Rolling my eyes at her picky behavior I push open the large doors causing the six people inside to turn to us. The inside is like most other cathedrals, the sides are lined with pews and columns further off with blue flamed torches on each.
Near the altar I see my father standing along with a man in priest robes and Baron Tristain. The priest has golden vestments meaning he is high up in the church. The only high-ranking member of the church within our small country of Aristia, Bishop Tholand, an old and ignorant man.
Mother puts a hand on my back as she guides me in towards the altar. In the front row of the pews are my younger siblings, Alia and Aylin, the twins, and my youngest sister Thea. They all seem to be tired as they are leaning against each other not quite sleeping but their eyes are drooping.
I smile at them as we walk past them stopping at the altar.
"We shall do the ritual in four parts, a talent test, a flame ignition, path selection, and finally a boon awakening. Of course, that is assuming you even awaken. Shall we begin?" The priest asks with outstretched arms.
My eyes meet my father's as I nod, "I thank you Bishop Tholand, please take care of me." My father nods as he and Baron Tristain take a step back onto the side off the raised platform with the altar.
The bishop reaches into his pocket and brings out two small marbles. He takes one into his left hand and on in his right then coats one in qi and the other in mana.
The marbles grow to the size of a large fist, the qi marble glows grey while the one infused with mana glows a translucent blue. He sets them both on small place settings seemingly made for them. Although they are a bit different than the ones I used as a kid I can tell they are rating orbs, they give a rough estimate of how well someone's body can take in qi or mana.
"Place your hand on an orb, these will show you the optimal path before you."
Without looking up at the bishop I place my hand on the Qi Orb and I feel a strange energy enter my hand. The orb glows white with a subtle light before fading back to grey.
The bishop shakes his head, "Qi rating, medium tier of the lowest rank."
I let out an annoyed sigh, I already knew the results but it is still frustrating.
Without much more thought I place my hand on the Mana Orb. Unlike the Qi Orb doesn't even change colors, it stays murky blue but grey dots can be seen within.
I notice the eyes of the bishop show a hint of disdain as he speaks, "Mana rating, negligible."
Without another word, the bishop takes the orbs, they shrink to become marble-sized again as he put them in his pockets. Putting out his hands again he sets them on the altar, blue flames leak out of his hands slowly converging into a large flame at the center.
"Put your hand's palms up in the flames."
Nodding I hold up my hands as he said with my palms up. Slowly I put them in the blue flames, against my expectations it is not hot; instead, it feels cool like an autumn breeze across my hands.
The bishop's eyes open wide as a deep blue flame can be seen behind them.
"Today, Engres Jun, son of Evald Jun and Lillith Yue, stands before the Gods seeking a flame. Do any Gods wish to offer this poor soul a fragment of their power for a greater future?"
As his words fall my left hand ignites in a dark red flame, the flame of Joor. I feel happy knowing that I can carry on the path of an awakened, my surprise deepens as a second flame ignites in my right hand. The flame in my right hand is purple and appears to bubble like a heavy liquid.
Both flames slowly consume my arms meeting at my chest before they both burst forth coating my whole body. The red light eventually fades leaving only a dark reddish-purple flame that spreads from my body devouring the blue flame on the altar turning it purple as well.
Tholand's eyes stop glowing and he puts down his arms his face now serious as he stares at my father. I turn to him as well looking for answers about what happened.
His eyes are calm as he speaks, "A God other than Joor has chosen you, and it appears he is more powerful… Which shouldn't be possible."
My eyes narrow in confusion, "Why?"
"Because it wasn't even a God of our Pantheon!" the bishop yells in anger, "I refuse to give this child a path!"
Before the bishop can make a move to leave my father's blade is at his neck, "You will do what you were paid to do."
My father's words are cold and I can see Tholand shiver.
"Evald," I turn to see my mother with an annoyed expression as the twins sit on her lap.
Father sheaths his blade, "Continue the ceremony."
Tholand's eyes flick between my father, mother, and Tristain.
With an annoyed gaze, he looks back at me obviously incredibly upset. His eyes glow once again in blue flames, the purple flames around me are still bubbling proudly.
"Kneel before the Gods and declare your path." Tholand's tone seems to be hurrying me so I oblige and kneel down.
I speak confidently having made up my mind, "I refuse the path of the Gods."
The purple flames around me rumble as two spikes of flames form out of my forehead growing into large horns. I see great displeasure cross Tholand's face as the flames around me begin to fade as do the flames in his eyes.
"The Gods have accepted your choice to be a Heretic."
Standing back up both Tholand and I look at father, "Do you have an offering for the boons?" Tholand asks in an annoyed tone.
My father nods as he pulls out an ornamental dagger from his uniform jacket's pocket, "The ceremonial dagger Joor was given by his lover Drem, Daughter of Peace." Father sets the dagger on the altar and backs away.
Tholand seems incredibly surprised at the offering, he probably thinks it's a waste on me.
"Then I will begin the transaction…" Closing his eyes Tholand's entire body is consumed in blue flames, his white vestments become laced in intractable blue patterns crisscrossing the blank robes.
The dagger on the altar floats up a few inches and points towards the roof. Red flames engulf the dagger as Tholand's eyes snap open. I quickly kneel as I feel the pressure of a God's presence.
"For the dagger, Joor offers two boons. For an unknown price, the stray God offers two boons. Do you accept?"
From behind me, I hear my mother gasp and from the corner of my eye, I see Baron Tristain's eyes widen.
I have never heard of anyone receiving more than two boons so I jump at the chance, "I accept the offer of my God's."
The dagger vanishes from the altar as red and purple flames swirl around me. I can feel it intruding into my pores flowing like mana or qi. I take a deep breath as a euphoric feeling rushes through me but it is cut short.
My vision is quickly dyed purple as a slight pain comes from my eyes but it quickly progresses.
"AHHHHHHHHHH!"
I scream as It feels as if daggers are being driven into my eyes. I feel a set of hands on my shoulders but I can't focus as I clutch my head falling to the ground and curling into a ball.
The pain from my eyes slowly fades as I slowly regain my vision… but I have yet to open my eyes. Slowly I begin to open my eyes and a sharp pain assaults my head as I begin to 'see' EVERYTHING.
I can see the blade hidden inside Tholand's left inner pocket. I can see the two swords hidden by magic on my mother's hip. I can see that Thea has four pieces of candy hidden in her front overall pocket. I can see Baron's true appearance, he is nearly eight feet tall with the head of a bull, bat wings, and a scorpion tail.
I can see myself from a third-person perspective, my mother is holding my head, my younger siblings are grabbing my side sobbing, and my father is pulling out a potion. My eyes are missing from my head, instead, there are black pits of nothing with a subtle purple glow.
I want to scream from the pain but my body won't let me, I feel like a hostage in my own body. Trying my best to fight the pain the world fades to black.