Duty, Chapter 4
#4 of Duty
Duty
Chapter 4
By: David C. Henry ("Ahndeleck")
Cellista dropped before Motungo's den. She hadn't expected him to be awake since he usually slept a little past dawn. She was happy to see him laying on the rocky entrance in the gloom of the morning. He yawned as she trotted up to him.
"Good morning beautiful."
She felt herself blush, "You should be in bed, and I'm supposed to shout in there to wake you up."
"Actually I thought about staying in there, but since I wasn't sure if you'd just come in or not, I decided to wait for you. Besides, I love watching you land, you're so graceful."
"Motungo, I'm sorry about my father. He-"
"Don't be Cellista." He stood and walked up to her, gently nuzzling her neck, "He's just angry, I understand that. After the Attunement, there's little he can do about what we do. I've already talked to someone about getting a den made so we can get him out of our way."
"You're already having a den made?"
"If you'd like. Oh, I almost forgot." He stood tall once again, tall and handsome, "Cellista, would you take the Rite of the Pair with me this spring?"
The question still made her heart throb. This time there was no raging voice to stop her answer. Cellista fell forward against him and wrapped her wings around his neck.
"Gods yes Motungo. I'd go with you right after Attunement if we could."
"I would too, but we're going to have to wait for you to make a motion in the covenant to get that changed."
Cellista looked up at him and smiled. He slipped his wings around her and hugged her tightly as he smiled back.
"We had better start on our way." He sighed, "It's not far, but we definitely don't want to be late, not with your father there."
"Would it be bad if I said I was scared?"
"No, we've every right to be."
"You are too?"
He nodded. Neither of them knew what to expect. They both knew that they would meet the gods, but they didn't know what would happen after that. There would be a ceremonial fight of some sort, but despite its nature, there were dragons that died during the rite.
"I'm more scared about losing you than anything else."
"Cellista, don't be. Knowing that I have your love waiting for me, I'll best anything the gods or covenant throws my way. Nothing can stop me from coming back to you."
He let her go and nodded toward the covenant's temple. His words made her feel better, she knew he was right. She leaped into the air, and he followed after her. Knowing that I have you to come back to Motungo, I can do anything.
***
She and Motungo flew to the temple of Tiamat and Garuda. Each student their age from around the covenant would be attuned to one of the twelve gods. While she wished she could wait longer before beginning her Attunement, she welcomed the honor.
They arrived at the temple. Most of her class stood ready. Their parents, and other onlookers stood further back to watch, and cheer their young ones on. Cellista knew each of the parents there also worried, just as she felt.
Arsela stood at the end of the line of the students, and Cellista adjusted her flight to land next to her. Within moments Motungo landed beside her. They exchanged smiles, and then Cellista drew her attention to Azerzan and the Attunement before her. She waited, and felt a small tense knot of apprehension growing within her. The only one missing from them now was Malmain, the bully of the class. As she hoped he wouldn't even show up and shame himself, he soared over the temple and joined the rest of them. Azerzan bared his old teeth at the tardiness, but then collected himself quickly.
"Since the days before The Sacrifice," Azerzan boomed his voice over the Covenant, "we have given our services to the gods. They are our guides, and our leaders beyond our own leaders. They alone give us purpose and guidance through our lives. We must always respect our place beneath the gods, and follow their desires and ways. Tiamat and Garuda gave themselves up against Mixcoatl, our eternal enemy. Now we give ourselves up, so that their sacrifice shall never be in vain.
"Before us here today are those that will dedicate their lives to those that Tiamat and Garuda left in their stead. Our courage and knowledge will be offered to these gods. By their decision our lives will take on new meaning and direction. From this direction, our ways, and the ways of this world will be preserved, for our generation, and all the generations that come beyond."
Cellista broke her gaze from the old dragon to glance at Motungo. He looked magnificent, strong, confident, full of power. She knew that nothing the gods would throw at him stood a chance.
Azerzan began the blessings of the twelve servants of Tiamat and Garuda. At the mentioning of each name, a single dragon from each group on either side of the temple's courtyard, would begin walking back and around the temple. Now it really begins. I wonder which god will choose me. I wonder who will pick Motungo. I hope Quahi picks him, he would look so perfect with his horns and plate all white as snow. Maybe Poquils will take him, the yellow would look good too.
She shifted her weight impatiently. While the blessings were important, it always seemed to take so long. Each and every god and goddess. To think I'll be doing this in the future. Maybe I shouldn't be the Covenant's Rite leader. I'd have to babble through all of those things. And please I don't want to have Sacaemir pick me, I couldn't live with a deep red plate and get in front of everyone. I'd look horrendous.
"May all these blessings come to us now, and bestow their presence here in this temple."
Azerzan lifted his wings wide. The others around the temple followed his example. Then each of the other dragons released a wisp from within themselves and directed it into small pedestals at their feet. In an instant the wisps were gone, and Cellista waited. Then she felt their presence inside the temple. Faint at first, but then it grew slowly. Each of the Elements and Forces waited inside. Slowly Azerzan lowered his wings and smiled.
"Let the Attunement begin."
* * *
Azerzan called another student first, and after several minutes he returned. His horns, and the plates on his face had turned a deep indigo color. Everyone met him with cheers, and howls of congratulations. Then another dragoness went forward. Her Attunement took a little longer, but when she arrived her cheers were just as strong. Cellista thought the green plate fitted her just fine. Another dragon went next, and returned quickly with the deep red of Sacaemir.
"Cellista," Azerzan brought her out of her mirthful thoughts, "come and meet the gods."
My turn, oh I hope I am ready for this. I am ready for this. She walked forward from the group, feeling everyone's attention on her now. But it would only be for a moment. She walked up to Azerzan and he laid his wings on her shoulders for a moment.
"May they bless you as they have all of us."
He smiled then stepped aside from the entrance to the temple. The great stone building stood before her, and each carved relief of the gods stood waiting around the wide gaping entrance. Resolutely she walked forward and out of the rays of the sun, and into the cool shadows of the temple. Now she was alone, walking down a candle flame lit tunnel to the sanctuary. She could see the near white glow ahead of her, the glow of the gods.
She stopped at the doorway. The sanctuary had huge alters in a circle around a center stage. Many rites were performed on the stage in the center, but this Rite left the stage completely empty. The stone alters around the sanctuary though were far from empty. Colored, soundless flames had engulfed the alters, the presence of the gods.
She stepped backward behind the cover of the doorway. Every single one is here. I thought this would be a ritual. Gods they weren't trying to scare us when they talked about this. She swallowed and shook herself out trying to ease her nerves. She couldn't go back without going forward, to do so would be the greatest dishonor. Taking a deep breath Cellista walked into the multicolored light and headed for the stage.