Chapter 2 THE DAY OF RECRUITMENT
I sat on my plush bed, surrounded by the lavish decor of this spacious bedroom that once belonged to my older sister before she moved out. This was the life I was used to, one of wealth and solitude with a bit of sanity.
Take note, a bit. I wasn’t greedy so I don’t expect much from life.
But it seemed like it was all about to change as my eyes moved to my carefully packed luggage a few feet away from my bed.
The grandeur of this estate, a testament to my father's status as the current grand commander of the Allorna Warriors, seemed to mock me as I listened to the muffled argument downstairs. The high ceilings, complexly carved wooden panels, and over-the-top furnishings began to close in on me as my anxiety grew.
“Deep breaths… deep breaths...” I had to remind myself
My father and sister, Amethyst, were at it again, debating my fate. It’s been like that since I can remember or probably since our mother passed on. It almost felt like I had no say in whatever it was to become of my life. That was the duty of my father and elder sister to argue it out and I go ahead with the plans of the winner.
So far, the winner had always been favourable.
Amethyst had won the argument on a few occasions, that’s what gave her the effrontery to keep arguing whenever she felt like it, even if it wasn’t necessary.
Today, I also hoped would be one of Amethyst’s victory days.
I could feel my heart racing as I eavesdropped on their conversation from downstairs. My mind couldn’t harbour a single emotion nor understand what I was feeling.
I had always known this day would come, but had hoped to delay it, to prolong my life of comfort and security.
The argument downstairs intensified, Amethyst's voice laced with concern, my father's firm and resolute. I could feel my stomach twisting into knots as I imagined the worst.
Not to be derogatory towards myself, but I had always been the fragile one.
The one who needed protection, and the thought of being thrust into the harsh world of the Signary terrified the shit out of me.
Even its name caused a slight shiver to run down my spine.
As the argument reached its climax, my thoughts spiralled out of control. Plus, as the seasoned overthinker that I am, I envisioned myself failing.
What if I was unable to keep up with the demands of the Warrior Signary? My father's disappointment? My sister's worry? My own shame? The questions swirled together in a toxic mix of fear and self-doubt.
Finally, the voices faded, and I noticed the house grew silent. I took a deep breath and stood to my feet. My hands trembled as I smoothed out my dress, awaiting to know who won.
With the current state of the building, I already have a clue who did and knew what to do next.
Grudgingly, I grabbed my bags. My eyes welling up with tears as I gazed around my bedroom, memorizing every detail. This could be the last time I saw my mini haven.
My sanctuary.
The door creaked open, and Amethyst stood close to its hinges. The range of hues from light lavender to deep rich plum filled her hair that stood in pure contrast to the goshenite shade of mine. Her jet-black uniform accentuated her tanned skin tone and it seemed like there was a sword sheathed somewhere beneath.
She always had a weapon on her and even if she didn’t, it was safe to assume she did so you don’t stand the risk of bumping into her and getting accidentally stabbed.
Amethyst’s eyes red-rimmed, her face pale. "Beryl," she whispered, pulling me into a tight hug. "I'm so scared for you."
Subconsciously, my tears spilled over too. I hadn’t even noticed my body shaking till Amethyst held me tighter.
"Me too," I whispered. "Me too." And I meant it. At this point, I doubted anyone could fear for my wellbeing more than I already do.
Amethyst pulled back, her eyes searching my face. "You're not like us, Beryl. You're not built for this."
My heart ached at the harsh truth in her words. I’ve never denied the truth of her weakness, and neither did anyone in my family. I was the kind of child to be careful whilst playing with paper as I could easily get a paper cut.
She knew a single blade to my extremities was enough to kill me but I also knew that our father's mind was made up, and we had to accept my fate.
With one last hug, Amethyst released me, and I stepped out into the hallway. Our dad stood at the bottom of the stairs, his face stern, but his eyes betraying a hint of worry. The grand chandelier above us seemed to cast a spotlight on me. Illuminating my fears and insecurities.
"Time to go" he said, his voice as hard as a rock. The same voice he used when commanding the warrior troops.
It made me wonder if he even realized it was his daughter that he was subjecting to a fifty percent chance of fate.
I took a deep breath, shouldered my bags, and descended the stairs. The corners of our home; from the pictures on the wall, to the emboss painting of the stairway, seemed to laugh at me as I walked away from the only life I have ever known.
The change of plans was drastic. I was supposed to be headed to the Healer’s Cubicle today. To become a native healer just like my mother, just like my two other friends whom I would be leaving behind today. We all planned to head for our trainings next year but my father notified me just three weeks ago that I would be training to join my older siblings Amethyst and Topaz in the Warrior Signary.
I didn’t want that life for myself. I haven’t even set eyes on my brother Topaz in the past three years because he had been at the city’s forefront. Amethyst was hardly home but whenever she did return, she came back with a lot of ugly scars and marks that make you wonder why she ever chose the Signary in the first place.
That was the difference between my older siblings and I. They had chosen this life… I would have never and now that I have been forced, I know that the journey ahead would be deadly.
Most especially for me who had no prior trainings whatsoever.
But I also knew that I had to try. I didn’t really have much of a choice when it came to my father.
