I have heard many stories of the Islands. There was all manner of man-eating creatures there, none of them smaller than a man. Unfortunately, ghost stories were all I’d ever heard. I could never tell which ones were true, and which were exaggerations. All the stories came from younger children that had overheard stories from the Aged. Those that had gone to the Islands and returned, undertaking the Aging.


    The Aging was a terrifying rite of passage, from what I knew of it. It began pleasantly enough, an annual twelve-day festival, beginning at the first of the year, and ending with a ceremony on the twelfth day. At the end of the ceremony, every child that has reached the age of sixteen is sent to Oileáin Trialach (Eh-lawn Tree-uh-lock) or, in Common, the Trial Islands.


    I shuddered just thinking about it, the ceremony made me anxious enough. Mainly due to the vast amount of people. I hadn’t had much, or really any experience interacting with people, so I was nervous to see how I would fare.


    I had been traveling to the Arena with my brothers, when they decided on a shortcut, that was turning out to be more of a challenge than it was worth. I was brought out of my thoughts by an all too familiar yell.


    “Hurry up Blunder!” Blunder, the latest in a long line of colorful nicknames given to me by my older brothers. I looked up to see my eldest brother, Kixas (Kicks-us) standing atop the small cliff face we had been scaling. Kixas was the tallest of all my brothers. His long black hair was tied loosely behind his head and came to rest just below his shoulders. His black shirt was left unbuttoned at the top with his sleeves rolled up.


    Shut up jerk, I know already. I thought to myself, trying to focus, my hands and feet clambering clumsily up the rocks towards my brothers. Focusing was difficult with all the distractions. I was being watched by my brothers, I didn’t enjoy being watched, it made me nervous. Then there was the sound from the hundreds, maybe thousands of people that had gathered for the Aging. Greatest of all, was the idea of the Aging itself that had me shaking with fear, making my progress up the rock face slow to a crawl.


    My stomach turned. I was the youngest of five brothers and two sisters. I had just turned sixteen last year. Now it’s my turn to travel to some mystery Island with a bunch of strangers and possibly be eaten by demons, ghosts, and monsters, and my family seemed totally fine with that.


    “Seriously little man, can you not wiggle your limbs any quicker? We''ll miss it at this rate.” This time it was my brother Cyclone, or, at least, that’s what his new name was ever since he became an apprentice mage. It was a strange name. A word from the Common language, apparently having something to do with a strong wind.


    He stood atop the thirty-foot rock wall I was climbing. He was a little shorter than Kixas, and his head was bald, save for a wide strip of hair down the middle that tied in the back. Stylized tattoos decorated the sides of his head and his exposed left arm. His shirt was a dark, brownish yellow color, and asymmetrical in design, because it had no left sleeve, while having his right sleeve reach down to his wrist.


    “Only if you keep distracting me with your impatience!” I yelled back to him. “If we didn’t wait for you to fix your hair, we wouldn’t have been late at all!" Ha! I told him. I heard another one of my brothers cackling on the rocks above me.


    “A true battle of wits has been won.” This time it was Ríger (Ree-grr). He stood with his right arm around Kixas''s shoulders, laughing at the whole spectacle and his own sarcastic comment. Kixas smiled with his arms folded across his chest, enjoying the scene.


    Ríger’s clothes were ragged and torn, with holes in the knees of his pants, and tears on his oversized shirt. His hair was a jumbled mess, a small beard on his chin still jutting off to one side from when he’d woken up. Contrasted by the always elegant, well-mannered, and well-tailored style of Kixas, and Cyclone''s asymmetry. I did my best to keep moving while they bantered.


    “Like you would know, you brainless twit.” Cyclone jabbed. Ríger feigned offense.


    “Well at least I still have a full head of hair.” Ríger said as he reached over to poke at the tattoos on the side of Cyclone’s head. Cyclone swatted his hand aside with a grumpy scowl.


    “Croí! What the shite is taking you so long?” Cyclone yelled down to me.


    “Language, Faolán (Fall-on).” Kixas interjected.


    “Bite me, arse muncher.” Cyclone snapped.


    Both Ríger and Kixas snickered at Cyclone. I had climbed twenty of the thirty feet by now, watching each hand and foothold carefully but moving quickly.


    “I’m moving!” I replied.


    “Not fast enough!” Cyclone yelled.


    “What? Got somewhere to be Faolan?” Kixas asked.


    “It’s Cyclone now, not Faolan. We all have somewhere to be.” Cyclone said irritated.


    “Look, see that red in his cheeks, he’s embarrassed. Aww poor baby.” Ríger teased.


    “Oh, that''s bullshite and you know it. Let''s just get going.” Cyclone said frustrated. He stuck his left arm out towards me, palm up. I’m not fast enough. He’s gonna use Ventus on me? But I''m a third of the way up already. Thirty seconds more and I''ll reach the top.


    “You got fifteen seconds, smart arse.” Cyclone stated as the Ventus magic became slightly visible, flowing on his arm like streams of mostly transparent yellow mist.


    I hate it when he does this stuff. I pushed off the rock I was standing on as hard as I could, trying to leap further up the wall. Unfortunately, the rock was unstable, and it came out from underneath me. I clung to the rocks in front of me with all my might, searching frantically for a foothold. “Twelve seconds.” Oh, come on! I got a foothold and jumped again, this time with less vigor.


    “Come on Croí! You can do it!” This blast of optimism came from the last of my brothers, Bacta (Bawk-tuh). He was physically the strongest of us all, though it was offset by him being the shortest, aside from me. He differed from the rest of us because of his generally serious temperament. Treating every test, game, or trial, as profoundly serious. Going so far as to tear up when I would complete a particularly difficult bout of training or seem to grieve occasionally when I would miss a target.


    Ríger and Kixas laughed at Bacta’s fervent intensity, Ríger leaning down on his knees from laughing so hard. Ok, focus, one rock at a time but do it fast! I had about five feet more before Cyclone shouted down at me.


    “Six seconds Croí!” Stop distracting me! Ok. That one next, now that one. Cyclone was counting every second out loud. Though, admittedly, each second he counted seemed a little long. I made it to the rock he was standing on just as he said ‘One.’


    “Ha! In your face! Challenge accepted and completed! How''s that, oh master of wind puffs!?” I said defiantly, looking to my other brothers. Ríger clapped in a way that was half to mock, half to congratulate. Kixas just smiled along with Bacta, their eyes showing amusement. Speaking of eyes, I was not fond of the look in Cyclone''s.


