Siren returned to the ring to find Headmaster Boris injuring Bode. The boy cried out as the blade sliced through his flesh, cutting past his forearm guard. Blood sprayed, and Siren knew it must have severed veins. Bode's sword slipped from his hand, and he dropped to his knees, face contorted in agony as he whimpered and clutched his arm.
"My arm!" he cried, making Siren cringe. "It's gone!"
Sir Boris rested his sword on his shoulder. "Oh, don't be a baby. It's just a flesh wound."
Iris rushed to Bode's side with an emergency kit, quickly untying the damaged guard to reveal a gaping wound across his forearm, flesh parted and blood pouring at an alarming rate. She extracted a tiny vial from the emergency kit, uncorked it, and poured the liquid down Bode's throat. Almost instantly, the bleeding slowed and stopped.
"Iris, would you please take Bode to the healing station?" Sir Boris commanded.
"Of course, headmaster." She looped Bode's uninjured arm around her neck, helping him to his feet like a crutch.
"Lady Yrsa will fix your arm up good as new, so stop crying, Bode!" Sir Boris barked as they left the ring. "And consider that cut your punishment for giving the worst performance of all the elites today! Hmph!"
Bode whimpered as he leaned on Iris, Siren was uncertain whether it was in response to Sir Boris or the pain.
"A double wound. Internal and external." A voice spoke from behind. "Sir Boris hasn't been in a great mood lately."
Siren turned from the retreating pair to find Astrid grinning. She was of identical height and build as Siren, though slightly stronger, if not quite as skilled.
Siren returned her grin and approached her best friend. "You know what I think? The old man's always looking for an excuse to cut people up. He's always in that mood."
They shared a laugh as Sir Boris dispersed the ring of elites, one of whom picked up Bode's equipment to return it to the armory.
"I saw Saga leaving earlier," Astrid gestured toward the school's gate, "looking like she was ready to kill someone."
"Yeah, right," Siren scoffed. "I wish she could."
"Don't you think you're a bit hard on her?" Astrid's disapproving look made Siren frown.
"What?" Siren shrugged. "I just tease her a little. It's normal between siblings. She knows that."
Astrid smiled, her look clearly saying, are you serious?
"Come on, don't worry about that crap." Siren gave Astrid's shoulder a playful push, guiding her toward their waiting friends. "After all that training and sparring, I'm ready to cut loose, you know?"
"Yeah, let's have some fun!" Astrid grinned. "Where to? Aqua Spirit?"
"Definitely!" Siren nodded with a smirk.
"Siren!"
Hearing her uncle's shout, Siren turned to see Vor approaching with a purposeful stride, his serious gaze fixed on her as he closed the distance.
"What's your uncle doing here?" Astrid whispered in her ear.
"I'm as surprised as you are," Siren replied.
Before she could say more, Vor reached them and spoke. "Siren, you'll accompany me now. Get into your armor. The chronali has summoned you to Sunlight Hill." His gaze shifted to Astrid. "You, too, Astrid. Get ready. Now."
"Wait, it's happening now?" Siren blurted, suddenly alert. "I thought it was scheduled for next week!"
"I know, sweetheart," Vor replied, his tone calm but with a credence of urgency. "But they have decided it must happen now. They say the stars have aligned." He paused. "We cannot question the chronali's wisdom."
"Oh, no!" Siren's heart raced. "Wait! Why is Astrid coming? What do they want with her?"
"Because she passed the test as well. This decision was made by us and by the chronali."
"Lord Norn!" Astrid's eyes sparkled. "Is that true? Really, truly true?"
"Yes, my dear. Only the two of you passed this term. You've both met our expectations and are ready to take the Oath of Seren."
"Yes!" Astrid punched the air, grinning. "I'm going to be a full-on protector, baby!"
"That's great! I'm happy for you, girl," Siren said, smiling, genuinely glad for her friend, though a bitterness lingered at the back of her throat. She'd wanted to be the only one to pass this term, there was a certain prestige in that. Now that Astrid had passed too, it didn't matter if a few others or even the entire class had made it; the chance for that distinction had vanished. But she held back her feelings, determined not to ruin Astrid's moment.
The two slipped into their armor and joined Vor for the trip to Sunlight Hill. They crossed town in Vor's horse-drawn carriage. Beyond the southern edge of the town stretched flower fields where the chronali resided. Great banyan trees, scattered across the sea of blossoms, offered the only shade in sight. Through the window, Siren noticed several wells but no houses, or even anything resembling a dwelling.
