Thanks for the feedback guys…I'm glad. J Also, thanks to the unkanown for helping me out with the whole name situation. This chapter is the party chapter dedicated to all you party animals J warning: it won't really affect the storyline, but it might develop the characters. If you want to just get on with the story, don't read this. Anyway, enjoy!
Chapter 2: Dancing Under the Moon
The sun had set, and the bonfires were ablaze around the village. Children were laughing and playing with their BlitzBalls, a few showing off their juggling skills in front the biggest bonfire. The harvest had been good so far that year, and the people of the village were enjoying the spoils of their labor at the feast. The Feast of Warriors. Auron looked forward to this night every year, but this year…This year would be the best one yet. The weather was perfect, the stars were shining, and the full moon was a deep yellow ball that hung over the forest, casting shadows that clashed with the ones created by the dancing flames. The atmosphere was grand.
Auron had finished eating his mom's Macalania Roast and was munching on a pickled sausage when he saw Braska sitting by the bonfire talking with Jasmine. Auron shook his head, and turned to find Elder Jeran, the leader of the village and the man in charge of the Ceremony of Swords. The Ceremony would be starting soon and he needed to get his special garb for the performance. On his way to the Elder's hut, he looked over to the Fortuna's family hut and saw Sonja sitting alone by the fire with her arm wrapped and in a sling. She was staring at the fire, and looked totally oblivious to the events and conversations going on around her. Auron walked quickly away, not wanting a confrontation right before his big moment. Right as he started to look away, she looked up at him. Her green eyes reflected the fire, and made her look so sad and hurt that Auron stopped for an instant. However, Erik saw Auron and tapped his burly father, Gregor, on the shoulder and pointed at him. Auron swiftly ducked into the fortune-telling tent in order to escape whatever they had in store for him.
"What do you want boy?" A raspy, old woman asked him. She looked at him through gray eyes. Her snow white hair framed her face, and her nose was longer than the average. Auron didn't recognize her, and he knew everyone in the village. She had a kindly smile upon her face, and appeared to be nothing more than a gentle old woman. "Auron, is it?" She asked knowingly. "I know your eyes…those are Dolan's eyes."
"How do you know that name?" Auron took a step back from the old woman in fear. He had only heard that name twice, and both times it was the name people called his father. "And how do you know mine?"
"I know a lot about you, Auron Hybrid." She waved a shaky hand towards a cushioned seat across from her. On the oaken table was an elaborate crystal ball which sat on a mantle bejeweled with rubies and emeralds. Auron moved cautiously towards the seat, never taking his eyes off of the woman. Braska always said to never take my eyes off of the enemy. He sat down, and the silk cushion gave way to his light weighted pressure. "Now, I know about your past, but let us see what we can discern about your future, hm?"
"What do you know about my past?" Auron asked energetically. Whenever Auron asked his mother about his father, she became quiet and refused to say anything else until the subject would change.
"Ah, but that is something you must find out for yourself." When she saw him open his mouth to protest protest, she waved her hand in the air. "Now look into the crystal ball and tell me what you see."
"Not until you tell me about my father!" Auron crossed his arms, refusing to give an inch.
"I will tell you after you've looked into the crystal ball. Now look!" She glared at him that made him squirm, so he agreed.
"You promise to tell me?"
"I promise."
"Okay…" He looked into the crystal ball. It swirled black, purple, and white together until the colors were gone. The crystal clouded over, only leaving a small gap in the middle. It was like a small window, and the images were blurry at first, but soon formed a clear vision. There was a young man standing in a scarlet overcoat, talking with another man that looked familiar to Auron somehow.
"What do you see?" The old woman demanded. "Tell me!"
"I see…I see a man holding a sword, arguing with a weird looking lady that's floating. The men he was with earlier are gone now…"
"What men?"
"A man in robes and a man with scars all over his body…She said something, and…"
"What? What happened?"
"He was just killed!" The man in the red coat had attacked the woman and perished after being blown away by a wave of magic that shot out of her hand. "His eye…" The magic was an energy beam that had slashed his eye before it knocked him back. "Wait…he's still breathing…" The man somehow crawled out of the room, inch by inch. Auron tore his gaze away from the ball, unable to watch the dying man crawl to a painful death.
"What did you do that for!?" The woman cried. Drums were heard on the other side of the village.
