The world was still asleep when Rahdin’s slumber came to an end. He wasn’t groggy; rather, felt rested if not a bit stiff as the blood in his body reminded him of his limbs. Quietly, he brought the covers off and left his bed. As he opened the curtain of his window, rays of sunlight made a grand entrance into the kingdom of his room, illuminating his world. Though he’d never paid much attention before, the stray particles that the light illuminated took his attention for the moment, as he stood there admiring the sight.
When his interest finally waned, he began to stretch as he remembered the days immediately after he’d returned to the cabin. His father had brought out a rectangular suitcase in which they’d both began to pack clothing and other materials they thought Rahdin might need. Interestingly, those few days went by slowly and more vividly, as the number of clothes, brushes, soaps, and other things they thought he’d need began to pile up. To his eyes, however, it seemed there was ever more to pack, thought the list Caitlyn had told them of consisted only of clothing and a cloak.
In the end, his father had carved their name into the suitcase. “Shufo,” he said, “has no meaning. I want you to remember this. Our family has never been noble, our blood as regular as it comes. Thus, our legacy,” - he pointed at Rahdin’s chest - “is your own. No beliefs, no values, except one - do what you will, but do it sincerely.” With that, the suitcase had closed and they spent the next two days hunting in the forest. His father had promised him long ago a proper cloak, made of bear, elk, and fire snake when he was younger. However, with his designation as essence user, Rahdin’s father hunted with a speed and passion unbeknownst to Rahdin. Within the first day, he had everything he needed. The next day, they’d both crafted the cloak together, his father teaching and imparting as many lessons as he could.
To Rahdin’s eyes, it seemed a master piece. Across the entire work, the fur was a brown red, seemingly reminiscent of the faint presence of blood. However, each strand seemed nearly alight, like embers, giving the entire color a much lighter feel. It was much longer than Rahdin, but he knew that it wouldn’t be long until he grew to a height where the cloak would fit him perfectly. Until then, he carefully folded it and placed it in his suitcase. With that, his father closed it and set it on the dining table, ready for travel.
The theatre of memories in Rahdin’s head finally began to slow as he exited his reverie. The cabin was warm now as his father had left the fire burning overnight. Though dangerous, he’d simply smiled and said, “I’ll let it go this time.” Though there but ashes left, bright embers still glowed magnificently against the grey and black remains as he walked out of his room into the main room. It wasn’t a big house by any means; there were three rooms, with any bathing taking place outside. In its simplicity, however, there was a feeling of familiarity and openness; from the fire place and the room entrances, the house seemed to say, “Welcome.”
The gentle snow fall had utterly ceased now and the sky, though partly covered by clouds, was mostly open. The sun outlined each cloud and the land, ultimately painting a landscape of forest, town, and home that one could stare for hours at. As Rahdin left the house to bathe, he took in this view entirely, seemingly ignoring the cold droplets of water still tracing their way down his body. His young mind seemed pre-occupied with only one thought, at the moment however;
“When will I see this sight again?”
Even now, he was beginning to miss his home.
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Formation!”
The sound of soldiers busting about caught Rahdin’s attention as he and his father walked side by side through the town on their way back to the town center. Orders similar to that above among other conversations could be heard everywhere. He noticed a small lack of pristine and glorious order that a few days before could be seen by each solider as some seemed to be in a rush. However, it was unnoticeable as those in armor formed groups and began to walk as well. Towns people looked on, but their attention was not as drawn as the days prior.
“Rah!! Hey mom, look! It’s him!” A familiar voice could be heard a small distance away, drawing his both his and his father’s attention to the source. Coming towards them was Sheia and a taller and a woman who seemed embarrassed. She had long, brown hair with some rare, ever-so slightly lighter highlights that seemed to fall on her back and around her shoulders. Her skin was light and her jawline was defined. Overall, she was what one could describe as a captivating beauty.
These features extended slightly to Sheia. Her hair was a much lighter shade of brown and she had blue eyes, contrasting to the dark eyes her mother had. Her hair was cut at a shorter length as well. Her skin was also a tad darker than her mothers, coming from what could be inferred to be her father. She was smiling and slightly snickering as well as the two walked towards Rahdin and his father, which elicited a slight feeling of annoyance in Rahdin and repetitive hushing from her mother.
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“I’m so sorry, Surada! She’s so excited,” her mother said in between attempts to calm her daughter down. He nodded, saying, “It’s alright, Y’van. Why don’t we let the two walk on? It’d be good to catch up, in any case.” With a nod, he looked down at Rahdin, saying “You too head along and find a place to wait. Take some money and find a small restaurant, perhaps. I’ll carry your suitcase for now.” With that, he handed some coins to him and lightly patted him on the back.
