2 The Nine Elemental Gods
"Come on, there are some people you have to meet," Vendrick said tapping the back of the carriage with the back of his hand.
Dozens of looks fixed on Jin's carriage, some filled with curiosity while others with envy.
In the Kingdom of Elba carriages were a very rare occurrence. In most cases, when a family-owned a carriage with so many ornaments, it meant power and wealth.
However, in the case of Jin and Vendrick, these speculations could not be more wrong. The carriage had been a gift given to his father Alaric after being the king's right hand for over a decade.
"Perhaps that is the common etiquette of the nobility, making gifts rain to those who deserve a reward instead of bothering to show affection by putting their ego on the line."
Jin thought to himself, a mental attempt at responding to those alert gazes surrounding him.
"I'm glad you both arrived safely" announced a low voice.
"Welcome to Sanctum." He continued by pulling the hood back and showing his face.
He was a man, looking between forty and fifty years old.
His forehead wrinkled easily as if much of his life had been accompanied by worry, and it was only now after a long time that his facial features had finally looked natural.
"I am High Elder Orion, Holder of the Second Seat and The Keeper of Flame." Said the man proudly.
Although introductions are common everywhere, Jin had never heard such a title accompanied by a name.
Except for the nobles who used to present themselves with the surname of their original clan, Jin was almost certain that no family alluded to the elements of nature.
With the confused expression on Jin's face showing evident to everyone with a minimum of social notion, Vendrick was forced to intercede.
"I'm sorry Master Orion, I should have said it earlier…This is Jin, he is the son of Alaric from Kambar Village. "
The old man raised his right hand to his chin, stroking his long beard with a thoughtful expression.
"It seems Alaric has kept his promise… The amount of purists that have joined Sanctum in this decade alone is greater than the last two centuries combined. Concluded the sage.
"Purists?" Since he got out of the carriage, nothing that this bearded man talked about made sense.
What made Jin even more uncomfortable was the fact that Vendrick rolled his eyes every time he showed an ounce of confusion on his face.
This silent anguish was becoming guilt.
He was guilty.
During all the years growing up, Jin had had experiences in which his reality was challenged. Alaric, his father was a diligent follower of a unique philosophy of which Jin was a victim.
He used to say…How was it again?
"For with much wisdom comes much sorrow, the more knowledge, the more grief. And so, the key to happiness is ignorance."
No, Jin was not a victim.
The reality was that Jin was an accomplice to his father's vision, as from time to time the opportunity arose.
Every time he heard strange noises coming from his bedroom window, Jin pulled the covers up to his head to hide his thin body.
Every time he tasted a strange taste in the lunch meat, the strange texture was masked by the bitter taste of the wine that accompanied the meal.
Every time he saw bruises spread across his father's body when he returned from hunting in the dark of the night, Jin pretended that they were nothing more than scratches and that everything would be fine.
But that would end today. Jin concluded, his heart skipping a beat with enthusiasm to finally leave the past behind.
Taking a deep breath once more, he insisted.
"Why are you calling me a purist?"
The old man exchanged glances with Vendrick before answering, a smile wanting to emerge on half of his face.
"I'm glad you asked. Purists are humans raised by relatives who want to buy their children time to enjoy their childhood. It is a practice prohibited in most kingdoms and frowned upon by many for producing spoiled and useless warriors."
"However, the return of this practice was already expected. After all the Divine War was only 17 years ago." He continued
"Your father, Alaric was never the same after that. Humans are a very fragile race due to their obsessive love; purists are the living proof of that."
Father had never commented in detail about the Divine War. A war veteran personally decorated by the King of Elba himself.
All of these adventures and important details were never shared by his father, who avoided any questions on the subject. All Jin knew was that Vendrick's adoption would have been sometime near the ending of this so-called Divine War.
"Anyhow we must proceed with The Trial." Said Orion gesturing for Vendrick and Jin to follow him.
The place was huge, Sanctum was a fortification in which more than two thousand humans trained their magical affinity. All wore adorned cloaks that varied, green, red, yellow, and several other shades.