    “Wind puffs?” Cyclone growled. A mischievous smile split across his lips. Oh no, not good.


    He clenched his left hand tightly. The Ventus swirled on his arm and flew the two feet between us. The small, yellowish mist turned into intense gusts of wind that sent me flying.


    Ow, my ears! Stupid wind! I could feel my head spinning as my body turned end over end, making me dizzy until I suddenly felt my body stop, though my head continued to spin. The wind was gone. Wait, am I seeing things? Everything''s upside... It was too late by the time I made the realization. I fell three feet before contacting the ground. I rolled over and looked around, rubbing my head and shoulder. My brothers were still standing, except for Ríger who was now holding his stomach and crying with laughter, while gasping for air before bursting out laughing again.


    “Shut up you idiot! You''re making us look bad.” Cyclone hissed at Ríger, gesturing towards the crowd. I hadn’t noticed until now but in front of us on the plateau we had reached were several buildings, a paved road, and more buildings. The street was filled with people that had likely taken the proper route to reach the city gates. Cyclone and Ríger had decided that, instead of taking the long, curved, ramp with a cobblestone road to the gates, it would be more fun to take a more direct approach and climb the rock face instead.


    “I know. That’s what’s so funny!” Ríger said, pointing to the crowd, some of which had stopped to watch the commotion. Several of them were young maidens, giggling and whispering to one another.


    “What about you?” I asked Cyclone. He and my other brothers looked over at me questioningly. “Having to use Ventus to beat me? Counting slow? You must be getting soft in your old age.” Cyclone let a wry smile cross his lips. Kixas chuckled.


    “Come on brothers, we''re wasting time here, we should get to the Arena.” Kixas said as he walked past me, giving me a small pat on the back. “Well played Croí.” Then chuckled as he strode off.


    “Does this mean I won?” I asked, standing.


    “Oh! Most emphatically my little man. If only for today.” Ríger snickered as he wiped tears from his eyes. Cyclone just chuckled and shook his head as he passed me by, ruffling my short hair.


    “Don''t get too confident kid.” He said. I shook my head and started running my hands through it to fix it.


    “Little Croí! I''m so proud of you.” Bacta said excitedly, nearly crushing me in a bear hug.


    “Th… Thanks… Buh… Bacta.” I managed to squeeze out. They’re all being unusually nice to me. I mean, Cyclone did give me fifteen seconds to get up, and he was counting slow. It must be because of the Aging. They''ve all gone through it before. They must know the terrors of the Islands very intimately. Ok now I''m really freaking out.


    He finally released me a few seconds later before heading off through the large crowd of people, following the others and urging me to follow him. I obliged, following mindlessly through the large crowd. Now overwhelmed by the sudden sight of what looked to be thousands of buildings, some looking like homes, others with wooden plaques out front to signify a place of business, all separated by cobblestone pathways and roads. Most of them lay through the large arched opening in the city walls. My thoughts turned inward.


    What''s going to happen to me on those Islands? I don''t want to go there. What if I die? I haven’t done much of anything aside from chores and training. I’ve never really had any good friends. Never had a job like my brothers. I’ve never owned my own sword or worn armor. I have a lot of stuff I want to do still, and I can’t do that if I die.


    “Come Croí, we must hurry if you want to eat and drink before the ceremony begins.” Bacta said, turning to me. His expression changed from cheer to one of worry. He came back through the crowd, whistled to the other brothers that had gone further ahead. Kixas turned and they slowly started making their way back through the crowd. Bacta turned and put his hands on my shoulders, looking into my eyes.


    “What is it Little Croí? What troubles you?” Seriously? How could you not know?


    “What do you think?” I asked.


    “The Aging.” He answered, nodding slightly. I nodded back in agreement.


    “I''m terrified. I feel as though I''m going to my death with all the stories I''ve heard, and you all seem to be completely fine with it. Like you couldn''t care less whether I lived or died.” I blurted. His brow furrowed, he took a deep breath and sighed before answering.


    “No Little Croí. We do care tremendously for you. Why do you think we pushed you so hard all these years? Why we forced you to do things you didn''t want to do? We aren''t cruel, we love you deeply, and we were preparing you. The reason we all haven''t broken down in tears is because...well first off, it would frighten you. Second, because grieving for you before you leave is like accepting your death already, and we will not do that. We do our best to show that we have faith our Little Croí has what it takes to make it through the Aging.”


    My heart slowed and my mind quieted. Wow, the big dope really is smart when it counts. I chuckled to myself.


    “What amuses you, Little Croí?” He asked, his smile as bright as ever.


    “Nothing. Thank you Bacta.” I said smiling. His left eyebrow lifted in inquiry.


    “Where''s your sash Croí?” I looked down at my waist. The Tus Nua (Tuss Nee) sash is to be deep black with a bright blue stripe down the center of it. It signified that I had come of age and that I was taking part in the Aging. I glanced around me, no sash anywhere, but I did notice my brothers coming to stand behind Bacta. Maybe they can help look. It must have been blown free when Cyclone was using me for his amusement. But if that was the case, then one of them would''ve seen it. I must''ve lost it back on the rocks.


    “Never mind that, I''ll find it and bring it along.” Bacta said. Yeah I guess that''ll work out.


    “Find what?” asked Kixas.


    “Croí’s sash is missing.” Bacta replied seriously.


    “I’ll help you grab it. It’s probably on the rock face.” Cyclone said. They ran off back the way we came from.


    “So…” Ríger began. “Do you guys know any waiting games?” He asked me and Kixas. Kixas snickered.


    “You could always play the quiet game. Or twiddle your thumbs.”


    “I’m no good at the quiet game. But twiddling? Sounds like wasting time and I’m amazing at that. Just ask Mom, or Dad. Especially Dad.” Ríger said through his ever-present smile.


    “Are you sure you don’t want to play the quiet game?” Kixas asked. Ríger chuckled.


    “But how will I humiliate old Faolan in front of his date if I can’t speak?”


    “Oh trust me, your existence is humiliating enough.” Kixas said. All of us laughed at the lashing Kixas had delivered.


    “Well played brother.” Ríger said between gasps and laughs.


    “What have we missed?” Bacta asked as he returned with Cyclone. Kixas and Ríger looked at each other.


