Chapter 5 (Ceremony)

  My mother came and woke me up earlier the next morning. I rubbed the sleepiness from my eyes as I gradually started to wake. It was officially November 1st, the day I turned five, my birthday. My birthday was always a strange occurrence. Regardless of my age from my previous life, anatomically and physiologically, I was still a child. I'm sure an MRI would have shown some extremely abnormal brain chemistry. My mind, or I guess, my soul, was undoubtedly the same from my previous life. But it was also having to work in harmony with my childish brain.

  "I know it's early but I need you to get dressed, sweetie. We have a long trip ahead of us." My mother explained in the soft, melodious voice she usually had. She stood in the doorway until she saw that I was fully awake. "I love you so much, Kaliah, Happy inspection day."

  "I love you too, mommy," I said groggily. Mom smiled one more time before turning and leaving the room. As she left, I saw Melody standing in the doorway in her wake. It was usually Melody who woke me up in the morning, and I figured because it was a special day, mom wanted to be the first face I saw. It was nice and helped calm whatever nerves I had about today.

  Melody helped me get ready for the day. After that, I headed down to the dining room where I had a simple breakfast.

  "Happy Birthday, sissy!" Tobias said cheerfully as he stuffed his face with eggs.

  "Thank you, Tobias," I said with a large smile. My parents "aww-ed" over the display of affection from their two children. I myself was proud of Tobias; he was growing up so fast.

  We finished eating, got into our carriages, and started our journey before the sun even came up. We arrived in the capital two hours later. This did include a couple of rest stops. It's suffices to say, I was overjoyed when we initially saw the skyline.

  As we rode into Listrom, I noticed features that I hadn't before, most likely due to my smaller body being too tired to stay awake for anything. The city was beautiful. Despite its urban closeness, the city was rather advanced and busy with commerce.

  People were also hard at work, building, transporting resources, or tending to their business. This world was a lot more advanced than what I had originally come to believe. All this advancement could easily be attributed to Arc. Everywhere I looked, I saw the glow of this energy powering the city.

  Our journey led us to a grand building adorned with ornate decorations. Guards stationed at the entrance instructed us not to bring any weapons inside before ushering us inside. They themselves had what seemed to be those glowing rods I'd seen before strapped to their waists. Each rod was a different design. My father offered his to the guards at the entrance, but they refused to take it.

  "We could never be responsible for disarming one of the Elite Guards. Go ahead, sir." The guard said, bowing his head. It was strange to see just how much respect and authority my father commanded, but also to see how honorable he was, to offer up his weapon in respect of the ceremony despite that authority.

  Inside, the hall designated for the core inspection ceremony awaited us. It was a separate space within the building, distinct from the bustling governmental proceedings. The room exuded an atmosphere of reverence and solemnity, reflecting the significance of the event about to take place.

  Inside, The Capital building emanated an air of importance, its ceilings stretching dozens of feet into the air. Multiple stores could be seen from the first floor. Intricate engravings and artistic designs were carved into the moldings of the ceiling, as well as in the rails and pillars. Walls were painted with vast and intricate murals that seemed to depict the usage of Arc throughout the ages.

  This was one of my first times seeing such spectacular things in this world. It excited me to know that humans were capable of creating something so beautiful.

  "Come on, Kaliah, we don't want to be late." My mother gently grasped my hand as I continued to be awestruck by the Capitol building's artwork. She smiled, seemingly happy to see my level of appreciation.

  We headed down a long corridor, walking among other families before coming to a room whose signage indicated it was the Chamber of Inspection. I'd been fine all morning, but now was when the nervousness finally began to hit.

  Entering the room was not much different from the rest of the capital building. This chamber was full of awe-inspiring architecture that seemed impossible for this age. They utilized incredible amounts of gold and ivory, quartz and marble to decorate a stage that sat towards the back of the chamber. The layout was like that of a thrust-style theater. Seats cascaded downwards all around, with the stage residing at the center.

  An attendant stood at the front entrance of the hall. My mother handed him my ID card, to which he looked over before looking at me. Nodding to a second female attendant, she bent over slightly to meet me. "Please wait with the rest of the children over here." She gestured with her open hand to a group of about 10 children I could only assume were about my age.

  Complying, I walked over to the group of kids. They all seemed to be just as nervous as I was. No, that wasn't right, I wasn't nervous. I was excited. The looks on their faces were ones of fear. I, on the other hand, was ready to start learning how to use the strange powers of this world.

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  "What color do you think your core will be?" an Osmiran child asked me. His face was sharp and his hair was blonde. The clothes he wore resembled those of nobility.

  "I'm really not sure. I hope it's something good, though," I said, despite my parents having green cores, I knew my father had to work his way up from an orange core to where he was today, and my mom a yellow one. Both of them were hard workers. It wasn't fair in my opinion to presume I'd get an easy way out.

  "Hah, that's so sad," another girl spoke up from behind him. "I know what color I'm going to get." Her voice seemed to scratch at my brain as it screamed "spoiled brat."

