Chapter Eighteen

Three hours later, I had a sick scene-cut that I had thrown into a ponytail. I’d also asked the barber to dye it the same colors as the clothes that I had been issued; dark blue, dark purple, silver, and black. I was thoroughly impressed with it, but Feidlimid definitely was not. We were in an office at the training grounds.

“You could have gotten something a little more becoming! I liked your hair before you chopped it all up. It was perfect the way it was, you know. Not to mention, you missed at least a third of the day.”

I turned to her cheekily. She was sitting in the chair behind the monumental, egyptian desk, and I was standing with my arms crossed defiantly. “Well, it is tradition…”

“You seemed the type to be above such silly notions.”

I shrugged. “If I’m going to be honest here, I wanted something that set me apart from the crowd of trialees. Besides, you’re not my mother, and you have no right to determine what color my hair is, or the way I decide to cut it.”

“It makes you look like a w***e! Next thing I know, you’ll decide it’s a good idea to get piercings.” Her face said it all; she was a complete traditionalist, unwilling to even consider new ideas or styles.

“Well, I’m not hundreds of years old! Unlike you, I’m open to other ideas.” I didn’t mention that I was desperate to stand apart. Hey, for all intents and purposes, I’d lost my whole world; it still burned, and it made me forget about what other people thought. I was beginning to see what was becoming of it, and I wasn’t sure if it was entirely bad.

“It’s that Zeke boy, isn’t it? Dirty Tales, even when they’re on the right side…”

I whipped my head around. “No, actually, it’s the whole losing my family- which was basically all I had.” I remembered Adda, and my heart ached for a moment. I pushed it down and continued on my tirade. “I know you might not get that as well as I do, since you’ve been here for many, many years. I got this done because I know that my father and crazy kinda-sorta-uncle would have loved it. Okay? Okay. Now, if you don’t mind me, I’ll be going.”

“You don’t know where it is you’re going, though.”

“I’ll manage.” I spun on my heel and strode out angrily. How dare she? Yes, I knew that I was being more than a tad bit over-dramatic, but it got the point across for old bats like her.

“Need some help navigating the place?” asked a familiar African voice. I turned to find Orenda there.

“I thought you hated me,” I replied callously.

“I envied your spirit. It inspired me to break free of the chains Will held me under.”

“How did you even get here?  Not that I mind; it’s just that I thought this was for certain, um… nationalities, I guess? I don’t really know what to call it.”

She smiled. “Yes. I understand what it is that you are getting at. I asked; Zeke and I are good friends.”

“Really?” I asked, partially shocked.

She nodded. “He likes you, you know.”

“We just met.”

“Ah, but I am almost completely sure that he will become more entranced. Do not lead him on, Stella Lyra. He deserves a nice girl, and you deserve a nice boy.”

“You know,” I blurted out suddenly, wanting to fool around with her, “I’m lesbian.”

Orenda shrugged. “Then you deserve a nice girl.”

I smiled wide. “Kidding, but you passed my little test.”

She laughed, seeming to be satisfied with my response. “Let us walk to the training grounds. After all, you do start the trial tomorrow.”

I laughed. “Right, that whole thing. You can’t even begin to imagine how nervous I am for that. Will I just be staying here?”

She sighed. “That is a complicated matter. I’ll tell you while we walk.” She began to trudge down the hallway, her head hung low.

I followed her, feeling frustration bubble up from within my chest. It seemed to me that I was a mule to be lead around on a leash around the pretty pen. I had only been about one or two days and I was so annoyed with the way I knew next to nothing. “So, what’s this whole “complicated matter” about? Shouldn’t where I’m staying be a pretty simple matter?” Again, I struggled to keep with Orenda and her ridiculously long legs.

“They would like to isolate the trialees from the rest of the Union of Legends and Myths. This would mean only contact with the trialee instructors, and the moderators. Until the final challenge, you would be nearly isolated.”

I groaned. “Of course! Just when I make a few friends they’re taken away for about how long?”

“That would depend on how long the trial lasts. Some have only lasted for hours, and the longest lasted for three years.”

“But what if it does stretch that long? Couldn’t I just drop out?”

