Compis: Five Tribes (11 page)

She heard a few of the Divinaris follow her in and then in the background the chanting continued and the ceremony commenced. Sitting with May on a stone bench along the wall, she put her arms around her and let her cry out her anguish. After a few minutes of this, May calmed a bit, and lifting her head, looked at Nikka.

“What am I going to do, Nikka? What should I do?”

Nikka had no answer and sat, tongue still.

“Let us deal with this, young one,” said one of the Divinaris. “If you wait much longer, you will miss your own Initiation.”

Remembering where she was and what was going on outside, Nikka sprang to her feet and raced up the stairs, calling attention to herself with her lack of decorum.

She couldn't take her former place, as it had already been passed by the Divinaris. Instead, Nikka made her way to the end of the line. Now she would be the last one chosen.

Nikka was closer to Zyander now, if she knelt down on the stone she would be able to touch her fingertips to his. She glanced over and saw her father making his way closer, as well. She did her best to maintain her composure but everything was moving so fast. Luka was staring at his feet. May was Iam only knew how close to suicide in the meeting room behind them and the Divinaris were almost upon her.

When it came her time, Nikka felt the gentle touch of hands on her shoulders and a palm on the top of her head. She heard the gentle chanting of the Initiation spell and felt the rush of warmth as she was chosen for her tribe. She closed her eyes for a moment before looking, but they popped open again as she heard exclamations from those around her. She saw people in the audience pointing and talking and Zyander was staring at her, mouth agape.

She looked down and saw that her robes were purple. After more than three hundred years, she had been chosen as Compis.

He was cramped and huddled around a wagon table with Luka and Keran.

“At least you can be happy the vote went your way today,” Zyander said.

“We are pleased, to be sure,” said Keran, raising his glass. “To the High Council, forever may they reign.”

The others raised their glasses as well, sipping in silence.

“I have to admit, I am surprised by your father's arguments, Zyan,” said Keran.

“Yes, I was too. I thought for sure he would want to bring you in to the Five Tribes.”

“No, I was surprised that he made such an obvious move. It doesn't seem his style to state his opinions so decisively.”

“You knew that he wouldn't want you in the Five Tribes, then?” asked Luka

“Imagine it from his position, Luka,” said Keran. “His tribe is already vulnerable. Why would he want to weaken their position even further by welcoming an interloper?”

“Now, now, that's a rather cynical view,” protested Zyander. “What makes you think my father doesn't truly believe in the principle of the Five Sacred Elements?”

“Think about all your father has ever said to you about them, Zyander. After your mother died, did he have anything in particular to say about Iam?”

Zyander was surprised that Keran knew about his mother. He supposed it was common knowledge, but it showed that Keran had been looking to gain further information on his family. Then he thought about what Adjudah was like after his mother died. He was just a boy, but he did remember the Divinaris who had attended their mother in her final days.

~~~~~

“Adjudah, you must believe,” the woman said, grasping his arm, “This anger I feel inside you brings no benefit to you or your children.”

“Don't tell me how to grieve,” said his father, pushing her away before stomping from the room.

His mother was sleeping, lying pale and cold on their bed, and Zyander was standing near her, stroking her silky black hair that fanned like a shawl across the bed.

The Divinaris looked down at him.

“It is true that each person grieves in their own way, Zyander. Sometimes we are despairing, sometimes we weep uncontrollably, sometimes we feel anger at the person who's left us. Your father does not feel typical grief; his heart is full of rage. He wants to make Iam pay for sending this curse on your people.

“He chooses not to believe that Iam's purpose is something we can not always interpret or understand.”

~~~~~

Zyander would have to agree with his father, if what the Divinaris had said then was true. Why would Iam curse his tribe? It didn't make sense. If his tribe represented one of the Five Sacred Elements, the protectors of flame, why would Iam weaken his own principle? Why did their magic not work?

“I think there is a lot to be gained by working with your tribe,” said Zyander, coming out of his private world.

