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Created so a friend of mine and I can co-write a story, reviews welcome. |
| [Introduction]
Much easier than emailing back and forth
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| “Come on, Kaylee. It was your idea to come here the least you can do is keep up.” Azura, known as just Zura to her friends, called over her shoulder as she ducked under a cobweb. “It may have been my idea, but you were the one who insisted that we come tonight. You should be getting a good night’s sleep for your Initiation tomorrow.” “I couldn’t sleep anyway. I can’t believe you’re not going through it too.” Azura gently ran her fingers over the rough wooden walls of the abandoned house. Dust clung to her fingertips so she wiped them on her leggings. Outside, the wind picked up making the building creak. “Zura, don’t you think we should…” With a final groan, the ancient nails gave way and the stairs above their head began to fall. Kaylee screamed and her friend instinctively threw up a hand while squeezing her eyes shut. A few seconds later, Kaylee opened her own eyes to see that the dust had cleared. She warily checked her arms and legs from her place on the floor to make sure everything was in working order. It seemed by some miracle that she’d managed to miss most of the danger until she looked up to check on her friend. Her eyes widened in surprise, rotten boards and rusted metal hovered over their heads, held at bay by some invisible barrier. “Zura?” The older girl carefully reopened her blue eyes. Azura sucked in a shaky breath and the barrier overhead waver. “Easy girl.” “Let’s go.” She whispered. “Just focus on the shield, okay? I’ll get us out.” Azura gave a small nod. The shield shuddered again, dumping several broken pieces to the ground. Kaylee quickly took her friend’s arm and started to lead her towards the entrance. Rubble slid off the shield as they moved, tumbling to weak floorboards. “Can I drop it yet?” Her head was beginning to feel fuzzy. Right as she asked, the floorboards gave way and they began to fall. They jolted to a sudden halt and Azura collapsed to her knees on the second invisible barrier that had stopped their fall. Blood trickled slowly out of her nose. “Just a little longer.” Whimpering, the strawberry blonde bowed her head, the concentration required to keep her shields steady already causing her vision to become blurry. Kaylee quickly grabbed the doorjamb, pulling the two girls to safety. “Come on, let’s get you home.” “Thank you.” With a gasp, Nikali shot up in his bed. The images from his dream were already fading, blurry faces replacing the crystal clear images he’d had of the two girls just moments before. He could still remember the terror of falling but the other details slowly departed, leaving him charged with an intense need to help. Barely pausing to throw on a shirt over his shorts before beginning to methodically pack his bag. “I thought you weren’t going to Initiate with us this year.” The young man wasn’t fazed by the voice coming from behind him, his link with his twin already telling him she was there. “I changed my mind.” “You saw something about me, didn’t you?” He looked at her, catching her brown eyes with his gray ones. “No, but I feel like I have to be at the Initiation.” Xaya crossed the room and opened his blinds to let the morning sun seep inside. “It sure beats being stuck here with all these kids.” As opposed to living in the dorms like most teenagers, the Arnot twins had chosen to live at home rather than being split by the strict gender division rules of the dorms that were their only options for housing. Co-ed living prior to the Initiation was unheard of. It was believed that those who were pre-Initiation age, 20 years old being the first year that you’re allowed to participate in the Festival, were too immature to properly handle cohabitation with those of the opposite sex. The twins heard the crystal tinkling of a bell from downstairs as Nikali finally zipped his bag closed. It had no sooner faded before the loud clumping of four pairs of feet racing down to breakfast. “You wouldn’t think that two sets of twins would make so much noise.” Xaya grumbled. The Arnot family was well known for it’s many twins; Xaya and Nikali were the oldest of this generation. “Another thing I won’t be missing.” Nikali laughed. “Come on, I’m starving.” “You’re always starving.” She replied dryly, rushing off to grab her own luggage as he slung his bag onto his shoulder. “Don’t forget to tell mom about your change of heart, she’ll need to get you your suit.” “Yes, Xaya.” A slim young man sat beneath an old oak tree, his eyes shut as his every breath came steady and smooth. His fingers twitched, the tips sometimes just brushing the pale brown mark on the heel of his left hand. He began to sink deeper into his meditation when a callused hand was laid on his bare shoulder. Yelping, he jumped up, somehow spinning in midair to face the intruder as he landed. “Bev! Do I need to get you a bell?” He exclaimed. “Like a cat?” The intruder, a tall young woman laughed. Her hair, so light it was nearly white, cascaded in waves over her shoulders. “Not my style.” “You could at least walk a little louder so you don’t scare people!” Bev out her hands on her hips, carefully looking over her friend. His hair looked darker than its usual honey blonde. “You’ve been experimenting again, haven’t you? Have you forgotten how dangerous that is, Maycks?” He sighed, turning his