Praise Lemach!

Lyros stood huddled with his fellow priests, encircling a stone mound, with a flame bursting from a basin in its center. Their thin cloaks did little to shield them from the stone cold of the cavern, and the torch did very little to warm them. The flame was not strong enough to ward off such a deathly cold. It merely provided an orange light that cast dancing shadows on their hooded faces. Only their mouths were visible.

Lyros looked at the mushroom in his right hand. It was pale green, with a slender stem, and a small cap. The stem was slightly curved, like the handle of an umbrella. These were the fabled sacred mushrooms he had heard stories of since he entered the priesthood, Lemach’s mushrooms, they were named, after the god who watched over them.

In unison, they all put their mushrooms in their mouths. They all linked hands and their high priest, Eldrin, led them in a prayer of Lemach. He was god of spirits, god of death. Tonight, they were entering his world.

The floor began to move from beneath his feet, and as Lyros tried to steady himself, his feet made ripples in the cave floor. The grooves in the cavern wall were flowing like water. Lyros felt he was weightless, like he could float out through the hole at the top of the cavern that let out the smoke, like he could become smoke himself and dissipate. He floated like that for a long time, but, before long, the ripples in the ground became imperceptibly slower and slower, until Lyros noticed they had stopped completely. He had descended back to the earth, and he was fully conscious of the pressure of his weight. What had been a splendorous flame a moment ago, appeared stagnant and dull. The effect of the mushrooms had entirely worn off. Lyros bent down to reach for a cluster of growing at his feet. Eldrin stopped his eager hand with his own. He addressed the priests.

"Praise Lemach"

"Praise Lemach!" They all returned in unison. The circle of broke as they filed out into the tunnel from which they entered, that would lead them back to the temple’s grounds.

In the thrush of the crowd, Lyros was able to snatch a fistful of mushrooms from the stone in the center, and slide it into the pocket of his cloak, unnoticed. As they traversed the tunnel, the echo of their footsteps was the only sound. Eldrin’s torch marked the way ahead in the dark, until moonlight was finally visible.

The cavern entrance was accessed through a trail in the temple courtyard. They silently walked to the courtyard, from which they would go to their rooms. When he had reached the courtyard, Lyros felt a hand on his shoulder and jumped

"Brother Lyros, may I have a word with you, child?"

Lyros nodded.

"Those mushrooms in the cavern are not to be used frivolously. It is a sacred spiritual practice, and those mushrooms are far more powerful than any of us know. They are guarded by Lemach himself. Do you understand?"

Lyros stiffened, sure now that he had been caught

"Yes, father Eldrin.”

Father Eldrin nodded and bid him good night. Lyros made it back to his room with his contraband. He put all the mushrooms but one in his nightstand, and popped the last one into his mouth.

Foolish old man he thought. Fooooolish old maaaaaa...

The ceiling of his room opened before him, revealing a brilliant night sky full of stars. He lay back on his bed with his arms outstretched. He felt he was floating again, this time through that open space in his ceiling, as he fell blissfully asleep.

The next day he awoke feeling tired and dull. What had once been a limitless expanse was now a tiny, dusty room. He sighed, eager to take another mushroom, but he was called to morning sermon before he could even attempt it.

For the next two weeks, Lyros took the mushrooms each night. He attended sermon and ceremonies as usual, and even performed blessings in the village. Few were able to tell that he was preoccupied with something else, though they had no idea what. He kept making mistakes when reciting scripture, and forgetting the words to his hymns. Some gossip spread about him possibly having a forbidden affair. However, unbeknownst to them, he thought all day of his secret stash of mushrooms. That was the only, and the purest, love in his life. He never finished his food, as he always felt full. At supper, he would dash back to his room as soon as he had eaten just half of his plate. Knowing that his supply of mushrooms would not last long at the rate he consumed them, he had it in mind to sneak back into the cavern to replenish his stash. During his days at the temple, his eyes kept wandering to the trailhead, and from high up on the stairs, he could even faintly make out the gloom marking the entrance of the cavern. High priest Eldrin had a daughter, Samiya, who kept constant watch over the temple grounds. Any time he made an advance for the trailhead , he observed her sweeping, or trimming bushes nearby. At the sight of her, he was forced to change direction. She was far too observant to not see him, though she appeared to be preoccupied in her work.

