Hybrid: The Mark

The Tally

Andervain's voice echoed through the stiff silence that fell amongst the crowd. All eyes fell on Sirah and her father. Sirah felt everything swirling before her. Her father's hand inches away from her cheek.

Sirah wanted to laugh, laugh like a maniac at her father for everyone had seen his true face.

Her father slowly lowered his hand and glowered at her. Sirah could feel his anger writhing his soul. Her father stowed away disappearing inside the deep forest wandering to nowhere.

Sirah retrieved her knife and went to sit down with her sphere.

The proficiency was continued for the remaining spheres.

She watched as everyone competed against their opponents, fighting for their place as if their lives were dependent on it. Sirah gripped herself when Mikaela got up for her proficiency. She could feel Mikaela's fear through her eyes. It almost made Sirah wonder about Mikaela, a person having a will so strong making her stand different among others could be scared of her opponents, being a boy and a girl.

After having watch Mikaela battle her strength against her two opponents, Sirah felt assured that her sphere could make their place in the tally.

Mikaela walked towards Sirah with a huge smile on her face after scoring an eight.

"You did well." Sirah grasped her friend's hands.

"Unlike you. You were the only one who took down two boys." Mikaela squeezed Sirah's hands.

Sirah could feel the spread of warmth inside her.

After the proficiency of the seventh sphere, everyone had their breaths clutched. The fear started to grow in the spheres. For a few moments of growing silence watching Andervain, Fereinia and Matthew work with the tally, Sirah's eyes fell on the crowd getting impatient and soon enough the moment had returned.

The three leaders of Mayvarch stood before the anticipated crowd.

" After a tough decision, we have decided the places for all the members of the respective spheres." Fereinia announced.

" The sphere which got the highest rank is the Fifth!" Matthew pounded towards his clan. The crowd erupted into huge shouts making its way to the Fifth sphere.

"And as for your high ranks, you're given the most prestigious position amongst all," Andervain regarded to the members of the Fifth sphere, "You are to guard the boundaries of Mayvarch!"

The air filled with cheers and shouts from the Fifth sphere.

"My, what a sight." Mikaela scowled at the Fifth sphere.

Strangely enough it made Sirah smile at her.

"Continuing the rankings, the Fourth sphere has earned the second rank!" Fereinia clapped.

"Is it me that I heard our sphere being called out?" Mikaela gripped Sirah's hands making her wince.

"Are we in the fourth sphere?" Sirah turned to Mikaela.

Hearing the shouts from the other members of her sphere, Mikaela started screaming.

"YES! IT'S US! IT'S US!"

Sirah couldn't believe any of it. Mikaela kept on jumping up and down, gripping Sirah's hands.

"We did it! We did it! We did it!"

"We did!" Sirah felt a wave of relief washing her over.

Mikaela let herself fall down, laughing over their conquest making Sirah tumble over her.

It made Sirah laugh. For the first time in her entire life. She felt good. The laugh brushed away the embarrassment she ever felt when she smiled.

It was good.

She gripped her hands around Mikaela's arms and laughed again. Mikalea erupted into huge laughs amongst the crowd's cheers. Sirah wanted the moment to stay as it was. She was having a good time.

Fereinia cleared her throat to silence the sphere's victory. Mikaela grabbed Sirah's hands and helped her to stand up. Sirah's cheeks started to heat up.

"As for the Fourth sphere, you are being granted to defend the forests of Mayvarch."

Mikaela embraced Sirah when the sphere managed another cheer for their victory.

After the calls of all the spheres, the leaders excused themselves as the crowd dissolved themselves in conversations.

"I can't belive that we made it." Mikaela smiled.

"Me too." Sirah smiled.

"I am really glad that I got to be with you." Mikaela embraced Sirah making her smile and embraced her friend back.

"Well all you have got to do is stay alive."

Mikaela's smile fell flat as Sirah turned to glance at her fellow member, Alden.

"Ironical." Mikaela snapped at him.

Sirah steered away from their argument as she felt her eyes wander around for her father. Her eyes snapped to focus when Fereinia clapped to get everyone's attention.

"It's time that you prepare yourselves for the big day tomorrow."

The members of the clans started holding each others hands. Sirah felt both her hands grabbed by Mikaela.

"To the hunt!" Matthew chanted.

"To the hunt!" The crowd chanted back and started retreating to their homes.

Sirah retrieved her quiver and her bow and walked with the others to their homes.

"See you tomorrow!" Mikaela shouted out to Sirah before entering her cottage. Sirah waved back at her friend and continued walking back to her home.

Sirah's heart started beating against her rib cage when she saw a glimpse of her cottage deep inside the cover of the trees growing around it. She concentrated in her breathing as faint images of her father started appearing before her eyes. She regretted shouting back to her father back at the grounds. She regretted all of it. Her heart started picking it's rate up when she stood before her cottage. Silence fell around the cottage. Sirah felt blood pounding in her ears.

She struggled to keep herself in hold and opened the door to enter inside.