CEREMONY

The walk toward the stage was nerve racking. Celina led the way down a hallway into the center of the stadium. “Now, all you have to do is stand behind me.” Celina was speaking to the two, giving directions on what to do and how to act in the ceremony. “We will take our place on the back of the stage, behind the podium. Do not speak or move from your spot. Also, look out for the other chosen candidates. I have been informed that Diligence and Charity have taken in individuals for potential sponsorship, so we have to be wary of them. The other children of Houses will be there as well. If you just stay with me and ignore them, we shouldn’t have any problem.” Rika nudged Kain. “You hear all that? You seem pretty out of it.” Kain looked over at Rika. “Yeah, I heard.” Kain was still reeling from the encounter with the enforcer and all the strange things that followed. “You don’t look so good, Kain.” Celina had turned around and looked at him with a concerned expression. “Do you need me to go over and see if I can heal you more?” Celina walked over and put her hand on Kain’s arm, but he shrugged it off. “Don’t worry about me, we need to hurry and get to the ceremony.” “I’m here to help anytime. Don’t be afraid to ask me to help anytime, okay?” Kain nodded his head. Celina looked like she wanted to say something more, but decided against it. After a short while, Celina led the two to a pair of double doors, each made of heavy white marble flecked with gold. “Alright, remember what I told you. Stay calm, and let me handle the rest.” Rika bumped Kain’s arm and smiled reassuringly. Kain smiled back at her. “Get ready, show’s on.” Celina pushed into the doors, splitting them apart revealing a gigantic stadium filled with rows of children. The walls were pure white, seven symbols carved on each face of the inside. Beams of light shone down on a platform of pure white crystal in the middle. Seven banners with seven symbols flew on the edge of the platform. A well groomed man stood on the front right corner behind a solid gold podium. His voice began to speak, amplified by the many speakers surrounding the stadium. “Welcome, candidates of Virtue. You all have been waiting for this chance to be welcomed into the great Olympus Mons for admission into the Academy. First, however, you must be deemed worthy of Virtue.” The announcer sweeped his hand across the stadium. “Now, gaze upon the best of you. Ones who have gained the attention of the children of the Houses, Virtue Born exceeding all reason. I present to you the champions of Kindness, Diligence, and Charity!” Two sets of double doors opened, and two sets of parties walked out. One was led by a tall muscular black haired boy, and the other a short girl with blonde, almost black hair. The boy was wearing a dark blue robe with gold hems, and the girl wore a gold robe with silver hems. They each carried themselves with a sense of entitlement, as though they were better than everyone else here. They were not like Celina, who exudes an aura of kindness. They were the complete opposite. Behind them were children matching the exact same color and style of dress. Kain could not yet make out the other three people, as the lighting in the stadium casted shadows over them, not allowing any features to be seen. The announcer began once more. “These are the ones who exceed all but the Houses in Virtue. This is why they have already been chosen. Aspire to be like them, and one day you just might get close.” The announcer quieted down for a moment, then began once more. “Now, let us begin the ceremony!” He raised his hands. Everyone in the stands bowed their heads. “If you are called, raise your head and come forward. Stand in front of the platform and kneel.” And the announcer began to rattle off names. One by one, Kain saw each and every one of them kneel. He found this deeply unsettling. Everyone kneeled without hesitation, without question. The stands were silent, everyone’s heads bowed. No sound other than the announcer’s loud voice resounded through the stadium. When it was through, Kain saw around two hundred people that kneeled before the platform. “Now, Virtue has been shown. The choices are made. All who are Virtuous, stand and raise your head.” Many hesitant members of the crowd stood. “This concludes the Holy Selection. Those in the stands who have not been chosen, exit. You are not worthy to be in the presence of perfection.” There was much clamoring, and eventually the stands were devoid of people. “Chosen people, rest. Tomorrow, we depart for Olympus Mons.” The announcer walked off the crystal platform and exited through the leftmost double doors. Celina turned to face them, a sour look on her face. “Let us go. I cannot bear to be here any longer.” Celina turned to go, Kain and Rika following her. “Hey, are you not going to say goodbye?” A deep voice resounded behind them. Causing Kain and Rika to turn around. It was the boy, the one in the blue robe. “You have grown so cold, Celina. Talk to your old friend.” “Kain, Rika, keep walking.” They both turned around to follow Celina, but the boy shoved his way through and grabbed her shoulder. “I’m talking to you.” Kain stepped forward and flung his hand off of Celina’s shoulder. “Don’t.” The boy looked at Kain for a while then smiled. “I know you!” Kain backed away. The boy laughed out loud. “Now how did someone like you get into a place like this? I should kill you right now!” Celina stepped between them. “Stop Dixon! Just stop!” The boy, whose name was Dixon, crossed his arms. “Why should I? He’s a Sinner, rotten to the core.” Rika clenched her fist, moving in front of Kain. Dixon held his hands up in surrender and chuckled. “Well, at least let me introduce my own.” Dixon waved his hand, signaling for the person talking to the others to come over. “Hey Carl, get on over here!” “Coming, coming!” The boy jogged over and stopped before the others. “Hello, my name is Carl. My sponsor is Dixon of House Diligence. Nice to meet you!” No one stuck out their hands. Carl looked awkward at the other two. He retracted his hand and waved goodbye. “Well, I’m not one to snitch. I’m pretty sure the others know that he’s here now. Smart idea, bringing him to the Academy.” Dixon turned around and threw up his hand. “Well, see you tomorrow. We’ll get a better chance to get to know each other then.” Celina snorted at him. “Let’s go, before any other rowdy people annoy us.” Rika threw up her hand. “I second that, ma’m!” Kain laughed. It seemed like the stress of the day was finally easing off.

