“There, there little one, it’s all right,” said Kino as he soothingly patted Alethia’s head trying to calm her. He stopped staring at the bright-blue glowing structure in front of him and turned his head to meet her. The glow made her deep-black chin long hair seem slightly purple. He fixed his eyes upon hers and admired the combination of their deep blue color mixed with the ghostly glow. A slight, almost undetectable, smile appeared on his usually expressionless face. There were few things he enjoyed more than that sight. It reminded him of the full moon nights he got to enjoy while travelling with Bran six years ago. But more importantly, from the instant he first saw her, Kino understood the concept of beauty.
Hmm… I wonder how long will it take for her to snap this time? Oh, more than five seconds, a new record… she does look pretty when she is angry. Kino’s thoughts were interrupted by a strong chop that landed in the middle of his dark brown hair.
“Again your annoying habit! Stop day dreaming you fool… seriously if your going to admire me with those creepy green eyes of yours don’t do it so shamelessly,” remarked Alethia while pouting. She turned her head so he wouldn’t see her slight blush. “Besides, who is little, I’m two months older than you and we’re the same height… any way, we have to hurry or we will be late for the Initiation Ceremony. What kind of idiot comes to see the dome right before he is about to receive his Talents?” Alethia grabbed his sleeve and started dragging him.
Kino gave the dome’s entrance a last long look. A series of two by two meter hexagons combined to shape a slightly curved wall. It stretched until finally reaching the thirty-meter high cave ceiling. He could barely make out the silhouette of several plants through the naturally dimmed crystal hexagons.
Won’t be long now… I’ll definitely obtain access to it. Kino promised himself as he entered the narrow tunnel that connected the Dome with the Living District.
The tunnel was filled with an orange glow from the bioluminescent rocks, or bio-rocks, placed along its walls. They quickly ran through the thirty-meter tunnel and were soon inside the huge cave that hosted all of Sahuara Dome’s houses. Facades sculpted into the walls could be seen on both of the huge cavern walls. The houses themselves were carved into the rock. There were three levels of houses on each wall, with the highest ones being offset a little deeper from the house below it. There was a distance of about one kilometer from wall to wall, and the district was at least two kilometers long. It basically looked like a huge three level coliseum with houses instead of seats. In the middle of the cave a groups of incredibly big stalactites, known as the Farol, reached to the second level of houses. They were all bio-rocks so they provided most of the district’s light. Kino was intently looking at the light source as he passed below it when he suddenly bumped into someone.
“Inquisitor Jahrel! Please forgive us!” Alethia started apologizing. “We are running kind of late, and you know Kino he is always lost in his own thoughts not minding his surroundings. Are you all right?”
“Fortunately I was still not carrying the seeds, so no harm was done. But please be more mindful of your surroundings child,” answered the Inquisitor in an unamused tone. He extended his hand and helped Kino, who fell after the crash, stand up. “It’s no wonder you don’t remember anything if you keep hitting your head like that. You still don’t remember anything about what happened before the night they found you?”
“Please forgive me Inquisitor, I was trying to see the worms wrapped around the Farol responsible for actually producing its light.” Kino sincerely apologised. “As for your question, I still don’t remember anything new. I suddenly woke up and felt someone carrying me. After a few minutes my eyes and ears started to adjust. I could barely make out their silhouettes but could understand them just fine. It took me a couple of days before I could actually see. By then Bran explained to me the same story he told you. He found me hiding in a small cave near a camp that seemed to have been attacked by some beast. That beast turned out to be the predator that Sahuara’s expedition had killed hours before finding me. Bran then volunteered to take me to the nearest dome to see if he could help me find any relative. After having no luck with that and due to my overall charming personality, he adopted me and brought me here.”
“Shame you don’t remember anything before that,” said Inquisitor Jahrel somewhat annoyed. “At the very least you seem to be in a good mood if you think your personality is charming… Is it because you’re confident about your initiation? I’m sure a child with Alethia’s abilities and disposition has nothing to worry about, but what about you?”
A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
“About that hmm… I’m a little uncertain,” Said Kino. “This is because the Talents you first receive depend on your actions from when you’re five years old until you reach twelve. I have no idea what I did before I was six, which is when I was found. So, since I don’t remember anything I’m not expecting to receive much from that year’s worth.”
“I knew you were known for not being expressive, but it is strange how you can keep such a straight face while saying that,” said Jahrel with raised surprised eyes. “Do you really understand what Talents represent? How important they are?”
“Of course I do,” answered Kino. “They translate into status and rank within our Dome. With higher rank come greater benefits.”
Among them, access to privileged information. You’re not the only one who wants to know what happened six years ago Mr. Inquisitor.
“Without them you might even end up getting kicked out of the dome,” continued Kino. “So naturally I did my best to work on hopefully receiving useful Talents. Fact still remains though, I still don’t know what happened during that year, and so I’m uncertain.”
“Ah so that’s what you meant,” said Jahrel. “Well I’m glad you at least know the very basics of it. Although you did have Bran fostering you, so may be I didn’t have to worry about it. Anyway, we’ve reached the end of the Living District and I now have to go pick up the seeds. I’ll see you both at the ceremony.”
Once the chancellor excused himself, he took the rightmost of the three tunnels in front of them. Alethia and Kino entered the middle one. All connecting tunnels were basically the same: narrow and lit by bio-rocks. The only thing that changed was their length.
“That man gives me the creeps,” said Alethia once they were inside the tunnel. She was somewhat shivering and wrapped herself with her arms. “Something about his stare makes me not trust him, but even so… you did your best huh?” said Alethia. Her face now showed she was slightly angry, and not in a cute way. “I didn’t expect you to use your unreadable face to tell blatant lies…”
Pat, pat
“There, there little o…”
Chop! Double Chop!
That double chop is dangerous! Without a doubt I’ll be receiving [Skin] reinforcement just from that… I just hope there’s no [Brain] damage Talent! Kino sighed thinking about the possibility.
“I’m not going to argue about this again Alethia. You have your take on what Talents are important and I have mine,” said Kino. He was now patting his own head.
“It is not MY take!” shouted Alethia. “It is EVERYBODY’s take! Aiming for non-combat Talents is foolish. You’ll just end up as a Level 4 throughout your life! Maybe if you’re lucky by the time you are as old as the Chieftain you’ll get to Level 3! But no non-combat has ever gone above that!”
“I never said anything about ignoring combat Talents,” said Kino. He stood in front of Alethia stared seriously at her. “It’s simply that at this stage they’re not as important for me.”
Showing emotions while we’re arguing isn’t fair Kino! You know I can’t talk back when you do. But it’s okay, if you’re like this about it there must be a reason.
“Well, when you’re a useless bum I guess you can always come work for me as my personal maid,” answered Alethia.
Kino once more turned to face her. “Sure, I’ve always planned on supporting you.” He finished the argument with a rare smile upon his face. Alethia felt she had a red glow stronger than any bio-rock. She had to look down so he wouldn’t notice her blush. They exited the tunnel and were now standing in front of the Sahuara’s amphitheater.
“Everyone taking part in the Initiation Ceremony please enter the room located immediately to your right once you enter the amphitheater.” A man wearing a black outfit was shouting in the middle of the cave. “Everybody else please take a seat on the stands, the Ceremony will begin shortly!”
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