Not only that, but they also varied in what they carried. Some had bows, spears, and staffs while others carried long swords, katanas, axes, and daggers.
Walking down several wide corridors and following the High Elder Orion, everyone moved with the ease that they seemed to live in the Sanctum.
The bad spatial memory that Jin had when coupled with the fact that he was perplexed by the infrastructure on which he walked made him feel like a mouse in a maze.
There were rare occasions when Jin exercised.
Although he was not overweight, his feet should be already starting to throb as they descended consecutive never-ending stairs.
But this time it was different.
The pain was suppressed by all the anxiety of the unknown. Down consecutive flights of stairs to the lowest level of Sanctum.
He couldn't wait to go back to the village and tell the people, especially the boys who always played tag with him about the existence of Sanctum.
He thanked himself mentally for being accompanied by his brother Vendrick and Orion, Holder of The Second Seat, and The Keeper of Flame.
"Whatever that meant."
"This is It, please come inside." Said Orion charismatically pulling Jin who was pathetically seduced by the girls waving at the end of the corridor to Vendrick, who was just behind him.
A huge hall with massive stone pillars supporting the weight of the fortress existed there.
Running the finger randomly on the surface of it, the dust that stuck to Jin's fingertips made it evident that the Hall of Trial had been there for at least a millennium blessing humans with the elemental gift.
Ahead of him stood nine statues, each representing a different Elemental God, all positioned in a circular, geometric arrangement around the center of the hall.
Each living being was uniquely blessed by one of these nine deities, providing different powers and protections depending on which one would choose it.
First, Gaia, the elementary goddess of the Earth who with her piety allowed humans the privilege of growing crops and food, thus reducing human predatory hunting of animals and the environment.
Ignis, the elemental God of Fire that makes the sun his torch, illuminating the darkest and deepest places in this world daily. With his insatiable ambition, he started The War of the Gods by being biased towards humans.
Fulgur, Elemental God of Thunder who initially displayed a neutral stance while the other entities fought each other. Even today, he expresses his indignation with all races wreaking havoc upon the land through lightning and storms.
Genos, Elemental God of Wind and Change, responsible for the creation of humans and the maturation of all beings taking the past away through the winds of time.
Lix, Elemental Goddess of Ice and Beauty, patron of the elves, responsible for ensuring the longevity and stability of the environment and matter by solidifying and freezing to defy the change over time.
Calamis, the Elemental Goddess of Shadows, adored by demons and creatures of darkness since the day she rebelled against her brothers in the War of the Gods. Promised one day to descend once more and envelop the world in eternal darkness.
Sanguis, Elemental God of Blood, patron of beastmen. Enraged by the devastation of forests and the inability of humans to live with nature, he created the apex predators of humans as a form of punishment, the vampires.
Aurora, Elemental Goddess of Light and Healing, according to legend, is the patron of mythical angels and archangels. Bringing with you the blessing of supernatural regeneration and divine protection.
Necros, responsible for the final destiny of the souls of all beings. Considered the Elemental God of Necromancy capable of bringing the dead back to life.
Copying the movements of the girl beside him, Jin opens a cut into his finger and so blood drips onto the large wooden plate in the center of the room.
His blood and of three others fill the bottom of the pot. The dense liquid enters the scriptures present on the surface of the material and in an unusual way and begins to fill every corner of the object.
Signs begin to take shape and a drawing is made on the inside forming a symbol that Jin has never seen before.
As if reacting to the gushed blood, the pot was now beginning to tune in with every soul of those there participating in the ritual.
And then silence.
Sharing gazes among each other, Jin and the other young men had the same look on their faces giving glimpses of anxiety and uncertainty.
"So did it not work?" The blonde girl with blue eyes broke the silence.
And then, in succession, each of the statues answered it.
One by one, starting with Ignis.
Blue flames were born in the eyes of each of the gods, as if they created life.
The gods stared at them up and down, deep into their souls.
And then made their decision.
