The Trials of the Twelve

Keelan's Trial

It took awhile for them all to get back to their residence. Once they had finally returned, Corvan and Keelan took Brindon straight to his room. After he was settled, everyone else gathered in the common area.

Keelan looked as if he wanted to cry.

"I don't want to do it. Look what that...place did to Brindon," Keelan said as he paced back and forth. Whatever happened to Brindon must've been traumatic and they all knew it.  Corvan wrinkled his brow at the eleventh ranker as he let him finish his rant.

"Keelan, there's not much of a choice. The process has already begun," Rowe said solemnly.

Acknowledging that he was being told the truth, Keelan shut his eyes in frustration and stomped off to find something to eat. He didn't want to go into the Chamber of Enlightenment.

Keelan didn't want it turn him into the person he always feared he could become.

As a beloved child of the earth, Keelan had always been grounded in every aspect of his life. He didn't like the water, but he knew how to swim. Flying was absolutely terrible, but he knew that it was necessary in some situations. His feet were meant to be firmly planted on the ground.

More importantly, and much like Brindon, Keelan was very down-to-earth. He was always happy and content, especially if he had a full belly. Like all Denovegsians, he was very family oriented and cared deeply for his friends. Keelan very rarely got upset and he was almost never genuinely angry.

None of the Twelve had ever seen him lose his temper. When he felt the need to blow off steam, he normally did so in private.

Keelan didn't like who he was when he was angry.

All this raced through Keelan's mind as he burst into the kitchen, but shook his head with slight irritation when he realized his stomach was extremely unsettled.

With an irritated huff that sounded a lot like Corvan, he turned on his heel and headed outside to the Twelve's training grounds. He needed to clear his head.

•••

"Do you think one of us should go check on him," Valeriana questioned as everyone took their seats at the dining room table. Brindon was still sleeping soundly in his room, but Keelan was nowhere to be seen.

"It is uncharacteristic for Keelan to be late for dinner," Rowe said thoughtfully as he wrinkled his brow in slight concern.

"Uncharacteristic? Keelan has probably never missed a meal in his life," Tamara said as she threw her arms up in the air.

Valeriana leaned forward and opened her mouth to speak when the door banged open. Keelan's strawberry blond hair stuck to his sweaty forehead and his face was flushed. Dirt was plastered to his hands and he wasn't wearing any shoes. He was slightly out of breath and it was evident that he had been training.

Seeing the tension in his shoulders and Keelan's pursed lips, Charles decided to not push for the twelfth ranker to adorn proper footwear. Without a word, Keelan flopped down in his chair before taking a swig of his water in what could only be annoyance or irritation.

For the first time that Valeriana could remember, Keelan seemed almost cold or aloof. It made her wonder if Corvan's temper came from his mother's or his father's side of the family.

"Keelan-," Valeriana began to speak, but was quickly cut off by the eleventh ranker.

"I'm fine."

Without another word, Valeriana pursed her lips at her slightly hurt feelings and turned her attention back to dinner. Corvan eyed his cousin, but chose to remain quiet for the time being.