The Great Reset

first post will be added

Today was to be the day. It was the day that Minara and her friends were to leave on their pilgrimage - the final test, the passing of which would confirm them as full fledged adults in their tribe.
All her preparations we made. She had bid her family members all a final farewell, recieving a lucky necklace from her mother, packed her bag with food, weapons, and clothing, and preformed her final prayers. Now she stood in the center of the camp, staring absently at the giant fire in the center, waiting for her compainions to arrive, as well as the villiage shaman to give them a proper sending off.

Just how much did he want to stop looking at the inside of his eyelids forget about about the events of the day that would have to proceed in requirement of him becoming a full fledge member of the tribe. The tribe in all of its glory as a lone beacon of hope amongst the lonely and decrepit scenery that lied only yards away from the hut he slept in now. He had that thing today didn't he? Sigh. Why on Earth was it today? Why ever, really? It was for the betterment of the entire tribe and selfish ideas had no place in it. The logic was sound and it was hard to say no when life outside the tribe was considered by most to be in the same category of things such as ramping your head against a sharp stick or breathing while drinking water. No, if he was to live he was to be with the tribe for the rest of his days.

"Well, no sense just sitting here," Felix proclaimed his eye fully opened no long able to sleep knowing what awaited him. "Best not to keep them waiting. Hm... I should stop thinking verbally." Within moments, he plucked himself out of his relatively comfortable sleep arrangement and grabbed the items he had prepared yesterday and the day before that by the advisement of his peers. His weapon, his pack, rations, and whatever else he felt like taking; there was even the 'rusty-old-trinket-that-made-music' that his father had given him. After a short farewell, or a rather long one at that having to endure the nurturing words and embrace of his mother and his father's blank faced statements about what to and what not to do, one being the obvious don't get killed. He got hit for that one. I gladded me to see that they were still in good humor even if they were sending their son into the waste. But it was something that they had done and other before have done.

The trek to the center of came was over much sooner that he would have hop having walked a bit faster today, a full two point six seconds faster, cutting travel time to half a minute. Waiting there was one of his companions and long time friend, Minara, who was also ready and able, though it seemed her mind was as scatter as his. Either that or fire-staring was some sort of new ritual that the tribe shaman had taught her.

Eyes Open. Morning Has Come. Leo Didnt Feel Like Getting Up, But He Knew If He Wanted The Respect he Felt He Deserved, He Would Pass- No- SMASH The Rite of passage. This Thought Brings A Very Wide Smile To His Face...

Leo Finishes Preparations, Standing over His Bed Buckling His Sword to his Back, He's Happy His Parents Ar Asleep, Leo never Really Was Too Much Of An Emotional Person. Leo Checks Through His Bag: Wrapped Food, Sleeping Accesories, Clothing, Much Water, And he Remembered To Bring His bow And his Arrows As Well. Leo Was ready to meet his Friends And Embark On A Once In A Lifetime Adventure. Only One thing Was Said Before The Front Door Was Closed.

'I Hope This Does'nt Turn Out A Bad Regret'

Aiden was panicking. He was prepared as far as being packed up. But as far as being mentally ready, his mind was racing. His panicking is not uncommon, but to this level; He was loosing his mind. Looking around his tent, he found the bowl containing the calming herbs. He put a few of those into his mouth and began to chew, and chew, and chew.

His hands stopped shaking, eyes could focus, and mind could think clearly. He grabbed the reminder of what was in the bowl and poured it into his bag. He fumbled around the tent a bit, the effect becoming overwhelming, yet enjoyable. Feeling slipped away as he gathered what he assumed to be his bags and glaive by the fuzzy shapes they had become. He staggered outside and made his way to the canter of the current tribal area to begin the pilgrimage.

Finally coming out of her trance-like observance of the fire, Minara greeted each of her companions. It was only another moment or two before the shaman finally arrived. There were no other tribe members as it was considered bad luck for anyone but the shaman to see off the youths.

