Ritual

"Now let us jump right into the ritual. Reach under your pads are you will see a thin needle placed there. This needle is for you to keep on your person for the rest of you time here at the Institute and beyond. It is not a special tool in any way, yet you will see it will serve you extremely well."

The Inductees all pulled the needle from under their leather pads. Cain observed the object. It truly was an ordinary needle. No longer than his pinky, it was dark and smooth. It seemed to be cut directly from stone.

"When conducting the ritual, there are a few requirements that must be met. First, in order to commune with Fa, the ritual must be performed on the soil of his land. Simply put, the ritual must be performed within his sphere of influence. Second, it requires a sacrifice of blood."

Brother Haggerty brandished his own needle from his garb. He lightly poked the tip of left index finger. The needle gently punctured his skin, no deeper than a centimeter. He then put the needle away to a drop of blood forming at the wound.

"In order to invoke Fa's Blessing, one must first draw their own blood. In essence, harm themselves. This way, Fa knows to bless the follower with his protection."

The Inductees followed suit, using their needles to draw blood from their fingers. Some looked hesitant. Eleni didn't even blink as she pressed her needle into her finger. Cain took a moment, steeling himself, and did the same. Surprisingly, it didn't hurt. Brother Haggerty then lowered his finger to the cold stone floor, pressing it against the ground. Then, he made the Prayer to Fa.

"To finish the ritual, all must one do is let the blood run onto the earth. Fa will then recognize your need for his Blessing. Finally, the Prayer to Fa."

Cain lowered his bloodied finger and let the blood drop onto the floor. The sound of falling droplets filled the room. Cain then crossed his fingers for the Prayer.

"Now, close your eyes. Slow your breathing. Empty your minds. And focus on the strength within you."

Cain gently shut his eyes. He took a deep breath in through his nose, then out his mouth. In through the nose, out his mouth. Again. Again. He let his muscles relax. His shoulders fell, the built up tension is neck releasing. His hands lay relaxed on his lap, his legs crossed. His mouth hung ever so slightly open. His mind began to clear. Any thought he had, any worry, washed away just the way the northern winds would wash away snow. He was at peace. Focus. Focus.

Slowly, Cain began to feel a growing pressure in his ears. Hushed whispers began to grow in volume, indiscernible to him. They seemed to be coming from within Cain's very own head. A warmth unfamiliar to him sat at his navel. The sensation was incredibly foreign to him. It took everything he had to focus on what he felt within in. Yet he could not grasp it. The Blessing was just out of his reach. The others sat quietly around him. Seconds turned into minutes. Cain continued trying to grasp that feeling in his stomach. Yet he was unsuccessful. Eventually, he fell out of his trance. He opened his eyes to see that others were still sitting silently, most likely attempting to do the same thing as him. Brother Haggerty sat observing the Inductees. There were no noticeable changes with the other Inductees. Horrow seemed to be struggling, his brows furrowed in intense concentration. He then turned his eyes to Eleni. There she sat, a peaceful expression on her face, a slight glow emanating from her very skin. Brother Haggerty seemed to notice it to. After what seemed to be half an hour, Brother Haggerty's voice broke the stillness of the room.

"While I hate interrupting those in ritual, it is getting late and I still have some teachings to share."

The other Inductees opened their eyes. Eleni was still glowing.

"Let me explain some of the basics of the Blessing. The most basic form of Fa's Blessing acts as a second skin for his follower. It acts as a barrier that protects the follower from the elements. You would feel less cold or hot and stinging insects and smaller animals would not pose harm to you. The Blessing also blocks weapons to a certain extent. The more potent the Blessing, the greater the effects. Yet most people can only grow their Blessings to a certain level. This ceiling is determined by Fa himself. Nothing can raise the potency of the Blessing beyond that. Why Fa chooses to bless some more than others, it is not known. But sometimes, the deities choose certain followers to be their champions. They are called the Chosen. Their Blessings are on a very different level compared to the average follower. While followers borrow the powers of the deities, the deities seem to live and breath in the very skin of the Chosen.

"The first goal is to be able to grasp the Blessing such as Inductee Eleni. Once that process has finished, the next is to learn how to properly wield it. While time will be allotted every day with me to perform the ritual, it may be beneficial to perform it on your own time. However, that is completely up to you. Now, get some rest. And may Fa watch over you all."

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...