Soon, their carriage halted at the base of a small grassy hill. The Sunlight Hill.
"Come along now," Vor said, stepping out of the carriage. "The chronali are waiting."
Siren exited the carriage reverently, feeling on edge and keen not to offend. She glanced at Astrid, whose usual lively demeanor seemed to have dimmed. She furrowed her brows. Is that nervousness I sense in her? Siren wondered, amazed. I can't remember ever seeing Astrid nervous…
It was a short climb to the top. The hill's peak was flat, occupied by a circle of chronali men and women.
"Frao Cosmus, I have brought the oath-takers," Vor announced to the circle. He gestured to Siren. "I present to you the daughter of Nerier and Rudr- Siren Norn." He then indicated Astrid. "And the daughter of Karla and Borge- Astrid Elk."
Cosmus approached them with a graceful stride, emerging from the circle. She stood before them, her smile warm, her voice soft and melodic, yet magnetic. "Thank you, Lord Norn, for taking leave from your duties as mayor to grace us with your presence. You have my gratitude."
"Please, think nothing of it." Vor looked at Siren with a smile. "Today is a special day for my family."
Cosmus nodded. "Indeed, there's a unique quality to this day. The sunlight seems brighter than usual. Good things are in motion for us all."
"The navians are grateful for your blessings," said Vor. "These two are the direct descendants of those who once spoke the words of this oath before you. We are confident they're ready to take their vows for the sake of the navians, the chronali, and this land."
"Yes, I see it as clearly as daylight, in both their body and soul."
Siren felt Cosmus's gaze linger on her, deep and penetrating, as though she were reading Siren's very soul. But she found her gaze was warm, filled with the compassion and wisdom of a mother looking upon her child.
"Please, come with me," Cosmus said, gesturing them forward.
They followed her into the circle. To Siren, it seemed nearly all the chronali were present, forming a ring atop the hill, at least fifty of them, their togas fluttering in the breeze, faces serene as if in meditation. They appeared not to follow the movements within the circle yet, somehow, seemed aware of everything taking place.
Cosmus led them to the center, stopping over a circular patch of bare earth.
"Do you know the purpose of this oath?" Cosmus asked, her gaze sweeping over the oath-takers.
Siren and Astrid exchanged an uncertain look.
"Um—to publicly declare we're going to uphold our duties as protectors?" Astrid ventured; her voice touched with doubt.
Vor cleared his throat, drawing their attention to him. "You're not wrong, Astrid. But there's more to the oath than that." He adjusted his glasses. "Speaking the oath allows the chronali to connect you with their blessed light, marking you."
Siren took a breath, stepping forward. "Before you brand me with the sun mark, I want to say that my loyalty will always lie with Serenvale. I will fight for this land with my last drop of blood." She paused, her gaze shifting between her uncle and Cosmus. "That said, I won't be bound by the chains of your oath. I intend to go beyond this realm, to join the wars of the great realms, to make a name for myself, and to make a difference out there. I'm sorry to bring this up now, but I had to make my intentions clear."
Cosmus's smile grew, bright and knowing. "Of course. This land is too small to contain your potential. You're meant for the world; we already see that."
"But you're not going anywhere, my dear," Vor said, pouring water on her fire. "Remember what happened to your mother and father."
Siren's eyes narrowed, her gaze hardening as she looked at him, then looked away, teeth clenched.
"My parents were weak. That's why they got killed by random monsters. I'm not weak. I won't die in some unknown ditch and be forgotten," Cosmus said, her voice calm and hypnotic. "This is what you're thinking, isn't it, Siren?"
"Um—n-no!"
How does she know what I'm thinking? In those exact words? thought Siren, feeling a jolt of unease.
Cosmus smiled gently. "It's alright, Siren. But you're mistaken. It's a mystery that your parents, who defeated powerful fume users and became renowned adventurers, were ultimately killed by fumeless monsters. The answer lies in the madness curse."
"What?" Siren blurted, confused.
"She's right," Vor said quietly. "The madness curse claimed many of us, navians, during our migration in the Third Age of the Strong. King Wahrmar's daughter, Seren, led the navians here because she heard that the chronali could lift our curse."
"Alas, we couldn't remove the madness curse completely," said Cosmus. "A dark force placed that curse on the navians. And something that dark never truly goes away."
Siren glanced between them, processing this unexpected history of her people. Beside her, Astrid appeared equally bewildered.
