In the square of Ardsto Flats, I was waiting for my role in the inauguration ceremony for this year’s new class of Founts. The knife I kept for opening myself up as part of my profession weighed heavily in its concealed holster between my breasts. As a Fount, I needed to be ready to bleed profusely at any time, since the essence of Life being pumped through my system was critical to keeping Ardsto Flats alive. It wasn’t a concern; I produced more than enough Life to sustain myself even while spraying gallons of it all over the scenery.

Musings aside, the class of twenty fourteen year olds was anxiously awaiting their induction at their end of the square. Ten boys and ten girls were standing to attention, even as I and the other sponsoring Founts stood behind them. On the other side of the square I could see that some of the caravans who’d stopped in town for supplies before crossing the hundreds of miles of desert between here and anywhere else had shown up to gawk. Eh, tourists; not like other towns didn’t have public Fount initiations anyway.

Closer, Agito the Fount proctor was walking in front of the line of candidates, trailing plumes of glowing green Life-vapor from cuts all over her body as she sized them up. A few candidates flinched at the mildly gory sight, but no-one had a panic attack at the sight, unlike some years.

In front of me, I could see that Sandfinch – my sponsored candidate – was one of the girls who hadn’t flinched. Apparently, my idea of acclimatizing her to gore by letting her play with my severed head from time to time had worked.

Either way, after a few moments Agito noted “Well, none of you ran away at seeing me like this, so I think you’re all psychologically tough enough to move on to the next step. Candidates, your sponsors will now open the blood vessel of your choice, and you WILL drink until you’re told to stop. Sponsors, step forwards.”

With that, I walked down the few stairs at my end of the square and stepped in front of Sandfinch. As I did so, I asked “So kiddo, where do you want me to open up?”

Sandfinch brushed her blonde hair away and thought for a moment before she replied “Could I please drink from your neck, Theerin? It bleeds pretty fast and it’s not as awkward to reach as some other spots.”

I drew my knife as I noted “Sure thing.” and sliced open my jugular. Glowing green Life started spraying from the wound, even as Sandfinch locked her mouth around it and started drinking deeply and greedily. While she did this, I gently pricked a spot on her back with my knife, so that I’d be able to see when she stopped bleeding red and started bleeding Life.

This took a few minutes, during which the crowd was respectfully silent aside from a few hecklers. Still, as soon as Sandfinch was bleeding a brightly glowing green I willed the Life flowing through me to close my wound and pulled back. Sandfinch looked somewhat flustered for a moment, before I noted “Good news Sandfinch, you’re a Fount now!”

Under the glare of the midday desert sun, Sandfinch’s smile was positively luminous as she asked “Does this mean I can make the air around me glow with Life now?”

Chuckling, I handed Sandfinch her new knife and told her “Feel free, and enjoy the party! This is probably the biggest chunk of free time you’ll get until you finish your combat and vocational training five years from now.”

Immediately, Sandfinch plunged the knife into her wrist, and her face contorted in pain as she whimpered a bit. Frowning sympathetically, I asked “More pain than you expected?”

Sandfinch managed to get out “Yes, definitely. Does it ever hurt less?” even as she pulled the knife back out.

I shook my head no, even as I said “You just learn to ignore it after a while. People can get used to nearly anything, and being a Fount means getting used to pain.”

At this, Sandfinch nodded even as her expression became one of determination and noted “I suppose I had better start now in that case.” and she resumed perforating herself, wincing with each wound she opened. Still, after a few moments, she was trailing dozens of streams of glowing life-vapor with every movement of her limbs, and seemed to almost preen as she wandered off into the crowd to show off.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

As for me, I went to go get a snack from one of the vendor stalls. Strictly speaking I didn’t need to eat thanks to my internal Life production, but indulging my sense of taste every once in a while was still a pleasure. Looking around, I quickly spotted the candied fig stall and made my way over.

When I arrived, I recognized the dark-skinned man as farmer Rence, greeting him with “Hello! I’d like some of those candied figs you’re hawking. Interested in Gold or Life in payment?”

In response, Rence just snorted and said “Life. I know your tricks Theerin and I’m not letting you run up a tab of that worthless yellow metal again. Meanwhile I know you’re good for Life and I can get all sorts of use from some surplus beyond the town mandated amount for keeping the fields invigorated and homes lit.”

I just shrugged and smiled as I asked “How much?”

In response, Rence retrieved a large thick-walled jug from below the counter, stuck a funnel in the opening, and with a look of total seriousness replied “Fill it up.”

I just shrugged, popped my wrist open, and bled into the funnel for a couple minutes until it started flowing out the top of the jug. With that, I closed my wound and asked “Is that enough?”

Rence stoppered the jug and replied “Sure thing. Here.” before passing me a box of eighteen candied figs over the counter.

I quickly took my box of treats and wandered over to one of the benches and began eating my snack, taking the time to savor each and every fig. In the background, I caught several brief glimpses of Sandfinch dancing around, trailing streams of Life-vapor as she did so. She seemed to be having a good time, so I left Sandfinch to her own devices while I ate.

Still, when I finished my snack, I figured I might as well go check up on Sandfinch and see if she was enjoying herself. Sticking the box in the pocket of my dress linens, I started wandering through the crowd in search of the Fount I’d sponsored.

However, much to my consternation, I found myself instead being waylaid by one of the tourists, a short bearded man with skin slightly lighter than my own dark brown and a wide-brimmed flat-top hat. I barely had time to process his presence before he had obstructed my path and was asking “So I’ve never seen a Fount initiation before today and now I’m really curious what being a Fount is like. Would you mind telling me?”

My displeasure was obvious in both my voice and mannerisms as I answered “Painful, but also very liberating. Now can I please go find my apprentice?” as I moved to walk past the man.

Much to my growing annoyance, the man obstructed my path again and tried to ask another question. I didn’t bother listening, just shoving him aside and continuing on my way. I heard the man behind me trying to ask more questions, but ignored him as I quickly spotted a large plume of Life-Vapor that definitely indicated an open Fount.

Following the plume, I arrived to the sight of a headless teenage girl staggering out of an alleyway, emitting massive quantities of Life-Vapor from her neck stump, and with her head nowhere in sight. Shocked, I asked “Sandfinch is that you?”

Unsurprisingly once I thought about it for a moment, the headless Fount just continued groping onwards blindly and deafly. In hopes of getting some sort of response, I placed my arm in the path of her flailing. She quickly grabbed on and started feeling her way up my body to my face, and after doing so withdrew her grasp.

Then, in the particularly shaky signing style that Sandfinch had managed to learn, she signed [Sandfinch. Six bandits. Stole head.]

Immediately, I grabbed Sandfinch’s hand and pulled her along behind me as I practically sprinted towards the nearest town guard, Sandfinch barely staying upright behind me. Moments later I quickly found the man leaning against the wall and told him “A group of bandits stole Sandfinch’s head. Sound the lockdown alarm and we might keep them from getting away!”

The guard looked at Sandfinch’s neck stump briefly as he inhaled, before saying “Right.” The plume of Life-Vapor flowing from Sandfinch curled towards the guard as he focused his Drain, and with a voice amplified by the expenditure of Life the guard called out loud enough for all of Ardsto Flats to hear “A FOUNT’S HEAD HAS BEEN STOLEN! CLOSE THE GATES, FULL LOCKDOWN!”