The Emerging Part I: Dream

The moon and sun dance. When the sun begins its descent into the horizon the next day Vaiqon returns to the stage next to the obstacle course. He finds Hawk, Desert, Fox, and Pork already there staring dazed at the crowd. He chuckles to himself as he feels exhaustion overtaking each of the boys’ auras.

Vaiqon claps his hands, shocking the boys into a frenzy as they stumble over one another and fall off the bench onto the stage. Vaiqon chuckles aloud forcing the boys to flush as they struggle to rise as they stumble over one another.

Vaiqon composes himself as the boys finally rise and stand in a line gazing at the elder Rniti. Vaiqon smiles and turns on his heels to gaze at the crowd that has formed behind the stage.

“Welcome, welcome all,” Vaiqon begins. “Today, I allow you the opportunity for all children aged of twelve years and only those aged of twelve years to challenge this obstacle course,” Vaiqon says whilst gesturing towards the obstacle course behind him, “and should you defeat the course, the opportunity to become a Rniti!”

The crowd of children yells their excitement, but Vaiqon notices a few yell halfheartedly, especially a little girl in the back of the crowd whose eyes constantly darting towards the ground and all around her.

Vaiqon makes a mental note of the girl before saying, “Now, who would desire to be the first volunteer?”

A handful of children thrust their hands in the air. Vaiqon raises his hand to select the first child when a voice tears through the air, “Vaiqon!”

Vaiqon drops his arm as he gazes at a man dressed in scholarly robes rushing through the crowd of children. The scholar approaches Vaiqon and stops just before the Rniti in front of the stage. Vaiqon stares at the scholar with a raised eyebrow as his only form of communication with the scholar.

The scholar considers Vaiqon’s brief questioning expression and quickly relates, “Vaiqon! Oh I never would have believed it if I’d not seen you!”

Vaiqon continues to only stare at the scholar with one eyebrow raised in question.

The scholar gulps before continuing, “Yes, anyway, Vaiqon, there has been a murder! A man has been murdered! His entire body was burned! The guards cannot identify who committed the crime. We assume a sigo. Perhaps even Rage-”

“Enough!” Vaiqon booms using his ire to enhance his voice to tear into the scholar’s aura. The scholar cowers slightly in fear. Vaiqon inhales deeply before saying, “Young man, a murder cannot have been committed in this most peaceful city.”

Vaiqon’s eyes flicker to the girl that stands at the back of the crowd. He observes the little girl sigh as if in relief. He adds another mental note to his previous observation of the girl.

The scholar scoffs, “Vaiqon, you must believe me! The man has been burned nearly beyond all recognition! The crime was committed as the guards were changing stations. Please help us!”

Vaiqon notices the girl freezes as a board as the scholar presses. Vaiqon sighs deeply, “Young man, I shall see to the Captain of the Guard and perhaps order a Rniti to oversee the investigation. Beyond that, I am afraid that my Rniti can only perform so much.”

The scholar glares at Vaiqon with unspoken thoughts tearing through his aura. Vaiqon feels the scholar’s fury at the lack of importance Vaiqon has placed on the situation, but waves the scholar away as he has added yet another mental observation of the girl who has recently sighed as if in relief again at Vaiqon’s rebuttal.

Vaiqon then speaks, “Now, where were we before we were so rudely interrupted with outlandish accusations?”

The children separate for the scholar who huffs in exit. Vaiqon shrugs inwardly. He watches as the crowd rejoins after he scholar passes. He raises his arm to point out the first possible victor and points directly at the girl in the back.

Many children point at themselves and gaze at Vaiqon with questioning expressions. When Vaiqon does not nod at the children, they begin glancing around one another looking for the child Vaiqon has selected as the first volunteer.

When the girl finally looks up from her low glance and stares wide at Vaiqon’s hand, Vaiqon smiles widely.

“Yes, young lady,” Vaiqon begins, “would you be so kind as to be our first volunteer?”

The girl’s wide eyes contradict her actions as she strides through the crowd of children to the first obstacle of the Wall Climb. The girl stands before the Wall Climb scanning every inch of the wooden wall, her eyes still wide in shock.

“You may begin whenever you desire and remember, there is no time limit,” Vaiqon’s voice rings.

The girl closes her eyes and inhales deeply. When she opens her eyes, utter focus lasers from her eyes as she shoots towards the right side of the wall. She lithely springs up the wall and peaks in a quicker time than any of the boys thought possible. The girl walks down the stairs to the second obstacle where she glances at the stage to see four boys gaping in utter shock.

The girl merely shrugs as she powerfully kicks the log and jumps on. She quickly rolls over the pond without hesitating even once. She jumps off the log and sprints directly for the third and final obstacle.

As she nears the Evko Jump, the boys’ eyes widen with anticipation. The girl does not stop but seems to increase her speed as she then lunges high into the air. She flies through the air, her eyes focused on the other edge of the Evko Jump.

She begins to descend from her flight. Vaiqon watches the girl with great interest, but predicts that the girl will not cleanly clear the Evko Jump. He readies his ire to spring forth in an instant when his eyes widen in utter surprise.

The girl misses the edge of the Evko Jump but catches the ledge with her fingertips. The girl does not even cry out in panic as she merely pulls herself up and over the edge. The girl then brushes way some of the dirt that has accumulated on her clothes and stares at Vaiqon with innocent eyes, her leery focus vanished.

Vaiqon chuckles to himself as he announces, “Congratulations, young lady, you have defeated the obstacle course and have earned yourself the prize. Please join us on the stage.”

The girl follows Vaiqon’s gesture behind him as she walks to the stairs leading up to the stage. As she walks up the last stair, the boys’ full gapes and widened eyes do not affect her in the least.

“Santhemum?”Hawk says in astonishment.

Santhemum freezes to quietly stare at Hawk as if some blurry memory fades through her mind. She glances at her right arm to see the golden arm band and gives him just a hint of a smile in response.

Santhemum then stands next to Hawk as they watch child after child attempt and fail the obstacle course. Vaiqon notices that many actually surpass the Wall Climb, but fail miserably at the Log Roll and scamper away after receiving only a single drenching.

Vaiqon watches as the last child fails at the Evko Jump after having to move quicker than a blink to save the boy from falling into the center of the pit. The boy sniffs to hide his sobbing as he runs away. Vaiqon shrugs then walks casually to the children gathered on the stage.

“Ah,” Vaiqon states, “We have finally concluded the last obstacle course of the year and it seems I have quite the group to guide to the Injhihato. But first,” Vaiqon turns to the girl, “what is your name?”

Santhemum only stares at Vaiqon with her serene green eyes burning into his aura. Vaiqon raises his eyebrows as Hawk answers, “Her name is Santhemum, Vaiqon.”

Vaiqon glances at Hawk then back at Santhemum where he briefly reads the girl’s aura. “Ah,” is all Vaiqon says before adding, “Santhemum, I will need to speak with your mother before we venture to the Injhihato.”

Santhemum only nods before immediately stepping off the stage to lead them all through the Trading Circuit to her house where Hawk notices the same slender woman and squat man that left Santhemum alone the previous day standing outside with proud looks upon their faces.