"However," Cosmus continued, "in our presence, the madness curse doesn't affect the navians. That's when Seren and we made a pact. The navians would make this land their home, protect its residents, and in return, the chronali would bestow them with our light. You see, Siren, just as darkness can leave its mark, so can light. The light's influence is stronger but limited in reach. So, when a navian ventures outside Serenvale, the chronali's domain, they eventually succumb to the madness curse."
"Narld!" Siren whispered, blood pounding in her head. "Are you saying my mom and dad went mad because they left Serenvale?"
"Is that why navians aren't allowed to leave here?" Astrid asked, her face twisted in disbelief.
"This knowledge is hard to accept," said Vor gravely. "It can cause panic and unrest among navians. So, we only share it with a select few. Sometimes, ignorance truly is bliss."
Siren pressed her hands to her temples before demanding, "Tell me what happened to Mom and Dad. I need to know."
"You already know, Siren," Vor replied. "They took a routine monster-hunting job. But it went wrong because the curse drove them mad. That's what happens when you leave Serenvale. Even the Bestowed Mark couldn't protect them from it. The only way to keep your sanity is to stay here, within the chronali's domain."
Siren clenched her jaw, the burden of the revelation settling over her like a hammer blow. She looked to Astrid, whose expression mirrored her pain. Astrid understood what this meant for Siren, all her dreams, shattered in an instant.
"It'll be alright, Ren," Astrid said softly, gripping Siren's shoulder to reassure her. "We'll figure something out. For now, let's just get the mark, alright?"
"What's the point?" Siren spat. "If the curse doesn't affect anyone inside Serenvale, then why bother with the mark?"
"Calm down," Vor said sternly. "Show some respect. That mark is important."
Siren scowled, defiance flashing in her eyes.
Cosmus raised her hands. "Lord Norn, please, allow me to explain." She turned to Siren, her voice soothing. "Siren, simply residing in Serenvale reduces the madness curse's effectiveness by 99%, and that's sufficient for most citizens. However, only the mark can fully neutralize it by 100%."
"That's crazy," Siren said, shaking her head. "Then why doesn't every citizen have this mark? Why only the protectors?"
"Because the sun mark is a magic of great power, Siren. Attempting to bestow it on every citizen would deplete us, weakening us and causing our blessings to fade. Should that happen, Serenvale would become like the rest of the world, and the madness curse would overwhelm the navians once more, with or without the mark."
Astrid gasped. From the corner of her eye, Siren saw her friend's face go pale. Siren felt a shiver herself.
"So, we bestow the sun mark only on navians with the strongest fumes," Cosmus explained. "Those who wield the greatest power can never be allowed to fall to the madness curse."
A numbness settled over Siren as Cosmus revealed these secrets of the curse and the chronali's role in navian history. Yet, in her heart and spirit, she was a warrior who dealt with hard truths pragmatically. For now, she would set her dreams aside and accept the mark from the chronali. But she was determined to find a way to overcome the curse that plagued her people and that had driven her parents mad. She knew the search would be worth every effort. Because, at the end of that path, she believed, lay glory.
"So, are we ready to begin?" Cosmus asked, glancing at the oath-takers.
"Yes," Siren replied, adding, "Please."
"Marvelous. Please sit on the bare soil, facing away from each other. Close your eyes and assume a meditative posture. The light around you will intensify. Don't be startled, and under no circumstances should you open your eyes until we instruct you to do so." Cosmus turned to Vor, a gentle smile on her face. "Lord Norn, you know what to do. Please wait at the base of the hill, remain in your carriage, and avoid looking up at the hilltop. The light will be intense enough to cause blindness."
"Yes, I'm aware, but thank you for the warning." Vor nodded at Cosmus, then looked at the girls. "There's no need to worry, you two. Just follow Frao Cosmus's instructions, and soon you'll have your mark. I'll be waiting below the hill, so be at ease."
"Thank you, Lord Norn," Astrid said. "We'll be fine."
"Alright, Uncle," Siren said with a nod. "I guess we'll see you after the ritual."
"You two remember the words, don't you?"
Siren nodded.
"Yes, my lord," Astrid replied, smiling. "Sir Boris made sure we memorized them."
"Good to hear," Vor said. "May Narld watch over you."
As her uncle descended the hill, Siren settled onto the bare soil and closed her eyes. She sensed Astrid sitting down behind her.
"Very good." Siren heard Cosmus's voice. "Now, begin the words of the Oath of Seren. Speak slowly, and pronounce each word clearly. Any error, and we'll have to restart the ritual."
Siren took a deep breath. Here we go, she thought, then began to recite the words of the oath.