Vector tracing and rendering wasn't as simple and smooth as it seemed at first glance. We had to juggle around with the parameters, more than a few times, before arriving at the tablets that made sense in terms of accuracy. It was three whole weeks before we had the complete tablets and the whole story of the heavenly war.
I certainly did gain a whole lot of respect for vectors. Also grew a teeny bit of excitement toward the process. Couldn't compare with Catarina and Nisha, but wasn't disenchanted. And that kept us going, aiming for perfection. We still ended up at a juncture of disagreement.
"You still think this is a temple for the sun?" Catarina asked stubbornly.
"It couldn't be more obvious," I answered. "The story details the fall of the heavenly court and the heavens. Ends with a new beginning with cosmic darkness and the sun coming together. If anything, it must be a temple for the couple, in which case, it is also a temple for the sun."
"There is a significant difference between the two."
"Fine. I agree. There is definitely a difference. It is a temple for the sun and the darkness. Wait, that would change quite a bit. A temple representing the union of a couple from the opposite ends of the cosmos. It could be a representation of creationism."
"Don't change it into something else now. Almost every ancient civilisation subscribed to creationism. That's not the point. The story details the heavenly war. So, the temple could actually be a mausoleum for the heavens. In which case, it means something else entirely."
I didn't agree. But I didn't really have standing for my argument.
"I have nothing to say, but I can't agree. Mausoleums are a concept of the western civilisations that came much later. Faery was more in the central regions. From the temple design and the tablets, it has influences of the east. Or maybe it's the other way around. Either way, it cannot be a mausoleum."
"Like you said, it could be the other way round. It could be a mausoleum. And Faery could have influenced the western civilisations."
Catarina was very good at getting her way. I wasn't very good giving up on my point. And so, we were at a standoff.
"You're not convinced," Catarina said.
I nodded.
Nisha finally spoke. She had been a silent witness all along.
"I guess that answers the question."
Catarina sighed, with some disappointment. I looked between the two, confused. Nisha smiled, cleared her throat as if she had something important to say. And spoke.
"First, let me congratulate you. The both of you. The deciphering of Faery Long Arc has been registered with CURASS, as an achievement of the two of you. So, congratulations. How are we celebrating?"
"Are we celebrating?" I asked.
"Sure. Hot cocoa by the lakeside?" Catarina suggested.
"Sounds good."
"I knew you'd like that."
Nisha wore the disbelief now, staring at Catarina and me. The question was clear on her face, without her needing to voice it. How was the a celebration?
The answer must have been on our faces, because Nisha sighed and nodded, almost in grief. And then murmured something about some people being beyond help. She was just too mysterious. And that made her so much more adorable.
"I'll get started," Catarina said, heading to the stove.
"What's the question," I asked.
"Oh, that," Nisha said, looking at Catarina before answering. "Catarina was going to extend an offer, for you to join us. You know, studying Faery. I guess she wanted to steal you. It looked like we were on the same page, the last few days. With the vectors and studying the tablets. Just so you know, I'm with Catarina. I think it's a mausoleum, for the heavens. But since you're clearly of a different opinion, you wouldn't be very open to be sold to us."
"Sold, no," I replied. "Yeah, I guess the question is answered."
"You didn't have to be so direct," Catarina lamented from the other side of the counter. "We could have differing opinions and still work together."
"No, not like this."
"What do you mean?" Nisha asked.
"Yeah, what do you mean?" Catarina asked.
I took a long breath, before answering.
"It's not the disagreement over the temple. It's that you are both more interested in the building, more than the story. The heavenly war is what truly matters. Considering from that point of view, you would probably see my way. And that is it. Why we can't work together with the differing opinions."
They were quiet. Catarina prepared three mugs of steaming cocoa. We each held our mug and headed out to the lakeside. Under the moonlight, the lake was so much more beautiful. Like a velvet sheet dancing in the gentle breeze and dazzling under the silver moonlight. The three of us were bewitched audience.
Hours went by, and we were caught in the daze. At the end of the first hour, Nisha grabbed the three mugs and went back in. She needed to sleep. She wished me goodnight. Hugged Catarina. And left. Through the rest of the night, it was just Catarina and me. And we were fine.
"A long time ago, I was almost a mother," Catarina said suddenly.
Her voice was heavy with sorrow, her smile an equal mix of tears and fond reminiscence.
"I was pregnant for five months before I lost the child. That saddened me much more than the fact that I could never be a mother anymore. I almost had a boy."
She pulled me close, wrapping her arms around me. She didn't sob, but the silence was worse. I lay in her embrace until she let go after a long while.
"Don't mistake me as looking at you as my son," she said, laughter colouring her voice. "Just felt like it. Usually it only comes when I'm alone. I don't know what went wrong with it now. You're clearly with me, and it still came. No one else knows. Just you. And me. Let's keep it that way."
I nodded.
"I promise."
"I know you will," she said, pulling me into her embrace again.
"So, what about Nisha?"
I was so surprised, I ended up coughing. For some strange reason, she was greatly amused. She burst out laughing, almost too loud. The lake and even the moon were startled.
"No rush," she answered for me. "You can take your time. Not like she's running off somewhere. But you are leaving, aren't you? Why do you want to rush back? For the story?"
I nodded. The twins had the same opinion as me. Though Jerry didn't say anything, I knew he was the same. It was even deeper with him, almost like the story was an important clue. I knew I had to go back. And I was in a rush.
"Tomorrow," I said, softly.
"I'll miss you," Catarina replied. "But it will be race. I will not hold back. Let's see each other from across the battlefield."
We laughed. We were going to be enemies. And it felt strangely fitting.