  "What color are you getting then?" The initial boy I was talking to asked, turning around and backing up in a way that the three of us could converse.

  "Do you not even know who my parents are?" She scoffed, holding her hand to her chest in a dramatic fashion. "I am Melina Lavencroft. My parents are both Green Core Dukes. It's obvious that I will get a green core as well."

  The first boy perked up in excitement now. "Hey! My parents are green cores too. Does that mean I will also get one?"

  "Not if you keep talking to Zeffan trash like her, you won't. She's probably going to get a red core, a big one at that. I doubt she'll last much longer than her 15th birthday." The little girl spat. Her voice carried a hate I'd not yet experienced firsthand in this world. Although she made it official, it's quite sad that such discrimination transcends universes and dimensions.

  "Hey, don't talk to her like that. Her father is the First Officer! I saw him when they came in." Another girl spoke up, her frame smaller, but her clothing still reflected her wealthy background.

  "If she wants to go hide behind daddy, she's more than welcome to do so. But that changes nothing. Zeffans will always be disgusting parasites in Osmira."

  I just sat back and held my tongue. The words seared into my mind, though, strange enough as it is, an adult such as myself was fighting back tears. Not because I was offended, but because I was disappointed such a young child had already learned so much hate. At the same time, I felt like such an interaction was much too cliché and couldn't help but laugh to myself.

  "Boy, girls, we are about to begin, please follow me." The female attendant said. As she began walking, we followed her. She led us down the top part of the auditorium and down the stairs towards the back. These stairs put us at the level where the stage was.

  A gentleman took the stage and gave a short speech. He went on for maybe ten minutes about how we as children were the key to the future. This ceremony was meant to represent opening that door. As he finished, the attendant who greeted us at the entrance rolled a pedestal out onto the stage. After setting it up, he walked off.

  "Every month, we hold this ceremony to unlock the powers of Arc that each person is bestowed with. This pedestal will give those who have turned five years old access to the energies of their core, as well as any gifts hidden within. Let it be known to them, the gifts of Arc they possess, and let it be known to us all, How bright their future shines."

  The audience erupted in a joyful round of applause. As it settled down, the ceremony official called out the first name. "The first core we will Unlock is that of Melina Lavencroft." A soft round of applause followed as Melina made her way onto the stage. The audience settled and became quiet as the girl placed both of her hands onto the pedestal, her back towards us behind the stage. The officiator walked to the other side and placed his hand on it as well, facing us.

  A bright white light shone out of the pedestal like that of a spotlight. The beam of light then narrowed and took the form of a sphere. The light twisted and turned as it began to change color, first red, then orange, then yellow, and finally it became green.

  "Lady Melina Lavencroft possesses a Medium Green core!" The crowd clapped cheerfully as the orb settled back into the pedestal. "To Lady Lavencroft and her purity." Another round of clapping followed this. After they were finished, the officiator sent Melina back to us behind the stage.

  She walked up to me first and sneered. "Told ya!"

  I was finally called up after the rest of the children went. The boy that talked to me was named Dylan Ashington; he received a large yellow core. And the girl who spoke up, seemingly on my behalf, was Eliza Fisher. She received a medium Green core as well. They seemed to be rarities among the rest of the children, though, as most were medium yellows, large oranges, and there was one small yellow core as well.

  As I walked up on the stage, I had to allow my eyes to adjust to the bright lights above. The officiator placed his hands onto the pedestal, seemingly prompting me to do the same. The pedestal looked like slate rock. The center was round and made of glass. On the edge was a place for me to place my hands made of a bronze, gold metal. Inside the center was white with what looked like a crystal of raw white Arc energy.

  Placing my hands on the metal bit, I could feel the raw energy of the pedestal come up and touch my hands. My eyes instinctively closed, and it was as if my mind were moved into a different space entirely.

  Opening my eyes, I was alone in a room of white light that completely surrounded my bare form. In front of me, three diamonds illuminated into existence. They swirled violently with a bright light, each of a different color. The first was red; inside it had birds which looked of ravens. The ravens would dissolve and blend into one raven. It settled and became this wispy, abstract mist which you could still identify as a raven within the diamond.

  The second light was orange; it took the form of thorns which wrapped around the entirety of the diamond shape before budding a large and vibrant rose. It opened up like a book, as if revealing a wealth of knowledge amongst its blossoms.

  Finally, the third light was also orange, although I could tell by how it felt, it only recently reached this orange stage. Within it was space which proceeded on for what seemed like an endless time. I felt a sense of nostalgia staring into its openness. Plants and stars accumulated within the diamond as a rocky ring, like that of an asteroid belt, surrounded the diamond. Two smaller satellite diamonds, each with their own windows into the void of space, floated around the diamond before settling.

  Each of these three diamonds rushed towards me, leaving trails of their colorful light behind. They encircled me at a rapid speed before combining together. I couldn't see what they had become, but I could feel as the warmth of their light nestled into my chest. The brightness of their combining light flashed, and my vision fade to black.