With a sigh, Rahdin began walking, saying “Let’s go, Sheia.”
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“Soooo, you’re ok then?”
Rahdin nodded, “Yeah, for the most part. It feels so sudden though, right? Like, all our life spent here and now we’re about to go off- HEY CAREFUL!” Sheia, who’d been too busy walking around and being jumpy to actually listen to him was about to bump into someone. Lucky, he’d been aware and pulled her back before her inevitable collision. It helped that even at 11 years old, he was a little more than 5 feet tall. The years spent alongside his father had kept him physically and mentally in shape as well. This was in comparison to the much shorter Sheia, around 4 7/12 ft. tall.
“Stick by me, Sheia. You’ll make someone mad.” “Sorry…” came the reply, followed by an inaudible whisper of “worry wart.” Rahdin shook his head, but the two kept walking. They formed an odd pair, with Sheia’s attention being drawn everywhere. This kept her energetic and talkative, in contrast to Rahdin’s more silent, observing manner. I don’t, he thought, necessarily dislike her though.
“Say, Rah, don’t you feel kind of bad? Bakro, Kursa, and Lillia turned out to be normal.” At this, Sheia quieted down, though she still skipped and jerked around at points while walking. Rahdin replied, “I’m not sure. I’m kind of jealous. Like, they get to stay at home. They don’t have to leave home for so long.” She gave a look of incredulity; “Are you kidding?! We get to an actual academy! We’ll get to blow things up with our minds! I can learn how to fly! That totally beats being here!”
It was his turn to chuckle; “Maybe you’ve got a point there.” From there, he spotted one of his father’s friends at a restaurant. He tapped Sheia’s arm and motioned her to follow, skipping along the way. As they got close, he was noticed as the friend, an older man in his 60s with greying hair, called out to him. A quick hug and introduction later, they were seated, with Rahdin talking sparsely as Sheia sat in her seat, looking around and eating.
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“To those who have passed the test of light, we now welcome you into our ranks. No matter who you are, know that your potential is limitless. You are now given the glorious chance to serve the Vadoran empire in its totality. With your strength, our enemies will fall and we will reign supreme!”
The voice, seemingly female and male in unison, echoed across the center. Rahdin and Sheia were with their parents again as they stood at the front of a crowd. On a podium constructed in place of the obelisk, a knight stood. There was no way to tell who they were; the armor glowed bright, mixing with the sunlight that seemed to nearly blind people. The armor was intricate, with chiseled shoulder pads and two long horns that came out of the head in the shape of a 7. The breast plate featured the logo of the empire, a diamond that had been elongated along the width and a cross connecting the inner corners.
“To those who have passed, say your good byes to your families. They are the light that have guided you from inception; it is our turn to take the reigns, and one day your turn to guide others too. Then, come towards the center.”
As kids began to say their good byes, Rahdin looked up towards his father. In turn, his father knelt down and pulled off the hood on his cloak. This revealed a brown face rife with small and large scars. He had a gruff, black beard that was almost long with a relatively short, yet thick amount hair on his head. The most discerning feature would be the long, 3 pronged scar that went across his face where his right eye was. This eye seemed milky, making one think him blind. In truth, he had good vision, which often deceived people.
This gruff face, however, was extremely tender as he put the suitcase down and gently pulled Rahdin into a warm hug. He placed a gentle kiss on Rahdin’s forehead as he said, “I love you, my din. You are every bit your mother and I. You are strong and perfect in so many ways.
You are calm, silent and observing; these are the traits of a good man, they will serve you well. Don’t be afraid to sometimes join in on the fun, however; enjoy your life. If you ever have a chance, know that I will welcome you home for as long as I live.”
With these words came an ache in Rahdin’s heart. His hug grew tighter, squeezing tightly as almost to try and stay with his father. He burrowed his face in his father cloak and when he eventually left his embrace, it was wet. His father, noticing, smiled and wiped his face, then handed him his suit case. A final pat on the back sent Rahdin forward. Rahdin looked around at other kids like him walk towards the being of armor.
Once the kids finally had grouped up, the being finally said, “Bear witness to the future of Vadoran. Take pride and know that here lies strength! Until we meet again, citizens.” The soldiers who’d been in the center began to march towards the edge of the town while a light began to circulate around the being, podium, and children. It grew faster and chaotic until there was a growing ring of light surrounding them. As it engulfed them, Rahdin closed his eyes. He noticed that many kids still cried, though his own heart seemed to calm down. He opened his mouth to say something, but decided against it. Instead, he smiled as he thought,
The future beckons.