hair back to blonde and rubbing his eyes. They were permanently gold as a result of when his first experiment with changing his appearance had gone wrong. “You know you aren’t supposed to do that without the proper instruction!” “And you aren’t supposed to be punching trees either.” He reached out and grabbed her hand, rubbing his thumb over the bleeding cuts on her knuckles. As he did so, the cuts healed leaving only a smear of blood on unblemished skin that he quickly wiped away with a handkerchief pulled from his pocket. “We should get back to town or we’ll miss our Initiation.” Maycks smirked; carefully folding his handkerchief with the blood on the inside before pocketing is to wash later. “Yes, we should.” The ceremony seemed to drag on forever. Normally Azura would’ve had her ears perfectly attuned to capture every word uttered by the Elders to the young men and women about to be Initiated but her adventures from the night before weighed heavily on her mind, dragging her down toward slumber. Her eyelids drifted closed only to snap open again as her neighbor, a fellow Shifter, due to their being seated by their gift type, dug his elbow into her side. ‘Thank you’ she mouthed to him just as the Elder called out the next name. “Nikali Arnot.” Her eyes were automatically drawn to the dark-haired figure that rose from his seat to approach the stage. As she focused on him, she was puzzled by the fact that her body was waking up, almost as if her life before now had been a dream. He looked… nice. He wore his black hair in charming disarray, like he’d just woken up and had a serious air about him. On stage he was talking with the Elders, answering the questions they normally asked preliminary to the ritual of Unlocking. “Do you swear to pursue further learning to the extent of your abilities?” “I do.” “Do you promise that should your skill surpass that of your instructors you will explore them further so you will be able to help younger generations in their studies?” “I will.” “Do you pledge yourself to the respect of the Group, should it be family, friends, colleagues or the community?” “I pledge.” With that final promise, Nikali took the hand of Elder Rhya, a Seer who’s abilities made it possible to see the potential of the Initiates and match them with the best instructors. As he took her hand it felt like he was being sucked down a long tunnel even though he could still feel the wooden stage beneath his feet. He saw dark blue eyes, a healing wound, a boulder being pushed to cover a hole and finally Xaya standing in the middle of a field. Then he was back in his body to once again puzzle out the meaning of what he’d seen. Rhya placed a slip of paper in his hand containing the name of the residence of where he’d live with his teacher. He was so lost in his own thoughts that he paid no mind to his sister as she mounted the steps to the stage as he was starting down. He felt her brush his arm as they passed, a wave of comfort washing through him for a brief moment. |
| As she walked up the steps towards the Elders, she watched her brother carefully. He seemed a little disorientated by something, and it worried her. That morning he’d also been acting a little strange. She brushed up against him as he passed and took a deep breath as she came to stand in front of the Elders. The Unlocking ritual was easy enough, and she strode forward more confidently to take Elder Rhya’s hand. Suddenly she felt as if her soul was being sucked out of her body, and a horrible wave of sadness shook her as images flew past her mind’s eye too quickly to make out. Trying not to tremble, she took the piece of paper offered to her and made it down the stairs and back to her chair without doing anything to betray the terrible fear that was growing in her heart. When his name was called, Maycks almost bounded out of his chair and up the steps. Glee filled him. Finally he would be Initiated. He hoped his teacher would let him experiment, but if he or she didn’t allow it there would always be ways to do so. As he came to stand in front of the row of Elders and made the promises, eager to take Elder Rhya’s hand and receive his paper. The moment he took her hand, though, something strange happened. Suddenly he was weak and couldn’t feel his body, and he felt like someone was calling him. Someone, somewhere, would need his help- but he couldn’t tell who. Pushing her blonde hair back, Bev ghosted up the stairs. She glanced at Maycks as she passed him and was surprised to find his normally cheerful demeanor replaced by a thoughtful look. She didn’t have too much time to ponder it, though, and soon she was standing before the Elders and answering the three ritual questions. She hesitated to take Elder Rhya’s hand, but clasped it firmly when the Elder’s eyebrow rose. She was hit with a feeling of helplessness, and suddenly knew that the ritual promises she made had to be kept at all costs- because someone out there would need her, one day. |
