The Enchantments: Book 3 - The Key of Sorcen

Chapter 25: The Ritual

The bright light of the shooting star whisked across the sky, giving Fin the extra time he needed to calm himself down and to rather innocently wish upon it. Was this jumping into the middle of this ritual going to hurt? How deep into his psyche were they really going to go?

He took his mind off the questions and looked around with nervous anticipation as the five figures began to position themselves around the roaring fire.

'It is time.' The five stated in unison.

"Where do you want me to stand?" He asked weakly.

'You must move to the center.' They echoed.

"-But there's the..."

Before he could finish the five began removing glistening blue powder from small pouches attached to their clothes. As they slowly hovered above the ground each one began a rhythmic chant followed closely by a patterned throwing off the powder into the fire.

Fin watched in awe as the flames suddenly exploded into bright blue.

'Please step into the flames, they will not harm you.' They chanted.

Fin swallowed hard and began to move between two of the men. If there were ever a chance to step away, that time had disappeared ages ago. He was in this till the very end. Even if he wanted to he knew his curiosity would get the best of him. He now had to see it through to its conclusion.

He hesitated at the edge of the flames; feelings of apprehensiveness began to well over him.

'You must step through the flames they will not harm you. Have faith.' They chanted again.

He took another deep breath, closed his eyes and literally took the plunge into the heart of the flames.

The feeling was incredible, every inch of his skin felt electric as the flames danced over his body. An infinite number of pores on his skin seemed to open up and to Fin, it was like every memory and feeling he had ever had came flooding out in all its vibrant color.

Memories he had either forgotten or pushed away were displayed before him. His eyes followed the visions of memories as if they were being shown to him on several screens.

His birth his childhood, days with his parents (however so slight) passed before him in vivid brilliance. Images that pulled on the heartstrings turning him inside out. Then without warning there she was.

Simeneon as she looked the first day he had met her. How pretty she was. The same feelings of awe and breathless anticipation filled him again. Although he had to endure the bad memories he also saw and felt the good ones. Those are the ones he concentrated on.

A thought suddenly formed in his head. Were they seeing if he could handle the bad feeling? Would he hide behind the bad and only view the good?

Actually, he really didn't care, he had seen enough destruction in the past few years that others would never see in a lifetime. The good feelings were all he wanted to have at this moment and with them being so few and far between he needed those memories more than ever.

'Why do you dwell on the good memories?' Came a distant voice in his head.

Fin hesitated, "Those are the ones that keep me going. If I didn't have them this search wouldn't go very far."

'Please explain.'

"I can't speak for others, but my experiences in the past help me in the future."

'Continue.'

Fin took a deep breath, the smell of charred wood filling his nostrils. "Some memories I've had help me, they remind me of what I'm fighting for."