Michail entered the large tent. The tent had some machinery at its centre, a beautiful elf was sitting near it. There was also a tall warrior in silver armour placing something red into the machine. He saw through the corner of his eye Tom exiting the tent from the other side. He seemed happy. He should have passed. Michail looked for the ring in his hand but his vision was blocked by another initiate who came in front of him.
"Yo kid, go to that platform over there." he said.
Michail made his way to the two small steps that raised the liquefier on a wooden platform.
"Place your hand in the crystal tube and wait for the reaction, you will feel a small needle pricking your index finger. Hopefully if you have talent, the liquefied carnelian will condense into a ring on your finger, if not don't linger within the tent, and get out as fast as you can. No one here wants to see you cry. You got it? Helena told Michail.
Michail nodded and placed his hand inside the crystal tube. It was cold to the touch. There were several tubes running from the machinery that looked like multiple decanters filled with red wine. But Michail knew this was the magic material carnelian that became the rings for the prospects.
Soon he felt a pinprick on his index finger and the crystal started heating up. It was warm like the embrace of his mother. But even after a while nothing major happened.
"Seems like it is a dud kid. I'm sorry." Helena muttered.
Michail felt empty. He saw a future that was unattainable now. Tears started welling up but never flowed. He steeled his heart and withdrew his hand from the crystal.
Suddenly the carnelian in the tubes began to flow. It covered his hands. Slowly it started to take the shape of a ring on his index finger. As the red carnelian started to solidify, it started emitting a faint green glow, that became more and more intense with every passing second. He saw the elf caretaker sitting near the machine jump up in surprise and saw the other initiates and Helena looking at him like an animal from a zoo, amazement and curiosity filled their eyes.
Once he took the hand out Michail saw the ring. Emerald green with three striations. Suddenly he saw within the ring a woman in green robe bound by black vines to a majestic black tree, with black leaves and a foliage that covered the entire sky. A thick vine pierced her chest and was pulsing slowly. She had evergreen eyes, filled with vicissitudes of life and wisdom. Hair as green as a fresh leaf basked in the morning dew.
"Where am I?" Michail was stumped, he wasn't in the tent.
The lady in green seemed to be muttering, as she urged Michail closer. Michail brought his ear close to the lady.
"Mimameidr faulig, Mimameidr faulig, Mimameidr faulig." she kept on saying the same thing over and over.
"Mimameidr faulig, what does that mean?" he asked. Suddenly all the voice within the area came to a standstill. A silence that brought bone chilling cold with it. The black vines started twining towards Michail. He seemed to be unable to move. One of the vine suddenly gripped his arm wanting to crush it. But suddenly the green robed lady regained clarity in her eyes and shouted,
"No.... I wont let you sully him" She pushed with her hands and an unimaginable force came over Michail. He felt like falling from a dream. He felt as if his entire body being shook when the falling feeling ended.
"Hey, kid are you there. What happened to him Madam Muriel?" Helena was shaking Michails shoulders violently.
"Ugh", Michail came to his senses and found himself within the tent again. Madam Muriel was looking at him intently. "What is you name kid?" she asked.
"Michail Druun, madam caretaker" replied Michail.
"Can I see your ring Michail Druun?"
Michail showed her the ring albeit hesitantly. He feared she will see the vision of the green lady and fall into the trap of the black vines. But what he feared did not come true. Muriel held his hand and looked at the ring. What she saw was four striations, three green and a black one.
"Come with me Michail Druun, and the rest of you hold pause on the assessment. Also do not talk about what happened here to any one lest you want to find yourself a long time in the council dungeon. Agree with me on a truth bond now." Muriels authoritative voice spread within the tent as a string of fiery red glow spread out from her crystal in the necklace to the initiates rings."
"I agree" said Helena. The string that connected with her ring glowed once and got absorbed into it.
"I agree". The other initiates followed.
Muriel walked out with Michail in tow. "Cover your ring for now and don't let others see it and follow me to meet Caretaker Ritchie. Be respectful within his tent and don't stare at his stump where his legs were. He doesn't like that."
Michail could only nod and follow for what was about to come.