Ding—(×3)
The monastery bells sound once again, disturbing the peace and serenity of my well deserved rest.
God- how can one tolerate this grating sound every morning? Am I really the weird one?
Pushing myself away from the bed, so fast that I practically stayed afloat for a second, I landed with practiced ease on the cold, hard wooden floor.
With no time to waste, I went out of my room, still annoyed and scowling, aware of the bells' ringing that will last another for another three minutes.
Since, I was was child, I don't remember when exactly, but likely when I was around 4 or 5, I have suffered from a pretty consistent case of insomania, by that I mean I have never slept since then.
Though it has never really strained my mind or gave me headaches, but not sleeping for the whole night does do wonders for your body. In that, when the morning arrives, all the fatigue that somehow went postponed all night locks me down in invisible weights for the rest of the day.
The other children— or adults after today, named me the Night Scowl. It's a pretty dumb nickname, but even such stupidity sticks like a tick, if it been used around long enough.
Yawn-
What's the point? It's not like mimicking this will make me sleepy, time to grow out of this habit, it only makes others yawn harder even after though they slept fine, fuck! It makes me mad just thinking about it. Want to sleep more?! Infront of me?!
"Yawn- Oh! Didn't get to sleep today either? That was your last chance to take that sleep as a kid boy! I'll tell you this though, you won't be needing much time to adapt compared to others. Sleep will become a luxury now that you all will have come off age."
I guess I'll let you go, since you get only less than half as much sleep as others.
"Yeah, sure Mr. Warden. Today, I'll welcome my brothers and sisters to the Dark night permanently."
A few shivers went unnoticed by the Warden, but not me. The soon-to-be young adults, have always been pretty easy to read. It was not always like that, but overtime I learned to spot and then feel their gazes, then their state of mind, to now not even needing to pay attention if I want to know who is looking at me from where, and with what kind of expression, or emotion.
Displeasure. Unease. Doubt. Fear...
Even though, seven out of ten I pass, show such emotions— the other three-tenths just didn't notice me or don't care much— I don't feel uncomfortable much in their presence. Maybe because it's always been like that, or perhaps I like that I can see through their true thoughts compared to false receptions some kids graced me when forced by the adults.
I immediately called it out, though. After that incident, it got commonplace that I would spout wierd and often straight to the heart statements that made others either creeped out or—
"Yo Nigh-cow!-"
an interesting character, as they said.
That goes both ways, were my honest thoughts. Like passing wind, a figure peekd out from my right shoulder, and settled right there taking it as a wind break. Her face leaned forward to stare back at me, emerald eyes peeking out the soft layers of snow-white, futher accentuated by the vibrant eye-lashes of the same underneath.
Pausing for half a second too long-
"Wa Ahahaha! Look at your face! It feels like you will finally muderize those shits today! Can't have them grow to adulthood! Let's hurry, we'll butcher them!"
I guess, I should check to fix my face when I get out of this place, never bothered infront of these guys, but outside, having a more approachable mug would make or break new acquaintanceships.
"Quiet down! They are looking at us all weird! Just- fuc- these guys... Oye you lot! Wha- what! huh?! You wanna go?!"
A few steps behind, a tall boy, in tight fitting clothes of the same age as us, practically flipped out on his own advice.
Hm? Is that a stupid choice I see taken under pressure? Been a while. Just run away or stay quiet here. It's not that serious or be so anxious abou-
"Don't- Stay away!"
A guy, called Simsar I think, immediately retaliated by pulling out a knife and practically hurled it at him.
"What the-"
The knife flew in a perfect straight line, though nobody here can confirm as it's too close and too fast to make out, and lodged into Daveson's front-
Please stop, not today.
If not for me pulling him out of the knifes' way.
"Argh! ...You fucker! What the hell was that about-"
See that, it's better to always know for sure who is hostile and how much.
"This mother-"
"Alright stop right there. The others are also getting agitated, look."
That's the reason I gave, but that Simsar still has not shown fear or resignation yet, looks wary and slightlyhostile, by that I mean he hasn't yet started throwing the other weapons with him, talk about paranoid. I wouldn't be surprised if he pulled out a scimitar next.
"C'mon let's go!"
Without anyone noticing, the elephant had disappeared ahead out of the room, to all the hallways' end. Only an echo reached here bouncing off the curved walls beyond an equally tumultuous path.
In the first place, it was her who started the rumours.
"I thought it would just be nothing like always, but by the looks they are giving me today... seems quite serious." I muttered half resigned, half dreadful of the remaining way to the ceremonial site.
"How far is she going to go this time? Maybe she's really out for blood, murder before coming off age just might be in her list?"
Shut up! Daveson!
