Let me take control and we'll burn our way straight to them."

"No!" Mariza clutched her jacket tighter. "We agreed—you only come out in the Shadow Realm."

She stepped outside into the cool evening air, trying to think clearly. A small sparrow landed on the temple's wooden railing, tilting its head at her with bright black eyes.

"I have to find a way to the Shadow Realm," Mariza said to herself, then looked at the sparrow. "But how?"

The bird chirped once and flew toward the forest behind the temple. Without thinking, Mariza followed it down a winding path she'd never noticed before.

Karma laughed darkly. "Running after birds now? How pathetic. Your friends are suffering while you play follow-the-leader with wildlife."

Mariza ignored the voice and kept walking, even as doubt crept into her thoughts.