A flutter of wings fills the auditorium as three approach the podium. The elder of the three has a broad set of white feathered wings cascading from his back and wears a white robe, tied with a gold ribbon. His long hair is white and sits gently on his shoulders. He turns his light colored eyes to the audience and clears his throat.
"Brothers and sisters of the Citadel, today I present you Isaac DeEri, second son of Jacob DeEri and Felicity DeSile, and Kida DeVela, only child of Antoin DeVela and Sarah DeLuse, for their trial initiation."
"We wish you well on your journey," the audience responds in sync.
The elder turns to the two younger angels and says, "Dear Isaac and Kida, you are currently Sparrows of the Citadel. Today is your last day of being a Sparrow. You are now Tested. This trial that you will partake in the world of the sinners will help you grow and learn your place in the Citadel. The success of your purity when you return will determine what level you will be: Chosen, Wingless, or Fallen. Even if you have fallen far into sin, you may return here and redeem yourself, becoming a Fallen Angel."
The elder lifts both of his hands in the air and pulls knapsacks out for the two travelers.
Handing them the knapsacks, he says to them, "Inside of here are your maps, which will update when you have arrived at the world of the sinners. On the map will be a destination of where you need to arrive by the end of the seventh day. If you do not arrive there by the end of the seventh day, you will become a Depraved and will be unable to return in the future, whether you want to return or not."
The Trialed ones take the knapsacks and glance at each other. Both of them being born of angels, they have white colored hair and grey eyes. They had been born on the same day, a week shy of eighteen years prior, and had grown up together in the Sparrow training.
"Also inside of your knapsacks are health kits and a few snacks, in case you do not find food your first day. If you are to survive for the week on the world of the sinners, you will require the aid of those in that world. Ask for help but always be cautious. The sinners may deceive and lie to you, telling you things that are for your harm. Always search within yourself for your path for you are the only one that will looking for your purity. You may be lucky to find a Depraved amongst the sinners but you still must be wary of them."
Both of the Trialed teens had heard stories growing up about the Depraved. They were the Annaci that had fallen from grace, unable or unwilling to return to the Citadel by the end of their trial. Kida's mother Sarah warned her of the Depraved because Sarah had almost become a Depraved when she was a Trialed one. The sinners had worked against her to get to the portal and she had just made it to the portal, her trial causing her to become a Wingless. Sarah warned Kida that if she wanted to be a Chosen one like her father, that she would have to stay as far away from the sinners as she could while still relying on them. A difficult task for a Trialed teenager in a different world, but it had been done before by many Chosen Annaci. Her father was proof of that.
The elder again puts his hands in the air. He pulls out two silver handled rapiers in white sheaths.
"These are for your protection," the elder says as he hands one to each, "Healing is far greater than harming but if you must protect yourself, this is your tool. You have both been trained to use these. Remember that if you kill without reason, you will lose the chance to become a Chosen one or a Wingless one."
The boy seems to barely contain his excitement as he grasps his sword. He knows that his trial is nearing. They had seen commencements before, as tradition dictates, and after a few more words had seen the Trialed ones leave the Citadel. The girl, however, flinches a bit when she takes her sword. She knows that this tool could cause her destruction as well as giving her salvation from the evil of the sinners.
The elder holds his palms up in the air and a small pebble drops into each of his hands. He presents them to the two Trialed ones, and they each pick up theirs.
"You will encounter terrible things in the world of the sinners, but you will also encounter magnificent things. If you ever find a place or a person that you wish to check on after your return to the Citadel, give this pebble to the place or person. When the pebble is in their posession, give the pebble a kiss. Whoever holds the pebble will be able to be seen when you have returned. After your return, if you wish to visit with that place or person, you can also travel to and from the world of the sinners. If you do not return to the Citadel at the end of your trial, however, you will not be able to return ever again and will be a Depraved one."
Kida tucks the pebble into her knapsack and puts the bag on her back. She straps the sword to her belt, letting the grey fabric cover the sheathed rapier. She turns her grey eyes to the elder.
The elder turns to the audience and says as he raises his hands over Isaac and Kida's heads, "Let us now give prayers for their safe return."
In unison, the audience says, "May you travel safely in the world of the sinners. May the light shine upon you. May your path be made known. May you find love and beauty in the place of the scorched. May you return wiser for your experience."
A green door appears on the wall behind the platform. The portal to the world of the sinners, it gives off a cold temperature to the stage. Kida shivers as she turns towards the door, her back to the host of Annaci that she had grown up with and lived with for her seventeen years. Her parents are amongst the crowd, though she hadn't been able to find them since the spotlight on her had forbidden it. Isaac reaches across to her and touches her on the shoulder.
"Safe travels, Kida. You can do this. You'll be back home before you know it," he says.
She nods and says, "Yes. Safe travels to you, Isaac. May we meet again in the Citadel."
The elder walks to the green door and opens it for them. White flecks flutter through the doorway and land on the stage. The flecks disappear as soon as they hit the ground. Kida had never seen such things before and it surprises her. She reaches out a hand to catch a few but they also disappear as soon as they hit her hand.
"Oh, come on, Kida," Isaac says as he grabs her hand, "Let's do it."
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