I sat in the plush chair in front of the vanity within my room. My reflection stared back at me, her eyes, eyes I had always thought a dull brown, now held an edge I found foreign. She was tougher; she was stronger; she had seen things. The girl, no, the woman, staring back at me was something I never imagined I could be, and yet here I was.

I was silent, lost in thought, as Leda carefully brushed my hair back to place in a low bun. I was wearing a plain white tunic over thin white pants that flowed around my legs. A finer edge of muscle could be seen under the lightweight fabric, a mark of my training. Thanks to the instruction from Ulric, I had cultivated my strength and stamina into a true swordfighter.

Growing up, I always pictured my future to be in a small, cozy home painting by the window with cats curled around my feet. I would bake cookies and treats on the weekends, and I would curl up and watch my favorite movies every night. It was the dream of another life, another girl. Since coming to Erivale, that reality had soon left me, and instead, I have a new future, a future I have to fight for.

All of the planning Soren, Ulric, Gerard, and I had completed over the past month was beginning today. It was being put in motion right now as I sat in my chair being prepped by Leda. Today was my Ceremony of the Gods.

It was late evening, and stars were just barely beginning to peek through the dusty blue sky. The aurora would be shining soon along with the moon. Tonight, was the spring equinox. Similar to the Winter Solstice Festival, the streets would be decorated for spring, and the citizens would be frolicking among them enjoying their time. This year the Spring Equinox Festival would last two days. The first, the night of the full moon and equinox, as every seasonal shift was always marked by a full moon. Tomorrow would be more festivities to celebrate the coronation of the new queen – me.

"Are you nervous?" Leda's voice filtered through my mind as if I was underwater. It felt so distant and garbled amongst my thoughts.

"Yes," I breathed out. "I should be fine, but this is the start of the beginning. Everything will change, again, after this, and I don't know if I'm ready for it."

Leda's comforting hands gripped my shoulders, and she stared at me through the mirror. "You are more than ready. You, my friend, will make a great queen."

I closed my eyes as a small smile curled my lips. I reached up to grab Leda's hand and gave it a squeeze in which she returned. So far, Leda was the only one of those who I cared about that was not aware of the plan, but I hoped to change that soon. I wanted her to escape with us, to feel pure freedom again.

Soren's arrival being announced disturbed the moment, and we gave each other's hands another gentle squeeze of encouragement and appreciation before I walked to Soren's side.

"Good evening, Amberleigh. How are you feeling?" Soren asked.

"A little nervous."

"It will be okay; the priests will stand vigil over you to make sure that nothing happens. This here is Halvor; he will help prepare you for the ceremony."

The older man gave me a low bow. "It will be my honor, your majesty."

It was silent as we walked through the palace and towards the large room, protectively housing the Tree of Souls. As the doors loomed ahead of us, I felt a small amount of confusion as we walked right passed the large doors. Instead, we went into a much smaller room that only had two satin pillows on the floor and a variety of glowing candles sitting on the floor in the corners of the room.

"This is where I leave you, Amberleigh. I wish you luck and that your eyes will be opened and your powers unleashed. You are strong enough to handle this."

"Thank you, Soren."

"Your majesty, please take a seat." Halvor sat on one of the pillows and gestured to the one across from him.

I gave Soren one last goodbye before he closed the doors, leaving me in the dim candlelight. Easing onto the pillow across from Halvor, I looked at him expectantly.

"I will explain to you the process of events for the ceremony and what is to happen, although I cannot tell you what you will see, that is up to the gods."

Halvor cleared his throat before launching into a long explanation of how I will kneel in front of the tree, and the second I touch it, my soul will be pulled to the astral plains where all the souls of the tree reside. Time will move differently within the astral plane, but for everyone else, the ceremony will likely take until early morning tomorrow. The many priests will all stand vigil to protect me for once I enter, I cannot be disturbed or risk my soul being lost in the astral plane forever—something I was not informed of before this.