    “You’d just have to be there.” Kixas said with a small shrug and chuckle. “Found the sash I see, let’s head to the Arena then.” Kixas turned to lead us through the crowd. Cyclone handed me my sash and ruffled my hair again.


    “Don’t lose that again alright?” Cyclone said. He turned to the others. “I’ll meet the rest of you there, I’ve got a date to get to.” A wide smile crossed his lips.


    “Not introducing her to the family yet Faolan?” Ríger scoffed. Cyclone let out a fake laugh as he responded.


    “I’m no fool. I’d like to enjoy her company free of your embarrassment a while longer.” The brothers laughed and waved as Cyclone jogged away from us, vanishing into the crowd.


    “Ruined your plans did he Ríger?” Bacta asked.


    “A bit, but that just gives me more time to plan something even more devious when I finally meet her.” We laughed as we walked down the street. I glanced around, eagerly taking in the sights. A sea of jet-black hair, with rare dots of color. Hundreds, maybe thousands, of Cianían people. Massive thick stone walls housed the massive wood and steel city gates which stood open as we passed through with the crowds.


    I noticed a building we were walking to in the distance, a massive circular looking building that towered above most anything else, though we were too far away to see any real details. We zigzagged through small alleyways and wide streets. Ríger never let more than a minute pass before he jested with Bacta, Kixas or me. It helped calm my nerves, like a piece of home we brought with us.


    I could see the massive Arena looming over us through the occasional break between houses. The curved open top was visible now even over the two or three level homes and businesses.


    I unintentionally came to a stop as we reached the Arena, coming out of an alleyway onto the main road that was at least one hundred feet wide. It was split down the middle with a line of massive square stone pillars topped with blue flames. The Arena itself was a massive building. The road we had walked onto led up to its main entrance. All along the curved walls of the structure were what looked like depictions of battle scenes. Some of Cianíans fighting humanoids, others of Cianíans fighting beasts. Massive statues representing the Gods stood within arched alcoves. I didn’t recognize some of them, but I did recognize Fomhár (Foe-v-awr) God of the harvest, and Aebhsean (Ay-v-shawn), Goddess of luck, my favored Gods. It was awe inspiring to see a massive physical form of the Gods.


    I looked down to see dozens of merchant stands lining the cobble stone road all the way to the entrance, and a few on the first and second landing of the steps entering the Arena. Most seemed to be selling food or clothing. One was full of small wooden dolls. Another further down was brimming with weapons and a few bits of armor.


    Oh that’s amazing! I want those. If only I had coins. And that food looks and smells so good. Meat sticks, sweets, tons of vegetables, cooked fish, and some things I''d never even seen before. I haven''t eaten since this morning. Maybe I can get some coins off my brothers and get something to eat.


    “Croí!” My attention was brought to Bacta waving me forward.


    “Sorry.” I said quietly as I caught up with him. He smiled.


    “Nothing to fret about Croí. It is awe inspiring, isn’t it?”


    “Yeah, and all the vendors. That food looks delicious. Can we get some?” I asked. He waved his hand dismissively.


    “No need, once we get to our table, we’ll have food waiting for us. Don’t you worry.” He said. I sighed, looking at a few sticks of skewered meat as we passed them by.


    “Ok.” I said glumly. Bacta stopped and let out a sigh.


    “Oh alright. Let’s get some.” He whistled to Kixas and Ríger, waving for them to come back. I smiled excitedly and followed him over to the stand. He paid the merchant a copper coin and we each took two sticks of meat. We thanked the merchant before moving off towards the steps of the Arena.


    I groaned with delight at the succulent juicy seasoned meats. Crispy on the outside but juicy and flavorful as I bit into them.


    “Thank you Bacta.” I said smiling.


    “You’re most welcome Little Croí.” He said, tapping his meat stick against mine. “Enjoy.” I munched happily as we followed the brothers.


    The steps leading up into the Arena were massive and grand, much like the Arena itself. My brothers stopped, smiling at my gaped expression of wonder as I craned my head back to look up at the massive structure.


    “It’s quite the sight isn’t it Little Croí?” Bacta said.


    “It’s massive. How big is it?” I asked. Bacta looked to Ríger, who answered.


    “It’s two hundred and fifty-five feet tall, almost fifteen hundred feet wide, and a little over twelve hundred feet long.” The numbers didn’t mean much to me, but the sheer size of the Arena was daunting. Ríger continued. “There are nearly three hundred feet of steps leading up the main entrance. It has eighty-foot-tall statues depicting all sixteen of the Gods that line the outer walls, and.” He wiggled his finger in excitement. “It only took ten years to build. And…” Kixas held up a hand to stop him.


    “Not that we don’t want to hear all of this again for Croí’s sake, but we’re supposed to be meeting the family now.” Kixas said with an apologetic smile.


    “Right… Ok. Let’s go.” Ríger sighed.


    I followed my brothers up the long steps, thankful for the small interruptions every fourteen steps or so. Finally, we reached the top and were met with the bright, warm light of Kolob. To either side of the landing we had reached, connected with an ellipse shaped platform that moved around the entire arena, was filled with Cianíans, some sitting at tables, others leaning on a railing that separated them from the platforms below. The steps continued down, stopping at landings to allow access to more of the ring-shaped platforms. I looked behind me to see that there were even more above us, five of them, for a total of ten. All of them filled with chattering, happy, laughing Cianíans.


    We went down, exiting the steps on the second to last level, where we spotted the rest of my family sitting at a long wooden table. The brothers greeted Mother and Father first.


    “Arden.” Kixas said as he hugged my father. A playful smile crossed my father’s face as he shook his head at Kixas, leaning over to hug Ríger. Kixas moved over to mother. She squinted at him.


    “Don’t you dare.” She warned playfully.


    “Bíutris.” He said as they hugged. She cringed.


    “Ugh you stinker. It’s Mom or Mother to you, young man.” She said, wagging her finger at him with a smile. He chuckled.


    “Yes Mother.”


    “Attaboy.” Father said, hugging Bacta.


    I hugged Milí (Mill-lee), the youngest of my two sisters, first. Her short black hair framing her rounded jawline and small pointed nose, a welcoming smile across her artificially red lips.


    “Couldn’t wait to eat I see.” Milí said, nodding to the meat sticks. I smiled.


    “They’re delicious, do you want a taste? I haven’t bitten into this one yet.” I offered. Her left eyebrow peaked with interest.


