Raiden’s eyes were fixed on the four High Fae as they floated gracefully down toward the stage where Finn, along with a few other Fae who were also undergoing the alignment ceremony today. All four regal figures held no emotion on their features and there oddly glittering eyes remained fixed on the six Fae standing on the stage.
“You are all here because you have now reached maturity, today you will receive a gift from one of the four elements, a blessing bestowed upon you, a great honour, and in exchange you vow to use your connection to the elements to help others and to protect Donterra.” Etha, the High Fae of Earth spoke, her voice somehow amplifying over the courtyard in an ethereal way.
Raiden knew she was Etha because of her braided brown hair that fell down her back and danced about her hips, he’d read about her during his studies, an incredibly powerful woman who could quite literally shake and transform the earth to her every whim.
“It is important to remember that this is not a test.” Arlander continued, the High Fae of air who’s hair was flowing and translucent moving as fluidly as the air itself.
“Your element will be gifted to you based on who you are as Fae and how you will best serve Donterra.” Fix added, his golden eyes sparking with red embers briefly as the crowd gasped.
“Each of you will drink from this goblet, within is the purest water that flows underneath our city, it has been blessed by the Oracle herself and will reveal your affinity to us.” Whista explained, holding up a gold goblet filled with water that sparkled even from where Raiden was sitting.
The High Fae of water stepped toward the first Fae, a young man who stood taller than even Finn and his wings seemed to be shaking just as much. He took the goblet from the High Fae and carefully brought the water to his lips before taking a small sip.
After handing the goblet back to Whista, he gasped as a fiery red glow began to emit from his very being, circling him like an aura. Fix stepped toward the young man, he leant down and then kissed his forehead, just as quickly the aura seemed to be sucked right back into the Fae and when he opened his eyes again they held a fiery spark. The spark would dim after a few days, but freshly blessed Fae usually held the colour of their element in their eyes the brightest.
Next was a young girl and much like the man before her she began to emit a glow too only hers was as blue as sunkissed water, Whista smiled before kissing her forehead and blessing her with the gift of water.
Finn was second to last and as other’s before him received their gifts, Raiden could see Finn trying to keep his composure as he was quivering from nervousness and anticipation.
“Finn’s next.” Rowen whispered before being shushed by the other two on Raiden’s opposite shoulder.
Whista stood before Finn, she smiled gently at him before her eyes flickered somewhere behind him, he wanted to turn to look see where she was looking but she handed him the goblet and met his eyes once more. With shaky hands he brought the goblet up to his lips and took a sip.
The sparking water was shockingly cool and he felt it rush through his body, a trail of ice from his mouth to his stomach and then throughout his veins.
Finn opened his eyes to see a soft white glow surrounding him.
Arlander stepped forward after Finn had handed the goblet back to Whista, he smiled warmly at Finn.
“Congratulations, you are blessed with the gift of air, a noble element indeed, use it wisely.” Arlander’s voice was like velvet and Finn closed his eyes as the High Fae’s lip’s touched his forehead and his body was filled with an energy he could hardly describe.
He felt as though he could be awake for days, so alive and full of magic was he, he felt as though he could burst. He smiled broadly as Arlander returned to his place among his siblings and waited patiently for the ceremony to draw to a close.
“You have each been blessed with a gift from one of the four elements of Donterra, use your alignments wisely and they will serve you well.” Etha closed the ceremony, gesturing for the celebrations to begin.
The sweet sounds of harmonizing flutes and harps began to fill the air and the newly aligned were invited to join their friends and family in the courtyard.
“Figures he’d be an air alignment like his father, I’m still hopeful that you’ll be blessed by fire like me you know, someone else in this family has got to have some spark.” Aunt Jezabelle had quietly joined the peculiar group off to the side of the ceremony, boldly standing in the shadow of her giant nephew.
Raiden laughed, feeling a whole lot less tense now that the ceremony was over and the High Fae had retreated back behind the doors of the castle. He casually scooped up his Aunt into his hand and brought her before his face, the action so common that Jezabelle didn’t even bat an eye, only smirking and quirking an eyebrow at him.
