My name is AldaIr Blix. I've always dreamed of becoming a famous and powerful Magus, the highest tier of magic users, but my dream was crushed on my ascension day.
Even though I barely slept the night of my birthday, I was still up at first light, even though it would still be a couple of hours before the town magus or the church opened its doors to the general public. But yet, I couldn't wait, couldn't stop my hands from shaking, my heart from pounding; today is the day of my ascension, my eighteenth birthday, the day I will find out how my magic will manifest. I dress in my best clothes, nice tan pants and a red shirt; I comb my brown hair and trim my ginger beard. After all, I do want to look my best. I stare into the hazel eyes of my reflection. "Today is the day, Aldair, the day you finally get access to your magic and take your first steps on the journey to become a magus!" To calm my nerves, I make myself toast with butter and a steaming cup of my favorite tea. Just as I finish the last sip of my tea, the church bell tower rings, signaling the start of the work day. As I head to the front door, I see my Mother and Father waiting for me with smiles while my Mother holds my baby sister Clarisa.
"look at my baby boy, all grown up and on his way to seize the world. I know the gods will smile upon you!" my Mother coos. She always hoped I would follow her path and be chosen by one of the gods. Adthos, the God of weather, picked her. I have no problems being selected by one of the gods; I hope to be chosen by Valros, the God of nature if that were my path.
"Don't be silly, Safie; obviously, he will follow in his Father's footsteps and be attuned to the elements themselves! Maybe even more than one! wouldn't that be AMAZING, a duel elementalist!" Father booms out a laugh
" Well, either way, dear, we kept him long enough; he's practically jumping out of his skin." Mother acknowledged handing me a pendent of Adoths
Father shakes his head and smiles again, "Right as always, dear. Good luck, son, and may your spark shine brighter than the sun." Father hands me a glove passed down in our family, signaling I'm finally a man.
" Thank you, Father, Mother. No matter my spark's path, I will always do my best to make you proud!" I smile, and for the first time that day, I feel the worry seeping away
Mother smiles and shakes her head. "We are already proud of you; just follow your heart and do what makes you happy; that's all we ask." with that, they both step to the side of the door and see me off. As I step out into the sun, I feel the worry start to creep back in, but I push it aside and make my way to the town magus mansion.
It takes me over twenty minutes to make it to the center of town, and as I reach the door, my heart pounding, I reach up and knock. The town Magus opens the door. Despite his title, he's not a frail old man. He's barely in his sixties, but with magic, it isn't unheard of for powerful wizards and witches to reach a hundred before signs of old age start setting in; he has gorgeous blond hair and iridescent green eyes. He smiles warmly at me and beckons me inside.
"So young Blix, it's finally time to see which of the elements call to your soul; with how much time you spent in the arcanum reading the tomes of past Magus, I'm sure it's felt like millennia you've waited for this day so let's not linger any longer wouldn't you say?" Magus Erikson turns on his heels and walks towards the chamber of elements.
"Yes, magus!" I acknowledge and hurry to catch up. I stopped as we entered the chamber of elements, stunned at the sheer beauty. It was a circular room with pillars in the four ordinal directions carved to depict the four main elements from which all others are derived. I glace around some more and notice four alters in the four cardinal directions between the pillars in the north, an alter made of marble with swirling veins of citrine, the one to the east made of what looks like malachite with blocky patterns of jade, the south is made of carnelian with blazing designs made of rudy, and finally to the west made of lapis lazuli with wave-like prints made of sapphire, and in the center a podium with an orb of pure quartz. As I get my bearings back, I notice the Magus waiting for me in the center next to the quartz, so I hurry to stand before him.
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magus Erikson nods at me and intones, "On this day of your ascension, you stand before the primordial elements, place your hand on the orb, and we shall begin." I do as he says and wait for him to continue.
"Air, I call you to this place to bear witness to this child's ascension." he pauses as a gust of wind passes through the room and amasses into an orb above the north altar.
"Earth, I call you to rise from your slumber and bear witness to this child's ascension." he waits again as a stone spike rises from the eastern altar.
"Fire, I call you to burn bright and bear witness to this child's ascension." as he finishes, a spark ignites on the southern altar.
"Water, I call you forth to flow in this room and bear witness to this child's ascension." slowly, water starts to bubble out of the center of the western altar, dripping over the side, only to vanish instantly when it reaches the floor.
"Elements, I thank you for your presence and ask you that you look into this child's soul and show us which of you resides in his spark." as he finishes speaking, the wind swirls faster, the earth grows more extensive, the fire burns brighter, and the water flows stronger. Until all at once, the four elements vanish, and I'm left standing in front of the Magus, confused by what happened.
"I'm sorry, child, none of the elements have claimed you as their own, but do not despair; the gods may still smile upon you this day." Magus Erickson gives me a sad smile and walks me to the door. "Even though you were not chosen as an Elementalist, you will still have access to the arcanum and the books held within."
With a sad look on my face and slumped shoulders, I slowly begin my walk down the street towards the church. As I glance upon the building, I feel the resolve harden in my heart. If I can't follow my Father, I will follow my Mother and harness the power of the gods. I step inside and approach the arch-priest.
"Hello Arch Priest, I have come to be put in front of the gods and to have my soul judged. Will you administer the rite for me?"
"Young Blix its superb to see you following in the steps of your mother in the devotion of the gods, come stand before the shrine of the twelve gods and see which deems you worth of their powers." the Arch Priest motions me to the center of the shrines and I glance at the shrines from left to right, Kruna the Goddess of life whose symbol is a large egg, Begmera the Goddess of death whose symbol is a decaying skull, Valros the God of nature whose symbol is a weeping willow tree, Adthos the God of weather who's symbol is a storm cloud, Xidor the God of the sun who's symbol is a sun with twelve shinning rays, Adona the Goddess of the moon who's symbol is a waning crescent, Erena the Goddes of knowledge who's symbol is an open book with the language of gods on it, Reelia the Goddess of Justice who's symbol is that of the scales, Agulla the Goddess of healing who's symbol is a lotus flower, Zidon the God of war who's symbol is that of a sword, Leius the God of commerce who's symbol is a golden coin, and Etarr the youngest of the gods the God of dreams who's symbol is that of a star. I kneel, close my eyes, and intone in a voice filled with hope, desperation, and reverence.
"Gods and Goddesses of the Delmire pantheon, I beseech thee on this the day of my ascension; I follow in my mother's footsteps and offer my soul spark to you to serve you faithfully for the rest of my days." I stay there kneeling for a couple of minutes more till I hear the Arch Priets sigh regretfully
"I am sorry, young Blix, but none of the gods have chosen you, but do not despair. I'm sure the elements will still look upon you favorably this day."
I stand, eyes downcast, trying with all my willpower not to cry in front of the Arch Priest. "Thank you, sir, but I must be on my way now." I turn and slowly walk out of the church, mind racing; how am I going to explain to Mother and Father that I am a mere mortal not blessed by the elements or the gods, forsaken by the world itself. As I approach the house, I hear Mother cooking, Father setting the table, and my sister playing with her toys, but I stop a few feet away. I mean, what's the point? I'm worth nothing now; I'm just a pathetic mortal who will never amount to anything; I'll bring nothing but shame and embarrassment to them. I stand there for a couple of minutes more, feeling my body going cold, and I know there is only one choice left: I must leave. It is better that I wander into the woods to die than disgrace my family with a silent goodbye and a prayer that they don't blame themselves for my death. I leave the town and head into the woods. As I walk, I can't stop the tears anymore. I walk for hours, and the day has long since given way to night, yet I still keep going. I hope I go far enough so they won't stumble upon my body.