“Little Croí!” Bacta greeted excitedly. “Good to have you back. How was your adventure?”


    “Good.” I said plainly. Cyclone had rejoined the table with Aeleen at some point. He gave me a small smile and wave, then turned back to finish what he was saying to Kixas.


    “Oh good. Now we can eat.” Ríger said, licking his lips and looking down at his plate, already piled high with food. Mother smacked the back of his head.


    “O… kay.” He stood up and rubbed the back of his head. Were they all waiting for me? Why? Mother motioned for me to come over and stand in front of my family. I noticed that all the other families that had gathered were facing towards the center of the arena and quieting down, though many kept chatting. They seemed to be waiting for something.


    A man walked up onto a large wooden structure that had been constructed in the center of the Arena and blew on a horn, thankfully not so loud as the last one. The entire stadium went eerily silent and faced the center. Several other men and a woman walked up onto a platform at the top of the structure.


    All Cianíans present saluted the individuals placing their right hand over their heart as they bowed their heads. My heart was pounding hard, and I was so nervous that I couldn’t remember what I was supposed to be doing. I looked over at Sable, who was only a few tables to the left, and the others and copied what they were doing, left hand on the chest instead of right. A large man in armor standing on the platform shouted out to the crowd with a surprisingly clear voice considering the distance between us all.


    “The ceremony will begin in two hours, at the sound of the third horn. Until then, feast!” After the man on the platform finished speaking, everyone cheered. I looked around frantically, startled by the noise for a moment


    “Come on Little Croí. Join us and feast.” Bacta said as he grabbed me under my arms and carried me over to the table, plopping me down onto one of the chairs before going to his own.


    As I looked around the table, I could see all my family members laughing and joking. Not a care in the world. A thought crept up in the back of my mind. You will not see them again.


    My chest suddenly felt like it was collapsing in on itself, my breathing was rapid and irregular, eyes wide. My head was pounding. I looked down at the food on my plate, none of it appealed to me. What is going on? Just a second ago with Sable I was completely fine, scarfing down pastries and fish with glee, why isn’t any of this food appetizing? What is this feeling?


    I could hear and feel my heartbeat in my head. Suddenly, I could feel someone shaking my shoulder gently. I managed to come to my senses enough to see that it was Milí.


    “Croí? Are you ok? You don’t look well. What’s the matter?” I shook my head. No. I am not ok. I have no idea what’s going on. My hands and body were shaking. I wanted to tell her, but I remembered times playing with other boys my age, they would laugh at me if I showed fear or cried at all. Calling me a little girl, or meek mouse. I learned not to show it. I put those skills to use now. Whatever this is, it must go away. I will bury it. I took a deep breath before responding.


    “I’m fine. I’m just a little nervous is all. It’ll pass.” I faked a smile. She looked at me skeptically for a moment.


    “You’re sure little brother?” I could see other members of my family starting to notice. For some reason just her putting her hand on mine calmed me considerably.


    “Yes.” I quickly responded. I grabbed some of my food and ate it, giving her the best smile I could fake. She nodded slowly and returned to her food, participating in conversation with Sealí.


    I did my best to focus on my meal. After I had a long moment to myself and was able to calm down, I could start to enjoy my food. My appetite was still oddly diminished as I only ate about half of my meat, some rolls, and a half tankard of water.


    Then I just sat and listened intently to all the conversations going around the table as my family visited. It gave me a strange feeling. Knowing that very soon, I would be on a ship, traveling to a far-off land filled with danger, and my family would stay behind, all of them, leaving me essentially alone, all of which has never happened to me before.


    I wouldn’t be able to see them for two full years, provided I didn’t die during the Aging. I wanted to do all I could to just enjoy them being happy and jesting with each other, but I found my shoulders slouching and my head began to hang low.


    I thought about running. Just getting up and excusing myself, then running all the way home. Every time one of my family members would try to jest with me, I would just give a fake smile and nod. I couldn’t feel happy, all I felt was…sadness. Stop it, don’t think about it. Are you a man or a mouse? Quit whining. I shook my head to try and clear out the thoughts, but the third horn sounding did that for me.


    “My fellow Cianíans!” Came a voice from the direction of the platform, startling me. “It is time to gather to the center those who would undertake the Aging!”


    My family members stood and moved down towards the platform as cheers filled the crowd. Milí took my hand. I resisted at first, not wanting to leave my seat, but at her coaxing, I followed sheepishly behind her, both hands locked onto her wrist.