    “Sure, I’ll try a bite.” She pulled my hand up and bent down to take a delicate bite, a little more meat pulling off than she expected, making her giggle as she nodded and chewed.


    “That is delicious. I might have to get one when we leave. Thank you Croí.” I nodded and turned to Sealí (Shay-uh-lee), my eldest sister. Some of her long hair was pulled back in an intricate braid that draped over the rest of her long straight hair beneath it. Her youngest son, Drewk (Drook), was happily playing with a wooden sword and shield Sealí had most likely purchased for him. He smiled when he saw me, thrusting them into the air with a grin. I grinned back and gave him two thumbs up.


    “Where’s Aeleen (Aw-lay-un)?” I asked, looking around. Sealí pointed towards the entrance of the Arena.


    “Shopping with her friends. She’ll be back with Cyclone later.” She said. Aeleen was my niece even though she was sixty-seven years old. Even with the age difference, her and I had gotten along for the most part, especially when it came to playing harmless pranks on Sealí.


    Sealí and Milí were wearing fashionable Cianían dresses. Sleeveless, long and form fit, but not where it would restrict movement, widening near the bottom, ending below the knees. Tights or leggings covered the rest. The dresses had a crisscross pattern that overlapped in the front. Sealí and Milí’s dresses were blue with silver colored trim and accents. Both sisters had small trinkets and bands adorning their arms and hands to accent the outfits. Sealí wore a pair of light brown laced up boots, and Milí wore leather shoes that only came up to her ankles.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    “How was the trip Little Man?” Sealí asked. I shrugged.


    “Long and boring, but some parts were really pretty. We had to climb a rock face to get into the city though.” She scoffed, shaking her head.


    “Did you now? Ríger and Cyclone’s idea, no doubt. Instead of just taking the extra couple of minutes to go up the ramp. Typical.” The last word she said with a playful sneer at Ríger, who promptly stuck out his tongue at her. She chuckled, shaking her head. “Well, I’m glad you made it safe Croí.” She turned to slug Ríger in the arm as my Mother and Father smiled with open arms.


    “There’s my boy.” Mom said. Her hair was short like Milí’s, and her dress is like those my sisters wore, but was a deep black with colorful flowers covering it. I was grateful she wasn’t wearing red lip coloring as she kissed my cheeks multiple times. I giggled and squirmed. She pulled away smiling as Father stepped in for his hug.


    “If you don’t want them, I’ll take them.” Father said with a sideways glance and smile at Mom. He bent down and kissed the top of my head.


    “I see Cyclone’s been teasing your hair again.” Mother said. I nodded and Father stepped back as Mom came in to straighten my hair out. I didn’t see much point, my hair wasn’t more than a few inches long, all I had to do was shake my head and it usually laid just right. Mom loved to fuss over us though, so I let her.


    Father’s hair was cut somewhat short on the sides, but remained a few inches long on the top, and was parted on the left side. He wore a well-tailored white dress shirt with a pair of black pants, a black vest with the same flower pattern as mothers dress, a dark blue jacket, and black boots.


    “Where’s your brother?” Father asked Kixas.


    “With Cíara (Kee-ra). Don’t worry. He’ll be here before the ceremony starts; we’ve still got a few hours.” Right. The Aging. I had almost managed to forget about it, almost managed to think we were on a family outing. As they talked, I looked around the Arena to distract myself.


    At first, I couldn’t focus on much, just random people or objects. Then my eyes came to rest on three people, two boys and a girl, all walking together. They were wearing Tus Nua sashes, meaning I''d be going to the Islands with them.


    I immediately noticed something unique about the girl. Her hair was white, and she was unusually short. She must be Offborn! She was dressed in a nice flowing blue dress with purple and red accents. Her hair was pulled behind her head in a single braid that reached between her shoulder blades. She was wearing shoes that covered the bottom half of her feet, with red colored strings that wrapped up to just below her knees and tied off neatly.


    Both boys had black hair. The one on the right had short messy hair. His clothes were loose fitting, with his shirt looking like it was going to fall off, and his shoes looked more like slippers. The one in the middle had his hair in a loose ponytail.


    No way! The one with the ponytail had a sword on him. It was beautiful and ornate with what looked to be carvings all over the scabbard and cross guard. He also had armored bracers and a cloak. With a cleaner look to his attire than the one with short hair, he wore a nice fitting dark green shirt with light brown pants and a pair of black boots. Aside from the difference in hair and style, both boys had nearly identical faces.


    I wonder if the one with long hair is military. But he couldn''t be, he''s wearing a sash which means he''s not old enough. I tugged on Sealí’s hand.


    “Yes Croí?” She asked.


    “Look. That kid’s got a sword, and they have Tus Nua sashes. Where’s my sword?” Sealí looked at them for a moment, then smiled.


    “You’re not Aged. Besides, swords are expensive.”


    “Then why does he have one?” I asked.


    “It’s ceremonial, just for today, I think. Hey. Why don’t you go talk to them? Practice some of what me and Milí taught you.” I got nervous. Talk to them? About what? I mean, I guess since all of us are Aging we would have some stuff to talk about.


    “But what about the ceremony? Do I need to stay close?” I asked.


    “You’ll be fine dear. Horns will sound when it’s time to gather. Until then, why don’t you go introduce yourself?” Mother said from beside Sealí.


    “Ok then, wish me luck.” I said as I walked off towards the kids. I stopped short of them, feeling much more nervous than excited. I looked back for encouragement, or a reason not to go, but my family was busy talking with each other. I''ve got to try talking to them. If I can make friends now it''ll be easier when we''re on the Islands. But at the same time, it’s a terrifying concept. I don’t know how to talk to people, not really. I have to just go for it. Just say hey.


    “Hey!” I yelled, a bit louder than planned, which surprised and embarrassed me. The boy with the shorter hair turned to see me, then turned to the boy with the ponytail, patting his chest and pointing a thumb towards me.


    “Yes?” The short haired boy asked, seeming annoyed or impatient. I looked down, having a hard time with eye contact.


    “I''m a Tus Nua just like you guys.” I pointed at my sash. “I thought it would be a good idea to introduce myself.” I said sheepishly.


    “Usually, an introduction requires some eye contact.” The girl chuckled. I looked up to see a mischievous smile on her face, her left eyebrow raised waiting for a response.


