The rite of passage 7- Put your life on the line, again

Selior looked at both Shonah and the feather she was showing him.

"Could you please repeat that? What is this, forgive me?"

"The feather of Kesk'Rim," then, remembering that he didn't believe in spirits, she started to explain, "The nocturnal guardian of the flames, the six-winged crow of-"

"I know who Kesk'Rim is, Shonah. I may not believe in spirits like you, but I am familiar with them,"

"Well, what's the matter?"

"The issue at hand is my difficulty in comprehending why you possess a hypothetical material fragment from a higher elemental."

Disregarding what he had just called Kesk'Rim, she proceeded to articulate precisely what she knew about the vision and the unexpected abilities she had acquired.

"And now, this feather in my hair has manifested seemingly out of thin air! Do you grasp the significance?" she implored, holding the feather even closer to his face.

"Yes, it appears this spirit is unfamiliar with the concept of personal space," Selior retorted, gently pushing her hand away.

Shonah was keen on getting to the point without delay. "Seriously."

"Shonah, even if your account holds true, I lack the experience to conduct such a ritual. My expertise lies in manipulating blood, bodies, and materials, not in handling a feather as large as a hand and a half."

"Selior, if the spirit is behaving in this manner, it must be aware that such a feat is possible."

"Is that so? Could you enlighten me on its educational background? As far as I'm aware, spirits possess no knowledge of rituals."

"Selior..." she began, her tone tinged with pleading.

"Shonah, this is too dangerous! You're asking me to conduct a ritual for which I have neither knowledge nor experience. If things go awry, you could end up dead, or worse, transformed into a monster."

The slim chance, though present, didn't change much for Shonah.

"Furthermore, if Odn were to discover that I didn't provide you with the bear ritual but something else entirely, I can't fathom how he might react."

What was the problem here? She was entitled to her ritual, wasn't she? It was her right to choose the means. No, the issue wasn't Odn; it was dealing with Selior. Unfortunately, she'd never convince the druid with pleasantries. So, Shonah opted for a more direct approach.

"Selior, if you don't assist me in performing this ritual, I will expose your true identity to everyone."

He wasn't fazed. "I already told you, it's not a concern for me. It would be my word against yours-"

"And I'll inform Odn about your sanctuary beyond the walls," she cut him off.

At those words, the druid went still. If Shonah disclosed the existence of that place, Selior's words would pale in comparison to what Odn would uncover. She honestly didn't want to resort to blackmail, but at the moment, it seemed like the only course of action, and she couldn't afford to waste any time.

Moments of tense silence ensued, much longer than anticipated, almost making Shonah feel guilty for her behavior. Finally, Selior let out a long, pained sigh. "I'll grant your request, but only because I can't fathom what you endured out there, and the fear of becoming like that creature is driving you to extremes..." He paused, and he was partly correct. After the vision, Shonah staunchly believed in what she asserted about Kesk'Rim.

The druid rose from the bed and began to speak again. "I won't forgive you if you die, know that." Shonah almost burst out laughing. If she were dead, she wouldn't have cared much about being forgiven. But the thought provided a momentary release of tension.

"Can you get up?" the druid inquired.

In response, Shonah, though with some discomfort and considerable effort, managed to leave the bed and stand upright in front of him. After another sigh, her friend finally headed towards the underground hall. "Follow me, come on. Let's return to the laboratory."

The journey, though brief, had been quite painful. Every movement caused a sharp ache in her side, and her body trembled with numerous pains whenever she did anything other than stand still.

Finally, they arrived back in the laboratory room that Selior had shown Shonah a few days prior to the test. He promptly made his way to the central table, his fingers tracing the deep grooves engraved on the surface.

"What are you doing?"

"You're in a hurry, aren't you? It would take too long to explain," he replied, throwing a subtle jab at her impatience from earlier.

Shonah snorted, but as long as she could convince him, it was fine. She shrugged and took a seat in a chair near the entrance. Selior fumbled for what felt like an eternity, shuffling papers, shifting glass bottles, and continuing to inspect some of the many grooves.

Meanwhile, Shonah began to wonder if her family knew she was alive. She couldn't recall a time when a test participant had returned. The village only got wind of it during a meeting with the chieftain... or if someone happened to catch a glimpse of the person, of course. But who knows, perhaps the families of those attempting the test were an exception to this rule?

She would find out soon enough. Regardless of what Selior said, the ritual would succeed. She was certain of it, or rather, she was certain that Kesk'Rim was watching over her.

"I've prepared everything," the druid's voice brought her back to reality, and turning towards him, she stood up to approach.

"Alright, let's begin. What should I do?"

"First, lie down on the table," she followed without arguing and positioned herself on the stone slab. The parts of her body not covered by the ceremonial dress quivered as her skin met the cold surface.