The elder man looked over the four, looking deep into each of them before moving his piercing gaze to the next. "Minara, Felix, Leo, Aiden. Today you leave as children. You will return as adults. No one can tell you what your trials will be for they are different for all. But you will know when your test is passed, when you are an adult. Only then, may you return."

He spoke these words slowly. There was no misunderstanding. They could not return until they were adults. And if they never became adults, they would never return. It was a grim but inevitable truth. From time to time, a child would go out for his or her pilgrimage and never return, the gods not seeing him or her fit to be part of the tribe. They were mourned but never searched for. The tribe had to accept that they were too weak and would have burdened the tribe. This method was the only was to keep the tribe strong. And in this desolate land, strength was everything.

The shaman raised his staff, his warning over, the blessing, about to begin. "Gods, watch over our children. If it is your will, make clear their path, and safe their journey. And bring them home to us as warriors."

With the blessing said, the shaman abruptly turned to face away from the four and they, in turn, did the same. The blessing was the official send off and, as tradition dictated, immediately after it was finished, the pilgrims must leave their camp with no further contact of any kind with other tribe members. And so the four made their way out of camp, setting a brisk pace that mirrored the silent determination in Minara to become a true woman of her tribe. She would not become one of the lost, nor would she allow her friends to do so. They would succeed, she was sure of it.

The ceremony went just as the stories said they would just the same as if he was being told on of those tales by his father or Braun. He always had a story to tell whenever he asked. The only thing that was different for the verbal tales was the full feeling of it all. There was no way to put this feeling into words, this sheer experience into a scope that could be described without ruining the entire moment forever. I was the one thing that Braun never told Felix, or anyone for that matter. The troupe turned away from the elder shaman and walked almost solemnly into the great dead plains. No words were exchanged in that time only the sound of the wind slice off the metal and the soft crunch of pebbles brought to notice by the underfoot. It were moments like these that called for periods of personal agenda making and introspection.

Four of them set out together. How many would return, you'd wonder? Will each stand together or will something drive them apart? What great adventures lay in wait only a rock slide away? The vast amount of space they had been given was daughting and exhilarating. Felix was always a sort of a romantic sort of thinker. Most would say he was Braun's biggest fan, always ready to listen to one of his tale even if the story had already been told. But most didn't complain about such stories getting in the way of his duties to the tribe. In fact, Felix worked harder trying to match the qualities that Braun's stories had foretold created a hero, which basically meant either him or someone he had come across on his travels, having been the tribesman who took the longest to return, something that he was frowned upon for. No, Felix held true to the responsibilities of the tribe and still enjoyed the fantastic stories.

Finally, as the silence was just becoming familiar, Felix lunged ahead as with arms stretched towards the glowing horizon, "At last! The Light God has risen to greet us!" Felix had brought to attention the growing light that had finally become an object creeping over the horizon. The Light God had come to greet them and show them the land before them, to watch over them, and to given them warning of dangers to their footing.

Leo Was Relieved Indeed To Finally See The Sun Crawl Over The Horizon. His Friends Exclamation Made Him Feel Better About The Ritual Quest, But Leo Knew That Having The Sun Rise Was Probably Going To Be The Happiest Part Of His Quest, At Just that Moment, The Full Realization Of What Was Taking Place Dawned Him.
Leo Just Fully Understood That This Quest May Be The Death Of Him, He Realized That If he Were To Not Make it, He Would Have No Home. Leo Began To Think of Home, And How Much It Used To Annoy Him, but In This Moment They meant Everything....Leo Felt Great Fear.

Leo Walked Slower, But Caught Himself Before Anyone Could Notice And Put A Goofy Looking Smile Across his Face. He Felt The Sky Get Warmer And The Smell Of Early Morning Tickled His Nose. He Threw His Hands into The Air And Joined Felix Saying "It's About Damn Time! I Can See Everything!"