The Crystal Trials

17

I pushed my food around my plate the morning of the first trial. The dining room was silent, the atmosphere infused with nerves from the students. Our whole team sat together at our tables by the windows, abandoning the Prime table completely. My team wore slate blue robes, gifted to us by Erix. The color was a play on words. The name Cobalt had been a reference to the silver metal, but there was also cobalt blue glass the rich spoiled themselves with. The backs of each team's robes had their names. Our small sea of blue grey looked fierce, never mind the nerves.

Taury and I had taken turns doing the girl's hair in variations of braids, twists, and knots. Lilta joined in the braiding after a while, adding some different styles her mother had passed down to her. She had done her own white locks tightly against her head in beautiful swooping scrolls all leading up to a tail at the top of her head, allowing all the little braids to whip between her shoulders. It was truly a work of art.

We all wore our weapon of choice, strapped to our bodies. Shifting wasn't allowed and there was no telling what danger lay ahead. I hadn't figured out how to shift anyway so there was no complaint from me. I chose a short sword, preferring the weight and length to a dagger. I checked for it at my hip, fidgeting.

"Eat," Ameer said across from me. He was looking up at me through hooded eyes. He had been quiet since we had filled our last gems. His attitude towards me was the same as ever, kind, and playful. But he had distanced himself for some reason. I figured it was nerves for the upcoming trial. He ate small bites too but shouldn't be lecturing me for something he himself wouldn't do. I pointed to his food sarcastically telling him to eat too. He smirked making his eyes crinkle, then flipped his locks over and took a bigger bite as if saying 'there.' I rose my glass in a mock toast. He snorted.

Next to him, Emyr gushed about Syphor and the special phoenix things and Pyromancy he had been teaching her one on one in private. The crush on our teacher was apparent to everyone but her. We had discovered he was only twenty-two, three years older than most of us. Seraphina and Zither were deep in topic over the blackest ice and how it would be possible to combine darkness and ice. Ice was Seraphina's highest magic level, and she was very good at it. Garren watched Faolan and Evander bicker back and forth like they were his own personal entertainment. Like Ameer and I, Jiaxin looked green with nerves and stared at his meat as if waiting for it to get up and moo again. Alden was explaining a soon approaching holiday called the Night of Nix to Taury, Rayze, and Dath. Upon hearing that, I was curious.

"What is Night of Nix?" I interrupted. Alden stopped mid-sentence.

"Are we friends now, Nik?"

"Never. Now tell me." His smile was pure sin. Gods. He crossed his arms in front of him on the table.

"Well, a thousand years or so ago, the gods disappeared from Tarsen. The night they disappeared was the fall equinox. The legend says that they were chased away by demons. So, on the equinox, some people dress as the demons, some dress as the gods. Now, people honor the gods on the same night with offerings at their temple. Because the gods indulged themselves in pleasures of all kinds, we feast and participate in as many desires we choose. Should someone want to experience the fullness of the rite, there is a chase. The demons chase the gods, and the gods hunt the demons. And from there you can use your imagination."

Gulp. That was intense celebration that our small town certainly did not partake in. It must be because Salvare had Phaewen's temple at the edge of the city. I relayed my thoughts aloud.

"Yes, Phaewen was supposedly the most beautiful and most desired of the gods. She took many lovers. She was caring to the people of the city and they, we, still honor her to this day."