Amethyst

Chapter 5: The First Ascension

Chapter 5: The First Ascension

   Adorning the ceremonial robes my mother used for her Merging.  Freshly bathed in goldhorn milk and my short hair the colour of pale honey was combed back to make it more appropriate for the ceremony.  Light golden color glossed silken fabric reached my shins. It wasn’t quite a dress, but it had to be wrapped and tied in layers. It was charming though, the gold was etch with in a pale silver thread with intricate detailing. Realizing suddenly with a small pang to the stomach, that it was the same intricate pattern that had been carved into our families living quarters.  Part of my mind wondered if it had been my mother who had etched that into the walls: the two triangles inverted, with larger triangles behind and smaller in front in an endless optical illusion. It was an eccentric hexagrams design, but a beautiful design no less.  

  I couldn’t help but wonder what my mother would say seeing me wearing this now.  Her daughter finally about to be merged with her birthstone. That would be normal custom, it ordinarily would be for her to walk in front of me – as we ascended from the center of the Opal City to the central hall of The Opal Cathedral above where the Old Sages’ would greet us and begin their part of the ceremony.  The spiral staircase seemed endless, the light would grow slowly brighter while ascending so that our eyes could adjust. 

   Looking at my reflection, I closed my eyes tightly and pushed thoughts of my mother entirely out of mind.    

  My mother was not here. My mother was dead, and any though of her ascending with me was an unnecessary fantastical thought at best. She was dead, dead, dead and she had died many years long before now. It was something I had come to terms with, or at least I thought I had. Perhaps it was the serious atmosphere of my coming of age ceremony that had brought this sweeping wave of nostalgia.

   Again, I shook the thoughts off with questionable success. They nostalgia would serve no purpose now but to bring a feeling of loss. Turq had been very clear. I was going to need to be strong and take on a distinctly horrible sting the merging came with; each individual stone, sizeable or miniscule, would be felt. He had been certain however, that there had been no blood. It would be healed then and almost instantly. Which came with some relief.

  “AME!” Called a voice. It was father and by the sandglass by my door, he was correct. I did need to hurry. With that I put on the finishing touches, leaving my room and headed down the hall to the main family living quarters.

   I could feel tears welling in my eyes as I glanced at who was waiting to see me in the ceremonial first ascension: Turq was there, of course he was. His eyes stilled the room as he beamed his crooked grin at me with a wink and thumbs up. Standing beside him was Mal, who I was surprised to see. We were more acquaintances than friends but it was nice that he was here too – maybe this was helping him mentally prepare for his own Merging?  

   Someone tapped my right shoulder, jumping a slightly I swerved round quicky to see who it was.  Rose? Rose was here too? “You are absolutely wonderful, child.  I’m so glad your father invited me to come!” The hug was instantaneous but refreshingly mindful not take care not to crinkle the fabric or touch my hair.

   The surprise of her being here was genuine, it wasn’t often an Overseer came to see one off. Perhaps I had made just that good and impression on her?  Rose’s presence was always a pleasant one – then again, her own merging was a spherical rose quartz design, that was raw instead of tumbled – so she naturally gave off a very strong calming aura. Supposedly, she never actually meant to do it.  

  The robe I wore tonight’s Merging, would never be worn again, at least not by me.

   You only got one merging and one first ascension to the Opal Cathedral. As you only got one birth stone. Even twins and triplets got one each. A single raw gemstone per child.  It was often an omen of death during the merging for one child of a set of twins, if the a gemstone were attempted to be split between them. To the point it became enshrined in our laws and entirely prohibited.

   Rose, stepped away and handed me a crystal glass filled with white wine off of main table, “After today you are no longer a child in the eyes of the Earth Goddess, enjoy the fruits that for so long were forbidden.” In her other hand she had also taken one for herself.

   She smiled as I took it, and everyone in the room laughed, except Mal, at my expression when tasting the drink. “Can I stick to citrus infused water?” I couldn’t help the light grimacing. Wine was disgusting!

   “Amethyst…” Father gave an approving nod.  He had in the center of the room all this time, a single tear had escaped and glistened on his right cheek, despite the light heartedness in the atmosphere.  It was not a tear of sorrow, that much I was sure of. “My beautiful Amethyst.  You’re mother….” He caught himself momentarily before continuing, “…She would be so proud of you.” His voice was so pained.

   Rose had quietly moved to his side at some point, “Amethyst.” She smiled kindly, “You’re father has asked me to step in for your late mother. To be you’re guiding hand during ascension, of course I accepted his request.  The only condition I had is that if you permitted me to take such a place, such a role for you… then I would be honored.  Would you wish me to be you’re guiding hand to ascension and into the Opal Cathedral? To be there for you as you’re Merging happens and the goddess shows all in the Cathedral her vision for you?” There was an eager pace to her voice, it came with a cautionary tone however.  Which was understandable.  It would be difficult for to replace anyone’s mother at any time.  Even more so during such a life altering event.

   This had caught me off guard, the Overseer wanted to be my guide to ascension and be there for my Merging? How unusual.  This was such a personal involvement for her to be making. My thoughts harked back to earlier thoughts, how I wished my mother could have been here to guide me but ultimately isn’t. “Rose.” I affirmed with authorizing power behind my next words, “It would be my privilege if you were to be my guiding hand.”

   With that it was settled.

   The large elaborate hourglass in the main family quarters, drained to mid-way – the cue for everyone to make their way to the center of the Opal city for the ascension.

