In a state of dazed pain, Pyre stood before the congregation. Last night had been so long. He had not slept. The dreams Zog had predicted did not arrive. The dreams of Fand, he had once cherished in his wakeful hours, had come back to haunt him and he had had to fight hard to keep them at bay. He failed more than he succeeded during those dark hours.

At first light, his mother had called him down to breakfast. She had been a sobbing mess. Never one to hide her true feelings. He had broken her heart, as had Fand. Would it ever mend? The breakfast his mother made him had nauseated him, but he had managed to eat it and keep it down for his mother’s sake. If he threw up, her sorrow would increase as would her worry. Her last words to him before they left the house were, “But it is so very dangerous Pyre. I fear you will not survive.” The remark was certainly NOT confidence building.

It was his turn. Jerue stood before him. His gaze was kind. Pyre felt his stomach roil. Though he had not dared to look at Fand through out the entire service, he felt her eyes on him. Inside his panic grew. What was he doing? Why was he here? He felt like he was going to throw up. It would be bad to throw up on the Head Councilman. He would shame his family if he did. Oh he must not be sick. His eyes darted across the crowd. Fand was looking directly at him. Her eyes were troubled. What was wrong? What? He felt the pull of Jerue upon his thoughts. He looked at the older man. Jerue's expression was one of patient understanding. Still, Pyre stumbled over his vows. His stomach was in a rage until Jerue touched his forehead with the oil. All at once the panic in him eased. He took in a breath. He no longer felt sick.

When the Induction Ceremony ended, the line of Apprentices followed Jerue to the bonfire. It had melted the surrounding snow. Seeing the flames leap caused panic to take hold of Pyre again. He was afraid of fire! He could not do this thing! The Apprentices circled around the bonfire. Jerue pulled Pyre beside him. Why? The Head Councilman's arm wrapped around his shoulder. Pyre's breath came in short fast gasps. Rube locked his arm over Pyre's other shoulder. The nearness of these two men was suffocating. The smoke stung his throat and nose. He would be sick now for sure. Once again, his eyes sought out Fand. Her face wavered before him in the smoke. Her eyes still held him. They held him with a strange sort of fierceness and regret. He heard the slice of an arrow cut through the air. It severed the cord, that held the large goblet above the bonfire. The goblet when it hit the fire. A huge cloud of steam enveloped them. Suddenly it was dark and very cold. The dark was absolute. Pyre felt only air beneath his feet. His body seemed to elongate and writhe. A terrible gust of wind swirled around him. He could not breathe. He was falling and falling. It would hurt when he landed, if he landed. He cried out. No one responded. This was death.

Dim light formed ahead of him. He felt Jerue's hand grip his shoulder. He was not alone. Jerue's strength wrapped around him. His fear eased. Though the falling continued for what seemed like forever he was no longer terrified. Finally, his feet touched solid ground. Pyre offered a prayer of thanks. By the Keeper's grace and Jerue's kindness, he had survived his first Transferrance. He looked around him. They were in the Inner Sanctum. It was a circular room. Heavy black drapes covered the walls. The only light came from the round skylight above them. It caused weird shadows to flicker and dance in the room.

Jerue said, "Release." Pyre let go of Jerue's and Rube's shoulders. Jerue moved into the center of the circle. He stood in the circle of light smiling. His blunt perfect teeth glistened. He held up his arms and said, "You have been publicly anointed with oil now for your private baptism of fire."

Stolen story; please report.

Hadn't Transferrance been a baptism by fire? Wasn't it enough? Pyre didn't want to do that again. Ever. He wanted to go home. He wanted--

There was a crackle. A flame shot out from the palm of Jerue's hand. It swirled into the air and wove itself around each Apprentice. When it came to Pyre it took the form of a female figure. She danced before his eyes. As Pyre stared at the flame, he seemed to see Fand's eyes reflected in this apparition. In memory he felt the closeness of her body and the warmth of her tears. This flame that danced before him was meant to purge him of her. Could it? Could anything? A searing heat ripped through his body. He almost cried out but stopped himself. He was a man, an Apprentice, a chosen one. The flame lingered. It burned deeper into him. Sweat beaded on his forehead and moistened his palms. The Keeper required that he release Fand. Inside he cried out, I can't do this alone. A voice inside of him responded, “You were never meant to. Trust her to my care.” Was this the voice of the Keeper?

The flame moved to Rube. Whatever the others saw in the flame, Pyre did not see. Only the Apprentice interacting with the fire knew what secrets it revealed. Finally it had made the full circuit, Jerue held out his hand. The flame came to him. He lifted it over his head and clapped his hands together. The flame vanished. Jerue looked at the Apprentices and said, "You are to spend the remainder of this day in the seclusion and contemplation. You are dismissed to your cubicles." The doors to the Inner Sanctum opened of their own accord.

Pyre stumbled into the afternoon light. Rube and Wilm were ahead of him. He heard Wilm as, "Wonder who that was that cried out like a woman during Transferrance?"

Rube said, "It was Pyre."

Embarrassment stung Pyre's face. He slowed his steps down so he would not catch up with Wilm and Rube. Wilm said, "I thought as much. Sure surprised me when Jerue chose the little sissy to stand beside him in the Transferrance Ritual. I thought for sure you had a better shot at it than him."

Angrily Rube responded, "I did too."

*

The following morning Apprentices from the twelve regions gathered in the Lecture Hall. Squat Master Uber stood before a large black slate. On it were the squiggles of the Ancient Tongue and drawings of flames. Pyre squinted at the board. Last night he had not slept well. What little sleep he did manage had been invaded by dreams of Fand. He could feel the softness of her still. Her laughter echoed in his heart. They had been riding Braun, and they had been so happy. Would he ever be happy again? Would she? Would Zog?

At the thought of Zog his thoughts returned to the slate. How easily Zog had translated things. He was so smart and so gifted and now…now. He too was lost to Pyre. Everything was gone, except his parents' love. His faith was supposed to sustain him now. It had not sustained Zog when he had lost all he dreamed. Dreams were powerful and potentially harmful things. It was best not to dream, not to hope. Fand tried to creep into his thoughts again, but he pushed her away. He must not think of her. Not here, not now. Such thoughts could get him into a lot of trouble. He studied the slate for along time while Master Uber droned on and on. No matter how hard he tried Pyre could not decipher a single word.

Finally Master Uber finished lecture. He said, "Come Apprentices." They followed him into a windowless room. Loren Uhr was there holding a tray of tiny glass vials. The vials contained a red liquid. He gave each apprentice a vial. Pyre tilted his vial. The consistency of the liquid was much like the blue stuff he had been given to drink the night he saw the colored lights in the sky. Master Uber said, "The contents of the vial will help you protect the secrets of Transferrance. Now drink."

The cork stoppers came out with a pop. The aroma was that of roses and strawberries. Pyre downed the vial slowly. The liquid was sweet. It warmed his raw stomach. A delicious euphoria enveloped him, the kind only Fand had been able to create in him. He held up the vial. What was this stuff? He wanted more.

Loren Uhr retrieved the vials. Master Uber lead them to the Inner Sanctum. The large room was shrouded, but on the fabric were intricate diagrams. Pyre studied the letters of the diagrams. He could read them. Every single word stood out clearly in his mind. This had never happened before!