The flash of lightning illuminated the path ahead of me. For a brief moment, I could see the fallen trees and puddles that crowded the small dirt path. My breaths came in heavy gasps, each labored pant pushing me forward. Aching legs jumped over the trees and mud pits blocking my way. I had waited and suffered all my life for tonight, and nothing was going to stop me.
"Almost there," I told myself, letting that knowledge propel me to my goal. My way off of the island was at the end of this road and I was going to reach it, despite the storm. This was nothing compared to all the suffering I had endured on this island. My muscles burned. No matter my determination, climbing the mountain had taken its toll on me.
That moment of distraction was all it took for a branch to snag my foot, sending me crashing to the ground. The puddle that broke my fall also soaked the small bundle that tumbled from my arms.
"No no no," I cried out, grabbing my bag out of the muddy puddle. I had used the last of my money to buy what was in that bag, and it would be the death of me if it was ruined.
Kneeling in the mud, I checked the bag. A sigh of relief escaped me, all of the candles had survived the fall. The candles were crucial in the ritual. The ritual was crucial to finally leaving the small fishing village. There was nothing left for me here. My parents both died years ago, my only friend was regularly out to sea. The Gods were my only hope of a life of my own, something worth living. Standing on shaky legs, I took a deep breath before pushing forwards again.
"Twenty one gods, twenty one years, and twenty one candles lit, control of your fate you will remit, to the will of the gods you do submit. Fame, fortune, and power are yours in return, so long as their commands you do not spurn," I muttered to myself, using the poem to remind myself what I'm striving for. Everyone in the town thought I was crazy, to put all my faith in the ancient poem. Even if the ritual spot was well known to exist, no one had been blessed by the gods in centuries.
Travelers used to come from all over the world to this tiny island. Families would let the ones coming of age light their candles to pledge to the gods. Legend has it that they used to give blessings regularly, some small, some large. From riches and magic items, to entire kingdoms, this was one of the few places in the world where the Gods would hear your desires. The island was even named Mormir's Rest.
Now, their island was a joke. A miserable fishing village far from the mainland. The Gods have forsaken this town, but I knew the ritual would work for me. Before my mother died, she told me she had been visited by a God in her dreams. She told me that as long as my faith did not waver, I would be blessed by a God, and leave this island. Ever since that day, I put all my belief into the idea that when I turned twenty-one years of age, my life would change.
Everyone on the island was convinced the Gods had left not only the island, but the entire world. Evidence did seem to point to their departure. The Sagas tell of their miracles being commonplace long ago, but now there wasn't even a whisper of their existence. Most of us still believed, but faith was waning.
I shake my head, dragging myself out of my memories. Focus was what I needed now. My goal was finally in sight, the final section of tall trees soaring overhead. Urging my body forward, I push through the branches. The wind was pushing me backwards now, rain slapping me in the face like tiny spikes. It felt like Ignis himself had sent the storm to stop my progress.
Another bright flash of lightning lit the sky. Even though it was just past midday, it was as dark as night. The summer storms were brutal on the island, far out to sea with nothing to shelter them. Everyone in the town would be sheltered inside their homes, hoping to the Gods that they would avoid disaster. It didn't matter to me what the sky looked like, today was the only day this could be done.
Step after step I avoid logs, puddles, and stones. Exhaustion was slowly winning the war as I managed to barely jog the final feet to the exit of the forest. Vines and brambles stretch across the path, as if to block my final progress. Gritting my teeth and clutching my bag to my chest, I shove my way into the undergrowth.
I had started this trip early in the morning, but thanks to the storm it had taken most of the morning just to get to the forest surrounding the altar. Determination filled me, if this storm was a final test of the Gods, I would not fail it. Thorns on the vines dug into my arms and tore my clothes, but I gave one last push to break free.
Soaking wet, covered in mud and a little blood, at last I burst through the final archway of trees and into a clearing. Great stone blocks were set flush into the ground to form a circle. Twenty one solid stone blocks, each depicting a different god or goddess, with Mormir the King of the Gods on the center stone.
Every stone showed a God on their throne, each a ruler of their own domain. One of them would offer me a blessing, some great boon or enchantment, to bring me to riches and glory. Curiosity gripped me, what kind of blessing would they give me? Walking through the pouring rain, I approached the center of the circle.
Rising from the middle of Mormir's stone was an altar with twenty one indentations. I took a deep and steadying breath, withdrawing the candles from my bag. With a final step forward I stood in front of the altar and placed a single candle in each of the slots. Another bright flash of lightning, the boom of thunder making me jump and almost drop my flint. My hands shook as I struck the flint and steel together, the oiled wick of the first candle bursting into light despite the rain. Using the first candle I proceeded to light each of them in turn. With all of my candles lit, I stepped back and waited.
The Gods chose a champion by finding ones that already align with them in thoughts and deeds. All of the legends tell us that their chosen ones are always gifted in ways that reflect the God that chose them. Balmung was chosen by Fern, the God of Wisdom, for his love of knowledge. He made the Empire of Odessa very wealthy during his trades for rare books, somehow every trade he made ended with him on the favorable side.
The seconds turned into minutes as a pit of disappointment began to grow in my stomach. I began going back over the poem in my head, I turned twenty one years old today, I lit twenty one candles, and I was ready to give my life over to the Gods. Did I miss something?
My fear vanished in a burst of surprise as one of the candles hissed, a supernatural force extinguishing it. A long moment later, another candle hissed out. One by one I watched as the candles sputtered, hissed, and went out. Eventually, only one candle remained. Eyes wide, I stared down at the final candle, its orange glow gently flickering from the far right corner of the altar.
The flame danced in the rain, my eyes strangely drawn to it. No matter how hard I tried, I found I could no longer look away. Rooted to the spot, my body was frozen. Just as I began to feel fear creeping in, the moment passed and I was able to move.
Wrenching my gaze from the candle I looked around. I was no longer in the clearing of the forest behind my village. Instead, I was in a grand bedroom, satin curtains and silk sheets covering almost every inch of the small room. A firepit sat in the center, carved into the floor and surrounded by marble benches covered in soft pillows. The deep scent of a rich incense filled my nostrils.
