Fanfic:The First Call for Dedication

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The First Call for Dedication
Author(s)
  • Aleatha (player)
Character(s)
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"Succumb to Darkness, child of the sunrise..." The voices were all around him, inside of him, luring him. A flash of light, a penetrating scream, and Kiryn found himself sitting up in his bed, in his small Soldier's room.

The nightmares often came to him now, more and more often since he had arrived here in the Tower. He had gotten quite used to the variety of people who lived here, even to the number of people who were carrying weapons, although he was still far from comfortable with that. That didn't take away the fact he was scared. He was young, most people still considered him as a child, although he had seen so much more than the other children of the world. He had seen death, he had seen how cruel fate could be. The Way of the Leaf had tested him so much more severely than in tested the others...

He didn't dare to go back to sleep, afraid the dreams would take hold of him again, so he stood up and quickly dressed in green breeches and a yellow tunic. The colors were bright, though not as bright as what he used to wear. He felt a bit assimilated sometimes. He took his black coat off a peg on the wall and put it over his shoulders. He quickly braided his long, black curls, not bothering to put lace in the braids as he usually did, and he opened the door to step outside.

As Kiryn opened the door, he looked straight into the golden eyes of Shamus, the Blue Asha'man he had gotten to know quite well during the time he spent here. Shamus had taught him how to read, and Kiryn was still very grateful about that. "What are you..." they began, at the same time. Kiryn shut his mouth and looked down, allowing the higher-placed man to speak first.

"We have decided you're ready for Dedication, Kiryn. You can come with me now, and pass through the three arches. When you're done, you will be allowed to wear the sword pin and you'll be a Dedicated of the Grey Tower."

He didn't know what to say, so he kept his mouth closed and followed his mentor through the long, winding halls. It didn't feel right. Of course, he would have more freedom in study once he was Dedicated. But passing through the arches meant sealing your fate to the Tower. He wasn't sure if he wanted to do that. He wasn't even sure if he would be staying here...

Shamus had brought him to the lowest floor of the Tower, far beneath the ground. He pushed open a large, white door, and motioned Kiryn to enter first. The room was filled with people. Kiryn didn't recognize any of them except for the Master of Soldiers, Tatham Asha'man, whom he had met a time or two during the first few days he spent here. In the middle of the room stood a strange silver device, shaped as three arches that were tied to each other on all sides. Three Asha'man were sitting by the corners of it, channeling weaves of Spirit.

Tatham walked over to him. The Brown was much taller than he was, and Kiryn had to stretch his neck to look him in the eyes. Shamus was still standing behind him. "Good evening, Soldier," Tatham said, before turning to Shamus.

"Whom do you bring with you, Brother?" he spoke. "One who comes as a candidate for Dedication, Brother." They were saying the words of an old tradition, and it sounded like that. "Is he ready?" Kiryn closed his eyes, thinking about the question Tatham had just asked. Was he ready? Certainly, he had been training for a long time, he had learned a lot. But this meant more than just moving on in training! "He is ready to leave behind what he was, and, passing through his fears, gain Dedication." "Does he know his fears?" He had lived through his fears. He didn't dare fearing any more. "He has never faced them, but now is willing." Tatham looked at him for a few seconds, then looking back at Shamus, he said: "Then let him face what he fears."

He was taken to a corner of the hall by a White Asha'man he had never met before. "You must take off your clothes, Soldier. You must enter the arches the same way as you entered this world, for it is rebirth you will be facing, in a certain sense."

He took off his black coat and the clothes he had carelessly donned a short time ago, and placed them on a chair beside him. He didn't feel comfortable. Of course, if he wanted to stay here, he would have to pass this.... He didn't want to die because he was unable to control himself, and he had nowhere else to go, either.

Tatham waited for him to finish undressing, and then motioned him to stand next to the arches-ter'angreal. "Tonight, if you want, you will be raised to Dedicated. Soldiers are given three chances at this. You may refuse twice to enter, but at third refusal, you are sent away from the Tower forever. Refuse now, or go on. What do you choose?" What do you choose? The words rang through his head like brass bells. What do you choose? Succumb to Darkness, child of the sunrise!

"I cannot," he whispered. "I'm sorry, but I cannot. I am not ready yet." He picked up the bundle of his folded clothes and ran back to his room, where he spent the rest of the night crying.