Still trying to calm the raging butterflies I enter the prayer hall where I am greeted by Kathline.
"Hello, Alex, nice to see you. You can just take a seat on one of the futons with the others until it starts."
Sister Esmay, Kathline's real name, is one of the few sect staff that is nice to me, courtesy of being the least troublesome among the children that were under her care at that time. The other nuns still juste avoid me with pity in their gaze.
At least when I was a toddler they hide the pity part, but I guess they can't be bothered anymore.
"Thank you, Sister Esmay."
After a slight bow, I walk up to an empty futon in the front and sit down. From there I bow to the stele to pay my respects Elat, god of the rising sun, and sit back up to wait.
As time passes, the futons begin to fill with the children from my batch.
I can't help but find it funny seeing them act so solemn and serious having seen them piss and shit themselves like babies.
Hehehe.
Once the seven o'clock bell rings, the doors are closed and locked.
Hell yeah, it's finally beginning.
"Children! Today is a big day for both you and the Sect of Dawn, which will determine how you will serve Lord Elat... "
I don't know when he got there but the tall wobbly top hat monk from the ritual is now standing in front of the stele and giving a speech.
His two-meter tall frame and long grey braided beard move with passion as he addresses us in his lord's name.
"... you have all grown splendidly under the Lord's loving gaze, and it is now time for him to guide you on your paths. Brother Hansen will now distribute soul pearls to every one of you. Once you received them please wait for further instructions."
"As you wish Father Hendrickson."
Following the Father's orders Brother Hansen, a burly, honest-looking young man starts going through the rows and passing out the items.
"Now that everyone has their pearls it is time to begin. Children raise up your pearls up to your foreheads and wait for a reaction. The colors they will take shall reveal your path."
After I put the colorless, grape-sized bead on my forehead I feel it starting to absorb a power deep inside me after a few seconds.
It's highly uncomfortable like my brain is getting ripped out of me.
A few breaths later, the absorption ends.
Whew! That was exhausting.
I look at the bead that just finished absorbing.
Whatever this thing ripped out of me must be important if only losing a bit of it is so taxing.
After the absorption, the pearl took an azure greenish color with a tinge of gold mixed in. Most of the kids surrounding me have fully golden beads.
I wonder which of these color schemes is good.
"If your color is a uniform gold please join Sister Esmay to the left for further examination. You will be sent to a different branch better suited to your talents. As for those with a different color scheme please join Brother Hansen and me to the right of the hall. You will be staying in the Snowdrift branch, forming this year's class of Dawn."
Not sure if this is good, but it's something.
While we assemble around the Brother and the Father, I notice an unwelcome presence: Fred.
Shit.
Once we're all assembled, Brother Hansen steps forward with a bowl in hand.
"Please hand me your soul pearls."
I do as he says.
Hansen then inspects them for a bit and nods, wobbling around his man bun, and puts the bowl on a table to the side to look at us again.
Honestly, I usually don't like man buns for blond people but this guy pulls it off quite well. Combined with the beard he almost looks like a Viking. He just needs one of those cool helmets.
"You guys have all had good results on your aptitude test, that's why you were chosen to remain her-"
An excited murmur breaks out among the children disrupting the Brother's speech. So the multicolored pearl is a good thing.
"HOWEVER!"
Whoopsies, the Viking apparently doesn't like to be interrupted.
"Simple spiritual aptitude is not enough. You are being admitted to the Class of Dawn, so you're the future of this branch, laziness and incompetence will not be tolerated. Furthermore, from now on you will be taking the last name of Dawn representing our investment, do not shame the Sect."
Oh boy, I feel like this isn't going to be an easy class. I'm getting some Mrs. Shubert French class vibes.
Seeing the class's worried expressions Father Hendrickson takes over.
"What Brother Hansen means to say is that if you fall behind too much in this class you will be demoted, but don't worry too much about it, just do your best. You should all have the competence to pass. Anyway, the soul pearls should have done a number on you. You can go home for today, but be here tomorrow at the same time in classroom 1C."
Ohhh, that is like music to my tired brain. Thank you, Father Hendrickson, appreciate it.
Following the father's words the new Class of Dawn bows to the Father and Brother before taking their leave.
I go along, but as I pass the pair I catch a glimpse of pity in their gazes one me in the corner of my eyes.
Them too, huh? Just like the nuns that avoid me. I don't why I thought it would be different.
Once she comes back, I'm going to ask Zelda what this is all about. No more avoiding the topic then.