Keran and Luka exchanged glances. “Really, Zyan, do you believe that?” asked Luka. He had been there when Zyander was stating his beliefs about how someone was out to destroy his tribe.

“I do. I've been wanting to ask you something, Keran,” he said, taking a large gulp of his wine. It was quite good, fruity and smooth, yet had a nice warmth to it as it trickled down his throat. “How is it, your members practice magic so well? You said most of them were hardly past Initiation when they came to you.”

Keran leaned forward. “You know, I had hoped your father would ask me that question when I came to visit your tent the other day.”

Luka pushed his cup aside. “I don't understand,” he said.

“You won't, until you're Inducted. I mean, you'll learn some common magic spells and theory this year, but nothing similar to the deep core of magic each tribe has at its base. You see, and I probably shouldn't be telling you this, but, each tribe's magic centers around the element that it both represents and protects.

“Take Zyander here, his tribe the Ignis, represents the sacred
Flame
element. The flame is where their magic comes from and it powers the great artistic abilities that his tribe is known for: sculpture, music, painting, dance, literature. If it weren't for the Ignis, the Five Tribes would be a very dull place indeed and you needn't worry that the other tribes have lost sight of that, Zyander.”

Keran poured himself another glass and offered some more to Zyander as well, who agreed with a nod.

“In the case of the tribeless, we have no sacred element at our base. We have many individuals who are adept at tapping into one element or the other, but none of us is a true representative of the Five Sacred Elements.

“Yet you saw for yourselves that we made sculpture and design like the Ignis. We used Aeris power to build our clever wagons. We drew on Terris magics to guide our way here. How is this possible? We have no knowledge of tribal spells, and even if we did, we couldn't use them, as the Induction ceremony is the only one I know that lets a person use the spells of a tribe.

“It is simple, and for you Zyander, I think it will be the key to saving your tribe. I hinted at it during the meeting, you recall. You must cast aside the spells of your tribe. For whatever reason they don't work any more. Move away from them, and look to the power inside you. It's there, waiting to get out, I feel it.

“That's why the tribeless have elected me their leader, you know. I'm not the oldest, the wisest, or the smartest in our group. I just have this ability to see magic in a person and guide them to the best path toward harnessing it.

“All of you, the Ignis, are chock full of power. It blazes from every crack and crevice. You especially, Zyander, are one of the most powerful in your tribe. You just need to find a way to tap into it. Leave behind the old ways and find new ways to make your magic work.”

~~~~~

Zyander considered this on his way back to his sleeping tent. He ducked under the flap and slipped off his shoes, ready to drop into bed, but he saw a form was in it already. He thought it was Alea for a second, then he saw the flash of gold and realized that Nikka was in his bed. She'd probably been waiting for him all this time, and he'd gone off to have a chat with Keran and Luka. He cursed himself, and knelt by the bed, brushing her curls back from her face before he pressed a kiss to her lips.

She stirred, opening her eyes and saw him next to her.

“Oh, Zyan,” she yawned. “I was waiting for you and I fell asleep.” She scooted over in the cot and held out her arms to him. “Hold me, please. Just for a while. I don't want to think about tomorrow.”

He laid down next to her and put his arms around her, trying, as she was, not to think about the morning.

~~~~~

The next day felt like an echo of that first day, pushing his way through the crowd to get a better view of the Initiates. This time he wasn't looking for his sister and he finally admitted to himself that he was hoping beyond all reasonable hope that for the first time in many years, someone other than an Ignis born would be Initiated into his tribe.

The Initiates filed out in their great line, stretching across the stage. He saw Luka's girl, May toward the start, then Luka, and shortly after that, towards the middle of the stage, was Nikka, hair shining like a beacon in the early morning light. His eyes were on her through the whole ceremony, watching and dreaming, until he was startled out of his trance by the screams onstage.

He looked over and saw May crying and pointing at Luka, who had just been Initiated into the Terris tribe, poor fellow. Luka looked miserable, but May was inconsolable. He realized how bad it could have been between him and Nikka, if they'd allowed themselves to get too close over the course of the week.

