Chapitre 16: The Awakening Ritual
The usually quiet morning of the Silverglade village bustled with hushed whispers and hurried movements. The tribe prepared for the long-awaited Awakening Ritual, their anticipation palpable in the air. Arin wandered through the village, her senses overwhelmed by the flurry of preparations. She moved from group to group, catching snippets of conversation, all centered around the impending event.
Near the central square, two women were hanging colorful banners woven with intricate symbols of power and hope. Their fingers worked deftly, securing the fabric between sturdy wooden posts.
One woman paused her work, wiping her brow. "Can you believe it's been a decade?"
Her companion's eyes grew distant with memory. "I know. My youngest was just a babe in arms at the last Awakening. Now she's old enough to participate herself." She glanced towards a group of young people gathered nearby, her gaze lingering on a girl with long, dark hair.
A young man approached cautiously, his brow furrowed with curiosity and concern. "But why has it been so long? Doesn't the tribe need more Aura Warriors?"
Before anyone could respond, a gravelly voice cut through their conversation. "It's not a matter of choice, young ones."
They turned to see Elder Thorne approaching, leaning heavily on a gnarled walking stick. Its surface was polished smooth from years of use.
"The Moonfire Crystal... it's not what it once was."
The small group turned their full attention to the elder, their faces etched with concern.
A middle-aged woman stepped forward, her hands clasped tightly in front of her. "What do you mean, Elder?"
Thorne's gaze grew distant. "With each passing year, the crystal's power wanes. Its essence becomes more difficult to draw out, more reluctant to bond with new warriors."
The young man's voice tinged with worry. "But how can that be? It's protected us for generations!"
Thorne nodded slowly, acknowledging the truth in the young man's words. "Indeed it has, but nothing lasts forever, my boy. In my youth, we held Awakening Rituals every other year. Now... now we must wait, hope, and pray that the crystal will find the strength to bless us once more."
Elder Thorne's face darkened, his weathered hands clasping together tightly. "Do you remember the last Awakening?"
A collective shudder passed through the group.
The middle-aged woman's voice barely rose above a whisper. "How could we forget?"
"Aye," Thorne said solemnly. "Out of all the aspirants, only Chief Lys awakened. Just one. In all our recorded history, we've never had so few emerge from the ritual with the mark of an Aura Warrior."
The young man's eyes widened with shock. "I... I didn't know. I was too young at the time."
An older tribesman cleared his throat, his voice rough with emotion. "It was a harsh blow to our tribe. Many thought it was the end for us. If not for Chief Lys' exceptional strength and leadership..."
"We might not have survived this long," Thorne finished. "She's been bearing the burden of protecting our tribe almost single-handedly for a decade. It's a weight no one should have to carry alone."
The woman who had been hanging banners spoke, her voice tinged with fear. "And now? What if... what if no one awakens this time?"
A heavy silence fell over the group.
Elder Thorne's voice, when he finally spoke, was grave but carried a hint of resignation. "We can only hope that the Moonfire Crystal has regained enough strength over these ten years. We must believe that it will choose new warriors to stand alongside Chief Lys."
The group dispersed, their conversations muted and worried. Arin found herself drawn to a quieter corner of the village. She spotted Kai and Lena near the edge of the clearing, deep in conversation. She approached, hearing the tension in their voices.
Lena's usually calm demeanor betrayed a hint of nervousness. "I don't know if I'm ready for this. What if I'm not chosen? What if I let everyone down?"
Kai, ever the optimist, clapped a hand on Lena's shoulder. "Hey, don't talk like that. You're one of the smartest people I know. If anyone's going to be chosen, it's you."
Arin joined them, offering a reassuring smile. "Kai's right, Lena. You've got nothing to worry about."
The day progressed, and the village continued its transformation. More colorful banners were hung between huts, their symbols seeming to shimmer in the changing light. The air filled with the pungent scent of sacred herbs being burned in preparation, the smoke curling lazily into the sky.
Shadows lengthened across the village, and the sun began to set. The air thrummed with a palpable sense of anticipation. The Awakening Ritual, the culmination of all these careful preparations, was about to begin.
Arin found herself standing with Kai and Lena as the tribe gathered near the great Moon Tree. Its silvery bark gleamed under the full moon's light, seeming to pulse with an inner energy. The sight took Arin's breath away. She had seen the Moon Tree many times before, but never like this. Up close, its majesty was overwhelming. Its branches seemed to reach for the stars themselves, and a faint, ethereal glow emanated from its trunk.
Around them, the 15 Aura Warriors took up positions, forming a protective circle. Their tattoos gleamed with a soft, silvery light, a visible manifestation of their connection to the Moonfire Crystal. At the base of the tree stood Shaman Elda, her weathered face solemn and focused. The Moonfire Crystal hovered before her, pulsing with a faint, faltering light. Its glow seemed to flicker and waver, struggling to maintain its brilliance.