    “Come on Croí, follow me.” She said, smiling kindly at me. I could feel myself resisting her pull through most of the walk. I don’t want to go up there in full view of everybody. I don’t want to be seen right now. What if I puke? What if I cry? Everyone will laugh at me. I looked at the immense crowd in the Arena.


    They filled up every space. There had to be tens of thousands of them. I had to cover my ears for fear that the crowd’s cheering would deafen me. When we finally made it to the platform, I did my best to keep myself focused on making sure that my feet went exactly where they needed to, counting each wooden step as I went.


    I counted all the way to fifty-six before my head was able to see onto the top of the platform. It was a very large platform, big enough to hold three pedestals for the speakers, as well as twelve rows of benches.


    I could see the three speakers now. All of them were dressed extravagantly. I could see what looked to be glittering gold sewn into the stylish robe of the men, and the dress of the woman. Then I noticed their heads, each one was adorned with what looked to be a band of precious metal, embedded with beautifully cut gems. Wait, are they royalty? They look like they could be, maybe they’re just lords though? I was distracted for a moment. Then I felt the front of my right foot hit into the side of the very top stair. Oh no!


    I lost my hold on Milí’s hand as I brought my hands down to catch myself. Jumping back up as quickly as I could but the family behind me and many of the spectators noticed anyways, their many muffled snickers came together to form loud laughter. My stomach churned with embarrassment as I clung to Milí’s arm for comfort. She chuckled.


    “Don’t worry about it Croí, just pay a little more attention from now on.” But I was paying atten… she’s right, I got distracted there at the last second. I looked back at that top stair. When I learn fire magic, I’m gonna burn you. I threatened the wooden plank.


    My family and I all went to sit in the front row, but just as I was about to sit down, I saw Mother walking over to me with a small smile. Her kind eyes looked down on me as she spoke.


    “Hold up your arms dear, let me re-tie that sash.” I held out my arms and she re-tied the sash around my waist. “How did it get untied anyways?” She asked.


    “It fell off when we climbed the rock wall.”


    “Well, no matter, long as we get it on you there’s nothing to worry about.” She chuckled as she finished tying it on and brought me over and pointed to one of the benches in the front row, in front of where her and Father sat.


    I glanced around and noticed that my mother and I were the last two to be seated. All the Agers were in the front row, with their family sitting in the rows behind them. Mother left me to join Father and I took my seat near the middle of the front row.


    Oh man, Today is pretty much the worst day ever. It’s so awkward sitting here, like everyone behind me is staring at me. But I don’t want to turn around to find out if they are.


    “Cianíans! Join me in praying for these Agers. For their safe return, with a wealth of knowledge and experience, a sense of self, and purpose, as many who came before them have done! Pray that they may struggle and that in those struggles they will grow! Pray that all Cianíans will benefit and rejoice in their return! This we do pray!” The speaker said.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.


    “This we do pray!” The entire stadium repeated.


    “This we will see!” The speaker continued.


    “This we will see!” Once again, the entire stadium repeated. The speaker turned around and raised his hands into the air. The entire front row stood. I lagged behind slightly.


    “Those among you, who would undertake the Aging, step forth.” The speaker commanded. I took a cautious step forward with the others. To my left, three boys and a girl also stepped forward, to my right, four girls and one boy. I noticed Sable on my right. Klintock and Flint were on my left.


    This was the only part of the Aging ceremony that I had been told about clearly. It eased my nerves a little just to have some idea of what I was supposed to do. The speaker continued. “All of you will now undertake the Aging. Perilous and uncertain is the road that lies ahead of you, but this road leads to enlightenment, and wisdom. Both of which are necessary for you to function as a part of the greater whole that is the proud Cianían people!” The crowd roared in agreement.


    “I know that some of you must feel a great deal of fear, anger, or confusion, but you must cast aside all but your willingness to learn, to grow, and to persevere as a team!” Again, the crowd cheered in agreement. I was doing what I could to listen and understand what he was saying, but I still missed some of it while trying to glance around at the others standing alongside me. The speaker stepped back, and two others came forward.


    “Agers, when your name is called, bring up your sash. You may then say your goodbyes to your family and take your place with Captain Edorin (Ed-er-in).” Said the woman, pointing at a man in uniform near the top of the stairs.