"Now, I will give you a brief overview of how it works."

"Wouldn't that have taken too long?" she replied in a tone that mingled sarcasm and arrogance. The chance to jab back was too tempting.

"If you prefer, I can begin dissecting you without any explanation," he said with a wink.

"What?" She raised her head suddenly. "What do you mean, dissect me?"

Selior let out a short laugh as Shonah narrowed her eyes at him. Rascal.

"Don't worry, it's not dangerous. To initiate the first blood exchange, a portion of it needs to be released from your body. I'll have to make incisions on your arms and legs, and the runes will take care of the rest."

She immediately recalled that peculiar mechanism she used to open her external refuge. "Thanks for letting me know you needed blood to open the door anyway..."

"It would have opened anyway, but it would have consumed your life force. A real bother," he snorted. "Now wait there. Before making any cuts, I'll grind this feather and mix it into the various liquids."

She didn't fully grasp what he was saying, but she didn't need to. She just had to remain still and let Selior handle everything.

She heard noises, likely Selior breaking the feather into small pieces. The sounds grew louder and louder until Selior returned to her. "I need to rephrase that. I've prepared ALMOST everything. I can't seem to break this stubborn elemental feather."

Shonah got up to see where the druid was struggling. Fragments of stone surrounded the feather, but it looked exactly as it did when Shonah first found it. If Selior needed to incorporate it into the ritual, they had to find a way to fragment the feather.

And if...

"Can you place it in a bowl?"

He looked at her skeptically. "Of course, I can," and in a matter of moments, he placed a stone bowl next to the feather. "What do you need it for?"

Shonah got up and approached one of the lanterns that illuminated the room. Establishing a connection with the fire, she drew the flame into one hand and approached the feather. Selior recoiled slightly, a concerned look on his face, but she ignored him and held the quill with her free hand.

"Kesk'Rim is the lord of fire. His essence resides in the purity of the flames," she explained as she transferred the fire from her hand to the feather. The feather ignited, and as it burned, Shonah placed it in the bowl. Suddenly, the fire took on a golden hue, and for a brief moment, Shonah glimpsed that same golden light from her vision.

In a short time, the golden flame extinguished and vanished. Both she and Selior gazed at what remained in astonishment. His eyes were wide, and his mouth hung half-open. Shonah couldn't blame him; she hadn't expected this outcome either. When she decided to burn the feather, she had assumed it would turn into ashes that the druid could then use. Instead, a black liquid with small golden threads now filled the bowl. Shonah had never seen anything like it.

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"This... This might work," Selior began to mumble. "It's akin to phoenix blood... Yes, yes..." He continued talking to himself for a moment while Shonah kept her gaze fixed on the peculiar liquid. She was distracted, and when she felt a slight pain in her arm, she nearly jerked. Turning her head, she saw that Selior was drawing blood from a fresh cut.

"You could have warned me... I almost moved and you might have cut me deeper."

Selior, while pouring the blood into the same bowl as the liquid, absentmindedly replied, "Oh, sorry, my bad. I was still caught up in the process. But now I believe I know how to proceed. Shonah, please lie down again. We must hurry."

Being the only one privy to the proceedings, she promptly followed his instructions and reclined on the table, anticipating further guidance from the druid. Shortly after, Selior approached her once more, holding the bowl in his hand. "Drink half of it. And be prepared, for it will be painful," he advised, bringing it closer to her.

She was to drink the feather mixed with... her own blood? Oh...

"Trust me. I've figured out how to do it," he reassured her.

She had pressed him into this, so she couldn't back down now. Besides, how would Kesk'Rim react if she refused the gift? No, Shonah had to put her trust in the ritual.

Lifting her head, she pressed her lips to the bowl and consumed half of the liquid it held. It flowed smoothly, warm and tasteless like water, making it easier for her not to dwell on what she had just ingested. The moment she lay back down, her body began to convulse violently. Shonah started to feel cold, a sensation akin to falling ill.

Her body refused to cease its tremors. She attempted to rise but found she couldn't move a single muscle. In the meantime, Selior had vanished, off somewhere in the room, presumably fetching something. The spasms intensified, wracking her entire frame with pain. In a crescendo of suffering, Shonah closed her eyes and allowed herself to retreat into the recesses of her mind, seeking solace from the torment gripping her body.

When she opened her eyes once more, she found herself back in the same place where she had been when she was attacked by the werewolf. However, this time, the darkness had already been banished by the radiance of the great spirit. Kesk'Rim now had his claws grounded, gazing at the boundless horizon in contemplative silence.

Not wanting to show any disrespect, Shonah approached in silence and settled at a slight distance from the great crow.

"You took the flame," the same powerful and resolute voice she had heard the first time echoed. Realizing that he was addressing her, she replied, "Yes, Great Kesk'Rim."