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After a long drive, they had made it to the penthouse. Rika was the first one to sleep, ignoring the need to wash. Celina called Rika gross, but she just threw her cap at her and said, “Screw off.” Thus, it was just Kain and Celina eating dinner that night. They sat across from each other, eating on a furnished table. “So, what’d you think of the Holy Selection? Was it all you imagined it would be?” Celina looked at Kain, a sly smirk on her face. Kain waved his hand, swallowing his food. “I thought it was creepy. All those people acting like that. No sound of protest, no light chatter. Like I said, it was creepy.” Celina showed a sad expression. “Yes, there is no love in what we do. Just reverence.” Kain nodded. “It must be lonely.” Celina looked off at something that wasn’t there. “Very.” They sat in silence for a while, the only sound being the clattering of forks and knives against ceramics. Kain decided to speak, breaking the silence. “Celina, that Dixon said he knew me. How many of you know who I am?” Celina thought for a moment. “Most of the upper echelon knows. Not you specifically, but of you and many others like you.” “I guess you can’t tell me, right?” Celina nodded her head. “Yes, I regret I cannot.” Kain’s face clouded over. “There was something I meant to tell you.” Celina looked at Kain. “What?” Kain took a deep breath. “When I killed that man in the hallway, something inside of me felt…hungry. Then I had memories, memories of someone that isn’t me. Not just that, but my body feels different. Like I have someone else’s strength added onto my own. It feels disgusting. Unnatural. Can you…heal me?” Kain looked at Celina. She looked back. There was a peculiar expression on her face. Something akin to…fear? No, that can’t be right. Celina would never fear him. “

Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

Do not mention this to anyone, ever. Okay?” Kain was taken aback. Celina never talked to him with such a tense voice before. “To think that is the activation condition…oh, Kain. What did they do to you?” Celina stood up and walked over to Kain. She reached a tentative hand out, then retracted it. “What? What’s wrong?” Kain looked at Celina pleadingly. “It’s not your fault, Kain. It’s theirs.” Celina seemingly steeled herself. “I’ll tell you one thing. One. It’s all I can do without completely ruining our safety.” She walked closer to Kain. “You were a Virtue Born, Kain. Just like me and all the others. They, however…changed you into something monstrous. Once they saw that you could handle more, unlike the others like you, they kept going. You were their perfect experiment, Kain. The final project.” Celina began to cry. Kain shakily asked, “Who is ‘they’?” Celina looked up, tears now streaming down her face. “The Houses, Kain. The ones who are behind everything.” Celina shook her head. “This time, I swear. I’ll save you. I promise.” Celina fell into Kain and hugged him tightly. Kain did not reciprocate her affection. He was still reeling from the information that Celina had told him. Why could she not just tell him everything? Why had he been doomed to be told half truths and pieces of information? His anger welled up within him. Then, he had an idea. Activation condition…that is what Celina said. He absorbed all the memories and strength of the enforcer who he had killed in the maintenance hallway, or he at least had reason to believe he had. Why wouldn’t it work here? Kain looked at Celina who was still crying onto his shoulder. She wouldn’t even know what hit her. All he had to do was jerk to the side and slam her head onto the table. Then he would finish off the rest of her. No more waiting for things to be told to him. No more games. The same dark feeling welled up inside him, the same hunger driving him to make that treacherous step. His hands moved up to Celina’s head. His body tensed, getting ready to move. He swore to himself that he would get ‘Kain’ back. All she was to him was a bank of information, a tool to be used and tossed to the side. Before he could make his move, a thought crossed his mind. Would ‘Kain’ mind if Kain did this murderous act? Obviously Celina cared for ‘Kain’, therefore ‘Kain’ must have some attachment to her. It was complicated. He could kill her now and come closer to restoring ‘Kain’, but was that the outcome that ‘Kain’ desired? Lowering his hands from Celina’s head, he pushed her away and stood up to leave. Kain had decided to not kill the girl for the sake of ‘Kain’. “Kain,” He turned around to see Celina smiling, albeit crying. “You have not changed a bit. You really are kind.” It was the second time she said something of that nature. Kain said nothing, turning back around and walking away. Her words stirred no emotion in him.

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The rudeness of the crowd was beginning to get on Kain’s nerves. He was being jostled, bumped, and shoved. Each person was so eager to board the train that they did not pay any attention to those around them. Due to this, Celina was allowed to go unnoticed. She explained to them that once before she had been recognized in the crowd, and the sheer amount of people wanting to meet her held up the train. Plus, the added on disguise of a hood helped conceal her features. Celina led them to the front of the train, where two armed enforcers stood guarding the entrance. “Who are you?” One asked in a gruff voice. Celina took off her hood, allowing the enforcers to see her face. Without another word, they stepped aside and let the three in. A rather luxurious train car met them, its walls a furnished wood and the floor carpeted with soft material. On the sides there were two purple couches, each hosting people. Kain recognized Dixon and Carl sitting on the other side, but did not know the three other people sitting on the couch closest to them. The door shut behind them, causing all of the people in the car to look their way. The girl with the dark blonde hair looked shocked at the sight of them, and Dixon’s eyes widened. “Well, if it isn’t Celina and her little sinner! Oh, and the red head too, I guess.” Rika clenched her jaw for being tossed to the side like an afterthought. “Celina,” The girl with the dark blonde hair stood up and pointed at Kain. “I knew you were different, but not so different as to let something like that be with the rest of us!” She started to head toward Kain, but was stopped by Celina. “How can you say something like that, Nora? He’s human too!” The girl, Nora, sneered in their direction. “That thing is not human. It is an abomination of Virtue, and I will not stand it being in my presence!” Nora was about to move forward once more, but was halted by the loud voice of Dixon. “Remember, Nora. The Academy rules state that anyone let in regardless of status is blessed by Virtue and should be treated as such. To fail to do so, we would be dishonoring our names. Do you want your House to exile you? Show restraint, especially in front of those that you have chosen to be your champions.” Nora clenched her fist and grumbled, eventually briskly walking over to her spot on the seat. The other two with her, a boy and a girl each with auburn hair, looked on in discomfort. “Now sit, you three! Train’s about to start!” Rika and Kain took a seat next to the girl, but before Celina could join them Dixon spoke up. “And Celina, there’s always a seat by me if you don’t want to sit next to that sinner.” Dixon wiggled his eyebrows at Celina, who in turn cringed. “No, I think I’ll pass.” She then sat between Kain and Rika, allotting a “Hey!” of complaints from the ladder. “Well, it was worth a shot.” Dixon leaned his head back and sighed. The train jerked, signaling the departure to the capital, Olympus Mons. Kain closed his eyes, hoping to find rest on the long ride.