"Oh, no!" Auron cried. "The Ceremony…" He was going to be late. Refusing to listen to the old hag's demands to make him stay, he ran out of the tent as fast as his little legs could carry him, his adrenaline helping to increase his speed. He reached the Elder's hut just as he was leaving for the Ceremony. "Elder Jeran!" He called out in desperation.
"Auron, my lad!" Jaren was in happy spirits. "Where have you been? I almost gave up on you, son!"
"I'm sorry, sir, I…" Auron panted.
"No need, no need, just take these and change! You'll need to look sharp!" Jaren winked at him and threw him a robe the color of the sunset. It was dark red at the bottom and faded into yellow-gold at the top. Auron grinned madly and ran into the Elder's house, quickly changing into the robe. He looked at himself in the mirror, and thought that his outfit was a little too big on him, but other than that it look okay. He dashed back outside where the Elder's attendant was waiting for him.
"Come, boy, they're waiting for you!" The man grabbed him by the arm and led him to the giant bonfire where everyone was now gathered around. The entire village had come to see the Ceremony. A hush fell over the crowd when they saw Auron standing on the edge of the purple carpet that had been laid out in front of the bonfire, and even the crickets had stopped chirping. Flower petals were strewn about, white, yellow, red, and pink. The colors of the village Westra's banner. The Warrior's flag. Auron's village.
"Come, Sword-Bearer, take your weapon!" Jeran sat atop a high wooden chair, and a small, lightweight sword sword encrusted with sapphires was laid out before it on the ground, wrapped in a silk scarf colored with the Warrior's colors. Auron advanced, his entire body shaking. The fear of failure was creeping in and making his legs feel like wooden poles. He took a deep breath and forced all thoughts from his head, except one, his task at hand. He knelt in front of the sword, and grasped the hilt in one hand, the blade in the other. Standing and holding it over his head, he recited the words he had practiced so many times.
"I pray to you, Warrior Spirit!" He was surprised at how strong and confident his voice sounded. "Guide my sword with your courage, speed, strength, and valor! I implore you!" In a smooth motion, he swept the sword in an upper cut, making the silk scarf fly off. He landed facing away from Jeran and towards the crowd. The silk floated silently down to the ground, cut exactly in half. When it touched, Auron took off, swinging his sword methodically to the music that had erupted, the drums beating wildly, the flutes playing the melody of the warrior. The sword and Auron were one, and he jumped, twirling in the air, landing on one foot to jump backwards. He performed a back flip, and swept his feet around so that he faced Jeran again. The music stopped. He looked Jeran in the eye, and stepped back into a ready stance, bringing the sword up to his eyes, still looking directly at Jeran over the sword. Smooth and silent, Auron leapt into the air, aiming for Jeran. As he raised his sword over his head to strike down upon Jeran as he landed, the entire crowd held its breath, and the air seemed to become still. Jeran didn't move a muscle. Auron cried out as he brought down the death blow, swinging fast and hard.
Auron stopped just a split second before the blade touched a hair on the man's head. Auron's gaze had never left Jeran's, and neither had blinked. The blade was positioned just above Jeran's head, and Auron balanced himself by standing on the arms of the chair. He back flipped off of the chair and onto the ground, ending his leap with a graceful bow. The crowd roared. Jeran was clapping enthusiastically, and Auron couldn't help but grin. He knelt down and placed the sword in between the two pieces of silk, and stood up.
"Well done, Auron!" Jeran praised. He signaled for the crowd's silence. "Tonight you have witnessed a great warrior in the making! Only a truly honorable and courageous boy could've performed a feat so great, and done it so incredibly well. The sword is yours, Auron, you've earned it!" The crowd cheered again, and Auron took the sword in hand. He looked at it, then to Jeran, his smile bright. In his happiness, he thrust the sword into the air high above his head, creating more jubilation from the crowd. Auron turned around and faced the crowd, scanning for his mother. He found her, and she was smiling with tears in her eyes. I'm proud of you! She mouthed. Auron saw another face that was almost as happy as he was. Sonja. Her green eyes no longer will filled with tears of sadness, but tears of joy. She smiled at him and cheered, waving her hand around in the air.
This truly was the happiest moment in Auron's life.
Author's note: Tell me what you think! I think I definitely made it more important to the story than I had originally planned, but oh well…I liked it, how about you? R+R please J