She scoffed. “Dropping out is considered cowardly. Most that are born into the Union of Legends and Myths believe that they have done newcomers, especially Trialees, a huge favor. They would have you believe that you are greatly indebted to them. When I came from Sudan in the second civil war of my people, they expected the same of me. Namely, Will. I am sure that he had a large impact on the trial going-ons. After all, he is the current Zeus. What I am trying to get at goes something like this; do not let others control you. Once you do, it is very, very hard to shake them. You are too good a girl, with too much potential and even more opportunities ahead of you, to let that happen. I will not allow it.”

“I’m just glad that I have you on my side,” I joked, brushing off the serious words and what they implied. Would someone other elderly man expect me to become the gutter-w***e I had been labeled so many years ago?

I tried to shake the forboding that wracked my body as Orenda and I switched to lighter topics, mainly the trial. The architecture was remarkable. It was as if we were in an ancient Egyptian hall, completed with up-to-date statues of the current holders of the Egyptian seats. Sunlight was allowed to cast its light onto the sand-stone and marble gthrough numerous windows. People paid us no heed- we fit right in with the peole walking to and fro. Everyone looked like they had a purpose, like they were accomplishing something vital to their home. Their conviction surprised me at first, but it really made sense after I gave the topic more thought; they all did have a purpose, I suppose. Everyone did, because no one went to waste. Everyone had their work, their assignment, and they were all committed. I guess that was the secret here, right? Nobody felt discluded or unimportant, so they all put in all they had.

I was still pouring over this when we met the hub of the shared center. It was divided into three wedges on the rims, but the three, (rather distinct, I must say), styles melded together in the middle. The Celtic decay had latched onto tall obelisks, while little streams were topped with picturesque Japanese bridges. Still more combinations baffled the eye in their beauty. While they should have been grotesque, they were really quite stunning. It was at least 3 ½ kilometers in diameter, and most of it was fields for training. There were buildings that held something, (my guess being training equipment), about half a kilometer apart.

“Not half bad,” I said jokingly.

Orenda looked shocked. “What do you mean, not half bad? Have you even seen anything more impressive in your short days?”

“I was kidding, Orenda. Truth be told, I’ve never seen anything like it. You see, most countries of Earth brag of being open to new ideas, but we neglect to mix them with our own.”

She looked embarrassed. “Ah. If you could restrain from your sarcasm until I can catch on…”

I laughed, filling the air with mirth. Once I had calmed down a bit, I cleared my throat. “Since you’re teaching me about life here, I think it would be only be fair for me to teach you about sarcasm.”

She nodded. “That will do quite nicely. Shall we?” she asked, gesturing to the area before us.

“Let’s.”

As we walked down the steps, (about a story and a half high), a man came running towards us. He had monk-like robes on, along with simple sandals. The robe was orange, bringing to my mind monks from India that could wield their hands dually- either to help those in need, or to defend themselves against aggressors.

He came to the base of the stairs and stopped, evidently waiting for us to reach the bottom. Sweat droplets caught the light on his lean arms, which still seemed to have a bit of substance despite the man being older, perhaps in his late sixties.

“May I introduce Stella Lyra, Buddha-Atharvan ?” said Orenda politely.

I tried to recollect what Da had told me on greeting monks. I placed my palms together, and touched my eyebrows and nose. I bowed slightly and said Namaste, which roughly meant ‘I acknowledge that which is divine in us all’. He did the same for me. We both rose at the same time, and he addressed Orenda. “Hecate-Orenda, she rings of promise.”

Orenda smiled warmly, her eyes crinkling. “Yes, she does. One can hope that we are so lucky to have her win the trial.”

“For the seat of Meave. Yes, I do remember that queen quite well. She favored her influence over lands more than her subjects.” He shook his head shamefully. “If you are the last one standing,” he voiced towards me, “remember your beginnings, and let them guide you to true enlightenment.”

I smiled shyly. “Ah, but it’s so unlikely that I’ll win; is there really a point of planning for that?”

His expression was somber. “Being the last one standing is not the same as victory.” He nodded, then turned around and left me with those words of sage wisdom. Though, I should not have been surprised; he was, after all, the Buddha.