“No one can match your spark Aunt Jezzy, not even Rowan.” Raiden said through a smile.
“Hey!” Rowan smacked the side of Raiden’s cheek in indignation and crossed his arms.
Jezabelle chuckled and stuck her tongue out at Rowan, pleased beyond measure that Raiden had found some good friend’s. Friends who seemed to ignore the ignorance of the other Fae and accepted Raiden for who he was.
“I just think it’s interesting that each of us ended up with a gift from each of the four elements.” Parian spoke up, his monotone and slightly uninterested tone piped in from Raiden’s opposite shoulder.
“That’s true!” Danelle said warm brown eyes lighting up. “Finn’s air, I’m water, Rowan’s fire and your earth! Oh look out Donterra, with the four elements and a human combined we will be unstoppable!” She pumped her fists in the air in excitement.
“You all need to calm down, if world domination is in your future then leave me out of it, I’ll just be happy when I finish my Clerics Masters and can actually start helping people around here.” Raiden explained.
“Lame!” Danelle groaned.
“And what do you mean ‘start’ helping people, Raiden you do plenty already.” Rowan queried, his head tilted upward toward his friend’s jaw.
For as far back as Rowan could remember, Raiden had always been tasked with big jobs, helping in the farms or with heavy lifting, he did so much already and he never complained and that was something that Rowan admired in the human.
“I just want to be helpful, to make a real difference, I may not have the blessing of the elements but I can be more useful in other ways then just ‘muscle’.” Raiden explained.
He’d been inspired by the other clerics in Donterra at a young age, finding it fascinating that they could heal others not only with magic but with herbal remedies and a vast knowledge of the body as well. It was something that he was passionate about and something that he could strive towards and make a real difference in doing.
“That was amazing!” Finn came hurling toward the group and was positively buzzing in the air. “You never mentioned what the water felt like! It was like nothing I’ve ever experienced before! I’m an air alignment! Did you see Arlander! How incredible and regal is he!”
Raiden smiled at his brother, he was incredibly proud of him and so happy for him, he’d put up with a lot through his life, having a human for a brother hadn’t been easy and he deserved this.
“I’m certain you will blow them all away sweetling.” Jezabelle met Finn midair and smiled warmly at him.
“Very funny.” Finn smirked and then wrapped his arms tightly around his Aunt, wings buzzing erratically.
Raiden placed a hand beneath their feet as a form of habit just to be safe.
Raiden’s smile turned to something more forlorn as he watched his family embrace.
There were some things that he simply couldn’t do and hugging his family in any kind of real way was one of them. It didn’t often make him sad, he was happy with the makeshift ways that they had learned to share affection and happiness with each other.
On occasions such as this though, Raiden wished he could hug his brother properly just once.
“Let’s get back home and get the real party started shall we?” Danelle said enthusiastically, jumping up from her place on Raiden’s shoulder and hovering around Raiden and Jezabelle.
Now that the more serious part of the day was done, he was far too excited to get the rest of their celebrations underway.
Raiden looked around at the traffic ahead of him, fairies darted this way and that, no longer in their seats but flooding the courtyard and blocking any sort of easy exit he may have had.
“You all go ahead, I’ll follow along shortly.” Raiden said eying the crowd.
He could simply stand and wave the crowd to part for him to get through but given the sacredness of the ceremony and more predominantly the feeling of not wanting to stand out. Raiden felt it wise to wait for the others to leave for their own celebrations which surely would commence soon.
Finn eyed the crowd the same way that Raiden did, knowing full well what his brother’s thought process was and hating it for him.
“I’ll escort you out, just stand up.” Finn said, impatient and sort of angry that these people were infringing on his brother’s ability to celebrate his elemental alignment celebration with everyone else.
“It’s fine Finn, everyone will be heading off soon anyway, I won’t be far behind.” Raiden reasoned but Finn’s expression said he wouldn’t be taking no for an answer, at least not today.
