A large transit glided to a halt in front of the crowd of people waiting. Most of the people in the crowd were parents with their children, waiting in anticipation for the transit to arrive. Many of the parents looked proud and hopeful, albeit slightly nervous. Most of the children looked excited yet scared, unsure of the journey they were about to embark on.
"Momma?" I looked up and tugged on my momma's shirt. She looked down at me and smiled, giving me a light pat on the head.
"It's okay dear. I went through the same thing when I was your age. You have nothing to fear," she said soothingly, crouching down to give me a hug. "You don't need to worry. Just follow the Rashan's instructions and you will be just fine."
Many parents were now hugging their children, giving them words of encouragement as the doors to the transit slid open.
"Alright, Alina, it's time for you to go. Try and make a new friend while you're there, okay?" My mother hugged me one last time before standing up.
I hesitated, watching in fear as other children slowly made their way onto the transit, their parents waving goodbye. I looked up at momma.
"Why can't you come with me? I would feel much better with you near me," I asked.
"I've told you this before, my angel, it's law. Only those invited in are allowed, and parents are never allowed in. The Rashavan is sacred, and for it to give you it's blessing, you must enter alone. You'll be fine, my dear. I went through it too, and it's nothing to be scared of. Now go! The transit is leaving soon, you don't want to miss it!" My mother gently pushed me towards the open doors where the last of the children were filing in.
I took in a deep breath before setting my foot down into the vehicle. I looked behind me as the glass doors slid shut behind me, sealing my fate. I pressed my body up against the glass as my momma waved at me, giving me a bright smile. Her orange eyes shone, sending me a warmth that set my nerves at ease, for now at least.
I braced myself as the transit began to move. I waved as I watched my mother slowly fade into the distance, until she was just a speck, and then gone entirely.
I stepped back and glanced around the area, looking for an open seat. Other children, all the tender age of seven, were scattered around, some huddled in small groups while others sat alone or in pairs.
I noticed an empty seat next to a golden haired boy staring out the window and made my way to it. I took my small backpack off my shoulders and took out my Reader, a portable device that let me read any book I wanted with a touch of the screen. I stored my backpack in the cubbie beneath the chair and sat down, ready to let the next few hours slip by as we made our way to the Rashavan, our holy temple.
The boy next to me looked over at my Reader curiously. "Woah! That's cool! I've never seen one of those before!" He said excitedly, his eyes glued on my Reader.
"Yeah, my momma got it for me for this trip! Isn't it cool? I can read anything on it!" I showed him the device and his eyes lit up.
"Wow! What are you gonna read first? Can I read with you? I promise I'm a fast reader!"
I smiled and beamed at him. "My name is Alina. What's yours?"
He grinned back. "My name is Kraxon, it's great to meet you!"
He leaned over and stared at my Reader curiously. I showed him the screen and said, "Why don't you pick a book? I haven't started any yet so it'll be new for both of us!"
He scanned the titles for a few seconds before pointing at one named The Famous Four. "That one? The description sounds really cool and action is the best!"
I nodded my head and selected the book, positioning the Reader so we could both read without craning our necks. We became fast friends, discussing the book while also getting distracted by our conversations.
Before I knew it, we were coming upon the temple.
"We'll see it once we get to the top of this hill!" Someone said, and everyone gathered to one side to see the temple for the first, and most likely last, time.
I slid my reader into my backpack and looked out the window, anticipation rising. As soon as we crested the hill, a soft gasp escaped everyone as it came into view.
"Wow!"
"It's so pretty!"
"Look at the giant lion statue!"
"It's amazing!"
Everyone gazed at the magnificent structure, awestruck by how grand it looked.
The temple was massive, bigger than any structure I had ever seen. It was nestled inbetween a ring of mountains, on a hill, with a large ring of water around it.
It was square, with rounded off corners and four tiers that got smaller as the structure got higher. In each corner, a small channel ran down the side, creating tiny waterfalls as each cascaded down a tier before emptying into the ring of water below. In the walls there were intricately carved murals and patterns, showcasing the birth of our civilization and our journey to build this temple. At the top of the temple was a giant, black statue of a lion. It had a golden sheen, and roared majestically over the valley.
There were also towers in each corner of the temple at the lowest tier. In each tower was a large terrace with beautiful garden. Vines hung gracefully over the edge, and carefully crafted channels let water elegantly cascade over the edges and into the lake that surrounded the temple.
No one ever saw the temple in pictures or videos. The only way you would ever see it was in person. The temple was sacred, and it was forbidden to take any picture and show it to others.
I knew I would never see it again so I took as many mental pictures as I could so I would forever remember its glory.
The transit followed it's tracks, leading us across a bridge and right to the base of the temple.
Up close it looked even bigger, and I had to crane my head all the way back to see the lion just barely touching the clouds.
The doors of the transit slid open and everyone began making their way out, still gawking at the amazing structure in front of them.
I looked over to my new friend and we linked arms, following everyone else out.
Outside the transit was a large podium where a man in golden robes stood, gazing down at all the children exiting the train. Beside him sat a large lion, his mane gently moving in the wind.
"Welcome, children! Welcome to the Rashavan, the holy temple for our grand civilization! I am the head Rashan for this holy land and I will be your guide for your week of spiritual ascension. As you all know, you will be spending the next week in this holy place. All of you will be separated into groups and placed under the supervision of a Rashan. These teachers will be your mentors and parental figures while you reside here."
I looked around as he gestured to all the grown men and women surrounding us. They all wore black robes with a golden trim. They all waved and gave us warm smiles, making me feel a little more at home.