    Edorin was tall and lean, his hair was in a low short ponytail, tied with a red ribbon. His clothes were elegant, and he looked well groomed, facial hair trimmed to shape on his chin and cheeks. His jacket and pants were a deep blue. His gloves and boots were made from black leather, and his clothes were accented with white detailing. I could see a white shirt underneath a blue vest with gold buttons. He also had a saber type sword hanging on the left side of his hip. He stood tall with his right hand held behind him on his lower back, the left hand on the hilt of his sword.


    “He will be the one taking all of you to the Islands.” Said the man. It’s really happening. I was starting to get a strange upset feeling in my stomach.


    “Céírde Aléínn (Kay-erd Aw-lane).” Called the woman. A girl to my left started moving. I looked over just in time to see her finish removing her sash as she started striding forward.


    Her hair was in a ponytail that reached down to her neck, and she was wearing a dress like my sisters, fitting her tightly at the top but loosened near the bottom before ending at her knees. Though unlike my sisters’ dresses, Céírde’s was a darker green, and didn’t have the crisscross pattern on the front. She had some flat shoes that covered only the bottom half of her feet. Her arms all the way up to her shoulders were exposed except for a bronze band on her right bicep. Her skin seemed much darker than most other Cianíans I had seen, which was strange to me. She had freckles on the tops of her cheeks, across her nose and on top of her shoulders.


    She walked up to the woman and held her sash out across her forearms, giving a slight bow. The woman bowed back and smiled.


    “I wish the luck of Aebhsean, Goddess of Luck, and protection of Dagda, (Dawg-duh) Father of Gods upon you little one. May Fomhár gift you the harvest of your struggles.” Said the woman. Céírde bowed again.


    “Many thanks my Queen” Oh, seriously? So, she’s the queen? Lady Grainne (Gran-yuh) herself? I knew they were royal, but the Queen herself? Wait, that means that the other man is Prince Objitar (Obe-jit-awr), and the speaker is King Laídir (Lay-drr).


    “Flint Bairde (Bard-eh).” Prince Objitar called out. Flint slipped off his sash and stepped forward as the crowd gasped collectively. His shirt had been laced up and tucked in, and he was wearing a vest now as well.


    Bairde? I know that name. It’s the family name of one of our heroes. The Unbroken. He fought for King Laídir when the Humans invaded our Eastern lands with the Uraggians ten years ago. Every Cianían knows the story.


    With a small company of men under his command, barely even a hundred strong, they were entrusted with the protection of Prince Objitar whom was on his way back and being pursued by a vast enemy force. The Unbroken got Objitar past the line of skirmish so that he could gain the King’s assistance and bring reinforcements.


    The Unbroken held the enemy back for three weeks, a force of several thousand men. The Unbroken, along with his commanders used their incredible tactical minds, the terrain, fiercely brutal tenacity on the battlefield, and their skill and fury as warriors to keep the enemy back.


    After the three weeks of fighting, the enemy pushed The Unbroken and the last of his men back to their last remaining stronghold. Wave after wave, The Unbroken was the only man left standing. He came out at dawn to stand against the hundreds of remaining enemy warriors and stood tall. Facing his enemy head on, knowing that he would die.


    That’s why they call him The Unbroken. The enemy crashed upon him and his forces like the waves of a tempest, but they could not break him. In the end, after they had killed him, the enemy broke under the might of reinforcements.


    Flint handed his sash to the Prince in the same fashion as Céírde had done.


    “My Prince.” He said, bowing as the prince accepted his sash. Objitar placed his hand on Flint’s shoulder, pulling him from his bow with a small shake of his head.


    “I owe your Father and his company my life, as do many in this kingdom. Our people are profoundly grateful for their sacrifice. May the Gods grant you favor and keep you from harm, as they did for our people.” The Prince said, giving Flint a deeper bow of respect.


    “Many thanks my Prince.” Flint said, returning the bow. As he walked over to his family, Objitar called out.


    “Klintock Bairde.” Again, the crowd gasped. King Laídir stepped down from his pedestal to take his place beside the Prince and Queen. He pulled off his small crown, placing it on a small golden hook on his right hip. Klintock took off his sash and the sword he was wearing. He wrapped the sash around the sword. Klintock walked over to King Laídir, knelt and held up the sword in the palms of his hands, offering it to the King. The King seemed to hesitate, his left hand over his mouth, with what looked like tears forming in his eyes before taking the sword in his right hand. Klintock kept hold of the sword and rose with the King’s assistance before releasing the sword.


    “My King.” Klintock bowed. The King pulled Klintock back up, shaking his head.


    “The Bairde family does not bow to me.” Laídir said glancing down and tapping the band he’d set on the hook. “We are equals in this moment young man.”


