The priestess stood at the center of the open area and mumbled. Hex couldn't understand the words she muttered.
Slowly the priestess arms started to glow. It started at one point but followed a pattern at the back of her hand. It spread further up her arms, disappearing into the wide sleeves of her robe.
Buzz!
Hex felt tremors appear underneath his feet. The floor was trembling. Long ago he had seen the ritual, but it was his first time experiencing it.
A stream of light appeared around the priestess. It flowed on the ground, lighting up the engraved pattern on the floor. The pattern was shaped like a polygon.
At the core of the polygon stood the priestess. Hex noticed that he was placed on one of the angles of the polygon. It was the same for each participant. A circle of light appeared around their feet. And all those circles were connected to the core.
After the mark lit up and the lines connected with each other, the priestess stopped her chanting. She took her staff and hit the floor at the core of the polygon.
Right at the place she hit with her staff, the floor opened. A monolith swiveled upward, stopping at the height of the priestess' abdomen.
"When I call your name, come forward and place your offering crystal at the top. No matter what happens, try not to move during the process. If the heavens are pleased, it will grant part of the crystal's energy to you as a blessing. Have faith. With heaven's will you will receive a blessing."
The priestess looked around and instructed. Her voice was soft and warm, encouraging the participants to put their faith in the heavens.
'The Heavens. What good will and faith. If that was all it took, why would barely ten percent of the society receive a blessing? It clearly depends on the amount of wealth a person has.'
Hex rolled his eyes at the priestess and the people in the public. As far as he was considered, all the Heavens cared for was resources and offerings. Nothing else mattered to it.
As far as Hex was concerned the ritual was nothing more than a trade. In exchange for the crystals, the Heavens granted certain gifts to the creatures living beneath it. He didn't know why the Heavens required them nor did he care to know.
Hex noticed the other participants watching the priestess nervously. It felt strange to him. But what Hex didn't know was that the order of the names mattered.
"At least this time we know who we will be the last," whispered Leem. He was the one who had shouted at Hex. Leem made sure to be as silent as he could, but in the silence of the temple some people still heard him.
Some people in the crowd burst out in laughter. Hex frowned. He was certain Leem meant him. He was inclined to ignore it, but based on the laughs and murmurs, the crowd agreed. That puzzled him.
The priestess looked at Leem but only nodded. "Yes, Hex will be the last."
"Why?" Hex couldn't help but ask. Was the temple also ganging up against him? But his relationship with the priestess had always been good. 'Is it him?' He turned towards the Baron. But he seemed calm and uninterested. 'It doesn't seem like it.'
"Silence." The crowd quietened down. The priestess looked at Hex and said, "You might not know but the chances to gain a blessing decreases with each participant."
Hex' eyes opened wide. He really didn't know. It wasn't something he was told or taught. "But why am I last then?"
If the order was that important, why did the temple get to decide the order arbitrarily?
"Because you have the least amount of donations in your name. Or should I say, you have zero donations on your name. The amount of donation decides the order."
Hex heart sank. He had one chance. And even that chance was lowered. It strengthened his belief that the Heavens cared only for resources. Good will and faith were just tools to extract more from the citizens.
The priestess started to call the participants. Hex remained silent. He knew that traditions and rules wouldn't be broken or at least not for him.
The first participant was a girl. She walked nervously to the monolith and placed her palms on top of it. Shortly after that a burst of light appeared. The monolith lit up, seemingly absorbing the light. It sucked all the light.
When the light faded, the girl looked at the back of her hand. There was nothing. She seemed frozen in place. Even the crowd turned silent. If even the first person failed, what about the rest?
"Failed."
"Next."
The priestess grabbed the stunned girl and pulled her to the side. There was no change in expression on her face. At the same time she motioned the next person to continue.
The next person, a teenager boy, walked nervously. Everyone watched with their breaths held in.
Similar to the first person, a burst of light followed by the monolith absorbing the energy. Not even a spark was left for the boy.
"Failed."
The crowd exploded. Some screamed in disbelief, some just stared, some discussed, everyone was disturbed.
"Why? Why is this happening?" Leem seemed terrified. Hex noticed the other two boys felt similarly. They stood gaping at the monolith.
"Next!"
The priestess ignored the crowd and shouted. Failure or success didn't matter. She was only here to oversee the ritual.
The three boys looked at each other. They were unsure what to do. They had already failed a few times. It took a lot of resources from their families to acquire the crystals and the funds to place them on the list.
"The Bron family would like to forfeit this time." A loud voice sounded from the crowd. Hex turned to look at the man.
'Leem's father.' He recognized the head of the Bron family. The man was arrogant and had often complained that his son was sitting in the same class as an orphan.
"We also forfeit." The families of the other two boys also forfeited their chance. They would rather not risk the crystal. It was rare and very expensive.
The priestess nodded. She had expected such a thing to occur once the first two had failed. She looked at Hex.
"What about you?"
Everyone's gaze landed on Hex.
Hex clenched his fists. 'Why the fuck is this happening? I finally have a chance and then this happens.'
He was torn between choices. On one hand he was already behind people his age who walked on the path of a Blessed. But on the other hand, proceeding with a certain failure was stupid.
'An impure crystal already lowered the chances. Now it's lowered even further down. Should I try again next year?'
Hex weighed his options. Suddenly his gaze landed on the Baron. He was looking straight at him.
As soon as their gaze met, the memories of the past six years of his life filled his head.
He remembered being thrown out.
He remembered the cold and solitude of the slums.
He remembered the darkness of the mountain.
He remembered nearly dying.
He remembered killing.
The memories ignited a fire inside him. So what if the chances were low? Hadn't he survived so long with low chances?
His eyes regained focus. He straightened his posture and took a long breath.
"I will continue."
His loud voice reverberated in the wide hall, stunning everyone. Hex stepped firmly towards the monolith.
'I don't give a fuck about the Heavens. You are not taking my shit for free!'