CHAPTER FIVE. WORTHY

"I pose a question: The future, the past, and the present, which is a vindicator of the soul?"~Purity

***

I always thought that pain was like a rushing waterfall. But I was wrong. It was miserably slow like a drop of water dripping from the ceiling to the ground. The problem was, I didn't know which hurt the most: The dripping or when it landed on the ground.

The darkness was a comfort to me. When I opened my eyes to the light, I winced. The room wasn't even that bright. It was brownish.

The walls were cracked and I was lying on one of the many beds on both sides of the room.

I was in the aid bay. The beds I could see that were unoccupied were stained with a brown substance. The brown had been engrained in the bed and it felt like that was the natural color. Other people were resting on the bed.

"You're awake" I looked up and saw a short woman with frizzly hair staring at me with scrutiny.

She had big brown eyes. Unlike healers, her face was hard and stony. Her voice was rough and lacked the feminity and melody a healer usually had. She was a healer. A healer in the knight division.

"How are you feeling?" She asked.

I tried to move but I groaned in pain.

"Stop whining. You'll live" I thought I saw her eyes rolling.

"Get changed or else you'll miss the orientation." She informed me gruffly and left.

I was allowed to visit the aid bay to tend to my wounds this morning. I passed when I was being treated. I knew I was given some pain relief medicine because I felt numb. But when the effects were lifted it was going to hurt like a bitch.

The uniform was a black leather jacket with a collar that reached my neck, pants, and boots. A black sleeveless top was what I wore underneath the outfit. At least the outfit wasn't bad.

I braided my hair and wrapped the mouth in a bun. I was ready. Ready to die. I smiled depreciatingly.

***

Thousands of people were standing waiting to be spoken. No one spoke. I knew we were 500 that made it this year. Knight school was a four-year training.

First-years were called recruits because we could die at any time. Sadistic bastards.

The second years were Cadets, the third years were junior cadets and the fourth years were senior cadets.

There was a stage in front of us all. Then, five people wearing the same uniform but with a cape walked on stage.

Amongst them was my brother, Auorn of Calyptex Ruby. He was the second child and he was in his fourth year. The last I heard was that he was the legion leader of the tamers. He was more handsome than the last time I saw him, which was four years ago. His hair was shorter and he had brown eyes and his jaw was much more defined. He was a man now.

But that wasn't who made my heart skip multiple beats. My eyes gazed at eyes the color of the moon. His eyes were shining. He stood beside my brother, who was behind another man. He was a creation that the gods each had a hand in making. Everything else became a backdrop in his presence. His hair was a natural silver, but his brows were black. His skin was flawless yet rough. His face was beautiful and despite the white features he had, the darkness and mystery were more pronounced. He drew everyone's attention to him.

He was my brother's closest friend and I had known him since childhood, I fell in love with him the first time I saw him. I was five the first time and I didn't know what love was, but I knew I wanted him. I was obsessed with this man. The thoughts of him swirled in my head every time.

I quickly averted my eyes when I saw that he had caught me.

Fool, fool, fool.

I focused my attention back on the man speaking. He was the same man who told us to sleep outside.

"Welcome all of you to the knights' division. My name is Godric and I am one of the members of the four people in the garrison." His voice was loud and powerful. The garrison was the leader of the knight division.

Zarir, my obsession, was the youngest member ever.

"You will all be selected into one of the five squads. Your training began when you were chosen by the flames. So you will be shuffled into the squads based on how quickly you finished the tests. The squads each year participate in a competition to gain the top rank. As of now, the top squad is squad Peregrine, then squad Galadriel, squad Bastian, squad Aerith, and squad Elvina"

That meant that I was going to be in Elvina. Could this day be any worse?

"However," A woman with forest green hair and black eyes, standing beside Godric spoke. Her voice was surprisingly soft but it was still loud. "If you are lucky, and bond with one of the mystical creatures, you will join the legions."

I had read about that. The legions were the knights that bonded with the mythical creatures. They were five mythical creatures one could bond with. The Florapex, Griffin, Luminari, Dragons, and Pheonixes.

According to what I read, phoenixes hadn't been seen since the great "Immortal War".