    “If it were not for your Father, I would have lost my son, and I may well not have my life.” He turned slightly to address both Klintock and the crowd with a raised voice. “This sword will rest above him among the Hall of the Immortal. It will represent all that his company sacrificed for their people to earn their title. The Unbroken. Heart of the Cianían.” The crowd responded with thundering applause.


    It was then that I noticed the sword had many inscriptions on it. Depicting his whole family first and foremost above all the other deeds he’d accomplished. “Safe travels Klintock Bairde.” The King said with a bow. He then turned to their family and bowed.


    “Our King.” Their mother responded. Klintock returned to his family and him and Flint took turns hugging what I assumed to be their two little sisters and kissing their mother’s forehead, they then quickly moved over to Edorin’s side, while the King turned and went back to the top of his pedestal, holding the sword high in his right hand.


    “The Unbroken!” The King yelled. The crowd roared and cheered with excitement. I could see Klintock’s mother crying. She looked proud, but also incredibly sad. The crowd cheered the name several times.


    “The Unbroken! The Unbroken! The Unbroken!” The King joined in with the next three chants before he settled the crowd back down, sheathing the sword on his belt before replacing his crown and motioning to continue.


    “Lánn Caida (Lawn Kaw-da).” Called the Queen. A girl stepped forward on my right. She had straight shoulder length hair. She was wearing sandals, and her dress was shorter than the rest of the Agers, then again, she herself seemed almost as short as Sable. She had a bubbly happy smile on her face as she walked up to the Queen. The Queen smiled back at her as she took the sash.


    “May Aebhsean and Fomhár work in harmony with Dagda to bring you protection, luck, and wisdom little one.” Said the Queen.


    “I thank you my Queen.” Lánn said with a small bow before returning to what looked like her mother, and two sisters.


    “William Donnell (Dawn-ll).” Called the Prince.


    William stepped forward. His hair was buzzed short on either side which made his ears stand out slightly, but not in a way that made him look silly. The hair on the top of his head was longer than on the sides, about three inches or so at the longest points. There was a bit of stubble growing on his chin and up his jawline. His attire was about as extravagant as mine, which meant to me that he came from a less wealthy family. Simple shoes without laces, simple pants, shirt, and jacket. His walk was one of confidence, borderline cocky. His eyes were intense and piercing as he passed a slight glance in my direction.


    He handed off his sash to the prince without a word, just a small bow.


    “Blessings of protection and fortune upon you, young man.”


    “Thanks Prince.” William said sharply, bowing again before walking back to his family. There was a mother and father that he hugged. A little girl and boy were crying and begging him not to go as they clung to his clothes. He bent down and looked them in the eyes.


    “Be strong for me little ones. You know I''m strong, but if I’m to make it home safe, I’ll need some of your strength too.” The girl was doing her best to hold back her tears, but the boy spoke.


    “But Will, what if you don’t come back? What if what happened to our brother happens to you? What if it gets you too?” William shook his head, keeping a smile on his face, but there was a small twinge of pain.


    “Keokin Dravik (Kee-oh-kn Draw-vick).” Called the Prince. William looked over as Keokin moved towards the prince.


    Keokin had shaggy hair that barely passed his ears. His ears, however, did stand out a lot more than William’s. He was a kind of unassuming looking boy, somewhat thin compared to the rest of us, but also taller than the rest of the Agers. He had the same attire as me and William. Even though Keokin looked somewhat goofy, there was an air of intelligence about him. Though he looked more nervous than I felt.


    I heard William talk to his brother as the Prince and Keokin did the usual ‘My Prince’, followed by the ‘bless you with luck and safety thing.’


    “If I don’t come back? Come now little warrior, you know that I’m always with you. Even if my body may perish, my spirit and the things I have taught you will stay with you forever. Now don’t fret, I’ll be back in two short years.” William smiled and stood up, moving his right hand to the back of a fair looking girl’s neck, pulling her head close and putting her forehead on his.


    “I will return to you, my love. Wait for me.” He said. She nodded her head quickly several times as tears rolled down her cheeks.


    “I will. Who else would I go to? Draven? (Draw-vin)” They both chuckled as they held back tears.


    “Thank you for everything you’ve given me.” William said as he leaned in to give her a long kiss on her lips before turning to leave. That’s kinda weird, and uncomfortable. On the positive side, after watching so many others go before me, I think my nervousness has left me; I don’t feel near as strange anymore.


    “Croí Geal.”