He was 10 years old that fateful day, but even children know when they were being humiliated.

The scene was forever fixated in his memories, as easily dredged from his mind as one would recall an earlier meal. His parents’ faces were slightly averted and not looking at him even as the stalwart family guards stood at attention. The cold winter wind gusting through his house’s front doors, left open when the Glacies’ entourage entered without so much ceremony. All eyes were fixated on the girl standing in front of the favored family of the House Ignis.

He remembered the resolute girl standing in front of him, reading from her open scroll. Her light-blonde hair had been tied in an elegant knot but was blown askew by the wind. The icy blue eyes that marked her as a Glacies were unfazed in the situation that distressed both her Familia and his House.

“I am here to declare,” the girl said unflinchingly, “An annulment of my arranged marriage with Rao of House Ignis.”

Her attendees were there, but her parents were not. No doubt they had forced their young protegee deliver the message by herself if she was going to be stubborn. A blow to both the Glacies Familia’s pride and House Ignis’ honor, all because of her. No, because of him. Because he was Giftless.

“On the basis of his being Giftless and inability to contribute to mankind,” she continued, “and a man unfit to be worthy of my hand in marriage.”

His parents did not keep eye contact with him, as they had known for a while now. He had heard them discussing his inability to even feel fire. His father had been resolute in waiting. His mother had wondered if she was the cause. He had felt nothing but daily despair even as he prayed to the Gods and yet his Gift never manifested.

“That is all. I will take my leave now.” Rolling up her scroll and handing it over to an attendant, she made a stiff curtsy to his father and mother, then spun on her heel and left. The chill wind that blew into the quiet room made the silence sound like a low moan.

His mother’s face was ashen and his father’s face was hidden behind a hand. The closest guards tried to not show their eyes full of pity straying at him. Looking back at that moment when he was older allowed him to understand their gazes all the more.

But even as a younger boy he had been grateful that it was a private audience. If this shaming had been public within the House it may have crippled his determination to continue living.

---

 

On the outskirts of the Ignis Domain.

Rao woke up. He was in his room, staring up at the wooden ceiling of the cabin he shared with his mother. He closed his eyes and laid his arm over his eyes, wiping away the tears.

The birds were chirping and he could feel the light of the sun shining brilliantly through his window. A peaceful day by all counts. But he did not feel at peace.

That dream again.

Shifting to his side, he gazed around his room. Judging by the angle of the sun, he guessed that it was nearing noon. Mother would be…

“RAO?”

Well, that’s Mother.

“Rao, how much longer are you going to sleep? I know yesterday was your birthday and all, but today is not!”

He rubbed his eyes and stretched, then rolled over and planted his feet on the ground, glancing hastily around for clothes to throw on.

“Coming, Mother!”

After getting dressed, Rao left his room and walked towards the kitchen, pausing at the entranceway and sniffing hungrily. The sun’s rays shone through a window and framed the willowy figure of the woman chopping vegetables at the cutting board. Every bit of her was the image of efficiency. Her black hair was tied up in a tight bun so as to not get in her vision, and the short sleeves she wore allowed her maximum freedom of movement.

“Did you sleep well?” Lidian Ignis asked, plopping vegetables into the pot as Rao walked into the kitchen. Rao smelled the faint aroma of broth brewing, and his mouth watered. He attempted to pull out a chair, but his mother snapped her fingers.

“Don’t you dare sit down for lunch yet. I let you sleep through the morning, but that doesn’t mean your chores are done.” She hadn’t turned around, but Rao was greeted by a menacing ball of flame hovering around his head.

“Ah. Right. Wood, right?”

“Yes, you lazy bum. Flames need food just like we do. Go work on splitting the wood and I’ll pack food for you to bring on your journey to the city. Come back in an hour, and with a good bundle of wood. You might be gone for several days.”

“Sure. Can you move the flame now?”

The ball of flame made a quick swoop around Rao’s head, then popped and disappeared.

“Don’t slack off,” his mother warned, “or I’ll accidentally burn your portion.”

“I won’t, I won’t,” Rao grumbled. He had no intention of going to the Rite with an unfulfilled stomach.

“Oh, and the clothes are still drying, but it’s been a warm morning. When you’re done with the wood, wash your hands, and then pick up the clothes from the clotheslines and bring them all in.”

“Got it, got it,” Rao rolled his eyes. “Clean hands,” his mother warned. Rao murmured in response and picked up the hatchet as he exited the cabin.

---

 

Outside their cabin.

THWACK!

The wood split into two clean halves and Rao grunted with the exertion. He had been splitting the wood for a long time now and the grain of the hatchet’s wooden handle was beginning to wear away at his hands. Every single muscle of his shoulder and back complained silently in the only way muscles could, and the sweat dripped in a ticklish manner from his brow.