Halvor finished our preparation by marking my forehead with some type of white paint. A three-pronged symbol now sat between my brows. Halvor also added more paint lines extending from my hands and up my arms, over my shoulders, up to my neck, and down my spine. The paint left a faint tingle across my skin, a tingle of magic.

By the time he was finished with the markings, goosebumps have risen on my chilled flesh, and I quickly pulled my shirt back over my head.

Satisfied with my appearance, he led me into the room housing the tree. It was much darker than the last time I was here, as most of the light typically came from sunlight through the domed glass ceiling. Even so, there was still enough light to see; most of it was coming from the tree itself. Occasionally silvery lines could be seen traveling up the trunk of the tree, and the leaves all twinkled as if they held their own galaxies.

"The tree only glows like this on a full moon; it is when the tree has the most power," Halvor explained. "Come sit here." He directed me across the small path that led to the base of the tree. I kneeled down on the rough stone ground and felt the way the rock dug into my knees. I wondered how long I would be able to sit like this. Probably not longer than half an hour or so, definitely not all night.

"Now, what do I do?"

"Simply place your hands on the tree, and it will begin."

Taking a deep breath to steel my courage, I raised my hands up, the white paint looking shockingly bright against my skin. Once again, the tree began to pull against me as if there was a magnet inside. At this proximity, my hands began to move forward without a single thought, and I watched feeling removed from myself as they flattened against the tree.

The second they made contact magic crackled against my skin, stronger than I had ever felt it before. So intense it didn't just tingle or tickle, it burned. The burning feeling moved up the white paint lines and around my body before it blazed on my forehead. I had a faint moment to realize that the paint was now glowing the same silver as the tree before I felt myself fall unconscious.

When I came to, I found myself in a completely different location than before. I was no longer in the throne room. Actually, I wasn't even inside anymore. The only familiar thing was the tree that was stood like a sentinel before me.

I carefully turned around and took in my foreign surroundings. It was nighttime wherever I was. The moon was bright and seemed impossibly large in the sky. So large that I could see the nearly invisible rings that circled it.

I was standing in a field of long grass and wildflowers that tickled the back of my calves and nearly reached my knees. Around me was a ring of trees, keeping me within a meadow shaped in a perfect circle. Glowing butterflies and light bugs flitted around the sky in lazy circles.

The only indication that this was not a typical meadow was the various stone chairs in a semicircle in front of the tree. There were eight stone chairs in total.

I turned around once more because even though there were chairs, there was no sign of anyone else. "Hello?" I called out into the empty air. I wasn't expecting a response but jumped in surprise when I heard a reply.

"Hello, Amberleigh." A soft voice said, and I whirled around. A female Elf stood before me; she didn't look much older than myself. In fact, she looked a lot like me. Her brownish blonde hair was long and waved gently in the breeze to her waist. A thin gold band was around her forehead and temples. She wore a long-sleeved, loose dress with leather ties lacing the sides together. The stitching was much cruder than the finery that was created in the palace today, giving me the impression that she was somewhat older.

"Uh, hi, who are you?" I tentatively asked.

She gave me a gentle smile, "I am Ragni, I am your grandmother from many, many years ago. Long before the Elven monarchy grew corrupt. I have been keeping my eye on your child; I see a great thing." She took my hand in hers and began to walk towards the stone chairs. "I am only here to greet you; there are others who have more important conversations for you. Come."

All that could be heard was the gentle swishing of the grasses against our legs as we walked and the occasional buzz of the light bugs. Ragni stopped so that we were standing directly in the middle of the semi-circle of chairs. "Good luck, my child." Her voice whispered through the air, and I turned to speak to her but realized she was gone. I turned in a small circle, unsure of where she had gone, but my movements were halted by a new voice.

This one was eerily familiar. "Amberleigh, I'm glad to meet you finally."

Standing at the center chair was Inir. I quickly recognized her from the last visual memory I had of her and Sluke. She stood before me dressed in the same white robe and with the laurel wreath wrapped around her head.

"You're Inir."

