The Edge of Tomorrow

Vol 1 - 8 The Ceremony

"Isn't this a bit too much?" I asked, looking in the mirror.

"Not at all, it looks fantastic on you, young master." One of the three servants said as all of them nodded in approval.

I wore a long silver tunic that reached just a bit below my knees, long loose pants, a black silk belt with golden designs on it, a black robe with golden symbols all over the back and front of the robe, and a pair of black boots.

Stepping down from the stool, I walked around the room, seeing if anything bothered me.

"How is the clothes, young master?" One of the servants asked as she came over, checking me up and down.

"It's fine." Looking at the mirror, it reflected back a four year-old kid in some fancy clothing.

'I don't really think fancy clothing fits me... makes me stand out too much.' I sighed inwardly to myself.

*Knock* *Knock*

"Come in." I said as the door opened.

"Are you all finished?" Kathryn said as she walked inside, all the servants greeted Kathryn in unison and bowed.

"Yep, let's just get this over with then." I said as I walked over towards her.

"You really don't like these types of things, no?" She chuckled as we walked through the hall towards where the ceremony will be held.

"It's not like I'm scared of crowds or any of that. I just don't like standing out much, especially when I wear something like this." I gestured my hands towards the clothes I was wearing.

"So you don't like to be the main event huh? Well this won't take long so you don't have to worry." She assured me as we reached the doorway to the ceremony.

The ceremony was held in a specific building, or more like a church. It is located in the center of the castle.

She opened the door, letting me walk in first and her following behind me. As I walked on the red carpet, crowds of people were gathered at the sides, nobles, merchants, and commoners alike.

Continuing to walk, staring straight forwards, I saw Aria and Ryker standing on top of the platform. Both of them wore the same clothes as me but in different colors and designs.

As I stepped on the platform, Kathryn walked behind me and the ceremony began.

"Now, as we proceed with this ceremony, both of you should know that there are risks to this; for example-" The priests was cut short by Ryker-

"We already talked about this, please just proceed to the actual thing. I don't like waiting." The priest quickly nodded at Rykers order.

"Please both of you, place your right hands on the stone." We both did as we were told and placed our hands on the stone.

"Now, repeat this: I swear that I, ____, will protect ____ before anyone and anything else. I shall define my foremost loyalty to ____. It comes as, shield before sword, life before death, safety before pride." He said, now looking up at both of us from his book.

"I swear that I, Alex, will protect Aria before anyone and anything else. I shall define my foremost loyalty to Aria. It comes as, shield before sword, life before death, safety before pride." I swore my oath as Aria too, repeated the oath.

As she finished a purple light shone from the stone. Lightning struck as I felt pain snake through my arm and up towards my back and neck.

"Arghhh!" I clenched my teeth in pain as the pain slowly sustained. Opening my eyes I felt a slight burn on my arm and back. Looking up at Aria I saw how much pain she was in too.

Sweat dripped from my forehead as the priests spoke again, "The oath has concluded, the pain will slowly vanish away soon. As you will see later, a mark will be permanently placed on your body, it depends on where you felt the pain. Both of you will have matching animal marks on your body." He explained, we both nodded and that is how the ceremony ended.

I went back to my room, taking my robe and tunic off. I saw a dragon, more particularly, a chinese horned dragon. It's black body snaked from my back towards my right chest.

'Got a tattoo at four, huh? When did I become so rebellious?' I couldn't help but laugh a bit at the thought of it, I would have never gotten a tattoo, but now look at me.

I quickly put my clothes back on, the pain has already started to vanish away but somehow, just somehow I could still feel pain inside me. It was like a connection, a string that connects me to Aria.

'So this is what it means to suffer together or be happy together. I could mentally feel the pain from her.' I never knew this excited me but as soon as I ran into that incident, so many people and things have permanently engraved themselves in my life, in me.