White Shrine of Landa, Yant, Harvest Season, 5th rot., 8th day
“How have you been faring, Sid, since the last rotation?" The priestess adept gestured to the boy to sit down. "Are you getting enough to eat?"
“Yes, Lady,” Sid nodded. Even though he had not yet reached puberty, his brown hair was already half-white. "The crew boss and the stone masons have been very kind to me," he said, sitting down on the edge of the chair. "They gave me a bed in the mason's bunkhouse, and I've been eating all my meals with the crew. The boss said they’d hire me if none of the shrines accepted me.”
“I don’t think that will happen, though I believe you already know that, given how well you did a rotation ago. I have your test results,” she smiled at the nervous boy, “but I’ve been asked to give you one last test.”
Sid looked up, startled. “Did something go wrong?”
“No, not at all,” she tried to sound reassuring. She observed that the boy was just as tense now as he had been at his magic exam. “The Singing Shrine of Sassoo requested an extra test for you, which is very simple,” she explained. "You merely need to hold this crystal so I can see it." She handed him a dark green prismatic crystal that was two hands long. It had a rounded triangular cross-section and striations down its sides.
“So, I just need to hold this?” Sid frowned at the crystal.
“Ah!” The adept broke into a wide smile as the crystal emitted a bright green light. “That is indeed a positive result. You, young man, should be able to make rocks sing if you receive the right training. The Singing Shrine has already accepted you but asked for this extra test because you already had a positive test result for Voice ability.”
“Oh.”
“Your math skills aren’t good enough to enter the Crystal Shrine of Tiki, the Hospitable Shrine of Gertzpul, the Shrouded Shrine of Vassu, or the Building Shrine of Giltak. If you have one of those four Shrines as your goal, it is possible to retake the math test next year, even if you’ve already spent a year at a different Shrine.”
“Oh.” The boy blinked and looked at his feet. “I wasn’t hoping for any particular Shrine. Lord Yuxviayeth just said to get tested and then pick the Shrine I liked best from the ones I got into.” The boy’s head drooped, “I’m not great with math.”
"Why do you look so down, Sid?" the priestess asked, looking concerned. Usually, the boys and girls who took the magic exams were happy when they discovered a Shrine officially accepted them for training.
"Did other Shrines accept me besides the Singing Shrine?" the boy asked quietly.
“Erhonsay, Mugash, Landa, Surd, Mueb, Galt, and Sassoo all accepted you. The Singing Shrine of Sassoo will probably send someone to persuade you if you decide you are serious about attending another Shrine. They don't like it when someone with the talent for Voice goes elsewhere — just like the Fated Shrine of Galt doesn’t like it when someone with strong precognition goes to some other Shrine.”
“Oh.” Sid frowned.
"Looking at your test results, your skills fit best with the Singing Shrine of Sassoo and the White Shrine of Landa," the priestess adept commented. "I would not complain if you decided to study here in Yant because you have above-average skills in every type of magic, with an exceptional talent for the Voice, mind's hand, mind casting, and fire magic. That would make you an excellent prospect to become an adept. The White Shrine would be happy to train you.
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“I must acknowledge, however, that you also have the uncommon gift of the Voice and the rare sensitivity for lithophones. Lithophone is a fancy name for rocks that make musical notes. Less than a hundred mages on Erdos have sensitivity for lithophones, Sid, and you're one of them. I can't force you to train at the Singing Shrine, but I will encourage you to do so. It's the best place to train both the Voice and lithophone sensitivity.
“Of the six Shrines that accepted you, do you have any strong preferences where you would like to train, Sid?"
“No, my lady,” Sid looked like he wanted to disappear. “I never gave it any thought before Lord Yuxviayeth pulled me out of the kitchen and sent me here to be tested.”
“Sid," she took his chin in her hand and turned his head so he had to look at her, "What is wrong? What is upsetting you? This is supposed to be a happy occasion for you."
"Will they really accept me? I'm from Naver Province, the part that became Yuxviayeth. I talk like I'm from Impotu because that's where I was born. Is it really okay for someone like me to attend a Shrine in Foskos?"
“We don’t care where you are from, Sid,” the priestess adept explained gently. “We only care about your magic skills. We already have visiting mages from Impotu at the Healing Shrine of Mugash, the Peaceful Shrine of Erhonsay, and the Fated Shrine of Galt.”
“You do? A lot? I thought we were at war with Impotu."
“The Empress is dead and Foskos now controls western Impotu and the entire Stem River Valley,” the priestess adept replied. “The war mages from the Valiant Shrine are currently at the Peaceful Shrine of Erhonsay in Kas. The High Priestess of the former Destined Shrine in Salicet is currently at the Fated Shrine of Galt in Is'syal, along with many of her clergy members who escaped the destruction of Salicet. We also have some Impotuan healers working at the Healing Shrine in Aybhas. Before the end of the season, we will be getting a delegation from the Blue Shrine of Vassu in Ashar on a visit to the Shrouded Shrine in Weirgos to learn about the new arts of inside running water and water treatment."
“But none at the Singing Shrine?” Sid asked.
"Not yet, at least," she pondered his concerned look. "Are you worried someone will drag you back to Impotu? That won't happen. Once a shrine here has accepted you, you're one of us, and we won't let anyone abduct you. You're an orphan, so your Shrine will become your home, and your fellow clergy will become your family. We won't let anything happen to you."
“Oh.” Sid stared at his feet again. “Would…would it be possible to see the Singing Shrine before I have to decide?”
The priestess adept beamed and handed Sid a sealed vellum scroll, "The Singing Shrine sent this along with that green crystal you just lit up. If I am not mistaken, it's an invitation to visit the Singing Shrine. If you decide to train elsewhere, we will deliver you to the Shrine you choose."
Sid had already broken the seal and was reading the scroll. “Oh.” He read through the text and then started over again. “Wow.” He looked up at the adept. “I would like to visit. What do I need to do to arrange this?”
“I’ll take care of the arrangements,” she replied.
He sighed and wondered if he would be safe in Black Falls at the Singing Shrine. He was worried that Impotuan mages might recognize him, especially the Holy Losnana, Ilsabess, or Mieth. He was less concerned about Mieth and Ilsabess, but he had to avoid Is'syal at all costs. His great-great aunt Losnana would know his face.
He knew the Foskan army was hunting him. They would kill him if they caught him, just like they killed his grandmother, the Empress Arkalla. The life expectancy of an heir to a fallen empire was usually short. After he fled Kipgapshegar, he tucked himself into a wagon of war refugees headed for Yuxviayeth, where the Foskan lord holder there was recruiting laborers and settlers. He didn't expect the lord holder to single him out because his hair started to turn silver. The young Lord Yuxviayeth enrolled Arkashar as the orphan Sidros Arkalkin as a ward of the holding, dressed him in new clothes, and paid a garrison gal to take him to the White Shrine for the mid-season magic tests.
Arkashar now found himself in a difficult spot, having passed all the tests to train at a Foskan shrine. He initially thought hiding as a commoner under Foskan noses was a viable plan. He overlooked how people reacted to non-noble children with magic. He now knew he had made a grave mistake. Even orphans with magic got attention in Foskos.
It was impossible to hide his hair, and he wouldn't be able to hide his height in a few years. He knew he didn't have the skills or courage to run away and live on his own. He hoped his adult face would look different from the face he had now. He would be safe if he could avoid anyone from Impotu who might recognize him. Once he was older and looked different, no one would believe that the Impotuan Heir had escaped capture by living at a Foskan Shrine.