    I have heard many stories of the Islands. There was all manner of man-eating creatures there, none of them smaller than a man. Unfortunately, ghost stories were all I’d ever heard. I could never tell which ones were true, and which were exaggerations. All the stories came from younger children that had overheard stories from the Aged. Those that had gone to the Islands and returned, undertaking the Aging.


    The Aging was a terrifying rite of passage, from what I knew of it. It began pleasantly enough, an annual twelve-day festival, beginning at the first of the year, and ending with a ceremony on the twelfth day. At the end of the ceremony, every child that has reached the age of sixteen is sent to Oileáin Trialach (Eh-lawn Tree-uh-lock) or, in Common, the Trial Islands.


    I shuddered just thinking about it, the ceremony made me anxious enough. Mainly due to the vast amount of people. I hadn’t had much, or really any experience interacting with people, so I was nervous to see how I would fare.


    I had been traveling to the Arena with my brothers, when they decided on a shortcut, that was turning out to be more of a challenge than it was worth. I was brought out of my thoughts by an all too familiar yell.


    “Hurry up Blunder!” Blunder, the latest in a long line of colorful nicknames given to me by my older brothers. I looked up to see my eldest brother, Kixas (Kicks-us) standing atop the small cliff face we had been scaling. Kixas was the tallest of all my brothers. His long black hair was tied loosely behind his head and came to rest just below his shoulders. His black shirt was left unbuttoned at the top with his sleeves rolled up.


    Shut up jerk, I know already. I thought to myself, trying to focus, my hands and feet clambering clumsily up the rocks towards my brothers. Focusing was difficult with all the distractions. I was being watched by my brothers, I didn’t enjoy being watched, it made me nervous. Then there was the sound from the hundreds, maybe thousands of people that had gathered for the Aging. Greatest of all, was the idea of the Aging itself that had me shaking with fear, making my progress up the rock face slow to a crawl.


    My stomach turned. I was the youngest of five brothers and two sisters. I had just turned sixteen last year. Now it’s my turn to travel to some mystery Island with a bunch of strangers and possibly be eaten by demons, ghosts, and monsters, and my family seemed totally fine with that.


    “Seriously little man, can you not wiggle your limbs any quicker? We''ll miss it at this rate.” This time it was my brother Cyclone, or, at least, that’s what his new name was ever since he became an apprentice mage. It was a strange name. A word from the Common language, apparently having something to do with a strong wind.


    He stood atop the thirty-foot rock wall I was climbing. He was a little shorter than Kixas, and his head was bald, save for a wide strip of hair down the middle that tied in the back. Stylized tattoos decorated the sides of his head and his exposed left arm. His shirt was a dark, brownish yellow color, and asymmetrical in design, because it had no left sleeve, while having his right sleeve reach down to his wrist.


    “Only if you keep distracting me with your impatience!” I yelled back to him. “If we didn’t wait for you to fix your hair, we wouldn’t have been late at all!" Ha! I told him. I heard another one of my brothers cackling on the rocks above me.


    “A true battle of wits has been won.” This time it was Ríger (Ree-grr). He stood with his right arm around Kixas''s shoulders, laughing at the whole spectacle and his own sarcastic comment. Kixas smiled with his arms folded across his chest, enjoying the scene.


    Ríger’s clothes were ragged and torn, with holes in the knees of his pants, and tears on his oversized shirt. His hair was a jumbled mess, a small beard on his chin still jutting off to one side from when he’d woken up. Contrasted by the always elegant, well-mannered, and well-tailored style of Kixas, and Cyclone''s asymmetry. I did my best to keep moving while they bantered.


    “Like you would know, you brainless twit.” Cyclone jabbed. Ríger feigned offense.


    “Well at least I still have a full head of hair.” Ríger said as he reached over to poke at the tattoos on the side of Cyclone’s head. Cyclone swatted his hand aside with a grumpy scowl.


    “Croí! What the shite is taking you so long?” Cyclone yelled down to me.


    “Language, Faolán (Fall-on).” Kixas interjected.


    “Bite me, arse muncher.” Cyclone snapped.


    Both Ríger and Kixas snickered at Cyclone. I had climbed twenty of the thirty feet by now, watching each hand and foothold carefully but moving quickly.


    “I’m moving!” I replied.


    “Not fast enough!” Cyclone yelled.


    “What? Got somewhere to be Faolan?” Kixas asked.


    “It’s Cyclone now, not Faolan. We all have somewhere to be.” Cyclone said irritated.


    “Look, see that red in his cheeks, he’s embarrassed. Aww poor baby.” Ríger teased.


    “Oh, that''s bullshite and you know it. Let''s just get going.” Cyclone said frustrated. He stuck his left arm out towards me, palm up. I’m not fast enough. He’s gonna use Ventus on me? But I''m a third of the way up already. Thirty seconds more and I''ll reach the top.


    “You got fifteen seconds, smart arse.” Cyclone stated as the Ventus magic became slightly visible, flowing on his arm like streams of mostly transparent yellow mist.


    I hate it when he does this stuff. I pushed off the rock I was standing on as hard as I could, trying to leap further up the wall. Unfortunately, the rock was unstable, and it came out from underneath me. I clung to the rocks in front of me with all my might, searching frantically for a foothold. “Twelve seconds.” Oh, come on! I got a foothold and jumped again, this time with less vigor.


    “Come on Croí! You can do it!” This blast of optimism came from the last of my brothers, Bacta (Bawk-tuh). He was physically the strongest of us all, though it was offset by him being the shortest, aside from me. He differed from the rest of us because of his generally serious temperament. Treating every test, game, or trial, as profoundly serious. Going so far as to tear up when I would complete a particularly difficult bout of training or seem to grieve occasionally when I would miss a target.


    Ríger and Kixas laughed at Bacta’s fervent intensity, Ríger leaning down on his knees from laughing so hard. Ok, focus, one rock at a time but do it fast! I had about five feet more before Cyclone shouted down at me.


    “Six seconds Croí!” Stop distracting me! Ok. That one next, now that one. Cyclone was counting every second out loud. Though, admittedly, each second he counted seemed a little long. I made it to the rock he was standing on just as he said ‘One.’


    “Ha! In your face! Challenge accepted and completed! How''s that, oh master of wind puffs!?” I said defiantly, looking to my other brothers. Ríger clapped in a way that was half to mock, half to congratulate. Kixas just smiled along with Bacta, their eyes showing amusement. Speaking of eyes, I was not fond of the look in Cyclone''s.