As we walked out of the house, I glanced back at my sister, who stood at the doorway, a clear image of sadness etched on her face. Amethyst had only returned home from a duty post on a one week break when she received the news that her only sister would be going to the Signary against her will. It was truly a shocker.
I smiled, trying to reassure her, even though it failed and then turned to follow our father into the next phase of my life.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
The sun beat down on us as we walked towards the Signary, the air thick with tension. My heart raced with fear and I am certain that my blood pressure was lethal right now.
I could easily hear my pulse as I stood. My mind was a sea of uncontrolled emotions and thoughts. I had known that my life was about to change either for the better or for the worse forever, and I am not sure if three weeks was enough to be ready.
Heck, some people train all their lives for this and still back out on this day every year to return the next. I am certain that I am in fact not even close to being ready.
Again, not like I had a choice.
As we approached the Training grounds, my anxiety grew. The imposing structure loomed before us, its stone walls and tall spires seeming to pierce the sky. I had heard stories about the instructors, the gruelling training, and the intense competitions between students.
Sometimes, my sister told me they weren’t true. And for some, Amethyst ignored the questions. So I never bothered pressing for answers, especially for the fact I never believed I would find myself here one day.
When we arrived at the entrance, my father turned to me. His eyes softening. "I know you're scared, but you have potential. You need this" that was all he’s been saying since the very first day he decided I wasn’t going to be a healer.
‘I needed this’. No backstory, no reason. Just a statement.
I nodded, trying to muster some courage. My father's words sat at the back of my mind at this point as we entered the Grand Hall. After all, it was the only thing he had said to me since we left the house.
The grand hall was bustling with students, instructors, and parents. My eyes widened as I took in the scene before me.
I had lived in a quiet estate that had the population of roughly five hundred people and what are the odds that you would see all of them in a week?
But this? This was the most people I had seen since I was born. They seemed so many that it felt like they were crawling on my skin.
The noise was deafening, a cacophony of chatter and mumbling. My anxiety peaking as I scanned the room. My eyes searching for a familiar face. But everyone seemed to know each other, except for me.
My father led me to a desk, where a stern-looking instructor who was busy writing away on a paper attended to us without lifting his head. Probably the shadow we cast before him made him realize someone was there.
"Name?" he barked.
"Beryl Windston," my father replied. "Assigned to the Warrior Signary."
The instructor immediately jumped to his feet, recognizing the voice and passed my dad a salute before nodding. He handed me a little brochure and a map, and dismissed us.
My father looked to me with a little smile. "You got this, kiddo. Make me proud."
I nodded and took a deep breath. I desperately wanted to throw my arms around him in a hug but he wasn’t one for public display of emotions. To Gen. Thomas Windston, it was even a disgrace to die when killed.
So, I know I’m in for a long shot at getting a hug. Wishing that my sister was here and bracing up for what’s next, I sent my dad a salute and stepped into my new life as a Signary student.
The large hall seemed to swallow me whole, the noise and chaos enveloping me like a suffocating shroud.
I looked around, trying to get my bearings. The map in my hand seemed to be a jumbled mess of corridors and rooms making it impossible for me to even read.
‘Why are there so many turns?’ I silently asked myself when I spotted a group of students gathered near a large stone statue and decided to approach them.
That was my first mistake as a Signary student.
As I drew near, they turned to me with the weirdest look in their eyes and red and orange fitted uniforms.
Their eyes scrutinizing me from head to toe. I felt a flush rise to my cheeks and my heart sinking concurrently. They dressed in uniform colors different from what my father had gotten the town tailor have made for me.
Suddenly, asking them for directions seemed wrong and I tried to read my map once again.
Now I was able to tell that I was at the ground opening and needed to take a straight path to my next clearance.
I approached the next clearance door with my two bags dragging closely.
As I reached the entrance, two guys stood before me with name tags and their eyes fixed on me with a little dash of ‘couldn’t she walk a LITTLE faster?’
Don’t tell me how I know, but it was enough reason to hasten up my movement.
I know this was too soon to be said, but one of them was breathtakingly handsome.
I mean, with the whole chiselled features, unique totally white hair, almost like it was dyed that color and piercing blue eyes that seemed to see right through me.
His height was as intimidating as it was captivating.
The other had a rugged pretty look, with a strong jawline and solid brown eyes that seemed tired of his day.
"Name?" the handsome one asked as I drew nearer, his voice low and smooth and caused a slight rumble in my belly.
"Beryl Windston" I replied. My voice barely above a whisper.
Their reactions were immediate and unsettling. The handsome one raised an eyebrow, a hint of surprise and disbelief crossing his face. The rugged one snorted, a sneer twisting of his lips. My internal organs went on an overheating moment because I knew their responses were not pleasant.
But to my surprise, they stepped aside, allowing me to pass. "Welcome to the Signary, Beryl," the handsome one said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
I passed the both of them a brief look before nodding. My face burning with embarrassment. I quickened my pace, eager to escape their piercing gazes.
As I entered the hall, I realized that I was lost. Again.
The corridors seemed to stretch on forever, with identical doors and windows blurring together.
“Oh well…” I muttered to myself.
