Chapter 1

The girl did not sleep a wink that night. She had been training for this day for years, using the practice swords, developing her style, learning the code. She pulled herself out of bed and began to prepare herself for the coming day. She got dressed in her usual style, light and dark browns shone through the fabrics of the orders traditional robes, and she cinched her dark brown boots tight, but comfortable to her. She stared at the face looking back at her from the mirror, the peach skin reddening with stress, her light brown eyes shook slightly with nerves much like her trembling hands that ran through her straight brown hair forming it into her usual braid. Breathing deeply in she looked for comfort in her own face, the tattoos forming small patterns on her face and wrapping around the crown of horns that grew from her head and stuck out from under her hair, symbols of bravery, of loyalty, and of sacrifice permanently painted on her skin. Say what you want about the Magik Order, but at least they let their members still adhere to their cultures. "You got this June." she said to the face in the mirror, it's eyes steadied and focused, as if replying to her own self assurance, "I know I do." her eyes seemed to say, and she left her room walking into the halls of the temple. "June!" a voice rang down the corridor as she walked, she stopped as two figures approached her, the two friends she had been training the last six years with. "Wait for us!" Liam called out, as he jogged down the hallway, his robe was in dissaray, his belt not even fully tightened and his hair was a mess. To be fair that jet black mess on his head never seemed to be. He stopped in front of June and breathed in a sigh of both relief and self collection as he smiled at her, "Good morning June. You excited?" he asked, she furrowed her brows at him, "Excited? this is the biggest test of our lives and you're barely dressed!" she scolded while he laughed at her his blue eyes twinkling with that life they always seemed to have. June turned her head away as a heat crept on her face. "I Think June is right." said a meek voice that had calmly walked to join them. "I'm terrified I won't pass." she said, her bright purple eyes shifting towards the floor. "Don't talk like that Oba." June said placing a hand on her friend's shoulder. Oba looked up and pushed her bangs out of her eyes, "You're right." she said but still seemed unconvinced. "Of course she's right!" Liam explained drawing all eyes to him, "When has June ever lied?" June frowned, but that did seem to cheer Oba up. Her green skin turned a shade later, a sure sign that she was calming down. the dark purple geometric tattoos on her face reminded June how different she was from her friend. Similar symbols to hers, a completely different culture, signs of her dedication and loyalty. June looked at the light skin of Liam's face. No tattoos adorned his face like she and Oba had, instead across the bridge of his nose was a collection of faint freckles, June teased him about them when he was younger, he caught her eyes and smiled at her. "Come on, we won't know if we can pass until we take it." with that he fixed his belt and turned away from them and walked towards the temple center. June gave Oba a reassuring look, before walking with her after Liam.