    “Wind puffs?” Cyclone growled. A mischievous smile split across his lips. Oh no, not good.


    He clenched his left hand tightly. The Ventus swirled on his arm and flew the two feet between us. The small, yellowish mist turned into intense gusts of wind that sent me flying.


    Ow, my ears! Stupid wind! I could feel my head spinning as my body turned end over end, making me dizzy until I suddenly felt my body stop, though my head continued to spin. The wind was gone. Wait, am I seeing things? Everything''s upside... It was too late by the time I made the realization. I fell three feet before contacting the ground. I rolled over and looked around, rubbing my head and shoulder. My brothers were still standing, except for Ríger who was now holding his stomach and crying with laughter, while gasping for air before bursting out laughing again.


    “Shut up you idiot! You''re making us look bad.” Cyclone hissed at Ríger, gesturing towards the crowd. I hadn’t noticed until now but in front of us on the plateau we had reached were several buildings, a paved road, and more buildings. The street was filled with people that had likely taken the proper route to reach the city gates. Cyclone and Ríger had decided that, instead of taking the long, curved, ramp with a cobblestone road to the gates, it would be more fun to take a more direct approach and climb the rock face instead.


    “I know. That’s what’s so funny!” Ríger said, pointing to the crowd, some of which had stopped to watch the commotion. Several of them were young maidens, giggling and whispering to one another.


    “What about you?” I asked Cyclone. He and my other brothers looked over at me questioningly. “Having to use Ventus to beat me? Counting slow? You must be getting soft in your old age.” Cyclone let a wry smile cross his lips. Kixas chuckled.


    “Come on brothers, we''re wasting time here, we should get to the Arena.” Kixas said as he walked past me, giving me a small pat on the back. “Well played Croí.” Then chuckled as he strode off.


    “Does this mean I won?” I asked, standing.


    “Oh! Most emphatically my little man. If only for today.” Ríger snickered as he wiped tears from his eyes. Cyclone just chuckled and shook his head as he passed me by, ruffling my short hair.


    “Don''t get too confident kid.” He said. I shook my head and started running my hands through it to fix it.


    “Little Croí! I''m so proud of you.” Bacta said excitedly, nearly crushing me in a bear hug.


    “Th… Thanks… Buh… Bacta.” I managed to squeeze out. They’re all being unusually nice to me. I mean, Cyclone did give me fifteen seconds to get up, and he was counting slow. It must be because of the Aging. They''ve all gone through it before. They must know the terrors of the Islands very intimately. Ok now I''m really freaking out.


    He finally released me a few seconds later before heading off through the large crowd of people, following the others and urging me to follow him. I obliged, following mindlessly through the large crowd. Now overwhelmed by the sudden sight of what looked to be thousands of buildings, some looking like homes, others with wooden plaques out front to signify a place of business, all separated by cobblestone pathways and roads. Most of them lay through the large arched opening in the city walls. My thoughts turned inward.


    What''s going to happen to me on those Islands? I don''t want to go there. What if I die? I haven’t done much of anything aside from chores and training. I’ve never really had any good friends. Never had a job like my brothers. I’ve never owned my own sword or worn armor. I have a lot of stuff I want to do still, and I can’t do that if I die.


    “Come Croí, we must hurry if you want to eat and drink before the ceremony begins.” Bacta said, turning to me. His expression changed from cheer to one of worry. He came back through the crowd, whistled to the other brothers that had gone further ahead. Kixas turned and they slowly started making their way back through the crowd. Bacta turned and put his hands on my shoulders, looking into my eyes.


    “What is it Little Croí? What troubles you?” Seriously? How could you not know?


    “What do you think?” I asked.


    “The Aging.” He answered, nodding slightly. I nodded back in agreement.


    “I''m terrified. I feel as though I''m going to my death with all the stories I''ve heard, and you all seem to be completely fine with it. Like you couldn''t care less whether I lived or died.” I blurted. His brow furrowed, he took a deep breath and sighed before answering.


    “No Little Croí. We do care tremendously for you. Why do you think we pushed you so hard all these years? Why we forced you to do things you didn''t want to do? We aren''t cruel, we love you deeply, and we were preparing you. The reason we all haven''t broken down in tears is because...well first off, it would frighten you. Second, because grieving for you before you leave is like accepting your death already, and we will not do that. We do our best to show that we have faith our Little Croí has what it takes to make it through the Aging.”


    My heart slowed and my mind quieted. Wow, the big dope really is smart when it counts. I chuckled to myself.


    “What amuses you, Little Croí?” He asked, his smile as bright as ever.


    “Nothing. Thank you Bacta.” I said smiling. His left eyebrow lifted in inquiry.


    “Where''s your sash Croí?” I looked down at my waist. The Tus Nua (Tuss Nee) sash is to be deep black with a bright blue stripe down the center of it. It signified that I had come of age and that I was taking part in the Aging. I glanced around me, no sash anywhere, but I did notice my brothers coming to stand behind Bacta. Maybe they can help look. It must have been blown free when Cyclone was using me for his amusement. But if that was the case, then one of them would''ve seen it. I must''ve lost it back on the rocks.


    “Never mind that, I''ll find it and bring it along.” Bacta said. Yeah I guess that''ll work out.


    “Find what?” asked Kixas.


    “Croí’s sash is missing.” Bacta replied seriously.


    “I’ll help you grab it. It’s probably on the rock face.” Cyclone said. They ran off back the way we came from.


    “So…” Ríger began. “Do you guys know any waiting games?” He asked me and Kixas. Kixas snickered.


    “You could always play the quiet game. Or twiddle your thumbs.”


    “I’m no good at the quiet game. But twiddling? Sounds like wasting time and I’m amazing at that. Just ask Mom, or Dad. Especially Dad.” Ríger said through his ever-present smile.


    “Are you sure you don’t want to play the quiet game?” Kixas asked. Ríger chuckled.


    “But how will I humiliate old Faolan in front of his date if I can’t speak?”


    “Oh trust me, your existence is humiliating enough.” Kixas said. All of us laughed at the lashing Kixas had delivered.


    “Well played brother.” Ríger said between gasps and laughs.


    “What have we missed?” Bacta asked as he returned with Cyclone. Kixas and Ríger looked at each other.