Arin stepped forward, ready to face the trial that awaited them all. She could feel Kai and Lena close behind her, drawing strength from their presence. They approached the base of the Moon Tree, and Shaman Elda began to chant in an ancient language, her voice rising and falling in a hypnotic rhythm. The Moonfire Crystal's pulse seemed to sync with her words, its light growing steadier and brighter with each passing moment.
Elda raised her arms towards the moon. "Now, let the ritual begin. May the wisdom of our ancestors guide us, and may the Moonfire Crystal's light show us the way."
Elda's chanting grew more intense. Arin felt a shift in the air around her. The moonlight seemed to thicken, becoming almost tangible. The great Moon Tree pulsed with an inner light, its branches swaying gently despite the lack of wind.
Suddenly, a soft, ethereal melody began to weave through the night air. The haunting tune seemed to emanate from the very forest itself, accompanied by the delicate chiming of unseen instruments. The lyrics, sung in an ancient tongue, spoke of the magic hidden within the trees, the secrets whispered by the stars, and the untapped strength that lay dormant within each member of the tribe.
With each step, the shaman sprinkled a shimmering powder that seemed to hang in the air, creating a barrier of twinkling light around them. Elda completed the circle and returned to the base of the Moon Tree. The crystal's light pulsed in time with the music, creating a hypnotic display.
The song that filled the air was unlike anything Arin had ever heard before. It began softly, a single voice rising in a haunting melody that seemed to come from the very heart of the forest itself. The words were in an ancient language, each syllable resonating with power and meaning beyond Arin's understanding.
More voices joined in, creating a complex harmony that wove through the night air. The Aura Warriors, standing in their protective circle, were the source of this otherworldly music. Their voices blended seamlessly, creating a tapestry of sound that shimmered in the air like the Moonfire Crystal's light.
The melody rose and fell like the breath of the forest, at times swelling to a powerful crescendo that made the very ground tremble, then fading to a whisper that was felt more than heard. The rhythm pulsed in time with the beating hearts of all present, creating a sense of unity and connection that transcended the physical.
Each Aura Warrior's tattoos glowed softly as they sang, their light ebbing and flowing with the music. It was as if their very essence was pouring into the song, their connection to the Moonfire Crystal manifesting in this audible form.
The song reached its peak, the voices of the Aura Warriors seeming to merge into one - a single, pure tone that resonated with the Moonfire Crystal, causing it to pulse more brightly. The air itself seemed to vibrate with the power of the music, creating a palpable field of energy that enveloped everyone present.
In this moment of crescendo, the Moonfire Crystal began to emit tendrils of silvery light. These ethereal strands reached out towards the assembled aspirants, seeming to test and probe each individual. Arin felt her heart race as one of the tendrils approached her, its light both inviting and intimidating.
Arin's breath caught in her throat as the tendril moved towards her. Time seemed to slow as the essence of the Moonfire Crystal approached. She could feel its power, ancient and primal, reaching out to touch her very soul.
The moment the tendril made contact, Arin's world exploded into sensation. A searing pain shot through her body, starting from the point of contact and rapidly spreading to every extremity. It felt as if molten silver was being poured into her veins, burning through her from the inside out. Every nerve ending screamed in agony, her muscles spasmed uncontrollably, and her bones felt as if they were being shattered and remolded.
The pain was all-encompassing, beyond anything Arin had ever experienced or imagined. It was as if every cell in her body was being torn apart, analyzed, and reconstructed. Her lungs burned as she struggled to breathe, each intake of air feeling like shards of glass in her chest.
The multiple tendrils that had initially reached out to the other aspirants were now retreating, snaking their way back to the Moonfire Crystal. Arin, through the haze of her pain, could see the disappointment etched on the faces of her fellow aspirants.
Kai stood nearby, his face a mask of dejection. The excitement that had lit up his features just moments ago was gone, replaced by a hollow look as he watched the tendrils withdraw from his body. Lena, too, looked crestfallen, her eyes fixed on the Moonfire Crystal as if silently pleading for it to choose her.
All around, the other aspirants were experiencing the same bitter realization. The power that had seemed within their grasp was now slipping away, leaving them unchosen.
But within Arin, the tendril encountered something unexpected – a small stone, hidden deep within her being. The moment the energy made contact with the stone, a brilliant silver light erupted from Arin's body, shooting skyward in a dazzling column that pierced the night. The Moonfire Crystal, as if responding to a silent call, suddenly blazed with renewed strength, its light more intense than anyone had seen in generations.
L’AVIS DES CRÉATEURS 
Zero10ne
Zero10ne College is about to start again and I already wanna cry T_T Anyways thanks for reading!╰(▔∀▔)╯
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone