Chapter 23: Rite of Passage

Every year during spring's end, the Lythan Jad conducted a series of trials to assess the talents of their apprentices. If they met expectations, each apprentice would exchange their bronze staff for one gilded in silver, marking them as full-fledged lythans. If an apprentice failed the trials, they would need to train another year before they could try again. In some cases, apprentices left the Jad in dismay after failing their first attempts, having concluded that becoming lythans was beyond their abilities. The temple, city guard, and many apothecaries and jewellers held many dejected souls who went on to pursue other professions.

At the end of summer, the Jad then tested their lythans for the honour of rising to the rank of master. With that prestige, the lythans could teach their own apprentices, lead other warriors in times of conflict, and hold seats in the chief's council. It took many more years of study and training to simply be nominated for the trials. The average for those chosen few was around five to six years. Krystal worked herself to the bone to be selected in just four.

Now she finally had her chance to earn her master's staff and stand shoulder-to-shoulder with her mother and uncle. Krystal felt nervous over the weeks leading up to the trials. Every late night and backbreaking day up until this point would determine whether she'd succeed or be forced to resume her training for another year. Her friends and family all had high hopes. Krystal dreaded the possibility of disappointing them.

The trials, themselves, were carried out across several days. Krystal's aptitude was tested in all skills required of a master lythan. The elders' standards were harsh. Even a minor mistake could result in failure.

Her trials in magic and armed combat on the first day came easiest to Krystal. She had practiced under her parents' instruction since she was a kit. However, the master who oversaw her hand-to-hand test had also been her opponent. A slip in Krystal's guard led to four knuckles slamming into her jaw. She collapsed upon the dirt, tasting blood. That could have been the end for Krystal. In her dazed state, pure instinct was all that rolled her away from the other lythan's lunge. Krystal then pushed onto her feet, spat out a glob of red, and raised her fists for another bout. A minute later, she landed the final point she needed to pass. Krystal would never be certain whether it was luck or skill that saw her through.

The second day of the trials gave Krystal's body a chance to recover. In the morning, her medical skills were assessed. Krystal felt confident that she treated every fake ailment presented to her correctly. Another close call almost dashed her hopes in the next stage, however. When made to brew a batch of several types of medicine, Krystal discovered that one of the herbs that she'd been given was rotten. It took five precious minutes to pick fresh ones from the shrine's gardens. Fortunately, Krystal finished her assignment within the deadline.

Later that afternoon, an exercise was designed to test Krystal's leadership. She was instructed to track down an ordus with three young hunters and bring back its hide. However, trouble struck on the way. Krystal heard screams for help and, to her shock, discovered a child smack in the middle of a swift river. How he ended up trapped there atop an island with barely enough room to stand, Krystal had no idea.

That question and the trial were both cast to one side as Krystal coordinated her party to rescue the boy. With thick rope tied around her waist and shoulders, Krystal swam across the current. Thankfully, the child was unhurt when she reached him. Krystal tied him to her chest and ordered her companions to haul them back towards the shore. The water was fierce and freezing, but Krystal made it to dry land with the child safely in her arms.

After a moment for them all to rest, Krystal turned to face the heavy choice of what to do next. The child claimed that he had wandered into the forest before falling into the river upstream. Krystal sensed deceit when he said that he came alone. She figured that he was trying to protect whichever friend or sibling had been with him previously. It wasn't Krystal's place to interrogate the boy, so she did not press him to reveal his companions' identities. His parents could take care of that later.

Krystal thought of sending the child home with one of her hunters, though decided that unwise. Hunting the ordus would become much more dangerous with one less person. There was also the danger that the returning pair would stumble across it instead. Krystal could sense nothing with her telepathy, but that didn't satisfy her. She realised that the safest option was for them all to return to Kezamat together. The child's wellbeing had to be her priority.

When Krystal saw her uncle waiting at the city gate, she expected to bear his disappointment on the spot. Instead, Randorn applauded them, beaming as he approached to clap Krystal's shoulder. She stared at him in utter confusion as Randorn commended the child they had rescued. Her blood pressure then spiked when Randorn explained that there was never any ordus. The true test was to observe what she would do when she found the boy carefully placed where her group would find him. Would she press on with her trial or ensure the child's safe return home?

As it happened, the kit was a stronger swimmer than he initially claimed. He had never been in any real danger. If Krystal had not been so relieved to learn she had passed the trial, she might have smacked her uncle hard upside the head for such a cruel trick. Krystal later learned that the other examinees went through similar experiences.

Over dinner, her mother confessed that the masters' trials were always riddled with snares intended to catch people out. Any lythan who lacked the judgement to prioritise another's life above their own goals, or check that their potion ingredients weren't spoilt, could bring harm down upon those they were supposed to protect. The Jad could not afford fools like them becoming masters. Krystal then saw the hurdles she faced with a new sense of appreciation. It made her proud that she had done so well thus far. Her parents were certainly proud as well. Now, only one more trial stood in her way.

On the morning of the third day, Krystal and three other lythans knelt before the Grandmaster. They were all that remained of the original seven examinees. The missing three failed at least one of the prior tests and could not proceed. Of the group standing present, Krystal was the youngest by far. She had long-since known that she would be, but seeing the reality was a different story. All the other examinees were taking these trials for the second or third time. Krystal compared her experience to theirs and felt self-conscious.

"You've got this in the bag," Fox had told her. "If I could win a system-wide war at 19, you've got every chance of becoming a master. So, don't worry about a thing." They had to run some awkward math to compare Cerinia and Papetoon's measurements of time, but Krystal appreciated his vote of confidence. As a side note, she was impressed by what Fox achieved at only 14 Cerinian years of age.

"You have all done well to make it this far," Grandmaster Randorn spoke. He wore his most formal, golden robes as befitting his station. "Each of you has proven your skills in mind, body, and magical prowess. Yet one final test stands between you and the honour of calling yourselves masters."

It was always peculiar to hear her uncle speak so seriously. Krystal fought against the amused smirk pulling at her muzzle. "As you well know, lythans are both protectors and healers. However, we also serve as our people's representatives to the spirits of our world. It is through their grace that we prosper even through the harshest of times. Therefore, your proctors for this trial will be the spirits themselves."

Krystal could feel the thoughts buzzing from her comrades: excitement; nervousness; confidence; determination to succeed; fear of failing once again. Randorn nurtured the silence briefly.

"Have you each chosen a crystal for your staffs?" He already knew the answer, yet Krystal and the others presented their stones all the same. "To complete this trial, you must seek out a spirit and obtain their blessing. If the bond between you and your crystal is strong, the spirit will impart their power into it. You will then return here with the blessed crystal. You have until sundown to pass."

"Understood, Grandmaster," the four lythans chorused. They each tapped their right fists to their hearts and foreheads in salute.

Randorn's sleeve flourished with a sweep of his golden staff. "Now go! May the gods and spirits guide your souls on their paths."

Krystal made to be the first to leave. However, a beckoning inside her mind stopped her. She turned back to her uncle. Randorn bobbed his head and smiled. "Good luck," he said.

Grinning back, Krystal ran for the door to catch up with the others.

To get her crystal blessed, Krystal already had her destination in mind: the spring where Fox found the stone. She had precious memories of that place, including the one that she shared with him. Krystal looked back and saw the pink snow drifting over their heads. A giggle tickled her at remembering how one of the nias yan startled Fox after popping out of his waterskin.

She hoped that the spirits that now resided there would bestow her with their power. However, it would not be as simple as asking them to merely charge the crystal. That would make it no different to the one embedded in her current staff. Once the mana depleted, Krystal would then have to replace it with her own weaker power.

Spirits were the embodiment of nature. Their might was incredible because they drew energy from Cerinia herself. If a lythan equipped themselves with a staff harnessing that kind of mana, their magical potential would increase beyond its normal limits. But for that, they needed continuous access to spiritual mana. Their crystal thus needed to be able to siphon Cerinia's energy on its own.

The spirits can imbue anything with their mana. It was how they built themselves physical bodies from the environment. However, they cannot store mana into an object that's not connected to their vessel. Not unless a Cerinian had a strong emotional attachment to that object. Spirits drew strength from nature, but they also drew it from the emotions of corporeal beings. If a lythan had such an attachment with their crystal, the imparted emotions could then sustain the spiritual connection to nature, thereby allowing the lythan's staff to tap into that connection at will. That was the basis for the final master's trial.

Krystal all but ran to the mountain where the spring laid. It was as beautiful and green as the day her mother first took her there. She closed her eyes. The mana flowing through the hotspot was strong and gentle today. Nias yan were out in play over the water. Krystal approached them slowly and calmly.

She reached into her pouch and held out her gemstone. Taking a deep breath, Krystal closed her eyes. "Spirits of the water; ones whose life runs as free as the rivers," she prayed. "As a sworn lythan who serves as the messenger between the corporeal realm and beyond, I humbly ask you to bless this stone with your power."

Communing with spirits was not so reliant on spoken words but rather the feelings put behind them. Krystal opened her heart to the nias yan, expressing her deepest wish to their ears. She waited patiently. Minutes passed. Krystal opened her eyes. The nias yan were lounging across the spring away from her. They didn't look in her direction. Some of them even retreated into the water!

Disbelief upheaved Krystal. Worry gnawed at her chest. Panic then surged through her heart. She prayed again. Glancing fretfully, Krystal saw no change in the spirits. Why were they ignoring her?

There could only be one reason: that her bond with the gemstone wasn't strong enough. Krystal stared down at her open hand. It shook. The crystal jostled inside her palm. After all this time… With all that this stone meant to her… Krystal had believed that it would be enough to receive the spirits' blessing. But with this happening, did that mean she was wrong?

Devastated, Krystal wandered over to a large rock and sat upon it. She looked again at the gemstone, then to the spirits. A vast hole opened within her chest. It sucked Krystal's entire being down inside. How could this have happened? She had been so sure that she was prepared for this trial. But given the spirits' apathy, that clearly wasn't the case. Worry and regrets coursed through Krystal's thoughts.

If she couldn't get a spirit to bless her crystal, she would have no choice but to return to Kezamat emptyhanded. It would mean that she would fail the trial and have to wait another year to retry. That was assuming that she'd ever be nominated again. Why would anyone vouch for her a second time? Failing any of the previous trials would have been bearable. Krystal could simply train harder for next time. However, this one struck at a deeper, more personal level. No amount of study or hard work could change the outcome. If the spirits didn't believe she was worthy of becoming a master, why would anyone assert otherwise?

Krystal could only imagine how everyone would react to this. Her parents would both be saddened and disappointed. Her mother would have to bear the embarrassment of her daughter failing her trials in such a pitiful manner. Uncle Randorn might share some of that shame as well. It would be even worse for him as the Lythan Jad's Grandmaster. None of them would know what to say to Krystal. They probably wouldn't be able to look her in the eye. Sabre might, though he'd likely make some crass joke about the whole thing. He'd intend it to lighten the mood but would only succeed in making Krystal feel worse.

Her heart broke when Krystal then thought about how Fox would react. He worked so hard to get the gemstone for her. He'll be gutted when he finds out that she failed. Whenever things went wrong, Fox piled responsibility onto himself. It didn't matter whether he was truly at fault or not. In his eyes, he gave Krystal a stone that the spirits rejected; a stone that she was supposed to find on her own. He'd blame himself for ruining her chance at becoming a master lythan. Krystal broke into tears at the thought of it. She could live with failing, but she couldn't live with what her failure would inflict on Fox and everyone else she cared for.

Krystal's chest shuddered as she held the gemstone up to her nose. Its weight and silky texture imprinted into the pads of her fingers. She rolled it over, brushing her thumb across the stone's surface. Its colour shifted into various shades of blue. On the day he gave it to Krystal, Fox blurted out that the stone made him think of her. She had to look away to hide her blush.

A spike of anger struck Krystal. She gripped the crystal in her fist. Its hard edges pressed painfully into her skin. No. She couldn't accept this. Not ever! Fox worked too hard to find the crystal on her behalf. It meant so much to him. Krystal didn't want any other stone for her master's staff. She wanted this one!

Fox ventured out into the mountains alone to find the stone because he wanted to help her achieve her dream. He did so because he wanted to repay his gratitude to her. It wasn't hard to guess why Fox felt so strongly about it. She had saved him as a stranger from the verge of death. She felt his pain, his grief, as well as Fox's feelings of loss from being stranded from his home and loved ones. Krystal quelled his anxieties by giving Fox shelter; and taught him how to speak her language and survive on his own again.

When Fox smiled, his eyes twinkled like jades. His aura flickered like a torch; strong and warm. Krystal felt those changes in him, and it made her heart grow every time that Fox was happy. It was such a positive experience for them both. Krystal couldn't help but seek new ways to make him smile and laugh. When she succeeded, she felt fulfilled. It marked how far Krystal had helped Fox recover from the trauma that brought him to Cerinia.

Krystal closed her eyes. She brought the crystal to her chest. The reasons why Fox sought this stone, and the reasons why he felt that way, they culminated in the bond that Krystal shared with him. She had told Fox that when he gave her the crystal, but it was only now that Krystal comprehended what that truly meant herself. Their bond was a desire to help each other; to show one another new experiences; and to share the joys of the present together. It was a relationship built on giving. Happiness found in making the other happy. A deep, caring, and mutual relationship. This crystal represented all of that. That was what made it so important to Krystal. She wouldn't replace it with anything in the world.

When she opened her eyes, Krystal nearly jumped. A group of nias yan sat around her. They stared up to her with their blank faces. A light from her palm then drew Krystal to the gemstone. It shone with mystical power. Krystal gasped. She glanced around to the spirits. "You're blessing my crystal?" she asked them.

The nias yan remained silent. Krystal felt no answer in their auras. Then, just as suddenly as they appeared, the spirits turned and retreated into the spring. The gemstone's light faded into a gentle glow. It looked fainter, but Krystal could still sense the vast energy poured into the stone. The power didn't feel encased within the crystal though. It seemed to flow through it instead. The crystal was connected to the land. Krystal also felt it connected to herself.

New tears trickled in her eyes. Krystal laughed aloud. She then stood and faced the spring. "Thank you!" she called through her voice, mind, and heart. "Thank you so much!"

Again, she received no response. That didn't matter to Krystal. She cradled the blessed crystal in her hands like a new friend whom she already loved dearly. Krystal's relief soon shifted into excitement. She bounced on her heels. Her tail wagged beyond her control. With this stone, she could now complete the trial! Pocketing the crystal for safekeeping, Krystal turned back for Kezamat and ran as fast as her legs and lungs would allow.

When Krystal returned to the shrine with her gem in hand, her mother wept as she pulled Krystal joyously into her arms. Krystal was pleased to learn that the other examinees completed their trials as well. She had been the second back with her prize. The last lythan did not arrive until half an hour before the deadline. They were all as ecstatic for each other's success as they were their own.

Krystal's father knew that she passed long before he embraced her proudly at home. Impatient to tell Fox, Krystal reached out to him with telepathy to give the good news. He hurried over to congratulate her in person. Although Fox showed calm on the outside, Krystal sensed his jubilation bubbling under the skin. His hug was the warmest she'd received thus far.

Thalse hunted mervets to make Krystal's favourite curry. They celebrated together over dinner. Randorn and Sabre paid a visit just in time to join them. Away from his duties as Grandmaster, Randorn congratulated Krystal with his heart on his sleeve; weeping and embracing her fondly. Sabre made a wisecrack about wanting to see her master's staff despite knowing full well that it was yet to be made. And no, Krystal told him, she would not be letting Sabre borrow it. She lost count of the times she cried that night out of sheer joy.

The ceremony was held at the shrine two nights later. Krystal and the other three lythans knelt in their new golden robes. Randorn stood opposite them. Four staffs of the same colour laid across a table beside him. Krystal could sense hers through its gemstone.

"Since ancient times, the Lythan Jad has served to guide and protect the people of Kezamat's fair lands," Randorn began. "Our forebearers learned their ways under the spirits' tutelage and passed their knowledge down from master to apprentice. To rise to the status of master, a lythan must demonstrate a strong body, a learned mind, as well as a gentle and compassionate heart." Randorn focused his gaze onto Krystal and the others.

"The four of you have accomplished this. Through your longstanding dedication and hard work, you have completed your trials and been endorsed by the spirits. From this day forth, I, as your Grandmaster, recognise you as masters in your own right, and bestow you with your staffs to mark your new station."

One by one, Randorn called the lythans to receive their staffs. Insects fluttered inside Krystal's stomach as her turn came. She approached her uncle, who presented a golden rod in his upturned palms. With as much dignity as she could muster in her fizzy state, Krystal accepted the staff. Its shaft moulded into her grip. Its crystal hummed in greeting to her soul. Krystal gazed upon the head and saw her name etched underneath it. Her heart swelled tenfold in pride.

"Now that you are masters," Randorn spoke after every staff had been bestowed, "the task of leading our Jad falls to you. Remember our creed. Carry out your lives with honour and duty in your hearts. Never forget that your actions now steer the course of our people's future. For good and for ill, responsibility belongs to you all."

"Understood, Grandmaster! We thank you," Krystal chorused alongside the others.

