"I refuse to participate in this godforsaken ritual that the continents have created!" Avelon yelled towards the lake that sat idly in front of her. The lake remained unmoving, silent, as if stunned by her proclamation. The water sprites continued their dancing faraway from where she was seated.

"Avalon, you can't just not go through with it. Who knows what your mother and father would do, the whole of Vexar will shun you. You know what they call fae that refuse to follow through with the Awakening - what they do to them." Avelon glanced sideways towards Fallon, worry swirling in her best friends pale eyes.

Avelon studied her friend and watched her black hair blow wildly in the wind- was it her wind affinity or normal wind? She wondered absentmindedly as she steered her eyes back to the lake and anxiously nipped at the inside of her cheek.

For thousands of years the fae of Vexar have been forced to partake in a ritual known as the awakening, where all fae at the age of eighteen were obligated to fight to the death in order to 'awaken' their dormant affinities and also claim immortality. Avelon slowly got up from lounging on the grass and blew out a huff of irritation.

"I can't get how all of the continents agreed to this ritual. It's literally a fancy label for murder if you ask me." Crossing her arms, she looked down at Fallon who still seemed contemplative. Eager to convince her to fight, where she was very likely to die herself instead of her challenger. Maybe Brigh, the goddess of spirits, would take pity on her and make it swift.

"Ave, you can't avoid this. You will be stripped from your royal line."

"To hell with all that, I'd rather be a slave than a murderer Fal. Besides, you've already gone through the awakening, and you had it easier than I would have it." Avelon snapped, the words tasting bitter on her tongue.

"Look, I get that you are pissed. I was fortunate enough to have a very clumsy challenger who sorted herself out before I could muster up enough courage to do anything. I still feel bad, but it's a part of our lives. You have no option Ave. You're turning eighteen in two days!" Reminders of Fallon's' awakening ran through Avelon's mind. The crying and last goodbyes minutes before the ritual. The roar of anger that went through the various continents at the easy win when the girl sent from the fire continent, Gaoth, managed to impale herself with her own sword before Fallon could make a move. Lastly, the piercing scream that made it's way through the silent arena seconds after the girls death- her mother, mourning her loss. To that day nobody had even made an effort of remembering the girl who offered up her life to "claim her affinity".

Fallon scanned her friends face, noticing the content in Avelon's emerald eyes. She frowned and looked away, her hair lifting and moving in a manner to cover her face.

Avelon had made her decision. She would not go through with it. She would not subject herself to the cruel mannerisms that the continents' Ladies and Lords had decided was the only way to have their affinities awakened. If it meant that she would not live a long and fruitful life with whatever affinity the gods had set in her blood, so be it. A sniffle snapped her attention toward Fallon, she smiled sadly and pulled her friend up into her arms.

"It won't be so bad Fallon. I will still be able see you." Her sniffles deepened as she snuggled her face into Avelon's neck.

"You'll be a slave Ave." She choked and hugged her tightly.

"At least I won't be dead." Avelon gently peeled her away and wiped her hands across Fallon's cheeks to get rid of the tears staining them.

"What if you wish you were?" Fallon's lip trembled as she eyed Avelon carefully.

"What if I don't?" Avelon shrugged and gave her a lopsided grin.

"Stop having answers to everything, woman." Fallon huffed and rolled her eyes before shoving Avelon playfully.

The small gesture had made Avelon's heart ache. She was right, what if after all the resisting she would end up just wishing she had gone through and died during the ritual? She would not be immortal and would not heal as fast. She would not have an affinity guiding her. She would be handled as a slave, a fae-leech as they called them.

Avelon's heartache very quickly grew into dread for what was coming. The possibilities, the repercussions. She silently pondered over the fact that she would have to face her parents, who had already lined up possible challengers for the ritual- chosen at random the day of. Her stomach instantly felt as though it would empty itself at any moment, one way or another.

"I think I better go face the inevitable Fal, before I shit myself." Fallon cackled humourlessly, knowing very well that all of Vexar was about to rain down on Avelon.

***

Helena stood frozen in front of her daughter as she had made her announcement. Avelon could feel the tension radiating from her mother as she processed the fact that she was refusing to participate in the ritual. It was not like her, she presumed. She had not once made any inclination that she would not like to participate or that she found the whole thing nauseating.

"W-where is this coming from Avelon?" Her mother stuttered.

Avelon's mouth had dried out, she was not ready for the conversation. She would never be ready for it. Aside from her mother, her father was more likely to kill her than her challenger the moment he found out.

"It's glorified murder mom." Simple, short, and more than what she could muster.

Her too big room now seemed too small, suffocating almost. She darted her eyes around her room refusing to look at her mother as she stiffly sat on her bed with her mother hovering over her.

Her gaze darted from her beige window drapes to her walk-in closet with too fancy clothes and finally they found her fluffy light blue carpet which did not match her beige room at all. With a deep breath Avelon dragged her eyes towards her mother, iciness meeting her.

"I do not care Avelon, you will not disgrace this family with your stupid conscience!" Her mother spat, pointing directly at her face. So close that she had almost touched Avelon's nose.

Avelon's own fury threatened to spill as she took in her mother's words. How could she accept this fate, killing an innocent? By claiming your own immortality, you would lose your own soul in the process. Or at least that was how Avelon had seen it. Before Avelon could match her mother's fury by spilling hurtful words, Helena grabbed her daughter by her pointy ear and dragged her towards the mirror cabinet, adorned with a ceiling high mirror, that stood on the farthest edge of her room. How dare she treat Avelon like a child? Avelon's face heated, both embarrassment and anger flushing her cheeks.