| It was finally Azura’s turn to make her way up to the stage. As she made her way up the stairs all thoughts of the previous Initiates left her mind, leaving her alone in her mind with the feeling of extreme apprehension. Elder Rhya seemed to read her expression and gave her a reassuring smile as the younger girl answered the questions, fully aware of the importance of what she was promising. “Are you ready?” Rhya asked her. She nodded, talking the woman’s hand. She was moving through the air, standing on one of her barriers clutching the hand of someone next to her. Part of her knew it was Rhya’s while another part could feel that this hand was larger, a man’s hand. In this vision she looked over her shoulder and got the sense that she was watching the present disappearing behind her. Then things shifted to her standing in a field and something was shooting at her. Azura threw up a hand and a shield appeared, this one almost opaque, a form she had yet to even hope to achieve. Rhya let go of her hand the vision evaporated so suddenly that she had to take a small step forward so she wouldn’t fall. Someone slipped a sheet of paper into her hand and carefully guided her towards the stairs. She gratefully sank down into her chair and unfolded her paper. ‘Brikan Manor’ it read. Azura closed her eyes to nap until the end of the ceremony. Hours later, she stood outside a pair of iron gates. ‘Brikan Manor’ was etched in the stone arch above it, the large building beyond would be her new home. For how long there was no telling, but she was ready to begin. Now if only she could figure out the best way to get her many boxes up the long drive. Azura sighed. “Would you like some help?” Her gaze jumped to the figure of the young man that had appeared beside the small stable attached to the stone wall that surrounded the property. She remembered seeing him at the Initiation. Blonde hair and gold eyes were a unique combination though she couldn’t recall his name. “Were you assigned here?” “Yes, I’m Maycks Folly.” He saw her mouth quirk up slightly in a smile. “Yeah, yeah, I’ve heard all the jokes.” “What have you done to prove them wrong?” Maycks stopped, having to give a moment for her unexpected response to be recognized by his brain. “Good one, can I be of any assistance?” “If you’d please. I need to get them to where ever my room is and I’ve only got my two hands.” “Then allow me to help you.” Maycks stepped closer to pick up the first box and finally got a good look at her eyes. “Wow, they’re really blue.” She smiled. “You have no idea how many people have given pause once they really see them.” “I wish I’d met you before I’d tried to experiment. That blue is gorgeous.” At Azura’s puzzled look he held up his hand so she could see the mole on its heel. “I’m a healer. A few years back I tried to get rid of my boring green eyes by turning them a different color.” He gestured towards his gold orbs. “There’s a reason they warn against changing without instruction, the change is permanent.” “Wow.” She breathed. “I wouldn’t mind fitting in more at times. A lot of people get so enamored with my eyes that they can’t listen to me. I’m Azura Searin, a shifter.” She flashed him the mark between her thumb and forefinger. “Then maybe when I get some training I can learn how to hide it for you in a way that won’t be as permanent as mine.” Maycks carefully picked up her boxes, leading the way up to the house. “Then you can count on me to be your guinea pig.” The pair rounded the corner and Azura gasped as she beheld the beautiful stone house, more like a mansion really. “How many others are here?” “I’ve seen about five or six others but I’ve heard there’s usually about four or five newcomers every year. With you and I arriving I’d say that there may just be a few more.” “Thanks so much for your help.” Azura told him as he put her boxes down outside her door. “Not a problem. It was nice to meet you, Azura.” With that, Maycks walked off. Surveying her large room once more with delight, no more sharing with someone else, she began to unpack. ((Maycks and Azura I’m thinking are the only ones at Brikan from the group. Maybe Nikali is alone and Xaya and Bev are together or Bev’s with Nikali. It doesn’t matter, whatever you want to do. I’d just like Xaya and Nikali to be separated. Also, I’ll be adding for Nikali later.)) |
| "Welcome to Xerxes Manor. I am your assigned Adept, Olwyn. Your rooms will be on the second floor, numbers eleven and twelve. Feel free to decorate your rooms any way you want- you'll be here for a while, so you might as well begin feeling like this is your home. When you're done unpacking, please come back here. I'll explain the rules of the house and what you'll be doing." Adept Olwyn was a tall, imposing woman with silvery glasses and sharp green eyes that seemed to see everything. Xaya studied her critically. She wasn't very happy that she'd been seperated from her brother without getting the chance to discuss her visions with him or why he was so pensive. But it wasn't all bad. Adept Owlyn, for all she looked like a strict schoolteacher, didn't seem like she would impose unreasonable rules or make her life miserable. She glanced over at the blonde girl next to her and sighed. As they climbed the stairs to their rooms, she wondered when she'd be able to see Nikali again. "My name is Bev. You're...Xia, right?" Despite her gloomy mood her mouth curved up into an amused smile. "No, Xaya. Nice to meet you, Bev." "It's certainly not going to be easy, this training," Bev murmured. "Why did you think it would be?" Bev laughed. "I don't know, myself. Anyway, cheer up. This mansion's beautiful- and we'll be living in it until we complete our training!" She smiled. "That's true. Thank you." Bev grinned and stopped in front of one of the rooms. "No problem. Hopefully the rules Adept Olwyn is going to tell us aren't that strict." "Hopefully not. Anyway, see you downstairs." Then she opened the door to her new room and went inside. |
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