“Stand up.” He said firmly his usually stormy blue eyes held a soft white hue thanks to his freshly blessed elemental magic and Raiden found it difficult to say no.
He didn’t bother giving warning to Rowan or Parian who were used to sitting on Raiden’s shoulder while he moved. They simply held on to the fabric beneath them and waited as the air shifted around them and Raiden stood up.
Raiden closed his eyes as he stood, no matter how many times he saw the Fae folk of Donterra from his full height. It always made his stomach squeeze to see them all shrink further in size as he rose so high above them and even more so to see their eyes shift with either astonishment or fear or both at his size.
It couldn’t be helped though and Raiden knew this, his Aunt Jezabelle would tell him to ignore them, that if they weren’t used to him by now then they never would be. He tried to keep that in his mind as he opened his eyes and headed back toward home, all the while Finn called out warnings to clear the path.
The fact that his brother had to escort him out of a public area made him feel awkward to start with, but he held his head high and watched his steps as he headed out of the courtyard. It didn’t take long before they were back on mostly deserted streets and headed for home, Raiden was grateful for the reprieve from the anxiety of walking through crowded spaces.
“Sorry Finn, but we are not letting you off easy tonight, I hope you are ready for this.” Danelle smirked as she floated ahead with the others.
“At this point I don’t even care what you are all going to make me do, nothing could bring this kind of feeling down, nothing!” Finn smiled so broadly he feared his jaw was not cut out for it.
The celebrations started as a regular sort of family affair, sweet treats and savoury snacks were served on the grass outside of Thazelle and Bracken’s home, welcoming anyone who wished to join them. And many did, bringing their own flutes and harps to liven up the celebrations.
Rowan treated them all to a catchy tune, a working song that other’s joined in on, none could match the velvety tenor of Rowan’s voice though. A remarkably deep and smooth sound that Raiden found himself mesmerised by each time he heard it.
Some danced, most drank sweet wine until they were too drunk to fly straight, even Raiden found himself feeling a little tipsy though there certainly wasn’t enough wine to make him drunk. When the elder Fae retreated for the night, the small unlikely group gathered with mischievous grins on their faces.
“Seems only right that we combine now.” Danelle smirked.
“Combine?” Raiden asked, still sitting cross legged before the bonfire and sipping on his sweet wine.
“They say you should never combine all four elements, far too dangerous.” Parian explained calmly though he wobbled where he stood too.
“So the obvious thing to do would be to combine them right.” Raiden chuckled sarcastically.
“Obviously.” Finn smiled, renewed white glow sparking behind his eyes, excited about the prospect of using his new gift.
“But not here, we’ll be caught for sure.” Danelle chimed in drunkenly draping her arms over Parian’s shoulders as he tried in vain to steady her.
“Let’s go.” Rowen called flitting above and leading the way through the clearing behind Raiden’s dwelling.
“And where are we going?” Raiden asked following along behind Finn and Rowen, the others had taken seats on his shoulder, wings too sluggish to lift them properly.
Rowen only cocked an eyebrow at him and continued on, unease settled in Raiden’s stomach as he recognised where they were headed.
“We aren’t allowed beyond the glamour after curfew.” Raiden hissed as quietly as he dared.
“Our magic will be detected within Donterra, for this to work, we need to be outside the glamour.” Finn explained.
“You’re more than welcome to stay behind and wait for us to return.” Rowen teased.
Raiden stilled, he wasn’t about to be called a coward by Rowen of all Fae, he felt his cheeks flush and was thankful for the dim light the moon provided.
“And leave these two?” Raiden gestured at his intoxicated friends slumped together on his shoulder.
“Hey!” Danelle started to argue and then hiccupped holding a hand to her lips and suddenly feeling queasy. “W-walk smoother.” She finished weakly.
“Yeah I don’t think so, you’ll be lucky if they can even cast any spells in their condition, we may as well all stay behind and try again tomorrow.” Raiden offered weakly, but Finn and Rowen never slowed.
“This is going to be a long night.” Raiden sighed.
