Silver Cathedral Saga: Observer Chronicles, Book 1

Initiation

It was the next day, the day that held Eleanor and Christian's first steps into becoming a Spell-caster.

They were led to a large room after breakfast. Double, gigantic doors were opened from the one who led them here; a one which housed weapons, dummies, shields, and a whole lot of space to go with it. Yet the floor was made of something quite soft. Not stone like other rooms, but it was sturdy enough to walk on without too much effort.

The Spell-caster left their side as soon as the children entered, and it all began. Right there, right then.

"Before we even start this magick training each individual is giving a choice. A choice in what god or goddess to follow. Just make sure you pick a suitable one. Because there is no going back once you've decided." The man was clearly another Priest, like the one they saw in Sunndira being sucked into the black hole. He wore all the same colour upon his cloak, or lack of it. This man was not as old as the other Priest they had seen before, but must have around the age of fifty still.

"If you need time to decide you can have one day from now to tell me your choice. Then we will begin. If you are not so well educated with the gods, I have gotten permission to place the 'Text of Edeolon' here from the Throne Room."

It was the book they saw just yesterday, and a grand size of a book it was. Only it stood on a strong high table, not the proper stand that was in the room they first saw it in.

Eleanor and Christian moved over to it and looked at the text just out of curiosity. The penmanship was impressive. None of the children could imagine themselves writing that pristine, clear and fancy at the same time without making a single mistake.

"Well," said the Priest. "Your choice?" rushing them along.

Eleanor looked to the middle-aged man and knew instantly, looking at the name of the god she would choose to follow. "Emae. I choose Emae," said Eleanor, sounding confident in her choice.

"I must tell you that each deity gives different ways of using magick, as well as different abilities. For the god of fire, light and suns—you will be powered by the sun, and will also be at your strongest when it is out. Also, Fire-casters are primarily long-range units." She didn't move or say anything again to confirm her decision. "Okay, good," said the Priest with one less decision to get out of the way. "And what about you, Christian?"

"I... I think in some way I always knew what to follow. I am a puzzle solver. A worker of the mind." Eleanor knew exactly which direction he was going, but mostly because they both discussed this decision at length last night. Him looking at the book right now, next to the Priest, he continued to look at her name, the goddess he would choose.

The Priest knew who he was talking about as soon as he mentioned the word 'mind', but still had to hear the name to move forward with their training. "I choose Xenne."

"Excellent. I don't think I have grown any more patience with age, and like to get onto things as soon as possible. So you have just made this day that bit easier for me." The Priest pushed the two away from the book on the table and closed it. "Right, that is all for now. We could not carry forward until we knew what Masters to bring in to help you train, and now we do. Go and take a look around the place until four. The Masters will be ready by then in this room, to help you start your initiation."

Initiation. The two children knew what it was, yet they didn't know what happened within it. All they did know, was that it was a ritual that ties a bond to their chosen god or goddess.

Eleanor and Christian did in fact do as the Priest said, and looked around. It was the first time they could do so properly. Yet at the same time there were so many people rushing backwards and forwards because of the Shadows that it was hard to appreciate the structure without being disturbed.