"Yes, I am." She clasped her hands in front of her and began walking towards me. I could feel the pure power radiation off of her, and it was just the magic, it was the way she walked with a purpose, she was pure confidence. "I have been watching you since before you were born. You have a crucial role to play in the future of Erivale."

"What do you mean?"

"Long before your parents ever made the decision, fate would have it that you would be involved one way or another. My sister Khozotl and I have been keeping an eye on the events unfolding and particularly the events surrounding you."

"So, you're saying that I have always been destined to fight against my family?"

"Destined yes, but not to fight against your family. The only sure fact of fate was that you would be involved, exactly how and the path you would take would be up to you. I will admit we had a stronger hand in your life than most. I'm sure you received our messages well?"

"Messages?"

"Yes, the visions?"

"Were you the one sending the Great War and the sacrifice ceremony, and the first Unified Nations meeting?"

"Yes, that was us. We wanted you to know the whole truth before being forced to make your decision of which side to choose. We also needed you to find your way back here, so we called for you."

Suddenly so many moments of my childhood made sense: the longing, the urge to go to Erivale. It was because I was being called to it.

Inir moved closer and put a featherlight hand against my cheek. "Tell me, Amberleigh, what do you want to happen?"

"I want the corruption to end, for there to be no more injustices against the citizens. I want everyone to have equality and a voice." I felt the words spill out of me, and I could hardly stop them.

Inir smiled. "Good, very good. Your heart is pure." She reached out and placed a hand over my heart. I felt a zing of energy over my skin and through the muscle.

"Inir, please do not keep the new queen all to yourself," a new voice said.

Inir turned away from me, and I could now see that all of the stone chairs were now filled with the rest of the gods.

"I am merely introducing her to what is to come, patience Xelios," Inir spoke to a man with silvery grey hair that hung to his chin. Even though his hair was a color typically signifying older age, he still looked healthy and his face had no wrinkles to speak of.

"Amberleigh, I introduce to you the rest of the pantheon and my siblings." She gestured to the crowd before me, who all nodded their heads in greeting. Inir walked back to her own chair and took a seat.

"We welcome you, new queen, to meet the souls of the gods and to hear our message. We will unlock your eyes, your mind, and your magic," Inir began.

"As you know, trouble is brewing. The Elves have grown greedy and overconfident, and we can no longer stand for it. These actions are not why Erivale was created, and it does not honor our mother's sacrifice. Many of the previous rulers of Ithica and the Elven populations have expressed their outrage to us. Their souls grieve for the loss of what they once stood for. We call upon you to right what has been wronged." A woman in a dark black robe spoke. Her hair was black as well and fell in loose waves to her hips. I recognized her as Khozotl.

"We have sent you many messages to help you on your journey, but now we will help you by opening up your gifts. Every creature has a unique type of magic that is needed for their lifetime. For you, your magic helps feed your mind to see what is right and wrong and allows you to travel quickly and efficiently," a man spoke. His dark brown hair was cropped close to his head, and instead of a traditional robe, he only wore a light blue fabric tied around his waist like a skirt. I recognized him from my studies as Nilo.

"How am I supposed to fight this? I've never fought anything before?" I asked.

"We cannot answer that, but your path is already beginning, and we see great hope for your choice to join the rebel cause. The fates of those involved are strong and have been blessed accordingly," Inir said.

"You have the tools and skills needed to accomplish your goals, I have seen them," Khozotl began. "It is up to you to trust in your own power and ability."

Etia now spoke: "We have seen your kindness and hope. That is something that this land sorely needs. We know you are pure of intention. Follow your heart, and you will succeed."

"You cannot stay here forever; we must unlock your powers so that you may return to your body and to the tasks at hand." Inir reached out to Khozotl and Nilo on either side of her. They all joined hands and closed their eyes. At first, nothing happened, but then Inir's eyes opened, and instead of her green irises, her eyes were completely filled with silver light.

Each god and goddess raised their arms, still linked at the hands, to point towards me. More silver glowing energy filed the space around their conjoined hands. The air felt staticky as if lightning had just struck, and my skin crackled more and more with energy as the light around their hands grew. Suddenly beams of silvery light shot towards me and filled my body.