Two weeks after Lemach’s ritual took place, Lyros realized he had one mushroom left. He had opened his nightstand drawer that morning to see the lonely stem with a small cap, surrounded by dust in his drawer, which now smelt dank from storing mushrooms for so long. That night, he ate it, but to his shock and dismay, it had no effect on him.

He could not sleep. He stuck his head in his drawer, hoping the fumes would have some affect on him. When that failed, he resigned to staring at the ceiling in anguish for hours. He watched as it gradually turned from pitch black to a pale gray as dawn crept through his window.

At last, that morning, sleepless and anxious, his desperation took hold of him. He began venturing down the trailhead when Samiya caught him.

"Brother Lyros, what are you doing?"

He stopped in his tracks and rolled his eyes before turning around and answering her brusquely.

"I came to speak with Eldrin."

She eyed Lyros suspiciously

"This trail leads only to Lemach’s cavern. Father Eldrin does not go in there very often, and even if he were in there, you are not permitted to follow him."

Lyros’ face was cloudy with indignation, and he refused her a reply. She walked past him, now blocking his intended path.

"To what do you need to speak to my father about?"

"I will inform father Eldrin of that matter, when I see him" he snapped at her.

She crossed her arms and laughed at his audacity.

"If you insist on seeing him, he is in Lemach's shrine, paying his respects, perhaps make yourself useful for once and join him."

He ignored this insult and left her.

When he found Eldrin, he told him that Lemach came to him in a dream. He claimed that he came to the high priest for advice, because he felt the god had some important message for him.

Eldrin nodded firmly, not terribly concerned with this news “A message from Lemach? Well if you are so worthy of his wisdom, you will receive it in due time.” Eldrin turned to go. Lyros called to him.

“I was wondering if I might use the mushrooms to better receive this message. It is how we enter his domain, is it not?”

Eldrin paused, shocked by the child’s boldness, but unwilling to show it.

“No child, use of those is sacred, permitted only during-“

Lyros cut him off.

“During Lemach’s ritual. Yes, I know. However… I have this feeling…”

Lyros let out a breath, unsure if this lie would be believed.

“I fear the message I am to receive... it's concerning Samiya... your daughter”

The high priest turned to meet Lyros’ eyes, suddenly restless with fear

“Samiya?”

Lyros knew this was the only thing that might possibly convince the old man.

Finally, he resigned, “Take the mushrooms if you must, and tell me what news be.”

Lyros ran to the trailhead, laughing the entire time. Samiya stopped her sweeping to observe him, puzzled. Ignoring her, he ran all the way down the trail, until he reached the jagged entrance to the cave and stopped abruptly. He stared at the darkness before him. The layers of rock grew darker and darker, until his eyes could see no further. He stopped, breathless from running, and ran his fingers on the rough stone. The chill that hit his skin startled him, and he realized he had no torch to guide his way through the dark tunnel. He took a deep breath and began making his way by feeling the wall with his hand. Finally, he reached the cavern. The hole to let out the smoke from the torch provided a small amount of light, so that he could see the stone marking the center of the room. He caressed the growth of mushrooms and latched onto one with his fingers. He pulled at the stem of one until the fibers clinging to the stone floor were ripped. He greedily swallowed the mushroom whole, which got lodged in his throat. He thumped his chest with his fist until it made its way down. He bent over, coughing, then his coughs turned to delighted laughter when the world began to transform.

He lay there for hours in a stupor. When he felt his high subside, he took another mushroom to revive it. The dark in the cavern made him completely oblivious to the passage of time. Eventually he fell asleep, which prevented him from taking another dose before his high wavered. When he finally awoke, the cavern was completely dark. Nothing was visible, and he only heard a drip of water. It was night. Startled, he scrambled to his knees and rose from the floor in a hurry. He almost tripped in the tunnel as he shuffled back to the temple. It wasn’t until he was halfway down the trailhead that he realized he had nothing to tell Eldrin about his daughter. He had completely forgotten his lie. Before he faced the high priest, he had to come up with something.

—-

"Your daughter, Samiya, she is in great danger here in the village. Lemach beseeches you send her away"

Eldrin was seated in a chair at the foot of Lemach’s statue, a serpent, it’s body coiled and its head looming over them.

"Did Lemach show you what sort of danger may befall her?"

Lemach’s statue felt imposing to Lyros, it was as though his eyes peered into his mind and knew he was lying. Still, Lyros feigned his composure.