Therefore you could only bond with the four. Amongst the four, dragons were the most powerful, then Griffins, then luminaries and florapexes. It was rare to bond with them. It could happen anytime. And if you bonded, you were gifted an Arcana-magical abilities received from being bonded with a mythical creature.

"You could bond with any of these animals during your course of training here. Also, you will compete with your fellow recruits and cadets to rise through the ranks. Remember-"

Godric was interrupted because a griffin landed beside us.

It was screeching and out of control. Griffin's were the wildest creatures so they had tamers.

People were running and a few were creeping up on the Griffin with weapons. They wanted to kill it.

The griffin was advancing towards me and I was walking backward, then tripped and fell on my butt. I couldn't run, my ankle was injured. I was going to die. It was right in front of me and ten times my size. Its wings were stretched out and he was still screeching.

I kept moving backward still on the floor and it screeched again. The screech sounded painful. Wait a minute, it was in pain.

I stood up slowly and coaxed the griffin.

"It's okay. I'm not going to hurt you." I stretched my hand in a calming gesture.

It screeched again.

"Shhh. It's okay. I'm hurt too. Let me help you" What was I saying? I was delirious from the pain in my body.

The people who wanted to kill it were close and the griffin started moving when it saw them with their weapons.

"Put down your weapons! It's injured!" I shouted at them.

I saw the injury. A tree branch was stuck in one of its talons.

"Let me help you. They won't hurt you. I can help you" I said in a soothing voice. It finally listened and calmed down. It was standing before me.

It lowered its beak and I touched it. "It's okay"

No one could tame a griffin apart from its tamer. I didn't understand how I was able to do this.

I was able to remove the branch with another person. It screeched again.

It nudged me, gently with its beak.

"I don't understand"

It nudged me again and gestured with its head to its wings.

"You want me to ride you?" It blinked and I took it as a yes.

I shook my head. It had a tamer. It had been flying with its tamer and the branch got stuck. Then it was alarmed and threw its rider off him and flew here in pain.

How did I know this? It told me. It spoke to me. Not speaking but I understood it.

"Go. Find your tamer!" I ordered and he flew away. Griffins could heal fast. The wound would heal.

"Weldone!" Godric clapped and everyone was staring at me in shock.

"Come up on the stage" The woman with green hair, instructed me.

My brother narrowed his eyes at me. Reluctantly, I made my way to the stage with the thousands of eyes on me.

"You were able to tame the griffin even when your life was in danger. Griffins can sense people's intentions and it sensed yours and knew you just wanted to help. That was why it allowed you near it. You showed bravery. I, Ariya, declare that you will light the flame to signify the start of the new year."

Most people applauded. The recruits didn't. They knew who I was. My brother was glaring at me. Zarir looked at me with interest.

"What is your name?" Godric asked.

I cleared my throat. I was an embarrassment to the family. I was overwhelmed by the attention. I could feel myself losing control.

Breathe in. Breathe out. I repeated Drakon's words.

"Xarian-Jarda, Calyptex of Ruby" Now everyone would know I was related to the legion leader of the tamers.

People gasped.

"She can't light the fire! She's unworthy!" Someone yelled indignantly from the crowd.

"She murdered thousands of people! She's not fit to be a knight!"

"And you are? Most of you ran away and the rest wanted to kill the griffin. You didn't realize that killing the griffin would kill the tamer?" Godric said coldly and the crowd fell silent.

"She displayed bravery and courage. We watched how you would react and some of you failed. You do not get to speak about worth" Ariya added with disdain.

A chalice, similar to the one on Flame Day was floating in mid-air.

Someone gave me a torch. I was trembling. Did I deserve to light the fire? This was Arthur's dream. A dream he would never experience.

"Light it." A low mysterious voice that burnt my inside said. The voice sounded like fire. That was a strange description, but that was the only thing that seemed like the right word.

I looked around and saw no one was speaking. Godric was stoic, Ariya's features were soft and she urged me with her eyes to go on and my brother didn't even meet my gaze.

Then my eyes fell on Zarir. He stared back at me and smirked. I had a feeling he was the one that spoke.

I took steady steps forward and lit the chalice.

The new year had begun and for a moment I felt proud. The race to hide my secrets, powers, and survival had begun.

"Exactly, my little murderer".