Day 24, am; 38,590 total word count.

The Ceremony of Attainment:

She paused, stood, and hugged her son. “Come! The ceremony is beginning!”

Sylk realized he had been swaying to the drum beats as his mother had relayed the story. There was so much he wanted to know, about his Father, Jedediah, Moa’qi. But, it was going to have to wait. The Ceremony beckoned.

Exiting the hut, they made their way to the main thoroughfare, and into the center of the village. The fire had been started, and was climbing skyward sending sparks as messengers on up to the impenetrable dark above. They would tell those that live beyond the clouds, that the village had a new man, and an intrepid warrior. The drumming and foot stomping created a hypnotic vibration, all the more due to Sylk’s enhanced sensory perception.

Several children detached from the encircling crowd, and surrounded him, pulling and pushing and tugging at him. He was brought near to the bonfire, where a stool had been place, and made to sit amid laughter and smiles. The drumming was phased out, and replaced wholly by the foot stomping. Various sections began their rhythmic stomps. It was in fact a chorus, with bass and treble notes, and even solos. Complex patterns were evoked, and then the chanting began. It was a variation of the flora/fauna game, with chanting instead of whistling, and the added element of energetic stomping and whirling. The story was told again of the beginning of all the world, and the development of The People. Powers clashed, and deities came and went, worlds made and unmade, but the people were extant through it all. Into this was brought the Tale of Moab and The Seven Virgins, and his quest for knowledge and understanding, and most importantly, his place in the schema of life. There was an incredible journey over incomprehensible vastnesses of water bodies. Encounters were had with seven different resources, holders of knowledge and wisdom, in some cases. In others, the authors of trials that led Moab to his own discoveries, and his own successes and failures.

Ultimately, Moab became a man through interaction with one of the virgins. Which virgin usually changed, depending on who told the story, or the proclivities of the people listening to the story. Tonight it was Celebourine, the Riddler, and the Riddle was Sylk.

Fascinated by the story, and the rhythm, and nearly hypnotized by the total sensory experience, he wondered idly who was responsible for this riddling version, and if they knew how close to reality they were. For he realized his life was a riddle and that he must go on his own journey to seek the knowledge of the Seven Virgins. It was as he had this thought that he caught, amid the stomping, a familiar vibration. Searching the crowd of jumping swirling figures he saw who he was looking for. His Master, Moa’qi. Nodding in his direction, Moa’qi returned the nod, and disappeared into the undulating masses.

The story was ending, and the foot stomping slowed and quieted, and the drums picked up again. A slow mournful dirge began, and his Father was remembered by the tribe. It was the custom that the Father approach the Son and place the Circlet of Manhood upon the brow. But as his father was no more, his memory was paid respect by the tribe as a whole with this short memorial. As it ended, the stomping began again, and Moa’qi came from the crowd, bearing the Circlet. With each step the stomping became louder and more coherent. One foot up, step forward, foot begins downward measured step, just as it touches the ground, STOMP! Slow and measured, it was easy to believe the entire Tribe was walking toward him, embodied in the person of Moa’qi.

STOMP!

Complete silence, punctuated by the crackling of the fire. Moa’qi held forth the Circlet, mouthed something in the air in some language that Sylk could not place, and which only he could hear, then lightly dropped the Circlet atop his brown. Taking two steps back, Moa’qi turned to the Village and bellowed, “ BEHOLD!”

Hasta la bye bye.