Ceremony

When I got out of bed, I grabbed my last pair of jeans and a black hoodie, taking them with me to the bathroom to start my morning routine. After a refreshing shower and making myself somewhat presentable, I dressed and left the bedroom. As I walked down the stairs toward the dining room, I could already hear people engaged in conversation.

"Anna, how on earth did you manage to wreck the door like that? You didn't even use your powers, just a simple touch, and it's ruined. It's as if we can't even trust you with doors," a frustrated Jessica exclaimed. I chuckled at the absurdity of the remark, eager to witness what was happening I fastened my pace.

"I swear it was an accident. Who would've thought the door would be so fragile?" Anna tried to explain herself, her face depicting a panicked puppy that was caught destroying something.

I didn't even want to speculate on how she pulled off such a feat. The mansion's doors were solid wood, and even people with average strength sometimes struggled with them. Not me, though; I had no trouble whatsoever, at all.

As I finally reached the end of the corridor, I could spot Anna and Jessica in the distance. Anna was desperately trying to restore the door to its previous state but couldn't even lift it off the floor, while Jessica stood beside her, visibly frustrated.

"You do realize that we can hear you upstairs, right?" I interjected as I approached with a wide smile on my face.

"Yep, but that's not our biggest concern at the moment. The others need to wake up for the ceremony, and fixing this door is our priority," Jessica replied, her face displaying her annoyance.

"Well, that's not my concern. I'm going to grab some breakfast. See you later," I retorted with an amused smile as I entered the dining room.

My day had started with joy and anticipation, but upon entering the dining room and encountering Suho's disgruntled face, I wished I could return to my bed and stay there all day. I reminded myself to stay composed and not pick a fight with my future coven member.

"Morning," I greeted my nemesis with a fake smile as I settled into a chair at the far end of the table, as distant from him as possible. The farther the better.

"Hmm," Suho mumbled in a groggy voice, his attention fixed on his plate.

"Somebody's not a morning person, I see," I teased, suppressing a laugh. When Suho eventually glanced up and realized who was addressing him, his face contorted immediately into one of the most annoyed scowls I ever saw. I brushed aside his stupid face and began loading my plate with a hearty breakfast. Sandwiches, eggs, salad, and more sandwiches. Wait, I don't need the salad.

"Well, I'd be happier if I didn't have to wake up for someone's ceremony," he grumbled eating a cucumber, his red hair dishevelled in every direction. He wore grey sweatpants and a white tank top. If he wouldn't be such an asshole, he would be even somehow attractive. It seemed like he had just woken up and decided to eat before preparing for the ritual.

Keep your cool, Francis. Don't let him get to you. Be pleasant to everyone today; it's your ceremony, after all. Once you've gone through the nakedness and the following awkwardness, you'll officially be a member of this coven, pending approval from the others.

"Oh! I'm truly sorry for disrupting your daily routine," I apologized with the most forced smile I could muster. For all I care he can choke on that stupid cucumber. At least he would be silent for the rest of the dinner.

Suho was taken aback by my response, unable to come up with a retort, so he simply nodded. One point for me and zero for the aggressive jerk.

"Oh, Francis, you're up early. Excellent. We can start preparing for the departure," Lys announced as she entered the room. She wore an elegant black dress, neither too long nor too short, and her hair was tied up neatly, complemented by ostentatious jewellery.

Someone here likes to flaunt her wealth, it seems, but that's no concern of mine. Carry on, sis.

I greeted Lys, along with Suho, and our eyes met. His scowl deepened, but I resisted the ginormous urge to roll my eyes at him. I turned my attention to the entrance, where I was slightly taken aback by what I saw. The door had been completely repaired, as if nothing had happened. I smiled at Anna and Jessica when they sat down on either side of me.

"How did you manage to fix the door?" I whispered, not wanting Lys to get wind of the incident. There was no need to inform Lys about what had happened; I could hardly envision a positive outcome.

Anna responded with a small smile, asserting, "I have no idea what you mean." Her eyes pleaded with me to drop the subject, lest she get into trouble.

I chuckled and let the matter slide. After a while, everyone finished breakfast, and we all dressed for the occasion, finally heading to the ceremony location. It was still dark as we left the mansion, and we travelled in two cars. I found myself seated next to Suho in the car he was driving, of course. The entire two-hour journey to the ceremony site was conducted in silence. I exchanged a few words with Anna, but my nerves made it difficult to sustain a conversation.

"We've arrived. Everybody out; I'd like to get this over with," Suho declared upon exiting the car. I rolled my eyes at his comment and made my way to Lys after getting out.

"Okay, Francis please follow me. While the others prepare the ritual, we need to get you ready for the occasion," Lys said, leading me along. We found ourselves in the midst of a forest, with the nearest town likely an hour's drive away. It was the perfect location for a witch's ceremony. After a few minutes of walking, we reached a small cabin. Thank goodness! I don't have to get undressed out in the open; it's still quite chilly outside.

The others began to assemble all necessary things for the ritual and started drawing circles in front of the cabin. At the same time Lys and I entered the cabin to get me prepared.

"Are you ready for this? I know that such a ceremony is always a very nerve-wracking experience, especially in your situation. You just need to say one word and we postpone the ceremony." Lys looked at me with a meaningful smile.

Just with her comment all of my anxiety and uncertainty disappeared within a blink of an eye. There was just something about the aura she was emitting that made it so easy to relax and leave all of your fears behind.

