The two children came across something they had never seen in the middle of the road. There was a covered wagon trying to go over the road. It was as long as the road was wide as a lone man stood in the ditch trying to push it. Regardless of how he must have gotten it up there, he didn’t possess the height to effectively push, as he stood nearly 45 degrees. His body sagged, hands still barely touching the wagon.
Spair dashed up to the wagon, looking over it before jumping up and down and clapping.
“Vel, its gotta be a circus or something. Look at all the colors!”
Vel admitted it was unique. The entire side was overtaken by a massive mural that depicted every animal he had seen and many that he didn’t. He saw a silver dragon playing in the air with a dazzling white bird made of flames. He looked and found a white monkey in the trees. Vel was dumbstruck as he knew they were the same color, but to they weren’t. The white bird seemed to sparkle and dance where the white monkey seemed to purify. He saw another silver creature, this one in the water. It was the largest fish he’d ever seen, if the scale of the other fish were any indicators.
Vel barely registered as Spair touched the wagon, pointing to different animals and their colors. Each animal was unique, both is color and form. He moved and saw a rust covered humanoid trying to tear a tree from the ground as a lone cat stalking it. Its fur was the color of the sky making it stand out on the ground. The humanoid fascinated Vel. It looked as if someone took a human and went “too far.” As he got closer, its legs and arms were too long, hands and feet too big. Every feature on its face was too large, to the point he couldn’t tell where the cheeks or forehead was. Its face was a nose, mouth, and two eyes. He saw his hand reach out to touch it before his wrist was grabbed by the stranger.
Looking up, Vel saw he too was focused on the humanoid.
“You, my friend, are not supposed to be out yet.” And with a flick of his wrist pulled the monster from the wagon’s wall. The man disappeared and reappeared between blinks, this time focused entirely on Vel.
“Velon.” He said with a smile that lit up his entire face. “I have searching for you. I would have come earlier but my wagon got stuck on this hill.”
“Vel, There are more on the sides!” Spair yelled while running to her brother. She grabbed his arm before noticing the stranger. “Oh! Is this your wagon sir?”
“Yes it is young Spair.” The man lowered himself to her eye level. “I take it you like it?”
Spair shook her head emphatically. “There are so many animals I haven’t seen before and all different colors. I never knew there were this many colors.”
“I don’t doubt that. Some of these colors you can’t see anywhere else.” The man made a gesture at a section of his wagon. The colors shifted with the animals, moving from the birds and beasts he knew to monsters crafted from multiple creatures. Their colors matched, having been blended in the construction. “These aren’t ready yet, but I do have hope they will be when you’re older.”
Vel took a step away from the wagon as Spair moved towards. She was blocked from going closer by the immovable arm of the stranger. “Spair,” the stranger began, “do you want to see something fun?”
Spair nodded her head emphatically and moved to stand next to Vel. Vel, for his part, stared at the impossible man and the impossible wagon. As he looked, the scene on the wagon continued to change as if someone was pulling from the left. The landscape moved and the animals still forms began to dance and play. The dragon spat something at the fire bird only for the bird to reciprocate in kind. The two collided in the air creating an explosion like the fireworks used at new years.
“Velon.” The man’s words broke Vel’s focus as the wagon moved from land to sea. “I have been waiting for you for a hundred years. Since the last like you was born. I come to make you what you believe you are, special. But be warned, being special comes at a cost. Many have died because of it. But I am not cruel. You have a choice.” The man bent his knees to star Vel in the face. “Do you want to be special? Or do you want to be like everyone else?”
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Vel swallowed, licking his lips as he saw the scene on the wagon speed by. It was getting too fast to understand anything, blurring into a simple gray. It seemed to resonate with him, telling him what to do.
“Special.” Vel answered.
“Wonderful.” The man nearly jumped the height of the wagon, before noticing it. With one quick strike, the scene returned to the original with the dragon, bird, and silver fish. Smiling, he turned back to Vel only to be interrupted by Spair.
“Can I be special too?” She asked.
The man tilted his head at that before grabbing at his chin. Vel blinked realizing that he never noticed the man’s features. Even staring at his face, he still couldn’t say anything about it. As if a spell had been broken, he finally realized the gravity of the situation.
“Who are you? What are you? Are you with the other cultivators?” Vel demanded as he pulled his sister behind him.
“Other cultivators?” The man’s brows creased before he did...something. The children couldn’t tell but they saw the fury build on that face. Clouds seemed to boil out of his flesh and lightning flashed in his eyes. His next words sounded of thunder before returning to the now cowering children.
“Spair, it was not supposed to be your time.” His face returned to that of before. Something that calmed the two even if they could never say why. “But others are breaking the rules. I wondered what happened to your predecessors.” The man’s eyes turned toward Vel as he spoke. “Now I know. That gives me options.”
With a flourish, he danced back and slapped the side of the wagon. The scene exploded forth, causing the land the shift and the animals to run out. “Every cycle, one is chosen. The chosen brings forth change. But for the past twelve something has stopped the change. This world has stagnated. I thought it was ill fortune but I find it something else.” Each animal began to surround the children, going up and sniffing or touching both Vel and Spair. “Abuse is taking place. I cannot act directly, but” and a smile worked upon the man’s lips “I can make adjustments.” The animals rested behind the children, watching the man’s speech. All but one. A silver snake slithered up his body and flicked its tongue in his ear. The all to human flinch broke the spell as a sounds of laughter and chuffing broke out.
“I get to do this every hundred years. Why won’t you let me have this?” He demanded of the snake. It flicked its tongue as a response before his shoulders slumped. “Fine.” He said through a sigh. He pulled out a velvet mat and set it before the siblings.
“Place your hand in the center of the mat.” He spoke without enthusiasm, as if he did this all day every day. The snake reared up and head butted him. He glared at the snake. “I will take you back if you keep doing that.”
Spair moved first, dashing and slapping her hand on the mat. A coin materialized out of thin air and fell on her hand, branding it with a sign.
“Find a Beast of the chosen sigil and join with it. Afterwards you will be given further instructions.” The man’s tone remained flat. A sharp hiss caused him to sigh. “Please step off to the side so others may obtain divine revelation. Thank you and have a nice day.”
Spair was slowly led off to the side by the snake, barely registering as she stared at her hand. Vel cautiously moved up.
“This is like the ceremony we have to become an adult.”
“Yes, this is the original ceremony and the one you undergo is a pale reflection of it. Please place your hand in the center of the mat.”
“So if I do this, I will be able to cultivate?” Vel asked.
“Yes, please place your hand in the center of the mat.” The man’s tone didn’t waver.
Taking a deep breath, Vel placed his hand on the mat. He held it as nothing happened. The man frowned, moving the hand a bit so it was more centered. Again, nothing happened. Both men cried as Vel finally released his breath. One in pure exaltation, the other in disappointment.