The Green Mage

The Determination

Martin awoke in a gray room to what he assumed was an infirmary. It was a wide rectangular room, filled with black metal beds and gray curtains. Beside his bed was a white trolley containing bandages, medicine, and glass concoctions he was not able to identify. He sluggishly stood up from his bed and looked out the window, the lush foliage and greenery against the backdrop of the tall Lawson Cypresses and Arborvitae trees had him without words. From the left side, he could see the pale purple wisterias that bloomed elegantly against the chalky light of the morning sun. The view reminded him of the hill, a familiar place he would do anything to go to at that moment.

"You're finally up, are you?" A voice said – a too familiar voice that Martin instantly recognized. It was Alan. "Alan you're here! I can't believe you're here!!," Martin said, bursting into frenzied tears and hugging Alan as tightly as he could. "I don't understand anything that's been happening. I'm so confused," Martin continued, with glistening tears streaming down his scarlet cheeks.

Alan did not respond and firmly pulled away from their embrace which made Martin slightly embarrassed and insecure. He stared at Martin with an indifferent and distant coldness, like he just met him minutes ago. "We cannot be close here, Mart, I'm sorry. The reason they told me to visit you is to ask you to be calm during the ceremony," Alan said, with a voice as distant and cold as his stare. "Promise me you won't try anything and follow their commands, okay? Promise me." Alan asked with a softness to his voice but still a million miles away to how Martin had known it. "Okay, I won't. But can you please explain to me what's going on? I've never been so confused in my entire life," Martin said, still greatly affected by Alan's indifference. "We'll be participating in the Determination ceremony, where we'll be categorized according to our Mana type," Alan said. "It's not something I can fully explain, but they will orient us during the actual ceremony. Don't worry." Alan continued.

The words that came from Alan's mouth felt to Martin like complete meaningless babbles. He did not understand what any of it meant, but he nodded anyway. "I have to go now Mart, the ceremony will be starting soon. Someone will fetch you when it's time to go down. They told me there's a change of clothes in that wardrobe. Look presentable." Alan said as he headed out the door without even looking back at Martin.

Martin stood there, staring blankly at the door where Alan had left. He felt empty. He felt like all the things he had loved and known were slowly ebbing away, like figs and rocks being forcefully pushed by the ruthless tides to the vast murk of the sea. Looking down, he felt the pocket of his black jeans and found the omamori charm Alan had given him. He clutched the charm so fiercely to his chest, assuring himself that everything will be fine.

Finally calming down, he headed to the wardrobe to see what clothes they had. Looking at it, it finally sank into Martin that whatever crazy mess he was in, it wasn't the normal fiasco people go through. Most of the clothes were robes; some were silken, some were linen, but no color was the exact same. Martin rummaged crazily through the many different robes and finally found a half-decent black coat that did not make it seem like he was some hedge witch who read fortunes and tarot cards for a living. He put it on, combed his hair, and waited for the person who'll come fetch him.

"Are you all dressed up?" A woman said, peering through a half-open door in the infirmary. "Yes, I am," Martin answered, as he stood straight up and made his way towards the door. "Okay then, follow me." The woman replied as she went her way towards the left side of the long halls. She had brown hair and some very modern clothes which strangely surprised Martin. He obediently followed her towards the narrow corridors. Too shy and too afraid to ask or even say anything, he began observing the halls they were walking in – it had a distinct Victorian style but with a tinge of Romanesque, evident from the semi-circular arches of the ceilings. The colors were strictly white, but as it was faded, the colors began to seem paler and less alive than it probably once was. The woman made a sharp right turn and sped up her pace. "We better hurry, the ceremony will be starting soon," She said with eyes dead straight ahead. "I see that you're not wearing a robe. It's fine; it's not a strict rule or anything but it's been tradition that Determiners wear robes during their categorization. We no longer wear them on a daily basis like the old times though," She explained. "Oh, I'm sorry. I did not know," Martin replied, with a suppressed volume of voice to the point that she barely heard him.

Suddenly, the woman made a decided stop at a large, circular-arched door which was becoming the apparent theme of the place. "We're here." She said, with a funny smile that made Martin slightly more at ease. "I cannot accompany you since Determiners and the Headmistress are the only ones allowed inside. Don't worry though, she'll explain everything." She said, opening the door to the room.