"Now, your path is fire."

He turned his fiery gaze to her. She nodded her head in respectful acknowledgment.

"Fire can illuminate the right path... or consume it."

The statement sounded almost like a warning, but the great spirit must have had his reasons for speaking to her in such a way.

"What should I do?" Shonah asked. Why had the spirit chosen her? What did he expect from her? Shonah wished she knew...

But Kesk'Rim had already spread his wings, his gaze fixed on the infinite once again, and he soared away, heading towards the black horizon he had been observing since Shonah's arrival. As the Night of Flames receded, darkness enveloped everything once more.

Shonah woke up in a state of panic, screaming. After realizing that the darkness was gone, she managed to calm herself down. She sat up on the stone slab, taking deep breaths to steady herself. What had just happened? Where was Kesk'Rim? Why hadn't he answered her?

Too many questions and too few answers. Her head was pounding, and she took a moment to clear her thoughts. Once she had gathered herself, she began to carefully observe the room. The first thing she noticed was that Selior was not there. Where had he gone?

If she remembered correctly, he was supposed to be present throughout the entire ritual to prevent anything from going wrong. Shonah decided to go in search of him and got off the table. She felt her body much lighter than usual, even when well-rested. Perhaps it was an effect of the ritual. Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of approaching footsteps. Shonah attempted to stand, but her sense of balance was still unsteady, and she had to lean against the stone slab for support.

Gerda entered the laboratory room, causing Shonah to freeze. Why was Gerda in the room? As far as she knew, only Selior, Odn, and those attempting the ordeal were allowed in the temple.

The guard appeared to be even more surprised than Shonah, stopping in her tracks and widening her eyes as soon as she saw her. They stood there for a few moments, locked in a silent exchange, until Shonah was the one to break it.

"Gerda, what are you doing here? And where is Sel... Kam?" She had almost said Selior's name, but luckily she caught herself in time, remembering that she was theoretically the only one, besides Odn, who knew his real identity.

"Is that really you, Shonah?" inquired the Force Clan guard.

The question struck Shonah as strange. Who else would it be?

"Who else would I be but myself?" she responded with a touch of annoyance. It seemed like a silly question, deserving a similarly pointed answer.

As if recovering from her astonishment, Gerda continued, "The last time I saw you, your hair wasn't as black as a moonless night. And your eyes were brown, like your father's. Now they're... different."

Shonah was dumbfounded by those words. She had been ready to retort even before the guard had spoken, but now she found herself with her mouth half open. Regaining her composure, she immediately reached up to touch her hair, verifying the truth of Gerda's statement. As she brought a strand of hair up to her face, she saw not her usual blond color, but a deep, raven black – the exact shade as Kesk'Rim's feather.

This revelation hinted that the ritual might have been successful.

While Shonah didn't particularly mind the change in her hair color, the potential implication that the ritual had truly connected her with the great spirit of the flames was significant.

Turning her attention back to Gerda, who was still in the room, Shonah spoke, "I'm just as surprised as you are, but I assure you, I am Shonah. Now, could you please tell me where Sel Kam is? I need to discuss the ritual with him."

Gerda appeared uneasy, avoiding direct eye contact and instead scanning the room's surroundings. After a brief moment, she mustered a response. "Sel Kam is in Odn's custody. When Odn discovered that the ritual was performed without his consent, and with a different animal than the one you were entitled to... well, he became furious."

The mental image of the heated confrontation weighed heavily on Shonah's conscience. She had coerced her friend into conducting the ritual earlier. "When did all of this happen?"

Finally meeting Shonah's gaze, Gerda disclosed, "Three moons have passed since then. We've been vigilant, following Odn's instructions, but you remained in a deep slumber... And now, here you stand before me, looking vastly different from the last time I saw you."

The realization that she had been in a trance-like state for three full days was staggering. Unfortunately, without Selior, it seemed fruitless to spend more time asking questions or reflecting on the ritual. If Odn intended to exile Selior, Shonah needed to take action. She had, after all, played a significant role in landing him in this predicament, and now it was her responsibility to help him.

"Where has he taken him?"

"Shonah, I'm sorry to have to tell you this, but Sel Kam... that's the least of your worries. You're also subject to Odn's judgment." The realization hit her like a heavy blow. In addition to being taken aback by her transformation, Gerda's discomfort stemmed from the fact that she had to bring Shonah to trial. Dear Gerda, Shonah knew the guard had no choice.

She was on the verge of asking why, when it dawned on her that the chieftain couldn't be naive enough to believe that Sel Kam had acted alone out of curiosity. He must have suspected that she was the instigator... and now he wanted to punish them both.

"So, what happens now?"

"Now, you come with me." Gerda hesitated, clearly burdened by delivering this news. "We'll leave the temple and head to the square. Odn is already there."

