Basil and the Slumbering Emerald

Rites Gone Wrong

"Basil... Basil wake up. You gotta get ready for your birthday party." Petril calls from across the room by the door. Basil groans snuggling up more into Gram's warmth. "BASIL VIPERA! Get up right now or I will drag you out of that bed!" Petril scolds and Basil whines getting up. Gram, Kelkian, and Mattias waking up from his scolding. Gram gets dressed and pulls Basil into a deep kiss with tongue, their mouths burning with passion, ignoring their morning breath. Basil looks dazed after the kiss.

"Morning Baby. I'm gonna get out of your hair. Tomorrow night, just us. Promise?" Gram asks rubbing Basil's sides.

"Of course baby." Basil kisses his cheek as Gram slaps his ass grinning. He gives him one last searing kiss before slipping his shoes on and leaving. Basil pouts watching him leave outside the window. Kelkian comes up behind him sliding his hands around his waist.

"Come on Love. Your rites aren't going to wait." Kelkian kisses his shoulder then leaves with Mattias to help make preparations. Petril knocks on the door, finding Basil still by the window looking out but clearly lost in his own head.

"Basil... my little viper. Where is your head? You have to get ready, I've brought your robes." Petril sets them on the desk but Basil only hums still looking out the window. "Basil? Are you okay?" Petril stops short of him noticing tears in his eyes. Petril frowns and pulls him into a tight hug as Basil starts breaking down into his chest. Not sure what to say for the first time he just pets his head and does his best to comfort his nephew.

"I just feel so torn with Gram being so excluded... and then all this business with the dreams and the rites. It's just so much weighing on my heart and I don't know if I can take it." Basil sobs and Petril cups his cheeks thumbing away his tears.

Basil you aren't alone. Everyone is here for you. It's okay not to have it all figured out alright. I hate to be strict, but we need you in your robes like yesterday... so please, pull it together and get dressed." Petril kisses his forehead before leaving the room. Basil shakily collects the pure white robes and slides them over his normal clothes. Basil looks in the mirror and fixes his hair, his silver eyes puffy and red. He frowns, not at all excited about this right now. It's the most alone he has felt in weeks and he doesn't like a moment of it. After a small wait, there is a knock at the door before his mother and father, dressed in red and blue robes according to their alignments. Basil looks up at them and his mother frowns with worry.

"Oh honey it'll be okay. Don't worry about it. It'll be over before you know it." She tries to soothe and Basil just shrugs. With a heavy sigh his father takes their hands and in a flash of sunlight they are gone.

They appear in what appears to be a forest clearing. His parents walk forward and disappear into thin air. Confused Basil walks with them. In the blink of an eye what used to be woods and a forested area becomes a large building with the sign, 'College of Unbound Arts: Boarwick. Basil blinks as he is lead to an adjacent building that looks like an ornate cathedral with countless stained glass windows all depicting spell casters mid cast. Basil follows them into the large maple wood doors and immediately he is hit with the scent of incense and oils. There is a large triangular stone platform that resonates with strong enough magic that Basil can almost taste it. It tastes metallic almost like sucking on a penny. The platform is surrounded by people in Green, Blue, and Red robes. Basil spots Kelkian in green robes and Mattias beside him in blue robes. Kelkian smiles at him and Mattias gives him a thumbs up.

His parents leave him at the stone platform with a strange almost wedding like feeling. Taking the cues from Kelkian to step up onto the platform., Basil climbs the stone steps as the air seems to thrum with magic. It is an intoxicating feeling, so much magic. A Man in black robes steps up to the platform opening his arms. "Into the fold, innocence lost you Basil Vipera are welcomed into the arms of your fellow unbound. Tonight we remove the shackles that bind your magic from their full potential." Everyone in the cathedral begins chanting with the black robed man. "Powers of Earth, Elements, and Celestial, heed our call and remove the binds on his soul." They say it three times before wisps of light pour in from the stained glass windows they reach out into Basil and after the sensation of something inside him being pulled tight, Basil feels an immense relief wash over his body as magic so strong his body lifts off the platform and glows a white light. As his magic subsides, he touches back down on the platform looking rejuvenated and feeling energized.