SCEPTRE: I

Chosen

KERÖS CHARIAS, 2000 B.C

The person knocking on my door was very persistent; I tried ignoring him and sleeping for a few more hours but the person must have been really excited or just ordered to wake me

"who is it?" I asked

"Its Ater,"

"Go away" I shouted throwing my pillow at him as he opened the door (don't know why he still knocks). He caught the pillow and then he climbed my bed and jumped constantly.

"Wake up!!!" he said "its selection day" he pulled me out of bed, pushed me into the bathroom "hurry up, we're already late"

"But we are already a few years early at this point" I replied. I cleaned up, came out, and joined Ater outside the palace, where he was waiting for me with his horse and my young horse, Sen'ra (his name means Shadow); he is a purebred horse with jet-black mane and really dark eyes, he is really loyal even without all the training (Dad says I should treat him as I plan to treat the people of Id'ea).

"You ready?" Ater asked

"As ready as I can possibly be, for now." We then rode towards the Acrrea together.

The Acrrea is a beautiful sight. It would definitely count as a natural wonder; only one person has ever climbed the Acrrea, my great grandfather, Ar'nell Pellrima.

The story goes that Ar'nell was trying to win the love of his one true love, Kira Del'am, who told with every ounce of sarcasm in her voice that she would marry him if he could climb the top of the Acrrea and proclaim his love to her, this was because she wasn't ready for marriage. Ar'nell, being the man that he was climbed the sacred building and when he was opposed by the gods, told them that he loved her and would do anything for her. Eventually, he ends up at the top of the Acrrea, proclaiming his love at the top of his voice, much to the surprise of Kira, she marries him a week later.

The Acrrea is a domed building with a capacity of over six thousand, its pillars are designed in the pattern depicting people holding up the temple and the heavens above in the internal parts of the dome. When we entered the temple, I saw the large number of people who were eager to see the newest additions to their groups.

The warriors sat together, so did every other group of workers. The candidates for the Pyropaundrath were all huddled together in the center of the temple, each one with his or her different expectations and aspirations for the event.

Ater and I walked towards his sister Asena, who was talking to Ma'ar and Krea, friends of ours from the Han'ru (school).

"You're late" Asena said "don't put this on me it was all Keros' fault." Ater replied "True, all my fault" I added

"Nervous?" Krea asked "a little bit, but who isn't" I replied. We were interrupted by the sound of the horn, indicating the arrival of the lord of the raiders, Derrahn Pellrima; I noticed that he wasn't holding the royal scepter. We all bowed till the horn stopped blaring.

"Welcome to the annual Pyropaundrath," he said "I wish all the candidates good fortune and grace to carry out their chosen tasks responsibly." His speech was unusually short and I wondered why he was not holding his symbol of royal power; his sceptre till my thoughts were interrupted by the High Priest's loud voice "All candidates for the Pyropaundrath should step into the inner circle."

We did as we were told and as the last person stepped into the circle, the priest began to chant in ancient Id'ean. Fire sparked out of the ground and began to move through the patterns inscribed in the ground. The priest raised his voice and then I heard his last words, Sran Cluvir. After his words the fire in the pattern rose up, priest then said "when you walk out of the fire,the gods will search your soul and determine your path your mark will be shown on your hand, now without no further delay,begin stepping out."

Asena was first to step out; the priest pulled up her sleeve and then said in a high-pitched voice: King's Guard, the announcement was greeted by shouts and a loud applause. Ater, not wanting to be left behind by his sister, went out next. The priest looked at his hand and then, to everyone's surprise shouted: Scholar, there was an initial silence, followed by a loud applause. As his best friend, I could tell from the look on Ater's face that he didn't want this. His father Chethar, kept applauding and gave him a curt nod.

The next twenty minutes went by quickly, my heart rate increasing with each passing minute. Krea got warrior, Ma'ar got Weapons smith, Plette received the mark of the potential councilwoman, much to her father's satisfaction.

I was the last to step out; I was wandering what else I would receive aside from my Heir mark as I came out of the flames, I felt a faint tingle on my right arm. I closed my eyes not wanting to see the mark first. The priest then said "Keros Pellrima has received-" he then stopped abruptly. I kept my eyes shut, until I noticed the silence. The silence I received was like Ater's, only with mine, there was no eventual applause.

I opened my eyes looked at the crowd; the shocked expression on my friends' faces, Mallothi Ekiane's initial surprise and then eventual smile, Kad mi-el's unchanged expression, my father's sad face and the general looks of dismay in the Acrrea. I then looked at my marks to see the cause of their expressions. There was only one small problem... I had no marks.