Fire

Chapter Four

The ceremony has been going on for almost a half an hour. Dalla and I are left along with a boy named Olivr. Each child is called up in front of the elders by their given birth name, told to kneel in front of them, and is given a token based on their mage power. Since our tribe is mostly earth and water mages, each earth mage is given a wreath of woven flowers and herbs said to bless the one it is given to it. Since flowers and herbs wilt and die, they are pressed and crushed a week after the ceremony and are preserved in a small glass jar which is made into a necklace for the owner to wear if they so choose. Most earth mages choose to wear their necklace, but some, who do not practice or are not particularly talented with their powers, choose not to. Water mages are given a river stone with their mage name engraved in it. This is then wrapped to create it into a necklace, which is again given to the owner to wear.

"Dalla Sarasdottir."

I watch as my best friend gets up and walks towards my parents and kneels down, facing them. I fidget with the end of my sleeve as my parents prepare to give Dalla her new name. My mother kneels down in front of Dalla and quietly tells her to close her eyes. Dalla obeys as my mother sprinkles the ceremonial water over her head. She stands up and hands my father the water before speaking.

"Rise Alena, Mage of Light."

My mother helps Dalla stand before handing her a small jar on a string that seems to be filled with light. In actuality, it is a jar filled with small light reflective crystals, which is as close as my mother could get to actual light without being a light mage. Dalla walks away from my parents smiling. I know she has been excited to receive her mage name; it was all she could talk about for weeks.

"Ember Ahlstrom Kollisdottir."

I took a deep break and walked towards my mother and knelt down. From then things seem to pass in a blur. I hardly remember my mother whispering the blessing as she sprinkles me with water, or her placing my stone necklace around my neck and my wreath on top of my red curls. Before I know it, she is helping me stand as she announces my new name.

"Rise River Rose, Mage of Water and Earth."

I barely remember walking away from my parents to Dalla or hearing the rest of the clap as they congratulate us for earning our mage names. I do not hear people praise me, see them as they smile at me, or feel them as they hug me. I know not how long I am unaware of my surrounding but I am brought back to my senses by a cold hand grasping my upper arm. I inhale audibly and I feel the hand release my arm.

"Sorry," I hear a male voice mumble. I turn to look at the owner.

"It's fine Fen. I know you can't control it," I whisper as I look up at him. He smiles sheepishly at me and ducks his head. He nods over towards the edge of the gathering, towards the shadows. Fenrir hates being at gatherings with the entire tribe. They are even more wary of him then they are of me. Fenrir is an ice mage. It is said that all those who can bend ice to their will are descendants of the Jotuns. Since Fenrir's parentage is unknown so it makes the rumors and the doubt worse. His ceremony was two years past where he received the name Fenrir which he uses in place of his true name. His token was an ice like crystal, found in the heart of far north mountain. His power seeps from him, much like mine, although his are much less dangerous than mine. Because of this, when he first touched his crystal, it cracked, and absorbed part of his power so he can now control it better.

"Congrats on getting your mage names," Fenrir said quietly once we reached the edge of the clearing. I mumbled a quiet thanks and ducked my head.

"You looked kinda out of it after the ceremony ended. What's wrong?"

"Yeah, I'm fine Fen. It's just that it's my birthday and everyone else has their own celebration for their sixteenth birthday and yet mine is forgotten. I suppose it is that everyone is busy celebrating mage names. It's fine I understand."

"No Sparks, it's not fine. Which is why, Dalla and I planned something special for you in our clearing for tonight. We will go after the ceremony is finished, because as a daughter of the elders you must be in attendance. Also, you are one of the receivers of a mage name so you have to stay for that as well," he finished cheekily.

"Why do I have to stay?" I groan. "Gunnar, Katla, Elisabet, and Jokull are all there with my parents! Even Ari is there! Although he is playing with the other children and not paying attention to the ceremony."

"You know why you have to say. Do not make me repeat it every time you whine about something."

I start to protest his statement but stop and nod. He is right. As usual. I must stay since I am a member of the elder family and as well as a priestess in training.

"Good. Meet us once your parents let you go. And don't forget to have fun before then," he smiles and kisses my cheek before melting into the shadows. I smile and face turn to face the gathering. Taking a deep breath, I go and rejoin the rest of the tribe and try to have fun as I wait in anticipation for what Fenrir and Dalla have planned.