He was startled as he saw Nikka leave her place in the line, just as the Divinaris were getting close to her. She rushed down to May and hoisted her up, then the two girls disappeared in a crowd of Divinaris through the high arch that led back to the meeting room behind the stage. Luka was staring down at his robes, and a Divinaris stepped up to him, whispering something in his ear. Luka nodded and the Divinaris moved away, speaking to the others who were left on the stage. In unison, they moved to the next person in line and began their chant again.

When it came time for Alea, no one was surprised when her robes turned gold and he let out a huge yell, bringing a smile to her face. He felt anxious now, they were nearing the end of the line and Nikka was nowhere to be seen.

Suddenly he saw a movement and she raced out from the archway to find a place at the end of the line. He swallowed and their glances met, she seemed sad. It was as though Luka and May's situation had made her realize that what had happened between her and Zyander was only a gathering romance after all.

The Divinaris moved behind her and he felt the pulse of power and saw the whirl of light as her robes changed color, but not to any tribal color. Nikka had her eyes closed, and she had no idea that her robes were a deep purple.

Compis
, he thought, feeling as though he were trying to move through deep waters by walking, rather than swimming.

In a moment Nikka had become one of the most powerful beings in the Five Tribes. She would be a highly sought after commodity, all the tribes clamoring have her join them. And she would be one of the few in history to choose her own tribe.

She could choose you
, his heart told him, before his brain had a chance to squelch it with the reality of cold hard facts. He glanced up and she had finally opened her eyes, staring with surprise at the color of her robes. She looked at him and he looked back, but he couldn't deny the distance he saw in her eyes. She would never choose his tribe, he had told her himself not to. With a stifled groan, he turned and pushed his way through the square.

When she glanced up at Zyander, all thoughts of what she was flew from her mind as she gazed down on him, wondering if she could possibly be dreaming. His appearance was completely different.
That is a bit of an exaggeration,
she told herself. He was still himself, in essence. Nikka looked down and knew that if she had met him in a crowd, she would have known him at once, but his features were changed. His eyes, were a light, shining violet. His mouth was wider and more feral. It was the ears she saw the most change in, they were long and tapered, and came to a point about an inch higher than most. There was one other thing, a glow about him, that she hadn't seen before, it was gold and centered in his chest, radiating outward. It was a palm print.

“How strange,” Nikka said, and wondered what other changes Initiation had wrought in her. She looked around at the staring crowd in astonishment. It seemed as though everyone was frozen, unable to say a word due to the shock of her transformation.

Everyone was changed. There were beasts and winged creatures, and a few more that were Ignis. She looked for her father and saw that he was one of the ones with wings, a halo of white light surrounding his head. She felt a hand on her shoulder and turned, gasping. The Divinaris were marked with tattoos, intricate and wandering, swirling over their faces around their eyes and lips. Each marking shone with power, she didn't know how she knew this, but she felt it flowing from them.

“Nikka, come quickly, we haven't much time,” said Adra, who was near her. She took the woman by the hand and followed her off the stage and into a room that she had never seen before. The Initiates parted around her; they whispered and touched her as she passed them.

Adra closed the door behind her and spoke a spell over it before leading Nikka to a chair placed by a table in the center of the room. The room was richly appointed, with tall shelves, soft carpet, and sweeping draperies, yet it was dim, and secretive. Nikka felt sheltered.

“They will be here at any moment, the High Council members. It is my job to instruct you before they come. It is most important, what I have to say, so take heed.”

Nikka nodded and fixed her attention on the woman.

“You will be passed from tribe to tribe for the next year, each of the tribes in its season: first Aquis, then Aeris, Terris, Ignis and finally Sanguis. You will dwell with a High Council member during each of these periods.

“Each of them will tell you great things about their tribe. They will show you their treasures, they will treat you like a priceless pearl. They know if you choose their tribe it will mean prosperity for them and their people.