The next day, all of Eddeathra gathered outside of Cardell Castle. Icas stood on the balcony along with the other members of the Knights of Evermore dressed in their best. Icas moved over to where Kalzin stood with Elina and their friends Hadrian and Maline. Elina smiled at Icas and he smiled back. Kalzin elbowed Icas. "Alright, enough with the love stares," he said. "Maisha will be here any moment."
"Are you nervous?" Icas asked. "I sure am."
Kalzin put an arm around Icas. "You'll be fine. Look," he said as he gestured out into the crowd. "Fallon is there. He and his parents traveled nonstop from Wakemark just to see you." Icas looked out into the crowd and spotted Fallon smiling up at him. Icas smiled back and waved.
Trumpets sounded and the king and queen walked up to the edge of the balcony. The crowd erupted in applause. "Good morning Eddeathra!" The king said as the applause died down. "I believe you all know why you are here. "These five children will be gifted special powers from Maisha herself in just a few minutes. These children will grow up to be the most skilled and powerful knights in our world and will serve to protect Eddeathra."
The burgundy curtain behind the group slowly parted by itself, as if by magic, to reveal a large stag. Her coat was deep blue and black with a white lining around the legs. Her antlers were what drew all the attention. The beige bones extended from her head in two directions and each tip glowed in a different color making a wonderful light show above her head. Maisha turned her kind, protective eyes to the king and queen. "Maisha," the king acknowledged.
Maisha nodded and turned to face the crowd, her rich voice carrying throughout the castle grounds. "Greetings, citizens of Eddeathra," she began. "We will now commence the Receiving Ceremony." She turned to face the children. "You will each be given certain powers but I warn you, be careful with them, they can be used for great good but they can also be used for great evil. You are the one who decides what they are used for. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Maisha," they said in unison.
Maisha nodded. "First, Kalzin." Kalzin stepped forward. The red and orange tips of her antlers glowed and the light traveled into Kalzin. "Fire," she said. Kalzin moved back to the group, giving Icas a quick thumbs up. "Hadrian," she said. The blond boy stepped forward just as Kalzin had. The green tips of her antlers glowed and entered Hadrian. "Earth," she said.
The same happened for Elina who got air and the light was different shades of purple and for Maline who got water and the light was different shades of blue.
"Finally, Icas." Icas glanced at Kalzin and stepped forward. When he looked into Maisha's eyes, he was startled. Her eyes were suddenly filled with an expression somewhere between regret, sorrow, and sympathy. But as fast as they came, they were gone. The black tips of her antlers glowed and entered Icas and he was suddenly thrust into a horrific vision.