The Ceremony of Names
The Sun Room was the common name for the largest room in the Academy. Originally built as a place of worship, it was 20,000 square feet, with soaring ceilings and stained glass windows that let in light in a brilliance of dazzling rainbows. Students changed color as they stepped through the sunbeams, skin turning blue and hair wild green, as though the building were trying to claim the people inside as additions to its artwork, new jewels to place upon its crown. On the floor, the twelve pointed star, the holy sign of the soul, was emblazoned in gold tiles. Each pillar was crawling with imagery of the zodiac signs, from the fiery salamander to the frozen ice fox, looking as though they would burst from their murals and strut proudly around the room.
Richard had only been inside the Sun Room 4 times before, and every time it took his breath away. Though he didn’t believe in the old ways or forces of nature, even someone as atheist as he could feel the power resonating in this room. A steady pulse, a buzz in the air, the fluctuating temperatures and invisible winds from nowhere. There was no mistaking it, this old and ancient room was a place where magic concentrated inexplicably. Any familiar here could tell, deep down, through a sense science could still not explain. An animalistic instinct that made them just know. This was a place where gods walked.
The students poured in through the building, all making their way towards the old podium. Various teachers and staff stood near the podium, along with a large deal of volunteers from the senior class. Which made sense, he guessed, since the second year was pretty much the most important year for students. Not only did they get bonded here, but a volunteer would lead them off to their dorms. The second year dorms were far different from the first year. First years got a communal dorm that was separated by gender, with 8 boys sharing 4 bunkbeds. Rather hellish for someone who valued privacy as much as he did. But second years were different. Second years got a dorm with only them and their partner, and even had a sliding wall! Granted they still shared a bathroom and laundry facilities, but that would be better than the communal showers of the first year dorms.
Upon the podium stood two priests, Druids of the Holy Star, dressed in their regalia of white, purple, and gold. A mage and familiar pair, most likely. Their hair was a stark white, though neither seemed terribly old, the man’s beard was neatly trimmed and the woman’s hair in a tight, matronly bun. They stood before the altar, with quiet smiles on their faces, speaking to the headmaster. Headmaster Magnus Loyola was more of a bear than a man, tall, burly, with impossibly wide arms and a head twice as big as a watermelon. Rowdy black hair sprouted from his brown scalp like thundering storm clouds seeking to return to the sky, without pattern or meaning, a crazed halo of hair. His beard descended down to his chest in a frizzy madness, and between the receding storm clouds of his head and the tumultuous sea of his chin, the only part of his face that was visible were his forehead, eyes, and nose. And what a face it was! Eyebrows thicker than one’s thumb stood out from his shiny scalp, his gold rimmed pince-nez clasped onto a large, thing ridged hook-nose that magnified his wide, dark eyes. If his body was that of a bear, then his face was surely stolen from a rather brusque owl. Who likely wanted it back.
As soon as all the students were inside the Sun Room, the doors were closed behind them, the last stragglers ushered in by attendants. With that, Headmaster Loyola stepped up to the podium, prepped his microphone, and began to speak.
“Welcome back, students, welcome back! I trust you all had fun on your summer vacations, and are ready for another long, hard, grueling year of slavery?” he asked, pretending to be stern. This was a part of his routine that Richard had learned from the previous year, and he smiled as playful boos rang out from among the crowd. Loyola pretended to look surprised, patting his chest and pulling a sheet of paper from his coat pocket.
“Oh! Oh my, pardon me, that was my speech for the third years! Well, at least you all know you know what you have to look forwards too. Don’t tell the first years, we don’t want them escaping!” he joked, provoking some laughter from around the room.
He seemed to smile, though it was hard to tell with his immense beard in the way, and continued on with his speech.
“As you all know, this is a very important year for you. This is the year that you will all take the
sacramentum, and undergo the binding of the soul. Since the dawn of man, there has always been the mage and the familiar, who have always required one another in a constant balance. In the ancient days, there were those who believed that mages and familiars were once one, a perfect being, a near god. The Magi. But these Magi were not perfect. They made war against another, they leveled mountains and dried up the sea. They killed one another in bloodsport, and destroyed each other’s homes. They threw off the natural balance of the universe, for their power was too great. And so, the gods came down from heaven, and split all of the Magi into smaller, weaker beings. Those who could use magic, but were weak in their reserves, and those who had had too much magic, but could not use it. The goal of these ancient gods was to create a more harmonious world, where the ancient humans would learn to accept each other, work with each other, and rely on one another. The creation of a sacred bond, tying the now separate souls together, and learning to live in peace.”
He paused to clear his throat before continuing.
“This is the mythology of our people, of course. To some, a convenient explanation, to others, to word of god. But whether the origins of this story is true or not, one cannot deny the power that the
sacramentum brings. It is a vital step in your education, and undertaking it marks that you are no longer mere children. With this ceremony, you step into the world of adulthood together, and find your place as equals. Here you are educated not merely on how to master your powers and trades, but on how to shape the world as the next generation of leaders, peacekeepers, teachers, and guardians. This school is here for you to flourish, and to help the world flourish in turn.”
He ended his speech and gestured to the two druids behind him, who stepped forward, clasping their hands.
“To this end, I have invited here magisters Lucinda and Volos to enact the
sacramentum. I will call you up by name, two at a time, to be bonded by them. Afterwards, one of our lovely volunteers will show you to your dorms. Your elective choices are due by 6:00, and I hope to see you all at dinner. And now, without further ado, let us begin the ceremony.” and with that, the two Druids stepped forth, and Loyola began calling names.
Felicity could hardly contain her excitement, bouncing on her toes as she stood next to her brother and best friend. The section of the room they were in painted them in a vibrant red, and the bright colors that turned people into colored macarons made the scene more magical. It was like a fairytale, something out of a dream. People walked up to the podium when their names were called, meeting each other in the middle. The Druids took their hands and recited an ancient oath, one Felicity couldn’t recognize at all. It was alien to the tongue and almost unnatural to the ears, and hearing it repeated over and over brought a shiver up her spine.
The building anticipation had her jittery, and she clung to her twin, pulling on Monty’s sleeve. Though she couldn’t speak, she gave him an excited smile, trying to hide her nervousness. This was the moment of truth, the point where she would get her partner. She had to bounce, or else she was scared she might start shaking and lose control of her knees. And if she did that, then she couldn’t exactly walk up the stairs to get her partner! No, she had to wait, wait and listen for her name to be called out. Then she could meet her partner, and then go to her room and lose her legs. But not before!
“Felicity Joy Goldberg and Korrigan Umbraisis!” Headmaster Loyola called out, scanning the crowd. Despite herself, Felicity almost passed out from the shock of hearing her own name. She staggered slightly, groping for her suitcase and squeezing her brother’s hand before she hurried up to the podium. She had to leave the luggage near the side, before stepping up next to the female Druid, and pausing before the pedestal. She was up their before her partner then, who would be arriving any second! Korrigan Umbraisis? A weird name, but it sounded familiar. Where had she heard it before? Well, she would see them in a few seconds anyway, she would wait!