It burned more than when I had touched the tree, much, much more. It felt like every cell in my body was being blasted with magic to the point of it burning. And I felt myself scream in pain. It was unbearable, and I didn't know how much longer I could take it when it suddenly stopped. Smoke rose from my skin, and I felt feverish. I also felt more weightless.

I could feel the magic flowing through my veins, unlike ever before. It was so much I could practically feel it dripping off of my fingers. It was like a wall in my head had been released, and suddenly, all of the magical feats I once thought too difficult felt like the easiest things in the world. My energy, stamina, speed, strength was increased. My danger awareness was no longer focused on danger, I could even sense the way the gods looked at me and shifted in their seats. The thought of portals even felt easy now, like I could just snap my fingers and they would appear.

"Before we part, my sister Vihtia would also like to give you a gift," Inir spoke.

Vihtia was the goddess of the hunt and battle strategy. Tonight, she sat with her hair pulled back in a tight ponytail and with a bow across her chest and a sword strapped to her hip. "My dear Amberleigh, I provide you with this sword. A weapon designed for you and blessed by me. It is inscribed with magic to provide you courage in battle. I will be looking over you anytime you wield it. But beware, I cannot prevent your death."

"Yes, I understand. Thank you." My voice came out with a scratch and feeling dry from screaming earlier.

Vihtia stood from her seat and walked towards me. Holding her hands out in front of herself, a sword suddenly appeared in them.

The longsword's blade was a soft silver color with a grained pattern running the length of the metal. The hilt was wrapped tightly in brown leather and had a bronze colored metal guard and pommel. Two symbols were pressed into the pommel of the blade, the first was a round design with various spokes in equidistant position and the second was a simple straight line with lines attached moving downward and moving out and away.

Catching my eyes on the pommel, Vihtia spoke. "These symbols," she began. "Are my blessings, they will provide you with protection and success in battle."

I bowed my head to her and thanked her for the gift. The idea of finally having a real sword made me quite nervous. Ulric and I had yet to practice with the real, sharpened blades, and there were no doubts in my mind that the blade presented before me would easily cause death. Even so, I felt a small string of excitement worm its way through me. All of my training would be paying off in the culmination of my first real sword. Ulric always said a warrior's first weapon would be the graduation from a trainee into a true warrior.

I reached out to accept the sword from Vihtia, but it disappeared as she closed her hands into fists. A small smile formed on her face. "You cannot take objects from the astral plane back with you, dear child. But I have placed the sword in the palace to be found by you, and only you. You will see it in due time."

"Now, it is time for you to return. Remember our wishes and desires, return peace back to the lands," Inir spoke.

"Come with me." Ragni's voice said, surprising me. She was suddenly standing next to me again, her hand held out, asking for mine.

Placing my hand in hers, I glanced back to the gods and goddesses who watched me. Inir gave me a small smile as if encouraging me to continue. Ragni walked me back to the base of the tree and moved my hand to press against the bark.

Just as I made contact with the tree, I heard Inir's voice whisper. "We will always be watching, young Amberleigh."

Author's Note

Hello, ya'll. I want to thank you for how patient you have been for this update. Life has been really crazy and I'm hoping everything will finally settle down enough for me to be able to get back into writing. I'm just lucky I'm a few chapters ahead in my rough draft.

I went from traveling for my spring break with my best friend to suddenly my University closing down, my graduation canceled, losing my job for after graduation, and just moving home. I actually only got home a few days ago. It's been a long process to pack up my entire apartment and then drive it all over 1800 miles to unpack it back at my childhood home. It was a pretty crazy and stressful time to try to get back before my state went on lockdown, but we made it. I'm so thankful that I was able to get home so that I could be with my family during everything that is going on and not be stranded completely alone so far away from them.

In any case, I hope this chapter uploads with the rough edits I made. Wattpad was being a little glitchy when I was uploading these new chapters and trying to edit them.