Cain stared at his reflection in the water. It was only day one and he looked worn out beyond belief. Dark circles surrounded his thin grey eyes. He also saw that a couple pimples had formed on his rough beige skin. His dark brown hair was unkempt, a few long strands threatening to cover his eyes. His cheeks were more sunken than they used to be. He knew he was skinny but he was looking more and more like a skeleton. His raised the wooden ladle from the bucket and splashed some of the lukewarm water on his face. It had been a long yet informative day. He had learned so much he was having trouble keeping it all in his head. Never before had he received an education like this. Life in the Institute was surely different to what he was used to.

He stood up and stretched his lithe body, already feeling the soreness that would come the next morning. The Inductees had finally finished their first day of training. After a hearty meal, Cain was feeling a bit better. He took a large swig from his water skin. One thing Cain had realized was that he was incredibly behind the curve. No, his peers were ahead of the curve. While he was aware it was simply the first day of training, there was an incredible gap between him and some of the Inductees. Eleni was leagues ahead of Cain in every aspect. As a noble, she had prior experience in every aspect of training. Jorn was physically stronger than perhaps even Eleni. Horrow was a literal Patriach so Cain had no doubts about how he compared to the noble. The others, well, weren't that well off compared to him. But they all grew up with families and most likely received some sort of martial education from them. He knew that it was common for parents to prepare their children somewhat for their eventual service at the Line. Therefore, Cain was currently sitting at the bottom of the imaginary rankings in his head.

Cain let out a sigh. He knew that the only thing that would keep him from falling behind- the only thing that would keep him alive - was hard work. So even though he felt like he could sleep on the bathroom floor right then and then, he exited the room and started heading for the sparring grounds.

...

Cain and the rest of Red Squadron had received a short guide from Instructor Thorne regarding the facilities they had access to during their free time. The sparring grounds and the ritual room were open to their leisure. Obviously, they could also laze about in their room. While Cain was incredibly tempted to do so, he steeled his resolve.

Time to form some good habits.

Cain soon found himself at the sparring ground's door. He walked through the threshold, immediately being basked in the setting sun's orange haze. Immediately, the sounds of a swinging sword could be heard. He stepped forward, almost hiding behind the archway that lead onto the dirt grounds.

Eleni stood at the center of the sparring grounds. She had her training sword held up high, her gaze focused on a nonexistent enemy before her. She paced circularly, then let her sword sing. Her long bleached hair was matte with sweat, sticking to her forehead. Each movement was measured and exact. Each slash incredibly powerful, each stab incredibly swift. Cain observed her dance, entranced by the violence in her movements. Cain could only think one thing.

She's beautiful.

Cain didn't know why he had just realized it. She was tall for a girl her age, with long limbs and muscular frame. Her training uniform hugged her waist, only accentuating the strength of her back, her legs. She had a thin sloping neck and sensual jawline. Alone, moving at the center of the courtyard, her red eyes blazed brighter than the late evening sun. In that moment, she looked like a vengeful angel fighting against the world itself. If she looked like that at his age, he could only wonder how much more beautiful she would become as she matured.

Soon, she let her sword fall to her side, taking deep breaths. Her back was turned to him, and he only just realized he had been watching her for quite some time. The sun was almost hidden by the great walls of Institute to the west.

"How much longer are you going to stare? Am I that pretty?"

Cain almost tripped on his own feet even though he had been standing completely still. Cain struggled to find the right words, his tongue tied into a knot. Eleni turned around, a sly smile on her face.

"I noticed you quite some time ago. At least step out of the shadows and join me on the grounds if you're going to train. Unless your objective was to simply ogle me."

Cain sheepishly stepped away from the archway and onto the grounds. His cheeks were flushed with blood. He almost felt hot in the cold winter evening. While he was screaming at himself in his head, he also realized that this provided himself with an opportunity he was not going to miss. He calmed himself, and asked,

"Sorry about that, I wasn't trying to be a creep. I couldn't help but appreciate your swordsmanship. Its beautiful by the way."

Its not a lie, but maybe not the whole truth.

Eleni scoffed, almost as if not believing him. She started turning from him as if to continue her training.

"Wait!"

Eleni turned back around, annoyed curiosity brimming in her eyes.

"I wasn't lying when I said that your swordsmanship is beautiful. And I want to ask for a favor. Please teach me how to fight."

This time, Eleni completely turned, seemingly amused. She raised her sword and lay its flat on her shoulder. She cocked her head.

"And why should I? You're that orphan right? What was your name again... Dain? Anyways, how would training you help me in any way? I have myself to take of you know."

Cain knew it wasn't going to be that easy. And she was right, she had nothing to gain from teaching him. So he simply had to made sure her time was worth it.

Do or die. May Fa watch over me.

"I completely understand. So let me prove myself to you."

Cain took a deep breath. He wasn't sure if he was going to regret what was about to come out of his mouth.

"I challenge you to a spar."