"Yes, I'm ready. I think the best way to make all of you trust me is to show you who I really am. Extending the time and not giving a full explanation to the others would only make them mistrust me and make it harder to establish a bond with all of you." Lys nodded and laughed.

"I like your thinking. And believe me when I say that we all trust you and are happy that you're joining us. Even Suho, that old grumpy cat." She winked at me as she opened the bag containing my robe.

Lys told me to take off all my clothes and gave me the robe in return. Before I could go outside, she placed some herbs in my hair and sprayed me with a mixture of these and other substances. I didn't fully understand the ritual, having been too young to take part in the ceremonies of my previous coven, I had no past experience of all the steps necessary to begin the ceremony. The smell of the mixture in the room made it difficult to breathe normally. It made it easier for the anxiety to reappear and intensified my loud breathing in return.

When I left the cabin, Lys put her hand on my back and we walked to the ceremony area. She could sense my anxiety and tried to reassure me, but it only alleviated my discomfort a little. The others had already completed the preparations for my ritual and were standing outside the ritual centre.

"Now it's your turn," Lys told me before forming a circle with the others. I moved to the centre of the circle and knelt on the moss-covered ground. The morning dew made my robe damp and sticky. I could feel the cool morning breeze touching my skin, making me shiver with cold. Or perhaps it was the fear I felt in the moment.

Showing your whole being to strangers and being exposed like that is a very difficult process. Yet somehow, I felt I could trust them. When I looked into their eyes, I felt reassured that it didn't matter what they saw. That it didn't matter how powerful or dangerous I was because, for whatever reason, they already trusted me.

"We are gathered here today to welcome a new member into our coven. As tradition dictates, we will perform the Rite of the Chosen to uncover the hidden powers within Francis. To see and feel his true nature, and to decide if he can truly be a part of us all. Let us begin the ceremony," Lys began her speech. Then everyone sat down on the ground and looked down at the grass below their feet.

"Moon, sun, and soul. Moon, sun, and soul," the entire group chanted as the flames on the candles began to grow. I undressed while still kneeling and recited my own chant.

" Under the moon's silver glow, and the sun's golden light aglow,

In the Rite of the Chosen, our souls entwine and flow.

With eyes to the heavens, and hearts open wide,

We call upon powers that forever abide.

Moon, guide our souls in your soft embrace,

Sun, reveal our truth, our innermost grace.

In this sacred circle, we stand as one,

As the Rite of the Chosen has now begun.

Let the moonlight dance, let the sunrays shine,

As we share our essence, divine and intertwine.

From the depths of our being to the heights of the sky,

Our true power revealed to all who draw nigh.

May our souls merge, in celestial trance,

As we surrender to the cosmic dance.

In this sacred hour, our secrets unfold,

As the Rite of the Chosen reveals our souls."

Lys recited the chant while others followed her shortly after and created a chorus that made anyone's heart shudder in anticipation.

After some time, Lys rose to her feet, stretching her arms into the air.

"Open their soul and reveal the dormant power within the Chosen One," Lys commanded in a resolute voice.

As the candles snuffed out at her command, the forest fell into an eerie hush, as if even the trees themselves held their breath in anticipation. Suddenly, a soft glow emerged from the engravings etched into my skin, a faint green luminescence that spread like tendrils of light, weaving through the darkness of the surrounding woods.

The ancient symbols adorning my body seemed to come alive, pulsating with a raw, untamed energy that seemed to ripple through the very air. The trees around us shivered and swayed as if stirred by an unseen breeze, their leaves rustling in whispered awe at the spectacle unfolding before them.

As the light intensified, it danced and flickered in a mesmerizing display, shifting through hues of blue, red, and white, each shade more vibrant and electrifying than the last. It was as if the forest itself had become a canvas for the spectacle of my awakening power, a symphony of colour and light that painted the night with its brilliance.

As the radiant glow enveloped us, I felt a profound shift in the fabric of my being. It was as if a bridge had formed between me and the others gathered in the circle, connecting our souls in a web of shared consciousness.

With each passing moment the boundaries between us blurred and dissolved until we were no longer separate individuals but facets of a single, unified being. I could feel their presence intertwined with mine, their thoughts and emotions blending with my own in a symphony of shared experience.

In that moment of pure bliss, time seemed to lose all meaning as the barriers of past, present and future melted away. They saw through my eyes, felt the pounding of my heart and experienced every fleeting emotion that coursed through my veins.

They witnessed the joys and sorrows of my past, the triumphs and tribulations that had shaped me into the person I had become. They saw the faces of my loved ones, felt the sting of utter devastation and tasted the bittersweet hope that had sustained me through the darkest of days.

And as they delved deeper into the recesses of my soul, they uncovered hidden truths and long-forgotten memories, piecing together the fragments of my existence with a clarity that bordered on the godly.

In this sacred communion of souls, there was no need for words or explanations, for we were bound together by a common understanding that transcended language and reason. It was a moment of profound intimacy and connection, a merging of hearts and minds that defied comprehension.

And as the luminous glow began to fade, leaving us bathed in the gentle embrace of the emerging sun, I knew that something irrevocable had shifted within us. We were no longer mere strangers - we were one, united by a bond that would endure long after the last of us would leave this world.

After the light faded, it left the marks on my body that would gradually disappear over the next few weeks. Finally, I was able to don my robe and rise to my feet.

"Welcome to our coven, Warden," Lys greeted me with a faint smile. The others refrained from echoing her words, still taken aback by the shocking display of power and the shared memories. Nonetheless I could now feel what they were feeling and to my surprise it wasn't pity but understanding and happiness.