The sky is dark and the air is cold. I’m frozen in place while an endless black void circles around, creeping closer. Frost grows along my thin pale flash, turning it to ice. As the rime reaches my fingertips, a divine light plunges down and envelopes the entire area. As I start to rise, the image vanishes and I wake with precipitousness.
“Eli!” A shout can be heard from beneath my floor boards. I jolt upward, smack my head on the rounded ceiling, and fall face first on the stone floor, groaning. I mumble a quiet
“ow…” and stumble down the clay stairs.
“Good morning, dear.” My mother says while planting a wooden bowl of rice at my seat.
“Good morning mother,” I say and take a bite, “this has salt in it. Is something special happening?”
“Yes indeed,” she smiles brightly while she says that
“Elian,” her use of my full name is terrifying, “why don’t you have some fun outside while I prepare for our guests.”
“Uh, sure- wait, guests?” I keep stuttering as she shoves me out of the house. While concerning, I have other plans. I skip along the stoned path with a stupid grin on my face until I see him. Cupio, is sitting quietly under a tree with his arms behind his leg for a pillow. He looks up and gives me a wink. My heart leaps from my chest. I sit cross legged, a good distance away from him. He chuckles,
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“You can sit a little closer, you know?” I feel my temperature rising. I scoot closer and sit nervously on my knees. “You ok?” He said, looking at me with those amber eyes of his, “you look a little red.”
“What, no! Not at all. I’m perfectly fine,” I stammer, “h-how are you?” He bursts out laughing.
“I was quite bored until you arrived.” We sit around for a long while, about almost anything. He talks about his craft and the marriage talks he's had to go through, I talk about my Mom’s strange behavior and my dream. I wish we could stay like this forever. “Oh my, look at the time. I better head back to the shop, take care.” He stood up slowly.
“Wait,” I grab the back of his vestment but can’t make eye contact, “I was wondering if we could—”
“Darling!” I hear her geta clack along the street. She sounds giddier than usual.
“Guess I’ll see you later,” Cupio says with a sharp glare directed uphill. He walks away with his arms behind his back and whistles poorly. Mom grabs my hands and forces me away from the tree.
“Come along, you’re going to be late.”
“Late for what?”
“Don’t worry about it.” That comment only makes me more worried. She lets me in and seated at the table are six old men ordinary except for their ice blue eyes.
“Elian Pavor, correct?” The one in the middle says in a monotone voice. I nod. “I’m sorry to inform you that the Elder has passed away.” Mom gives a small gasp, but me not knowing who that is remains silent. “Because we have no active replacement, we are forced to choose from the current population. Our priest will train and look after the pupil until it is ready to perform the duties as Elder.” Before he could say anymore, I butt in.
“With all due respect, sir, what does that have to do with me?”
He gives me a death glare as though I offended him. “That is because that person we have selected for Elder, is you.