Page 12 of Rising Out of the Darkness
Everywhere my eyes wandered, an array of beautiful flowers and plants consumed my sight. Candles fluttered warm light within the dim room, covering every empty space that wasn’t touched by flora. Even the scent of the space was intoxicating. Hints of lavender and sage tried to coax me into a state of calm. The entire room felt serene, quite the opposite of the emotions that lingered within me. I let my eyes flutter closed, taking a moment to collect myself before I opened them once more.
We made our way towards the center of the room, where the rest of the Elysians had begun to huddle around the sacred ring. This open circle in the middle of the temple mimicked the smaller circles that we would step into during our individual ceremonies. Smooth white stones bordered a large circle filled with soft sand. It was meant to connect us to the gods, a way to give back to them for all the blessings that they bestowed upon us.
Will placed his palm against my back, its presence grounding me as he ushered us towards the rest of the group. Only ten participants this time—quite a few less than in the past years. However, this didn’t surprise me, considering Elysians struggle with fertility. Sadly, some never got the chance to experience being a parent. Others were only able to have one or twochildren. It was extremely rare for an Elysian to have any more than that.
My boots touched the edge of the marble stone of the sacred circle, and I paused, catching Bri’s troubled gaze. She had always been the portrait of calm, but deep wrinkles creased her forehead. Something seemed off about her and my father today. Both almost seemed full of … fear. The question that swirled inside my head was why.
Brietta cleared her throat, alerting our attention back to her. The guard stormed away towards the entrance of the room and stood in front of it.
“Welcome my fellow Elysians. You have waited for twenty-three years and today is finally the day you will give back to the gods for all those years of life they have granted you. In return, you will be blessed with the dynamis that the gods believe represents the deepest parts of your soul.”
Chuckles arose from the guards in the back of the room, and Brietta’s eyes slitted into a deadly glare. They caught her gaze, and silence fell over the room once more.
“As you know, there are five gods, one each for Terra, Fire, Air and Water, and the goddess of Healing. When they left the realm of Ehora, they left us with five sacred trees. A tree grows in each of the cities, and the final in the middle of our lands.”
She placed both hands over her heart. We all lowered down to our knees, one hand placed over our heart, while the other we placed inside the cool sand of the circle.
“These sacred trees are meant to connect us, to bind us not only to the ground beneath us, but the spirit within us. The gods believed in our sacred number of five as well. It stems from the five gods, five trees, and the combined numerals of your age when you receive your dynamis. Today, you will transform into who you are fated to be. This Ascension marks the beginning of your journey.”
She placed her other hand beneath the sand now, and we all followed. When we lifted our hands and spread our fingers, the sand trickled through as we repeated our blessing. “May the light always guide you, and the gods surround you.”
Once all the sand had slid from our fingers, we stood. Bri guided us to one of the wooden benches that filled the other half of the room. Before Will and I could sit, however, she summoned us.
A knot formed in my throat, and my trembling palms slickened with moisture. Will reached over and threaded his fingers between my own, giving them a squeeze.
“We’ll be fine, Lena. Just think, when we walk out of here, we’ll also have a brand-new tattoo right here.” He raised my hand to his mouth and pressed his lips against the top of my right hand.
That was where a symbol of our dynamis would appear encased in a triangle once we received our gifts. Our true nature would be illuminated, providing us with the clarity necessary to discover our purpose and direction as we transformed into the next versions of ourselves.
Intriguing, yet utterly terrifying.
We made our way towards Bri. She ushered me towards her and Will towards her assistant. I gave Will one last smile before I entered the room.
There were only two rooms for Ascensions inside the small temple. The inside of the room would normally be dark, since there were no windows, just cold stone walls. However, the flickering candlelight drew me in. Candles of various sizes covered the room, as well as several pots full of calming flowers and herbs. Sage-scented smoke tickled my nose, as Bri carried a small satchel of it as she blessed the room for the ceremony.
She motioned towards my feet, and I removed my boots and placed them near the door. Bri set the sage aside in a ceramicbowl and picked up the small tray next to it before she walked back towards me.
“In you go.” Her words were like a calming breeze as she motioned towards the small circle of sand in the middle of the room.
Sand squished between my toes as I stepped towards the middle and lowered, gently falling to my knees. Bri bent over and dipped her finger into a smaller bowl. She slid the oil over my forehead and behind my ears, the scent of lavender washing over me.
The tension that had been building inside of me began to ease. Warmth filled my hands as Bri handed me a cup of soothing tea for deeper meditation. Delicious flavors of honey and cinnamon, and a hint of something else that I couldn’t distinguish, collided inside my mouth.
I handed back the cup. She placed it down on the tray and grabbed the small knife before placing the tray aside. Nerves swirled once more as I tried to take slow, even breaths, letting the lavender oil soothe me. Extending my trembling hands forward towards Bri, I turned them over, so my palms faced up.
“With this blade, I slice through the barriers that hold you back from reaching your full potential.” She nicked both palms, and blood began to spill out. My eyelids began to feel heavy as the effects of the tea were beginning to kick in. “A drop of blood sacrificed, to give back to the realm for the gifts that will be bestowed upon you.”
I sat back on my heels and buried my hands beneath the sand as Bri continued the ceremony. “It’s time to become connected with the gods, and to discover your fate.” She rose and made her way towards the door. “Elena, may the light always guide you and the gods surround you.”
The door behind me was still open, and I let the hum of the singing bowls being played outside help me deeper into my meditation.
Every one of my limbs felt numb as I drifted into the deepest meditative state I have ever been in. I barely registered Bri’s words as she left. The door closed behind me. I was alone. My eyes remained closed as the world around me faded away.
Darkness enveloped me, pressure building within my chest. Waving my arms in the abyss surrounding me, I stumbled to find my bearings.
The more I stood in nothingness, the more my palms began to sweat. The rapid pants of my breath were the only sound that filled my ears.
Fear prickled over me. My thoughts spiraled inside the silence. Perhaps the gods had deemed me unworthy of dynamis, and I would awaken a failure. If anything was consistent about me, it was the fact that at one point or another I always failed. Why would my Ascension prove to be any different?