"Look at yourself Avelon, look at how well kept you are. This will all vanish with your idiotic plan." Helena proceeded by grabbing Avelon's face, squeezing her cheeks and shoving it toward the mirror.

And so Avelon did look, she thoroughly inspected her mirror image. Her eyes found ears that were abnormally long for the fae but did not seem too out of place. Her light hair fell in waves past her mid-waist, framing her figure. She looked up and stared back right at herself, meeting her own emerald eyes which looked frightened. Seemingly brighter due to the freckles splattered over her nose and cheeks. Too polished, just as her mother had wanted it.

"I don't care about all of this. I care about the fact that I would be a murderer Mother. You think it's normal that we're all going around murdering people? It's crazy! How can you just be so okay with all of this?" Avelon motioned around her in exasperation.

"You were raised towards this Avelon, we gave you everything we could to make sure you succeed in your ritual. We made sure to see to it that your awakening would be as swift as that silly friend of yours had been." Helena stated with a devilish smile. Had Avelon's mouth not dried before it certainly would have been dryer than a desert now. Her mother had orchestrated a swift challenge so that she could easily attain her affinity, and in the process also orchestrated the swift death of an innocent fae. How could she arrange someone's murder so casually? What she had arranged specifically Avelon did not want to know.

"I. Refuse." Avelon snarled, her elongated canines making themselves known as she curled her upper lip in disgust at her mother.

Helena studied Avelon for what seemed to be long minutes before leaving her room with a mere click of her tongue. Avelon stood dumfounded by her mother's lack of care for her own daughter and of the other fae on the continent. Avelon cursed under her breath, knowing full well that she had approximately a minute before her father would hear the news.

This was truly happening. Was she ready to submit herself to the cruel fate of a fae slave? She wasn't too sure, but there was no turning back. Adrenaline started pumping through Avelon's veins causing her body to tremble. Or was it fear? She knew that what was ahead would be no walk in the garden. She would be punished, hurt...

"Avelon!" The booming voice of her father threatened to crack windows as it reverberated throughout the halls and had Avelon shrinking back slightly. She knew the taste of her father's anger- knew the sting.

Maybe she would make a run for it before he came storming into her room, would she get around the guards situated outside her manor without being noticed? She had no idea, but she had to try.

The realization that she still stood frozen in front of her mirror had her hastily sprinting across the room. The only way would be the window and she knew from peering out of her window what it would be no use, the drop from the second floor would only hurt her. Wouldn't it be worth it? She had thought. The idea had been tempting enough that she had unlatched her window, however she relented. Backing away from the window like a cat caught in a cage she snapped her gaze towards the bed. Should she hide underneath it? Shaking her head, she anxiously swiped a hand across her face. No, she had already been humiliated by her mother from being handled like a child. Hiding like a child would do no better. Sighing, she reluctantly walked over to her bed and took a seat. She would face her father, if only to spare her own dignity. Avelon dared one swift look toward her dresser mirror- she looked as small as she felt. Defeated even.

A hard slam had the door to her room almost bolting off from it's hinges. She cringed at the sound and willed herself to look towards it. Phelan, her father and possibly fury incarnate, stormed into the room with a glare sent straight from hell. Avelon could feel the hate radiating off him. One could easily have misidentified the blazing of his eyes as those from a Lord of fire, had her father not been gifted with a water affinity. Utterly ironic.

"How dare you refuse the ritual?" Phelan screamed, the veins in his neck almost popping out. He had stopped in between the doorway and where she was seated. Avelon raised her brows in surprise at her father's outburst, more so that he was not proceeding further into her room. She had expected the outburst, however his reluctance had her reeling.

"It's my life, I-"

"It's our bloodline Avelon." He cut her off, tightening his fists into solid balls.

"Our History! You have no say in the matter. Your mother and I have guided you your entire life to get you here and to have you succeed." Bile rose in Avelon's throat.

"You planned a flawless murder so that I would succeed." No surprise was evident in her father's eyes, confirming exactly what her mother had said before.

"You will not refuse this ritual." He stated simply, pointing threateningly toward her.

What was with her parents pointing at her? Her eyes narrowed on their own accord- she knew she seemed braver than she felt in that moment.

Rising from the bed to stand a rush of warmth and cold spread through her body simultaneously as her anger rose. Before she could overthink it, she strode to stand right in front of her father.

"You will not force me." She challenged whilst meeting her father's eyes.

"You cannot and will not make me go through with this ritual. I do not care what it does to your image or our murdering fucking bloodline. I care about myself, my soul. My future." Avelon uttered, surprisingly calm, not daring to back down from his smouldering gaze. A swift movement had her cheek stinging. She prepared for it and did not so much as flinch at the contact her father's hand had made.

"You will have no future after this." Her father spat, flecks of spit landing directly on her face. A hard swallow was all she could muster to prevent her from spewing right onto her father's face.

"I will make my own future." Avelon smiled slowly and made to turn her back on her father.

Quicker than she had cared to dodge, her father had grabbed her by her arm and pulled her back to face him. She was sure the action would leave a hefty bruise. Something to match the mark on her cheek.

"I will see to it that you have no future after this." Phelan's voice was void of any emotion as he shoved Avelon. Falling backward to land flat on her ass she watched her father strut towards the door- mimicking a horse who had just finished a perfect leap. Her mother was only slightly visible from her eavesdropping behind the doorframe. No emotions had laced her face either.

What the actual fuck, was the only thing that Avelon could think of as she continued staring as they turned their backs on her and left her behind.