Chapter Fifteen: Totally Prepared for This
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Each banner had its own crowd, animated with anticipation and camaraderie. The only exception was a single banner off to the edge of the hall. It was shrouded in shadow, its fabric tattered and old, hanging limp as if forgotten by time. Jace wouldn't have noticed it except for the wide berth the rest of the students gave it when walking by. He squinted, trying to make out its details, but the amber light barely reached it. A chill ran down his spine, a sense of foreboding settling over him.
Before he could ask Thistle about it, Demi's voice rang out, calling everyone to attention.
At the far end of the hall stood a massive, ornate archway. Demi, her dress now somehow dry and pristine, reached into her robes and pulled out a glowing Ruby Shard. She placed it into a slot on the archway, causing it to hum with energy. Light burst out from the archway, runes glowing across every inch of its surface. The air seemed to inhale sharply, then popped as a shimmering event horizon of black waves formed within the arch.
"This is where you will face the Oracle," Demi called out. "Here, the gods will observe you, seeing you for who you truly are. Remember, your family, fortune, and reputation mean nothing here. You will be stripped bare before the Oracle. Perform well, and you will receive an invitation from a god or gods to join their Society. May the gods grant you favor."
Jace felt a knot tighten in his stomach as he listened. He wiped his sweaty palms on his robes, stealing glances at the other students, who seemed far more confident. The weight of his past and the expectations of his future bore down on him, making it hard to breathe. He leaned over to Thistle, whispering, "Has anyone ever not received an invitation before?"
Thistle shrugged nonchalantly. "Not that I've ever heard of, but hey, there's a first time for everything," he said, giving Jace a playful nudge. "You'll be fine. Everyone's nervous about their Oracle Trial."
Jace stood among the five hundred freshmen, feeling the weight of the moment pressing down on him. Thistle had mentioned this was a small batch for the year, yet the room buzzed with anticipation.
This was going to take some time, but once it got moving, it was surprisingly fast. Students would go up, enter the Trial and then reappear a moment after, the entire process happening in mere seconds. One by one, names were called. He watched as a girl stepped out, tears streaming down her face, and declared her alignment with Apollo, her voice trembling yet strong.
Each student came out with a different expression - some looked confused, others joyful or resolute. Some wiped tears from their faces. As they exited, they announced their name and the Society they had accepted, receiving applause from the crowd. None cheered louder than those Chosen by the same deity.
Jace watched, his heart pounding, as the unchosen group grew smaller, knowing it would soon be his turn.
"Maximus Taximus, Master of wit and speed. Chosen by Hermes." Applause followed, mingled with murmurs of admiration.
Then it was a young man. His wild curly hair and sparkling eyes exuded an infectious energy. His robes were flamboyant and colorful.
Hearing the different students introduce themselves, Jace noticed that many had chosen both a first and last name. He hadn't realized that was an option and briefly wondered if he should have done the same. But having only one name wasn’t unusual; plenty of students did. It was a bit like being a single-named celebrity.
As if on cue, the next student introduced himself with just one name, making Jace feel more confident in his choice.
"Hey guys! It’s Drake,” he announced, flashing a huge boyish grin to the crowd. “Chosen of Dionysus. Let's party!"
The room erupted into applause, cheers, and laughter, the energy instantly lifting as Drake’s infectious enthusiasm spread through the crowd.
It continued on like that for some time. People that were chosen by the same god found each other, naturally forming groups.
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"Alice Candor." Demi called, the name hanging in the air. "Alice Candor." Silence. Eyes darted around. Footsteps echoed down the stairs. Candor appeared, breathless. "Here!" She steadied herself, approaching the glowing arch.
She hesitated, then stepped through. Light enveloped her, a burst of energy and sound. Emerging moments later, she seemed different.
“Alice Candor, Chosen of Harpocrates, god of silence and secrets. Under the banner of the Society of Athena.”
The Society of Athena burst into applause.
Thistle leaned over. “The Societies represent the Olympian Gods. Each of the other gods has a place within the Society of an Olympian.” Jace noticed that the Societies were broken into internal divisions with a small flag for each. The section Alice joined was more conservative in dress and demeanor.
When it was Marcus’s turn to go, he walked with a smug grin, emerging with a blinding flash of white lightning across the arch’s event horizon. He said only one word, “Zeus.” The crowd broke into an uproar of applause while Marcus went to join the other followers of Zeus.
“What’s the big deal?” Jace asked quietly.
Thistle whistled softly. “One of the Big Three. Super rare match. Those three are picky,” he said, stretching the last word for emphasis. “Sometimes they’ll go years without choosing anyone. Getting picked by a Big Three is huge. And the stat bonuses are supposedly incredible.”
“Stat bonuses?” Jace asked, confused.
“Yeah, each god gives different bonuses and penalties to stats, abilities, and unique boons. The bigger the god, the more powerful and focused the boon. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t drawbacks. There can be. Especially if you pick a god that doesn’t really benefit your desired class title. Or worse, one that protests your Shard element. Try being an Amber Shard healer and a follower of Ares. Bad match, and expect your heals to be super nerfed. But a thief and Hermes? Now, that’s a perfect fit.”
Jace realized he really should have studied more before diving in. He had thought he could just pick it up along the way. Now, he was discovering he was woefully unprepared. He was sure that Alex would have had this all planned out. He didn’t even know what class he was going to be.
Dex went next, his mischievous grin never wavering. He emerged aligned with Hermes, the god of thieves and trickery. Ell followed, aligning with Athena, the goddess of wisdom and strategy.
The most accepting Societies appeared to be Ares, Athena, Apollo, Hermes, and Artemis. There were others, but their groups were noticeably smaller. Then there were the followers of Zeus and those of Poseidon. Jace thought back to his few years of high school. He sort of got the Jocks and the popular kids vibe from them. If this place had a homecoming, the king and queens would definitely be from one of those groups.
Startled from his reverie, he heard them repeat his name. “Jace. Please come forward.”
Thistle nudged him. “That’s you, bud.” He gave Jace a gentle push forward.
The archway loomed above him. As he approached, the air grew thick with a palpable energy, the kind that made the hair on the back of his neck stand on end. He swallowed hard; the sound echoing in the sudden quiet. His footsteps felt heavy, each step resonating in the silent hall as if the ground itself were amplifying his presence.
The archway hummed with a low, almost hypnotic vibration, drawing him closer. Jace felt a strange mix of fear and fascination, his senses heightened to an almost painful degree. The dark light glowed intensely, casting long, ominous shadows that made it appear as though it were the mouth of some great, ancient beast.
New Quest
The Oracle's Trial
You are about to embark upon the Oracle’s Trial, a test that will determine your alignment with one of the many gods. The gods are watching, evaluating your every move. Convince at least one of them to offer you their favor. No pressure.
Objective: Complete the Oracle’s Trial and earn the favor of a god.
Reward: Become the Chosen of a Deity, granting access to a Society.
Failure: Fail to gain the favor of a god. Gain title - Godless and Alone and receive -500 to Reputation with all University students, faculty and alumni. Try not to think about it too much.
Warning: The choices you make here will impact your path forward. Once you accept an invitation, you cannot un-accept it without severe consequence. Good thing you are totally prepared for this and know the pros and cons of each path… oh wait.
Accept | Reject
“You got this.” He whispered to himself and chose [ACCEPT].
Jace took a deep breath and stepped through the archway.