    “You’d just have to be there.” Kixas said with a small shrug and chuckle. “Found the sash I see, let’s head to the Arena then.” Kixas turned to lead us through the crowd. Cyclone handed me my sash and ruffled my hair again.


    “Don’t lose that again alright?” Cyclone said. He turned to the others. “I’ll meet the rest of you there, I’ve got a date to get to.” A wide smile crossed his lips.


    “Not introducing her to the family yet Faolan?” Ríger scoffed. Cyclone let out a fake laugh as he responded.


    “I’m no fool. I’d like to enjoy her company free of your embarrassment a while longer.” The brothers laughed and waved as Cyclone jogged away from us, vanishing into the crowd.


    “Ruined your plans did he Ríger?” Bacta asked.


    “A bit, but that just gives me more time to plan something even more devious when I finally meet her.” We laughed as we walked down the street. I glanced around, eagerly taking in the sights. A sea of jet-black hair, with rare dots of color. Hundreds, maybe thousands, of Cianían people. Massive thick stone walls housed the massive wood and steel city gates which stood open as we passed through with the crowds.


    I noticed a building we were walking to in the distance, a massive circular looking building that towered above most anything else, though we were too far away to see any real details. We zigzagged through small alleyways and wide streets. Ríger never let more than a minute pass before he jested with Bacta, Kixas or me. It helped calm my nerves, like a piece of home we brought with us.


    I could see the massive Arena looming over us through the occasional break between houses. The curved open top was visible now even over the two or three level homes and businesses.


    I unintentionally came to a stop as we reached the Arena, coming out of an alleyway onto the main road that was at least one hundred feet wide. It was split down the middle with a line of massive square stone pillars topped with blue flames. The Arena itself was a massive building. The road we had walked onto led up to its main entrance. All along the curved walls of the structure were what looked like depictions of battle scenes. Some of Cianíans fighting humanoids, others of Cianíans fighting beasts. Massive statues representing the Gods stood within arched alcoves. I didn’t recognize some of them, but I did recognize Fomhár (Foe-v-awr) God of the harvest, and Aebhsean (Ay-v-shawn), Goddess of luck, my favored Gods. It was awe inspiring to see a massive physical form of the Gods.


    I looked down to see dozens of merchant stands lining the cobble stone road all the way to the entrance, and a few on the first and second landing of the steps entering the Arena. Most seemed to be selling food or clothing. One was full of small wooden dolls. Another further down was brimming with weapons and a few bits of armor.


    Oh that’s amazing! I want those. If only I had coins. And that food looks and smells so good. Meat sticks, sweets, tons of vegetables, cooked fish, and some things I''d never even seen before. I haven''t eaten since this morning. Maybe I can get some coins off my brothers and get something to eat.


    “Croí!” My attention was brought to Bacta waving me forward.


    “Sorry.” I said quietly as I caught up with him. He smiled.


    “Nothing to fret about Croí. It is awe inspiring, isn’t it?”


    “Yeah, and all the vendors. That food looks delicious. Can we get some?” I asked. He waved his hand dismissively.


    “No need, once we get to our table, we’ll have food waiting for us. Don’t you worry.” He said. I sighed, looking at a few sticks of skewered meat as we passed them by.


    “Ok.” I said glumly. Bacta stopped and let out a sigh.


    “Oh alright. Let’s get some.” He whistled to Kixas and Ríger, waving for them to come back. I smiled excitedly and followed him over to the stand. He paid the merchant a copper coin and we each took two sticks of meat. We thanked the merchant before moving off towards the steps of the Arena.


    I groaned with delight at the succulent juicy seasoned meats. Crispy on the outside but juicy and flavorful as I bit into them.


    “Thank you Bacta.” I said smiling.


    “You’re most welcome Little Croí.” He said, tapping his meat stick against mine. “Enjoy.” I munched happily as we followed the brothers.


    The steps leading up into the Arena were massive and grand, much like the Arena itself. My brothers stopped, smiling at my gaped expression of wonder as I craned my head back to look up at the massive structure.


    “It’s quite the sight isn’t it Little Croí?” Bacta said.


    “It’s massive. How big is it?” I asked. Bacta looked to Ríger, who answered.


    “It’s two hundred and fifty-five feet tall, almost fifteen hundred feet wide, and a little over twelve hundred feet long.” The numbers didn’t mean much to me, but the sheer size of the Arena was daunting. Ríger continued. “There are nearly three hundred feet of steps leading up the main entrance. It has eighty-foot-tall statues depicting all sixteen of the Gods that line the outer walls, and.” He wiggled his finger in excitement. “It only took ten years to build. And…” Kixas held up a hand to stop him.


    “Not that we don’t want to hear all of this again for Croí’s sake, but we’re supposed to be meeting the family now.” Kixas said with an apologetic smile.


    “Right… Ok. Let’s go.” Ríger sighed.


    I followed my brothers up the long steps, thankful for the small interruptions every fourteen steps or so. Finally, we reached the top and were met with the bright, warm light of Kolob. To either side of the landing we had reached, connected with an ellipse shaped platform that moved around the entire arena, was filled with Cianíans, some sitting at tables, others leaning on a railing that separated them from the platforms below. The steps continued down, stopping at landings to allow access to more of the ring-shaped platforms. I looked behind me to see that there were even more above us, five of them, for a total of ten. All of them filled with chattering, happy, laughing Cianíans.


    We went down, exiting the steps on the second to last level, where we spotted the rest of my family sitting at a long wooden table. The brothers greeted Mother and Father first.


    “Arden.” Kixas said as he hugged my father. A playful smile crossed my father’s face as he shook his head at Kixas, leaning over to hug Ríger. Kixas moved over to mother. She squinted at him.


    “Don’t you dare.” She warned playfully.


    “Bíutris.” He said as they hugged. She cringed.


    “Ugh you stinker. It’s Mom or Mother to you, young man.” She said, wagging her finger at him with a smile. He chuckled.


    “Yes Mother.”


    “Attaboy.” Father said, hugging Bacta.


    I hugged Milí (Mill-lee), the youngest of my two sisters, first. Her short black hair framing her rounded jawline and small pointed nose, a welcoming smile across her artificially red lips.


    “Couldn’t wait to eat I see.” Milí said, nodding to the meat sticks. I smiled.


    “They’re delicious, do you want a taste? I haven’t bitten into this one yet.” I offered. Her left eyebrow peaked with interest.


