The sun cast a warm glow over the enigmatic four-statue temple's plaza, where hundreds of freshmen students gathered, their anticipation palpable in the crisp morning air. They have been preparing themselves for this moment since dawn. Now, it seems the eagerly awaited moment was finally upon them.
Maya stood amid a sea of students buzzing with excited chatter, her senses heightened by the surrounding energy. The students wore thin white dresses and togas, billowing in the breeze, symbolizing purity and unity. Their bare faces, devoid of makeup, highlighted their natural beauty, accentuated by the soft sunlight kissing their skin.
Maya wasn't hoping to return to the temple grounds so soon. Her last visit has left her perplexed and uneasy. It didn't help that she had received a couple of strange looks from her friends after asking if they'd heard about the bleak goddesses. It all left her feeling like a prank was being pulled on her.
Sarah, a priestess candidate, had especially scorned Maya. She refused to believe that the High Priestess — her role model — would speak about gods in such a way. It seemed that others' impressions of the Amellan Temple leader differed from her own. The only person who hinted they were discussing the same person was her mentor, Tanya, who expressed a dislike for the gods.
As the Headmistress, a commanding presence in her priestess robes, took her position at the front, Maya focused. The sacred aura surrounding her echoed the gravity of the occasion. The plaza, decorated with intricate symbols for each element, set the stage for the initiation ceremony.
As the Headmistress stepped forward, the crowd hushed in anticipation. She addressed the students with a voice that echoed across the plaza, imbued with both authority and warmth.
"Welcome, Neophytes! Today, you become a part of something greater," Amanda's words resonated, carried by the breeze. "Today marks a momentous step in your journey, a sacred communion with the Elements that have chosen you. As you stand here in the pure embrace of this dawn, dressed in the symbolic garb of purity, envision the legacy you are about to inherit. You are not just students; you are the torchbearers of a utopia forged by sacrifice and resilience."
Filled by the power of the Headmistress's words, Maya's eyes shifted toward the priestesses standing with her. Her gaze landed on Lady Kiana, the Head Priestess of Amellan's Temple who in the presence of the Headmistress has only a supporting role.
What Lady Kiana was seeing from her position must've been a sea of faces, but somehow, for a moment, their gaze met. A subtle recognition passed between them, and in that fleeting moment, Lady Kiana playfully winked at Maya.
A moment of confusion flickered across Maya's face, her eyebrows furrowing. Was she mistaken? Or does the eccentric priestess wink at any student who meets her gaze?
The Headmistress continued, "Consider the Sisters who came before you—visionaries who shaped this sanctuary. Their memory lives on in each of your chosen Element. Today, you become Mages, bound by a calling greater than yourself. The Elements have entrusted you with their power; now, in turn, you vow to serve, protect, and preserve. Your unity is your strength, and your strength will contribute to the perpetual flourishing of our shared mission."
Maya felt the weight of Amanda's words, the solemnity of the occasion seeping into her very being. The promise to serve, to contribute, and to honour the legacy of those who came before.
The Headmistress's speech continued. "May the Elements guide you, fill you with strength, and unite you as one. Today, we celebrate not just individual awakenings but the collective rebirth of our community. Embrace the legacy, and let the Elements weave their magic through your every step. To all 429 of you, I extend my deepest wishes for a harmonious and purposeful journey. Let the Elements empower you, and may your paths be illuminated by the eternal light of our shared destiny."
After the Headmistress's grandiose greeting, students awaited their turn, their hearts pounding with a mix of excitement and nervousness. One by one, names were called into the temple, designating each to their respective element—Air, Fire, Earth, or Water. The ritual unfolded with a sacred silence of anticipation, broken only by new names being called in and rhythmic unison greeting of each new initiated that returned joined with their element.
""Salve, Sara Collins, ignis filia!""
""Salve, Adam Blair, aurae filius!""
""Salve, Elena Petrova, undae filia!""
""Salve, Andrea Baldovini, terrae filia!""
""Salve, Kasper Eklund, ignis filius!""
""Salve, Isaac Hickley, undae filius!""
""Salve, Da Lin, terrae filia!""
Maya observed the proceedings with a sense of awe and trepidation, knowing that her turn would come soon. The sensory pallet of the ceremony—the scent of flowers, the touch of the breeze, and the weight of the Headmistress's words—merged to create a moment that transcended the ordinary, marking the beginning of a new chapter for all who stood in the temple's embrace.
Finally, Maya's name was called into the Air temple. As she stepped out of the crowd and approached the temple with a determined stride, two priestesses met her at the steps. They led her through the colonnaded portico that framed the temple, and through translucent curtains swaying in the faint breeze and shrouded the interior from the outside lookers.
Expecting relief of shade after standing in the sun for a while, the brightness of the space caught her by surprise. The main body of the temple was but a single circular hall that opened upward with an enormous oculus framing the sky. With bountiful light seeping through, the Temple of Air seemed more like an atrium. Maya's bare feet registered the chill of the marble floor and confused her senses about the boundaries that separated the inside from the outside.
