*Flashback (information about the Token and Wanderer from the main novel chapters "Wandering and Forgotten")*
*"Alright calm down, everyone take your seats," bellowed a tall man standing at the head of the class. "Open your books to page 110, the chapter reviewing those who are Wanderers." This was a small classroom that consisted of 5-8 students whos ages ranged from 13-17 years old. Anyone in this classroom was on their track to becoming a council member or another important figure within their temple. "You, little redhead, start reading," A young-teen Wren had a straight face and nodded once before she began reading, "...Those who have caused great harm to The Realm, will be branded as a Wanderer and spend the rest of their existence in a state of un-rest..." As she kept reading, the other 4 teens in the classroom, were following along intently. "...Those who have been banished by The Elders or have been deemed a Wanderer, will remain in a restrictive facility until their natural death. However, their Spiritual and Nature energy will be removed from their body and the Temple's Priest/Priestess, will use his/her spiritual abilities, to keep the Wanderers soul suspended in a dream-like state-" "Teacher, does that mean they are basically in a limbo prison because they defied our Council?" A young boy interrupted.
"Juan, it is not polite to interrupt others. Wren was on the last part of the page; you could have waited until then." The young boy, Juan, put his head down in embarrassment then looked back to the desk where Wren was sitting. "I'm sorry Wren," he muttered, "Now kids, to answer your question, yes. Essentially those who have been banished or branded as a Wanderer, will be imprisoned within the temple and their spiritual and nature energy will be removed. Once this happens, the body will be very weak, allowing the Temple Priest/Priestess, to use their abilities, to put them in this sort of trance in, "limbo" as you called it, until they die due to natural causes. Most will not even make a full 10 years before their body deteriorates past the point of their salvation."
A young girl towards the front of the class raised her hand, "Yes Michi," the teen paused before speaking, "W-what, do they have any time to try and p-prove their innocence? Like a trial or something? I mean, who deems them-" The teacher sighed loudly. "Class, can anyone tell Michi, what we learned in class last week?" Michi blushed slightly, "I can Teach!" Juan yelled enthusiastically, to which the teacher waved his hand, allowing him to do so, "Well, it wouldn't be fair for them if they were just locked up right away, so some of the Wanderers that they didn't have a bunch of proof on, get a token. They have a certain amount of time to prove their innocence, and once they do, they present the token and BOOM! They are free." Juan puffed his chest out, causing some of the others to giggle.
"Only telling a quarter of the truth as always Juan. Michi my dear, don't listen to this fraud. I will tell you the full truth of-" "Thank you, Young Master Claude, but as the guest, I would prefer if one of my other students told her what Juan left out." The teenage Claude had an angry look on his face for a moment, then quickly returned back to his smiling self everyone knew him for. "Yes of course Teacher, my apologies." "Wren, how about you tell Michi," Wren had her head facing the window. It was a cold and rainy day, 'I'd much rather be training my muscles, than stuck here with-' as Wren was thinking to herself, she felt someone was getting closer to her and she immediately dodged his hand, twisted his arm, and forced his body to the desk in a swift movement.
When she focused, she saw it was Claude and quickly let him go. "My bad," she mumbled as she sat back down. "Wow, that was quite entertaining... Wren was it? I'll be keeping an eye on you," Claude said as he went to touch her face, which she dodged and glared at him. "I do not like being touched Claude. I would hope you could respect me and your position within the Western Temple enough as to not touch someone you are not acquainted with just because you find them interesting or entertaining." Wren was looking Claude in the eyes with a serious face that could intimidate many people. Claude gulped before he finally smiled, nodded, '"Good-day Wren," he said as he left the classroom in embarrassment.
"Well now, Wren what did I say about reacting like that to others, especially our guests?" Wren ignored the teacher and continued looking out the window. "Sheesh, if it weren't for Our Lord, you would be-" The teacher stopped talking and had a startled look on his face. 'W-why do I feel so scared. I can't move...I feel like someone wants to...' his thoughts trailed off as he locked eyes with Wren, who was the one emitting her aggressive aura, causing the teacher to fear for his life. "Ahem, well how about I fill you in? There is a trail of sorts that takes place within an accused's consciousness. A person with strong spiritual ability produces a scenario that is mixed with the individuals memory. Depending on how they act in this scenario, and if they do try and cause harm to The Realm, or share our secrets, they will have to accept their fate."
The students were all quiet for a moment, "But Teacher, how would that even work?" One of the teen boys sitting next to Wren asked, "Its a scenario in which the Priest/Priestess creates, but it is created using the accused's own memory of what happened. So imagine it as, you thinking of a time when you made your mom upset, but when you think about it, everyone in the room can see it. Does that make any sense?" The boy nodded, "Good. Regarding the Token, it is very rare for anyone to receive a Token from The Elders. If someone receives a Token, they can try and prove their innocence, then they will eventually be presented an opportunity to present the Token back to the Elders and escape their Wandering fate."
The students nodded and some wrote the information in their notebooks. "Mr. Fraus, how come the Token is so rare? If it's for people to prove themselves, shouldn't the Token be more widely available? Also, if they don't have a token but can prove their incidence, what then?" The other teen boy asked. "We have no idea why they are so rare and in what instance a person will be presented with the Token. Everything we know is simply basic knowledge to expose you all too. The Elders tend to keep these matters very hush hush and people are left to speculate. If any of you become an Elder, then and only then, will you have the answer to that question."
The boy who asked the question looked somewhat defeated. "Anyways, moving forward, all the different Temple's Elders have their own insignia on the Token. Making them..." Wren was having difficulty focusing on the lesson for today. As she was staring out the window, the suddenly felt a sharp pain in her head causing her to wince and shut her eyes tightly. "Wren-Wren, is that you? Help me..." *GASP* Wren gasped loudly for air as she opened her eyes and saw everyone was looking at her. "Wren, please excuse yourself and come back to class once you regain focus," Mr. Fraus said in a concerned tone. He had been warned she had a traumatic past and sometimes it affected her daily life. She nodded and slowly stood up and walked towards the door.
As she left the classroom, instead of going to the small clinic, she went to the stairs so she could get to the small rooftop area above the building. Once she got there she collapsed into the small chair near the door. *PANT PANT* she was panting and sweating heavily. She kept hearing the same thing over and over again, not knowing why. When she first heard the person speak her name, she immediately knew it was her older brother Diego's voice. "Ego, what's wrong? Are you really alive? After all...this..." She lost the last of her strength and passed out. Still unsure of why he was calling out to her all of a sudden.*