   As we passed time socializing, I was really taking in everyone’s faces and committing them to memory:

    Father’s sandy scruffy hair and matching trimmed beard, that looked more brunette on his pale complexion.  His large build and how clumsily he held a wine glass in his hands swollen with a life time of callous – but tonight there was no site of the gout that plagued him. He leant against the wall with one arm, talking away to Rose. Her golden gaze never leaving my fathers face, and her wavy burgundy strands stirred like ripples in silk.  The snorted was slightly audiable from the other side of the room, as her laughter rippled through her curvy frame and even to my father. They were laughing together happily with whatever they were talking about.  It made me glad.  I knew my father would have someone there for him while I was undertaking my Passage.

   Mal and Turq were standing with a crystal glass of that bitter wine each, perusing the carving design of the room. It certainly wasn’t the normal type of design in family quarters, it was certainly more unusual. 

   Mal’s tan eyes expecting ever 0.5th millimeter of an inch. As did Turq’s deep-set eyes that likened emeralds. Neither were etchers, but that didn’t mean that they couldn’t appreciate fine etching details as any Medurian could. They were opposites side by side like this.  Where Turq was trim and tall with somewhat-broad shoulders and features, like his angled jawline being so distinct. His longer dark brown hair curling by his ears and at the nape of his neck. Where Mal was a head or two shorter, with broader shoulders and rounder features.  His eyes didn’t hold as much of the Medurian up-wards tilt and his hair was short and reminiscent of the desert dust that fell into the sunken gardens during sandstorms.

     Turq glanced over and spotted me watching the pair intently. There was no time for me to avert my gaze, and within two strides he was towering over me.  Pulling me into an embrace, “Want to tell me what that thoughtful gape was? Or were you just admiring the artwork.”

   “Artwork?” I snorted, “Have you heard of this thing called, being humble?”

   Though he had teased, his eyes gleamed with gravity. Looking over to Mal he motioned with his head to come over, which he did slowly. “Alright, I know I told you everything experienced in the surface world, it’s not enough of me to give, for you to take with you as you go.” During this Turq’s voice had increased in volume.  Mal was a few paces behind Turq, and he waited expectantly. Father and Rose had stopped their conversation, fixed on whatever was going on at the young side of the room.

   Turquoise let me go, slipping his left hand delicately into my own. While reaching for something Mal was handing him in his right. His eyes never leaving my own seemed to shimmer in, anticipation? No, that couldn’t be right.

   “Amethyst Dorus…” Slowly enunciating my full name, which he never used. “I, Turquoise Shale have carved my own pattern into my namesakes.” With this he raised his right hand, from which a necklace swung.  This could only mean… “A turquoise pendant of the finest quality, sought only from the 10th City, for the brightest and finest quality of women.  Will you wear this,” slowly Turq lowered it to my view.

   Perks of having a short girlfriend is the use of your height for suspenseful dramatic effect, I thought but gasped once it was at my level, it was stunning craftsmanship especially from someone with such soft hands. It was similar to his own merging pattern, but altered with the sacred geometric hexahedron for Earth. Specifically, the platonic solid for Earth.  It associated with the Earth Goddess herself enshrined the pattern. It was backed on silver, on a silver chain which held several turquoise beads.  “Yes.” Utterly breathless I managed to get the word out.

   The room erupted in cheer as Turq slid his hand to the small of my back and brought his lips down onto mine to which I gleefully returned. After a moment, not long enough, he pulled away. Stepping behind me, bringing his hands holding either side of the necklace up & clasping the seal at the back – it would never come off my neck again. The seal of betrothal pendants are permanent type of magic. My head would have to come off before the pendant could be removed.

    As my eyes swept the expressions of all those in the room, I witnessed my father, Alexandrite Dorus, began to weep.

   Never had I witnessed him shed a tear since mother passed, and now today in pride and joy. He had wept twice.    

   Then, my yes slipped to the expression on Mal’s face. It was a cool poker face, but I read it clearly enough.  His thoughts were a place no one dared to mention right now.  That this I might very well be the last time everyone is in this room together.   

  Rose cut into the moment, placing down her final crystal glass. “You need to hurry, it is almost time! You do not want to be late, and of course it would certainly be extremely discourteous to keep the Old Sage’s waiting.”

   Everyone followed her guide, as my official substitute guiding hand, keeping pace with her on one side as Turq clutched my hand on the other.

   Remarking to Rose, “I can’t imagine the Old Sages would appreciate that much at all.”   

   The central sector had only one large set of doors in and out. No men were permitted to enter here. As even the bottom of the staircase was considered part of the Cathedral. Turquoise squeezed my hand, pulling me in for one last lingering kiss. As our lips parted, he moved to my ear and whispered, “Come back to me my divine Amethyst goddess. Come back.”

   “Alright lovebirds,” This time it was Mal, “You’ll have plenty of time to do that once Ame is back from her passage and I’d bet at this rate she will come back in three months on the dot.” Another oddity, Mal actually let out a boyish chuckle towards the end.

   Rose moved to the doors, “Gentlemen, I bid you to take your leave.” They all gave me one final look.  An assuring nod from father. Mal twitched his lips into a subtle smile, I think, and Turquoise.  Turquoise beamed at me in a way he had never before. This was home. These people are who I would be returning to.

  “Amethyst.” Rose threw open the doors, to a pitch black room with no glow stones for wall torches. Only the light of the surface illuminated.    The light from glow stones was a soft white glow, and though I had never experienced the from the surface of Medura I was acutely aware that it was a far stronger light than any other.  The stairwell that seemed to stretch on forever.

   “Ready or not, you’re fate awaits us at the top of these stairs.” As we walked in Rose closed the doors behind us, and taking her start ahead of me. 

   And so I began my first ascension.