Rena

It would take a while, much more than the four hours it had already been. Rena hoped that it didn't take more than a week but she didn't expect that it would take less. Even Agreas had taken three whole days and that had been extraordinary.

And Sylvanus was not even fully mature yet. She pitied that already he had to carry such a burden on his shoulders when he was still not even an adult but by his species classification a child still. No matter that he was close to adulthood. As she sat there keeping watch, with the burning candles and watching the door that he had gone through she found herself thinking of the last time the test had been taken.

There had been more people waiting here. She herself and her sister had been acolytes at the time, and in charge of the candles. The brothers had come and waited with them for Agreas to finish, both of them trying to hide their nervousness.

After the three days, he had emerged from the door, a haunted look in his eyes and had fallen on his friend's shoulders, weeping. He had not however spoken of whatever lay behind that door.

As she was thinking about it her thoughts went to how bad it would be if he did take a whole month in there. The kids were on a bit of a time crunch afterall and the month might push it so they did not have time.

But it was needed.

She was startled at the sudden opening of the door. Sylvanus stepped through, but he was carrying something. Two necklaces, each made of an odd crystal. He looked serene and his eyes were lit up.

"Already? It's only been four and a half hours." She stood up.

"I'm not allowed to speak of the test." He said as he held out one of the necklaces to her. "Here. This is for you. Wear it for a year and a day."

"What is it?" She took it and put it on.

"You have finished your role, so this will return your mortality to you."

"I'll be able to join my husband." She smiled and touched it. "Thank you. I don't know how you got it or what it was."

"You'll need to return it afterwards – such a thing is not supposed to be used randomly."

"What is the other one for?"

He looked faintly sad, then muttered. "It's a better house for your husband than Runie's amulet. He'll be able to talk to her better from it even during the day."

"I see."

"…"

She was not sure why he looked so sad, or why it seemed like a complicated expression was on his face for a moment. She stood up and headed for the ladder. "Well, I'm sure they will be quite glad to hear of the new record for getting through the test."

"Yes." He smiled, "Let's go and tell them." The youngling seemed to shake off what he had been thinking and followed her.

She turned and looked back at him, "You really did do it a lot faster and you seem to be in a better state than the last person who went through that door was."

"Well… I also have a High Priestess for a sister…" He smiled softly, "But it was quite horrible in there for a bit."

"Ah." She figured he would not say any more on it. She wondered though if the young Sylvanus would change from going through what was beyond that door – for Agreas had. Not just in that his instincts had been heightened. But after that, unless he was with Xeltia, he had often had a bit of a haunted look to him.

She was both curious and afraid to know what lay beyond those doors that had so shaken Agreas. And she wondered exactly why Sylvanus did not seem so shaken.

He was a bit morose yes, but it did not seem that it would be as lingering. She did wonder a bit what that look had meant.

They descended from the tower and she hesitated a bit. As a master of the Tower, she knew where anyone in it was without having to really expend any effort. They were not all together, but that was not her reason for hesitating.

Sylvanus also paused, his eyes on her face, "Are you going to tell her?"

She did not have to ask him what he was referring to. Nor did it surprise her that he was privy to it. She sighed, "I don't know if I should or not."

"Hmmm." He nodded, then laid his hand on her shoulder and smiled, "Things went a little awry from your plan – thanks to my father completely snapping when he did. Didn't everything work out in the end though? It could have been better, yes. But honestly, have you not suffered enough from what was imposed on you? I think you should come out with it. Explain what happened. I wont do it of course since it is not my place. But you should."

Rena sighed once again, "I know. Thank you for your words. And I will consider them."

He turned away humming, "Well, I'm going to go find Nils. I need to tell my Princess my first name after all."