Already there?

"How did he know I would wake up just now?"

"He didn't know. Ever since he found out about Sel Kam and your ritual, he's been spending half the day in front of the temple."

Determination...

Perhaps Selior was waiting outside, just as Odn was. "Alright, Gerda. Lead the way."

The guard nodded in agreement. After one last serious look, she began to lead the way out of the temple.

In no time, both Gerda and Shonah stood at the temple entrance. Before opening the door leading to the square, Gerda turned to her. "Whatever happens, please don't attempt anything strange."

What did Gerda mean by "strange"?

She didn't get a chance to ask, as Gerda had already stepped out, leaving her no choice but to follow. The daylight bathed her face, and oddly, she didn't even squint after the drastic change in light intensity. The underground chamber seemed dim in comparison to the early morning brilliance outside.

"Is this Shonah?" came the chieftain's voice. "Do you see what you've done?" Shonah turned toward the sound to find Odn, adorned in ceremonial robes, with Selior kneeling beside him. Both stared at her as though she were some kind of aberration. Odn's gaze was stern, his mouth tightly set, while Selior's expression verged on surprise, even fear. What could possibly be so peculiar about Shonah?

Upon closer inspection, Shonah noticed that her druid friend bore several marks on his face. Odn must have been less patient this time, striking him directly rather than choosing a sturdier target, like the wooden table...

She wanted to call out Selior's name, but that would only make matters worse. Deciding to rein in her emotions, she walked slowly beside Gerda towards them. "Gerda, please notify the messengers to summon the tribe here. The proceedings will commence as soon as possible." The guard nodded and moved away.

Odn, Shonah, and Selior remained in front of the temple. "I cannot tolerate this," Odn declared, pointing a finger at Shonah. "This exceeds even the latitude you have been generously granted." He was addressing Selior, but Shonah felt the need to interject.

"Honorable chieftain," she began, bowing her head, "please, do not punish Sel Kam. It was my request to undergo this ritual."

"Silence, Shonah," he bellowed. "Your turn will come. This is between him and the clan. Now, kneel beside Sel Kam." Shonah was about to retort when she caught Selior shaking his head, signaling her not to respond. Taking her place beside the Druid, a question gnawed at her mind. What could she do? It haunted her from the moment the square started filling with people until it was packed.

Glancing up briefly, she couldn't spot her family right away, but at the moment, it wasn't a priority. Odn began to speak. "Brothers and sisters. I have summoned you here today due to a grave transgression..."

But Shonah didn't want to hear from the chieftain. She wanted to hear from Selior, to know what had happened. "How did they find out?" she asked the druid in a hushed tone.

He raised his head slightly, his eyes weary, looking worse for wear. "Shonah... forget it," he murmured, then focused on her. "Most importantly, how do you feel? Do you sense a difference?"

"I feel alright, but aside from feeling lighter, the black hair, and the fact that everyone gazes at me as if I'm a monster? I wouldn't say so."

"Perhaps you haven't observed your eyes quite closely," Selior retorted with a hint of sarcasm.

What did he mean? She was about to ask, but her inquiry was cut short when Odn approached the two of them, particularly Selior.

"Stand," he commanded, taking Selior by the arm and lifting him up as Shonah might have done with a leaf.

"The accusation is that he deviated from our sacred traditions. Sel Kam performed a forbidden ritual at the request of the test winner. This act has angered the spirits, and for this, he is sentenced to permanent exile from the village."

Shonah couldn't suppress those words. She stood up, locking eyes with Odn, and boldly declared, “You have no understanding of what the spirits, Odn of the Strength Clan, truly desire. Do not fabricate transgressions merely because they do not align with our narrow traditions. You are ignorant of the spirits; I have witnessed their essence, and it is not bound to our foolish customs!" The voices from the crowd started to rise after she concluded her speech.

Odn glared at her, his jaw clenched. The crowd fell into an astonished silence, seemingly taken aback by Shonah's audacious response to the chieftain.

Perhaps her retort served no purpose, but Selior was on the brink of banishment, and if she did nothing, she might be next... She had to act in accordance with what she believed was right, after all her training and preparation.

“I, Shonah, born of the Unbrave clan, challenge Odn of the Strength clan for the position of chieftain.”

This time, the voices from the crowd erupted like the aimless fluttering of flocks of birds. Selior stared at her, mouth agape and eyes wide, while Odn seemed almost pleased with this turn of events.

He would accept, she knew he would.

The tribal chief was determined through a battle between the most worthy candidates, and Odn had defended his position since before she was born. A chieftain could not refuse a challenge except with valid justifications, and even then, it would stain their honor. Odn would never decline this challenge. Now, he only had to agree and set the terms.

Shortly after, he spoke a few but weighty words. “I accept. I choose victory through mortal combat.”