I awoke at dawn. In the dim light, I noticed a sheet of paper lying on the desk beside my bed. On the paper were instruction for me to dress in the white robe that had been neatly folded and placed beside the paper and then I was to go down to the lake, prepare and silently await further instructions. I slipped on the robe and headed out towards the lake. I got there just in time to witness a fiery sunrise dance across the surface of the water. I had no idea what my teachers meant by a single word in otherwise simple instructions. Prepare? Prepare for what and how? I thought back through the past year and all the things I had learned since that fateful day when I had first entered the sacred grove. At the time I had believed it was pure chance. Now I know that the location had been placed in my mind several years back. Now I am an acolyte of the Verbena. The bards of old that had captured my imagination now demanded my obedience. I have learned both ritual and song. Music is more than a collection of notes and phrases. It is a way to interact with the universe and talk to the soul. I have learned so much and yet know so little. The histories and lessons drifted through my brain as I speculated about the day to come. Eventually I let go off all the nervousness and anticipation and simply let the world around me fill my senses and relax my mind. The birds chattered as the waves washed upon the shore. Slowly the sun crept across the sky.
"It is time."
I had not heard anyone approach, but that did not surprise me. There were many here that moved without a sound. I rose from my spot by the lake's edge and turned to see the speaker. He waited quietly for me to stand and then proceeded towards the grove. I followed after him, thankful for the chance to stretch my legs after many hours of sitting. We entered the circle of mighty oaks as the last of the sun's rays filtered through the leaves. In the center stood an ancient tree of unimaginable size. When the last of the acolytes had arrived, a ring of torches burst into flame, painting the darkness with a fiery glow. A man in a dark robe stepped out of the firelight, followed by a set of others in various attire. Each person approached one of the acolytes and bound that person's hands behind them. Once their charges were bound, they returned to the edge of the glade, spreading out to enclose the circle. Then the man in the robe came foreword with a chalice in his hands. He commanded us to kneel and once we had done so, the cup was raised to each of our lips in turn. The fluid burned down our throats, leaving a bitter taste in our mouths. Suddenly the world blurred around me and I blacked out.
Images, thoughts, and emotions blazed through my head. I learned of the Pure Ones, beings of energy and thought who gave form and substance to mankind. I saw how they took on substance of their own to teach and blend with humanity. I watched their offspring, the Wyck, who were the beginnings of the Verbena teach man the secret of fire; the concepts of agriculture; and the art of writing. I followed them down through the ages and across the continents. I experienced the Burning Times when the Inquisition almost wiped them out and how they started teaching ones not of the blood in order to survive. I traced how they went into hiding and how much that cost them. I perceived the beginnings of their effort to bring magic back into the world.
Still reeling from the assault of memories, I opened my eyes to find myself kneeling on the ground with my back to the massive oak.
A woman stood before me and uttered a single word, "Arise."
I stood up as best I could with my hands tied behind my back. Once I was upright I noticed two robed me standing on either side of me.
"Now that you understand, do you wish to become a Verbena?" she asked.
I thought about what I had just seen and the things I had learned since I first stepped into this grove, looked her in the eyes and replied with a very firm "Yes."
Without releasing my gaze, she nodded to the men on either side of me. Suddenly they each grabbed hold of a shoulder of my robe and ripped it to the ground. Despite the cold wind blowing through the trees, sweat ran down my naked body. One of the men stepped behind me and cut my bonds. My hands fell to my sides as both men turned and walked to the edge of the circle. "Give me your hand," the woman commands.
I reach out with my right hand and flinch as a searing pain cuts across my arm. I look down in surprise to find blood pouring from a deep gash in my forearm. When I look back at woman I realize that she is holding sharp looking dagger coated in my blood.
"Do you swear by the blood of your body that you will always remain true to the Verbena, strive for Ascension, and that you will embrace death before betraying your oath?"
"I swear by my blood that I will always remain true to the Verbena, strive for Ascension, and I will embrace death before betraying my oath."
"With sacrifice comes power. Blood is the stuff of life. Offer your blood to the Earth and take your first step towards Ascension."
I took the dagger from her outstretched hand with the numbing fingers of my right hand. Then I stretched my left arm out and made a second cut to mirror the first, letting the blood run down my arms and into the earth. I heard the words "Life is sacred. Are you willing to fight for it?" before the darkness overtook me and I fell to the ground.
I opened my eyes and waited for the darkness to fade. The forest shimmered with a pale blue radiance. I looked around the glade and glided towards its edge and wandered through the trees. The forest was alive with the sounds of its creatures. I saw a fox intently hunt its prey and watched the mouse desperately seek some type of refuge. I found a noble stag that stopped to feed on a patch of sweetgrass. I followed a wolf run side by side with his mate through the moonlight and gazed upon a mighty bear caring for her cubs. I turned my gaze skyward and rose above the treetops. I passed up through the clouds and into a realm of awe inspiring beauty. Stunned, I gazed up into the starry sky in pure wonder and rose ever higher. The full moon blazed in the night blending its golden light with the silver of the stars. Then a cry rang out through the night, grabbing my attention and pulled it earthward. I scanned the sky, searching for sign of the sound's source. Out of the darkness I picked out a silhouette. A lone raven rode the winds, practically invisible against the night sky. I focused an attention and suddenly sped towards the bird at blinding speed. Just when I thought I would collide with the raven, my vision shifted and I felt wind rushing past my feathers. I soared and glided, dove and turned. I exulted in the freedom of the air, dancing with the breezes and riding the winds. I gazed out across the treetops, seeing the starlight above and firelight below. Curious, I flew towards the burning light below and came across a glade ringed in fiery torches. Then it all came back to me.
I am human. The realization hit me with staggering force. Not only was I human, I was now a mage, but my mortal form lay below me in the grove, dying from blood loss. I dove down into the grove and landed on the chest of my true form. I felt a waning heartbeat below my talons as the moonlight disappeared into the blackness of my wings. I focused on the sound of my beating heart. As I concentrated, the sound grew louder until its music drowned out all else. The rhythm that pounded through my mind began to falter. I reached out to the universe and it responded with a pulse of its own. I delved into the depths of the earth and found power. I searched out the waters of the ocean and felt the energy of the waves. I stretched for the fire and embraced its flame. I looked to the sky and pulled the force of the winds. I took all the world had given me and wove it into the music of my body. My heart thundered and my body filled with life. I felt the raw power of the universe course through my veins. I opened my eyes and stared into the eyes of the raven. I thanked it and it flew off into the night. I realized that the wonder and magic of the world are not confined to the tales and songs of old. They are still alive, just forgotten, but what mankind has forgotten can be remembered. I, Kevin Ravenswing, had Awakened.
Last modified: Wed Apr 30 09:32:00 1997 by tabrady