We were staying in the residence of the duke of Belmont. Barnabas had been taken to a monastery to be healed. Apparently one of the familiar spirits of Amos had possessed him and turned the tide of battle. It had taken a heavy toll on him, and he would need a few weeks of care. Our driver steven would also need some time to heal from his injuries. Unfortunately, the two riders had died.

It was the middle of the night, and I couldn’t sleep. I got up out of one of the guest chambers and began to wander around. It was past midnight, but I could see well enough due to it being a clear night and them not bothering to close the shutters in the summer. It seemed that glass was a pretty common since there was such a thing as glass mages.

I hadn’t met any yet, but it sounded interesting. I wandered the halls while for about an hour’s looking at the various pieces of art, from statues to paintings. I then came across a piano. I hadn’t even seen one of these in years. The last time being when my aunt played when I was little. It wasn’t a grand one but just one that sat along the wall.

I opened it up and discovered that it was dust free which probably meant it was regularly cleaned. I pressed a few keys and they seemed to at once put an ease on my mind. I just kept pressing the three keys in order.

Music always had a way of affecting the mind. The scientists back on earth had come up with many theories as to how music affected the brain, but they were just that. Theories. Music affects everyone slightly differently, for me it distracted me from the constant ramblings going on in my head by making me have to focus on the fine finger movements.

I played with the simple tune for a few minutes before turning away to continue my walk. That’s when I noticed a figure standing in the corner. They stood at about five feet but that was the only feature that I could make out. We stared at each other for a few seconds. There stare felt like one of a predator trying to decide whether the thing they had spotted was prey or something to ignore. The mysterious figure was the first to speak as I kept my eyes on them without blinking.

“Youngs boys like you should be asleep in their bed, not skulking around in the dark.”

I just smiled as the deep but feminine voice reached my ears before replying with.

“Young ladies like yourself should be staring up at this beautiful night sky and not skulking around looking following someone like me.”

She was silent for a moment before replying.

“I guess we’re both lost.”

The events of the day played repeatedly in my mind. I had tried to awaken my spirit power but had failed previously. The blank expression on my face morphs into regret as I think about how I could have helped save those who died. Even though the rational part of my mind tells me that there was nothing I could have done, the emotional is telling me that everything was my fault.

Them seeing my sullen expression then tried to comfort me. There voice losing that tiny amount of cautious hostility and their gaze now looking at me like a cub that was injured.

“Hey, kid. You here for the Ceremony.”

I just nodded at her query.

“Maybe you’ll find yourself during its commencement. I wish you luck.

I looked up to where whoever she was stood a few seconds ago, but they were no longer there. I don’t know how, but I felt like I had just had the best therapy session ever. How…?

Maybe were just kindred spirits, that life has repeatedly taken for a ride then spat out.

…

The ceremony was at noon and after checking if Barnabas was okay, I headed to the cathedral at the centre of the city. There were about twenty kids my age all gathered around the courtyard of the grand temple.

They were talking animatedly with each other somewhere the children of merchants while others where the kids of local tradesman who had scrapped enough money together to buy a spot on the ceremony.

Basically, we would all stand on an array which had been gathering power for a whole year and it would basically begin a ritual to bind our astral and spiritual bodies together. Maybe that was why nobody from earth had ever gained magical abilities.

But that was thrown out the window by the fact that some did gain their elemental abilities through puberty or even during other more exceptional times. Also, the other types of magic were triggered differently.

After about ten minutes of waiting, we all lined up for the ritual. We had to give our names and age while having our hand on a crystal ball which could tell if we were lying or not. It would stay clear if we told the truth but would turn a cloudy grey if a lie or falsehood was told.

Once inside I marvelled at the massive structure. It reminded me of a massive Sistine chapel. There were towering pillars of gold inlaid marble. The floor was one solid piece of the stuff polished to perfection. As we made our way through the structure, I glanced at the murals depicted on the ceiling. They depicted hundreds of gods and tales. Some of which I recognized.

They took us to a chamber which had a massive and complicated array formation. It looked to be carved into the marble and then inlaid with a gold-orichalcum alloy to act as a permanent array which wouldn’t diminish within a short time.

All of us slowly filed in and were directed to sit anywhere within the formation. I chose to sit on the edge towards the back of the chamber. I sat in my meditative position which I knew would allow me to stay upright. Soon I closed my eyes as I heard a speech being given in Gurion which I knew the basics of. It was the supposed holy language that the holy texts of the many gods were written in.

"We come before you today seeking your divine guidance and wisdom. We ask that you shine your light upon us and grant us the clarity and understanding we need to see your will for us. Help us to hear your voice in our hearts and minds, and to discern the truth in all things. We ask that you open the eyes of those before us, that they may see the way forward and follow your path. Give us the courage to speak your truth with love and compassion, and to be a beacon of hope and faith for all who seek your guidance. We ask this in the name of the great Pantheon, Amen”.

We that a bright flash occurred which I could see even through my closed eyes.

I felt my consciousness leaving my body which had happened many a time when I entered what I guessed was the dream realm. I saw the wired ball of energy I had seen countless times when entering this place, but nothing happened as always.

Then out of nowhere I heard the voice of a perfect English gentlemen.

"Hello, there."