I wasn't nearly as nervous as I thought I'd be, but that might also be because I found a new friend to share this experience with. I glanced at Kraxon, who seemed much more nervous than I did. I gave his arm a squeeze and he smiled nervously.
"This is all so scary, isn't it?" He said, his voice cracking.
"It's also wonderful! Don't be nervous, I'll stay by your side!" I replied, giving him another reassuring squeeze.
We turned our attention back to the head Rashan as he continued speaking.
"While you all reside in this holy land, know that there are rules. If you do not follow these rules, you forfeit your chance to aquire a spiritual partner and will be sent home early. Know that if you are sent home early, you will live a short, and unfulfilled life. Think very wisely before breaking any of the rules that will be told to you once you are split up into your groups."
"Each day, you will be put through a series of trials that measure your level of compatibility with a spiritual partner. On the final day, you will put those skills you learn to the test and will discover whether or not you are destined to have one. This ritual has been in place for over hundreds of years and dozens of generations, and will continue to show us your true potential as a warrior for our nation. May luck be in your favor."
The head Rashan stepped down off the podium. He gave his lion a gentle pat and the lion's form changed from a solid mass to a figure made of light before manifesting itself on the mans lower body. I stared in awe at the transformation. I had never seen it before myself; I had only heard stories of it from my momma and other people that she visited with.
Only about a third of the children here would end up with a spiritual partner. The rest would be destined to live a normal life.
"I'm going to get a partner for sure! My dad says it's in my blood, so I have no doubt I will!" Kraxon whispered excitedly.
I wasn't so sure about myself. My momma always believed in me, but we have never had one on our family, so it wasn't likely for me to get one either.
For some families, it ran in the line. Some people seemed more apt to it than others, and many thought genetics played a role in it too.
I overheard my momma talk about bad things brewing in our peaceful society a few weeks ago. She said many people, those who had partners run in the family, thought that having them should stay within those families, families they think are better than everyone else. They believed everyone in their family deserved one and should have one while the "regular" families didn't deserve a chance at all. I'm pretty sure I was one of those "regular" families.
Others thought that spiritual partners should be open to everyone, whether it ran in the family or not.
"My dad has a lion, and it's so cool! I love riding on him when he lets me," Kraxon continued.
"Really? I've never seen one before."
He looked at me with a surprised expression. "But doesn't your mom have one?"
I shook my head and his expression fell. "Oh, well I'm sure you'll get one! Then we'll both have them!"
I smiled and nodded my head, optimistic. My chances weren't high, but it's not unheard of for a child of a non-partnered line to recieve a spiritual lion.
So for the next week, we trained hard. We were shown how to connect with the world around us using a special drink that temporarily enhanced our senses while it was in our system. It was a thick, orangey-red drink that tasted rather nasty but worked very well. It usually lasted two days before we had to drink another round of it.
Kraxon and I became best friends in that week, sharing stories of our childhood and reading books in our spare time. I learned that his family was one of those that had a long line of spiritual partners, a family that could be traced back to the original holders of the lions. I was fascinated by his stories, and how his family believed that the lions were special and should be given to those that deserve it, and not assigned randomly through some ritual.
It was a belief I had always thought was bad from how my momma talked about it, but hearing it from one who actually believed it made it sound a lot more reasonable. Even though I didn't come from a family line apt for a partner, Kraxon believed I deserved one because of our friendship and he deserved one because of his family line.
He did excel in most of the tests that were given to him and I was amazed at how he never seemed to have trouble with any challenge.
By the end of the week, we were both ready to set foot into the Chamber of Guidance.
It was on the third level of the temple, one that was off limits at all times except for this one day. In the third tier was a giant garden, carefully tended to by the few allowed on the level, and was the perfect setting to reduce distractions and connect with the lions that resided there. The final test started at dawn, and ended at dusk. Our task was simple; connect and harmonize with a spritual lion. Whoever walked out with a lion spirit next to them will forever have a spiritual partner bonded with them until death.
These spiritual lions were whispy lights that could transform from solid matter to a light-like substance in an instant. They could travel through solid matter with no trouble and could disappear at the slightest disturbance.
It was about three fourths of the way through the day when I felt a spark. I had been meditating under a Vivatia tree, one known for its sweet and colorful fruit, when a whispy lion cub approached me.
She was in her ethereal form, moving like a flag in the wind. I could feel her presence with the help of that strange drink, and could feel the little spark she created when I noticed her.
I stayed absolutely still, allowing her to adjust to me. The moment I felt us harmonize, she turned into her material form and approached me. She was just a cub, smaller than others that I had seen floating by. I smiled and reached out to her, stopping my hand a few inches from her muzzle so she could make the decision. Was I the one for her?
My heart rate quickened when I felt her soft, warm nose nuzzle against my palm. At that moment I knew we were meant to be.
I felt a spark in my mind and heard a timid voice call out. It was her. We quickly formed a bond, mentally and physically, until she was able to reside inside of my body without difficulty. I didn't have a lions body yet, but I didn't expect to have one. I was told it usually took several years before you finally awakened that part of your bond.
I named her Willow for her gentle spirit and whispy nature.
When I exited the Chamber of Guidance with Willow, I looked everywhere for Kraxon. It took me sevetal minutes to find him, but when I did I saw a large lion cub sitting next to him. His hand was on the lions tiny mane, and when he saw Willow and me, his eyes lit up with joy.
He ran to me and gave me a hug. "See! I knew you deserved one. We are going be the best partners ever!"
And we've been together ever since.