He shook his head, and bowed it to his chest, averting the snake’s eyes.

"I could send her to the city for a time, though she will object. She is so deeply devoted to our Gods, she pays great respect and care to the temple, as you know Lyros.” Eldrin smiled at him, and Lyros returned his smile weakly.

A silence fell between them. Eldrin rested his chin in his hand and looked somberly ahead at nothing, weighing the matter in his mind. Lyros feigned indifference, but his bowed head hid a grotesque strain in his face. He desperately hoped the high priest would be convinced by the end of this deliberation, and knew better than to press the matter unnecessarily. Finally, Eldrin spoke.

"Well, if she is truly in danger, as Lemach has shown you, then I will have no choice but to send her away"

Lyros turned to leave, but he stopped him with his arm.

"Brother Lyros, are you alright? You look deathly"

Lyros’ nodded and pulled from his grip before he could press further.

----

It took four weeks to make the preparations for Samiya's departure. By the time she left, she had accepted her father's wishes. She even grew excited for her time in the city, though she feared for how the temple may be kept in her absence. For Lyros, each day was more agonizing than the last. His skin had began to tingle unpleasantly, as though crawling with spiders. He would swat his own limbs to knock the phantom spiders off. He hardly slept through the night, and the small amount of sleep he received was miserable. All his bones and muscles ached, and a headache pounded like a constant drumming on each of his temples. He began to fail considerably at his tasks in the priesthood. It became difficult for him to do so much as prepare food or sweep the floors without becoming tired. When no one was looking, he would collapse to the floor and rest with his head in his hands. In early hours of the day Samiya departed, he awoke on the floor, drenched in sweat.

In Samiya's absence, the entrance to the cavern was finally unguarded.

He could not help but laugh out loud again as he slipped out of the courtyard down the trail. After four long weeks of suffering without his mushrooms, he was free. When he reached the tunnel entrance, fear did not stall him this time. He knew the way a bit better now, and he was able to walk through the tunnel at a comfortable place. As he traveled, his laugh reverberated on the tunnel walls. When he reached the cavern, it was as though the mushrooms were laughing with him. They all howled in laughter together. Suddenly a piece of rock fell from the wall with a thud. He covered his mouth, realizing his foolishness, and waited to ensure no one had followed him. He listened for footsteps and only heard water dripping from the ceiling onto the damp floor. Finally he took a mushroom and waited. His body, however, had built a substantial tolerance to them. He took two more and waited again. The aches in his muscles and the pounding in his head were unbearable. Still feeling no effect, he took another fistful, stuffing them into his mouth like a chipmunk. After swallowing them all, he screamed as he banged his fists against his temples. Until, finally, the center stone began melting. The walls were oozing different radiant colors. Lyros sighed and slumped against the stone. They would notice he was missing by now, he didn’t care. If they wanted him out, they could make him leave. Maybe they’d rather have him gone, he thought.

Suddenly the entire floor disappeared and Lyros clung to the stone desperately, which was now suspended in the air. He shrieked. The stone was wet, and he had to fully wrap around it to maintain his grip. He heard a hissing sound. He heard it from behind him, but he couldn’t turn his head to see its source.

What is that, steam? He thought.

A pair of snake eyes met his in the dark. He screamed again and lost his grip of the stone, falling through the endless cold air.

----

It was the end of the next summer. It had been almost a year since Lyros had inexplicably disappeared. After weeks of searching, they had no choice but to conclude that he had finally gotten sick of the hard work and ran off.

As the moon rose, the priests took the trail to the Lemach's cavern. They went two by two through the tunnel, until its mouth opened in the wide circle where the sacred mushrooms grew. From the stone itself grew a large mound of mushrooms. Father Eldrin told them that this was a good sign, a blessing from Lemach. He struck a match and dropped it into the stone’s basin. The flame bloomed, illuminating the cavern. The mound clinging to the stone revealed its true shape, with a defined torso, limbs, and head. Father Eldrin shrank back. To their horror, they saw the nearly unrecognizable corpse of brother Lyros. from his corpse grew hundreds of mushrooms. His arms and legs were clinging to the stone, and his neck was bent back at an impossible angle. His mouth hung open, and mushrooms were spilling out of it, as if his insides were filled with them entirely. The mushrooms had fused him to the stone, and frozen his gaze in horror.