It was only fitting that a temple that served Air would have the sky as its dome, but Maya remembered with discomfort her previous visit to temple grounds. This temple must've been purposed for the God of Sky rather than the element of Air.
Three steps higher, at the altar area, the Headmistress Amanda awaited Maya, acting as a priestess for Air. Her dark brown hair was elegantly captured in a long braid, crowned by a golden diadem, a striking figure in a flowing black silk dress.
The Headmistress descended gracefully, gesturing for Maya to approach. Three priestesses prepared the ritual objects—a folded black fabric tied with golden lace, a bronze bowl, and a golden razor blade. The last item stirred a nervous reaction in Maya, an uneasiness that Amanda's proud look sought to dispel.
"Approach, my child. Do not be afraid. This is your special moment," the Headmistress encouraged her. Her hands on Maya's shoulders calmed her nervousness.
"Shall we begin?" she said with motherly concern.
"Y-yes."
At the Headmistress's gesture, Maya knelt on a pillow prepared for her as priestesses assisted her with the dress. The Headmaster proceeded with the ceremony with a tone that felt both comforting and commanding.
"Welcome, Maya Watergate. Element of Air has heard your call and is ready to accept you into its warm embrace. Are you prepared to vow upon it?"
"I am," Maya responded with scripted answers.
At each question, she answered affirmatively. Agreeing to keep the natural balance and protect the world from the evil that wishes to harm it, as well as carrying the legacy and glory over to succeeding generations. Finally, she thanked the mages who made a sacrifice to create Mellgrah.
After she had accepted the element to become a part of herself, there was only left the final part to consolidate their bond—a sacrifice.
Maya bowed her head as instructed, trying to conceal the unease bubbling within her. Her heartbeat, a rapid drum in her ears, synchronized with the ethereal hum that permeated the sacred space. Her curly hair fell with her gaze, leaving only the hair of her nape—gathered into a small braid as a preparation for the ceremony—grasped inside of a hand of the priestess performing the sacrifice.
The golden razor blade neared, reflecting a glint of the flickering candlelight, and Maya failed to suppress a flinch, anticipating the cold touch of metal. She held her breath as her hair was cut with a smooth motion, leaving the only sounds she could hear being the priestesses' measured breath and the sound of Maya's hair giving way against the sharp blade.
And then, with a swift, calculated motion, the blade descended, and a quiet gasp escaped Maya's lips. As the razor withdrew, the tension lingered.
The sacrifice was painless. All it took was a part of her past. Her hair being a symbol of her past holding on to her present became the sacrifice for her newfound destiny.
As Maya's head felt lighter as if that part of her past weighing her down left along with her hair, the priestesses proceeded enveloping her in rich fabric. The white dress she wore represented purity, but now as a newly initiated mage she was wrapped in black fabric girdled with golden thread representing union with her Element.
"Air and yourself are successfully unified. Let your bond be strong and lasting."
The Headmistress spoke as she dipped her fingers in white clay held out to her by one of the assisting priestesses and proceeded to draw on Maya's face. As a final step of the ritual, she stepped closer and kissed Maya's forehead.
"Welcome to our family," she said softly, making Maya almost let out tears of joy.
Before leaving as a newly initiated witch, priestesses approached her, each carrying a beautifully ornamented golden box.
"Allow us to gift you a token as proof of your bond, that wherever you may walk you are reminded your Element walks with you," one of them spoke.
Maya looked at the boxes. It was also a part of the scripted ceremony. Each box carried a talisman representing Aura, her element. The one she chooses must carry with her, and it will serve as a physical token for her Element to reside in and as proof of which Element she belongs to. It was worn on their person as a display of being a proud mage.
As each talisman varied in its design and was returned to the temple after the carrier's death, they were all unique and old. Maya only wished she could glimpse at and admire them, but as a part of the ceremony, she mustn't be allowed to see them before making a choice.
Still under the strong impression of the ceremony, Maya felt no burden of her usual indecisiveness and boldly picked the one that called to her the most. As she held the pendant in her hand, blissfully staring at its intricates with admiration, priestesses helped her move in her new gown and led her outside.
""Salve, Maya Watergate, aurae filia!""
The crowd's unison chant reverberated after priestesses announced her, and was both overwhelming and comforting. Tears streamed down Maya's face, not of sadness but of accomplishment. She had become a mage, and her adventures awaited, a journey she would tread with pride, carrying the proof of her bond with the Element of Air.
Maya squeezed the pendant tightly in her hand. This time she had a solid proof, and she would use it to wash away any trace of misery still lingering within her.
'Mom, dad… This is the world I have chosen. I know you wouldn't believe me if I told you about it, but this is the path I have stepped on. It isn't perfect, but I will strive to make the most of it. You can finally be proud of your little girl.'
Her thoughts lingered on her lost parents. Realizing that among feeling guilt for their deaths, she was also deeply burdened by the thought of being a failure, wasting the life they had given her. But not anymore. She will no longer be afraid and make it up to them for the love they have given her.
As she returned to the crowd of students, now more of them initiated than not, she was met by the warm embraces of her friends. They laughed and cheered as she wiped her tears, a big cathartic smile on her face. This was her new beginning.