Randorn allowed himself to smile warmly. "I will now assign my first order to you as masters: Go to your loved ones. Celebrate. Enjoy yourselves this night, for you have earned it. Be sure to rest well, also. Tomorrow will mark the next stage of your lives."

The atmosphere turned on its head immediately. All sense of formality fled the room as the lythans marvelled at each other's new staffs. When Krystal left the shrine, she found her parents there to receive her. Nomar kissed her brow repeatedly. Thalse held Krystal so firmly again that he could have hoisted her off her feet. Krystal's tail wagged almost fast enough to fly off.

She then turned to the third person with them: Fox. He stood straight, teary-eyed with a wide smile on his face. The rest of the world seemed to fade away. "Congratulations, Krystal," he said simply. "I'm really glad for you. You've done a great job."

Krystal hugged him. "Thank you, Fox." His touch was gentle but no less affectionate. Krystal sank into him, feeling his fur compress beneath his shirt through her chest. Gazing into his eyes again, Krystal noticed her heart start to melt. It was at that moment she realised that out of everyone who supported her through her trials, it was Fox's praise that meant the most for her to hear.

Andross licked his lips. His mouth felt dry. Not just from anticipation but from the late-summer heat as well. Sweat soaked all throughout his shirt. Grease stains also marked the fabric, along with Andross's hands. He and Thene had worked tirelessly over the past week. Throughout day and night, they assembled the device that now stood in the centre of the laboratory.

A box-shaped pedestal held a glass orb filled with argon. Andross counted them both fortunate that they had a supply of the noble gas already on hand. During his second year on Cerinia, Thene had summoned wind spirits to help Andross analyse the planet's air composition. She held onto the gases after separating them for her own studies. It now saved time from collecting the argon to build this plasma ball.

"Doctor, I've connected the machine to the battery," Thene reported.

"How much raw mana is in the room right now?"

"The amount is negligible, as per usual."

"Excellent." Andross approached the plasma ball's control panel and placed his finger over the power switch. "Watch carefully, Thene. You're about to see the lifeblood of the technological world before your very eyes."

At a flip of the switch, the machine whirred into action. The gas inside the plasma ball began to crackle. A tendril of purple lightning shot out from the inner electrode to the glass. More extended in rapid succession. Within seconds, the globe was alight with flickering plasma.

Andross touched the glass with his hand. The electric currents converged onto his fingertips. Thene walked over and placed her palm across from his. Tendrils gathered towards her as well.

"Magnificent," Thene whispered.

"Isn't it?" Andross grinned. "The power of electricity, brought into the visible spectrum inside this glass ball."

"And all without magic to manipulate matter and energy to our whim." Thene's smile reflected his.

Andross moved away towards the end of the room. Inside a box, he extracted a large fragment of Arethan's Tear. The arethanite, as Andross decided to name the material, was smooth and hard in his grasp. Andross carried it over to the plasma ball.

"Now to finally see how this stone's power works."

Holding the arethanite close to the glass, the result was immediate. The plasma tendrils, once relatively straight, began twisting around the ball in irregular patterns. They were like snakes writhing in a cage, furious and erratic. Andross then removed the arethanite. The sparks returned to their original flow."

"So, that's what's happening," Andross remarked. "The energy emitted from the arethanite interferes with the electric current like magnetism. However, rather than following the Left-Hand Rule, the flow changes course seemingly at random. If this were to occur in a closed circuit, the energy fluctuations would burn out the entire system. That was why all the active electronics in my starship were fried but everything switched off was unaffected."

"Which means," Thene crossed her arms, "unless we can block the arethanite's energy, it will be impossible to fly any ship that relies on electricity out of the planet's atmosphere."

Andross nodded. "That will be our next challenge to overcome. Fortunately, we have all the arethanite we need to find a solution."

Thene looked to him with an endearing smirk. "You are getting excited over this."

Blinking in surprise, Andross smiled to reveal the trepidation coursing through his nerves. "Indeed, I am, Thene."

He did not require her telepathy to know that she felt the same way. How could either of them not be? In the modern world of the greater Lylat System, there weren't that many natural phenomena left unstudied. As scientists, their souls cried out to understand every facet of this mysterious stone. This was more than just about escaping Cerinia. This was now also about becoming the first to unlock the secrets that this planet kept from the universe for eons.

Andross could barely contain himself. This was exhilarating.