    “Sure, I’ll try a bite.” She pulled my hand up and bent down to take a delicate bite, a little more meat pulling off than she expected, making her giggle as she nodded and chewed.


    “That is delicious. I might have to get one when we leave. Thank you Croí.” I nodded and turned to Sealí (Shay-uh-lee), my eldest sister. Some of her long hair was pulled back in an intricate braid that draped over the rest of her long straight hair beneath it. Her youngest son, Drewk (Drook), was happily playing with a wooden sword and shield Sealí had most likely purchased for him. He smiled when he saw me, thrusting them into the air with a grin. I grinned back and gave him two thumbs up.


    “Where’s Aeleen (Aw-lay-un)?” I asked, looking around. Sealí pointed towards the entrance of the Arena.


    “Shopping with her friends. She’ll be back with Cyclone later.” She said. Aeleen was my niece even though she was sixty-seven years old. Even with the age difference, her and I had gotten along for the most part, especially when it came to playing harmless pranks on Sealí.


    Sealí and Milí were wearing fashionable Cianían dresses. Sleeveless, long and form fit, but not where it would restrict movement, widening near the bottom, ending below the knees. Tights or leggings covered the rest. The dresses had a crisscross pattern that overlapped in the front. Sealí and Milí’s dresses were blue with silver colored trim and accents. Both sisters had small trinkets and bands adorning their arms and hands to accent the outfits. Sealí wore a pair of light brown laced up boots, and Milí wore leather shoes that only came up to her ankles.


    “How was the trip Little Man?” Sealí asked. I shrugged.


    “Long and boring, but some parts were really pretty. We had to climb a rock face to get into the city though.” She scoffed, shaking her head.


    “Did you now? Ríger and Cyclone’s idea, no doubt. Instead of just taking the extra couple of minutes to go up the ramp. Typical.” The last word she said with a playful sneer at Ríger, who promptly stuck out his tongue at her. She chuckled, shaking her head. “Well, I’m glad you made it safe Croí.” She turned to slug Ríger in the arm as my Mother and Father smiled with open arms.


    “There’s my boy.” Mom said. Her hair was short like Milí’s, and her dress is like those my sisters wore, but was a deep black with colorful flowers covering it. I was grateful she wasn’t wearing red lip coloring as she kissed my cheeks multiple times. I giggled and squirmed. She pulled away smiling as Father stepped in for his hug.


    “If you don’t want them, I’ll take them.” Father said with a sideways glance and smile at Mom. He bent down and kissed the top of my head.


    “I see Cyclone’s been teasing your hair again.” Mother said. I nodded and Father stepped back as Mom came in to straighten my hair out. I didn’t see much point, my hair wasn’t more than a few inches long, all I had to do was shake my head and it usually laid just right. Mom loved to fuss over us though, so I let her.


    Father’s hair was cut somewhat short on the sides, but remained a few inches long on the top, and was parted on the left side. He wore a well-tailored white dress shirt with a pair of black pants, a black vest with the same flower pattern as mothers dress, a dark blue jacket, and black boots.


    “Where’s your brother?” Father asked Kixas.


    “With Cíara (Kee-ra). Don’t worry. He’ll be here before the ceremony starts; we’ve still got a few hours.” Right. The Aging. I had almost managed to forget about it, almost managed to think we were on a family outing. As they talked, I looked around the Arena to distract myself.


    At first, I couldn’t focus on much, just random people or objects. Then my eyes came to rest on three people, two boys and a girl, all walking together. They were wearing Tus Nua sashes, meaning I''d be going to the Islands with them.


    I immediately noticed something unique about the girl. Her hair was white, and she was unusually short. She must be Offborn! She was dressed in a nice flowing blue dress with purple and red accents. Her hair was pulled behind her head in a single braid that reached between her shoulder blades. She was wearing shoes that covered the bottom half of her feet, with red colored strings that wrapped up to just below her knees and tied off neatly.


    Both boys had black hair. The one on the right had short messy hair. His clothes were loose fitting, with his shirt looking like it was going to fall off, and his shoes looked more like slippers. The one in the middle had his hair in a loose ponytail.


    No way! The one with the ponytail had a sword on him. It was beautiful and ornate with what looked to be carvings all over the scabbard and cross guard. He also had armored bracers and a cloak. With a cleaner look to his attire than the one with short hair, he wore a nice fitting dark green shirt with light brown pants and a pair of black boots. Aside from the difference in hair and style, both boys had nearly identical faces.


    I wonder if the one with long hair is military. But he couldn''t be, he''s wearing a sash which means he''s not old enough. I tugged on Sealí’s hand.


    “Yes Croí?” She asked.


    “Look. That kid’s got a sword, and they have Tus Nua sashes. Where’s my sword?” Sealí looked at them for a moment, then smiled.


    “You’re not Aged. Besides, swords are expensive.”


    “Then why does he have one?” I asked.


    “It’s ceremonial, just for today, I think. Hey. Why don’t you go talk to them? Practice some of what me and Milí taught you.” I got nervous. Talk to them? About what? I mean, I guess since all of us are Aging we would have some stuff to talk about.


    “But what about the ceremony? Do I need to stay close?” I asked.


    “You’ll be fine dear. Horns will sound when it’s time to gather. Until then, why don’t you go introduce yourself?” Mother said from beside Sealí.


    “Ok then, wish me luck.” I said as I walked off towards the kids. I stopped short of them, feeling much more nervous than excited. I looked back for encouragement, or a reason not to go, but my family was busy talking with each other. I''ve got to try talking to them. If I can make friends now it''ll be easier when we''re on the Islands. But at the same time, it’s a terrifying concept. I don’t know how to talk to people, not really. I have to just go for it. Just say hey.


    “Hey!” I yelled, a bit louder than planned, which surprised and embarrassed me. The boy with the shorter hair turned to see me, then turned to the boy with the ponytail, patting his chest and pointing a thumb towards me.


    “Yes?” The short haired boy asked, seeming annoyed or impatient. I looked down, having a hard time with eye contact.


    “I''m a Tus Nua just like you guys.” I pointed at my sash. “I thought it would be a good idea to introduce myself.” I said sheepishly.


    “Usually, an introduction requires some eye contact.” The girl chuckled. I looked up to see a mischievous smile on her face, her left eyebrow raised waiting for a response.