"Shut up! Daveson! You promised to shut yourself for the entirety of today!"
Even I, a perfectly normal individual with an impeccable average daily horoscope history, don't spout such negative nonsense anymore. And you! are the central reason for this!
"B- but well she was going off saying all tha-that. I really felt something bad would happen-"
"IT wouldn't have if you didn't open your mouth. Just ignore it- and it will pass."
Especially today.
"I can't help it! It feels like holding my breath, not to mention today it's even worse! I feel like-"
No, nope, nada-
"...to-today one of u— snap! —Mm- Mghnhnn!! Mghnomm nhhiiim!!"
Before this self-fulfilling prophet could spout another ominous statement, his lips involuntarily, and comically stretched back to their rightful place. Realising what happened, he protested by panicking even harder.
But alas, even born-mutes require training to learn to communicate, this one is years behind and even if what he says become intelligible after that, he would first need my consent.
"Shhh... just for today- no only this morning, until that bell rings for the third damn time again when the ceremony ends."
"Mnn..."
...and I say no to any form of further information exchange with this guy until the ceremony concludes.
And so our journey through these curving halls began once again. 500 meters in diameter at the bottom, arranged like a spiral made of a continuous cuboidal wall inclining upwards with each spiral coiling shorter, almost like those Pointy Tombs in the Sky Deserts.
There are two areas in particular, one being the gaping halls, with open walls in both sides, between each adjacent cuboidal spiral. The other was here, walled on all sides with few squarish windows, every few dozen meters.k
It almost felt like the halls had become a Maze, every new face that came from front, felt like a Dreads'encounter. But thankfully they just sidestepped and went their way, though their stares left only after we were far apart.
One might think, what about those behind? Do they also avoid us walking in the front? Well, it's better to not look behind.
I feel atleast ten presences a few meter away, all huddled together, it's like they're stalking a Writhroamer.
It'salso why as eager I am to just reach the the Main Hall, I am walking behind this guy without much hurry. Partly to placate him, and also to keep an eye out for these lurkers without looking back. It's a certainty that they'll attack if we so much as show any movement to turn back.
This guy would've folded and started a brawl or atleast one murder, putting him at a prestigious position of both a History Shaper and History Repeater.
Ding—
Time passed as we walked steadily careful not to trip and become the tragedy in some poor guy's life on the way— when the second bell of today rang
Ding— Ding—
Fortunately, we were just about there- wait just?
Ding Ding Ding Ding Ding—
To no-one's surprise but quite a few's displeasure, Navi had lost her patience.
"Come on! Let's start it already! I want my Ultra Rare Mark NOW!"
As I thought, it's still early.
The Main Hall is just right at the midpoint between the top of the Monastery and the center of the current spiral. It's aptly postioned on a hanging structure supported by a dozen pillars inclined pillars attached to this and the next spiral.
It's an open space for all purposes, but it's passage only gets opened once or twice a year.
I didn't wake up so early at the first bell just because it annoyed me, that's only the second reason, I could just shut my eardrums with a little bit of Body Manipulation. Since it's my body its even more precise, so shutting off this sound is not something new.
Just it takes a lot of focus, and arguably pressures my mind more than the damn bell, but better be mentally tired than being annoyed all morning. The reason I did not do so, is because I need to my full attention today so I don't get ambushed and die before adulthood.
But more than that, my early preparation was to get a headstart and reach this place, and check out the cool stuff. You only get to see attend this once a year, and maybe once a lifetime if you don't get a complementary Mark, and be of no use regarding the ceremony.
I quickly glanced at Daveson, trying to focus despite the annoying ringing.
Daveson's almost back to normal, I can still recast necrostick from here, it's only the second time today...
Ding Ding Ding Ding Ding Ding—
"God! Can you keep it quiet?!"
"Whaahh.. annt eaarh yu-?"
Leaving aside Navi who is too eager for a Mark—even though every kid here has had dreams about one, she in particular is far more overambitious and energetic regarding it—Daveson being this early was a hint.
We had decided to meet if his 'habit' kept worsening, and that we did, but it was supposed to be in the Hall, though meeting earlier might have prevented a disaster
With all this noise, I can't concentrate, but the negativity I am absorbing through necrostick passively just increasd by a lot.
I'll need to make contact to placate him, and place his mouth in a solid seal, this time the entire jaw-
But it all came to nothing in the next moment. Daveson mouth stretched, like a cloth pulled from both sides vertically, a ridiculous expression that surely would've been amusing if not for how fast the motion passed, in the blink of an eye, the lips parted, saliva drops mixed with blood or flesh chunks rained too small to notice, but what's concerning here is not his self injury but the self itself.
"I SAW IT! I saw! Someone here... someone's gonna Die!"