 

Leaning backwards in a vain attempt to shift the pressure building up in his spine, Rao wiped his brow and looked at the skies. He had moved the chopping block beneath a tree’s shade but the sun’s relentless rays had heated everything regardless, and Rao could only be grateful that he wouldn’t get sunburnt.

It was times like this that Rao wished even more fervently that he had been born with even a bit of the Gift, for he knew that Ignis’ Gift gave one a body that took well to the heat. It was midday and all he could think about was how hot it was even as he split the wood into pieces.

But with a sigh, he leaned forward and grabbed the hatchet’s handle. He wasn’t done yet.

THWACK!

Letting the hatchet bury into the chopping block, Rao leaned gently against it and counted the amount of wood he had split. Two whole bundles. That should be enough for several days. Or so he hoped.

Hefting both bundles in his arms, he carried them to be stored. Stretching his back, Rao then went to the well to pull water for cleaning his hands.

Wiping his hands dry on his pants, he assessed the clothesline. The clothes had dried rapidly in the heat in the wrinkled sort of way. Carefully unclasping them from the clothesline, Rao shook them out and tried to fold them as best as he could until all of the clothes were removed.

Carrying the stack of folded clothes, he glanced back at the wood he had chopped, then noticed the hatchet still buried into the chopping block. For a moment he thought about bringing it in, but then there shouldn’t be any rain to make it rust. Giving himself a shrug, he continue into the house, bringing the clothes with him.

---

 

Back to the cabin.

“A loaf of bread and some dried fruit for the trip. As for the city itself, you’ll be able to find food. I know you saved up some coins for today, but here’s some more.”

They had finished lunch, and Rao was double checking what he was packing for the journey to Ignis City. He looked at the pouch of money that his mother offered him, but before he could say anything, she continued.

“It’s money your father left money for you. We talked about it after the Glacies princess came to visit.”

She grabbed his hand and deposited the pouch into it. The oiled pouch jingled softly and Rao slowly wrapped his fingers around the weight.

“This isn’t all of it of course, but it’s something he saved. We knew that the only way for you to unlock your Gift was through a Rite.”

Rao felt he should say something, but his voice caught in his throat. Nothing escaped his mother’s eyes and she deftly grabbed him by the chin, forcing him to look into her eyes. Her black eyes stared into his, and he couldn’t help but see how sharp her eyes were despite her age. Guiltily, he noticed the wrinkles forming around her face and wanted to look away despite himself and forced himself to continue looking at her even as her eyes softened.

“Don’t be ashamed, Rao. Many Ignis family members had to participate in a Rite in order to secure their Gift.”

Many branch family members. Never a main branch.

“Mother,” he blurted out, then stopped. She looked at him with worried eyes that he didn’t want to meet.

“Have you ever…?”

“Killed someone?” she finished for him. He looked away, then back at her, and nodded.

“No,” she said flatly. “But I’ve come close. I think it’s all the choices the Gods give us. Never forget that it all comes down to choice, Rao.”

She grabbed him close and hugged him tightly. Rao responded in kind, then realized she was shaking.

“It’s not too late to choose otherwise.”

Rao felt a flare of anger, and pulled out of the embrace.

“To choose not to go? What kind of coward…”

“To choose not to kill, Rao. It’s a sanctioned Rite but it doesn’t matter if the end result is that you—”

“And live my life forever humiliated? To watch the yearly envoy come check if I suddenly developed, while begging you to return to the front-lines? I can’t live under your protection forever and I won’t choose to let Grandfather –”

SLAP.

The blow stung. Rao fought the urge to react, his adrenaline surging. His fists clenched tightly, and as the feelings surged, he clenched them even tighter before relaxing them and looking as his mother. But the glistening tear track stung him even more.

“Life is an endless series of choices, Rao. And they are never easy. You are my child and I chose to stay here for you, but if you choose to go through with the Rite then I will accept it. I hope this is the one and only time you need to do this, Rao. For your sake, and mine.”

Rao struggled to meet her glistening eyes as her hands held him at the shoulders.

“I can’t tell you what to expect, my son. Just keep one thing in mind – no matter how we call it, it is an act of killing. If you only need to stray slightly from humanity to obtain your Gift, then so be it.”

It was in that moment that it struck Rao how much older his mother was now. After his father had disappeared when he was 13 years old and their family had lost favor within the Ignis household, she had been his pillar of life. She had given up her position at the front-lines to care for her Giftless son.

And now she was showing signs of aging. The wrinkles formed around her eyes and face, and a few strands of gray hair were showing.

“I need this, Mother. To prove to Grandfather that you weren’t wrong.”

Her eyes softened.

“I’ve seen people become drunk from the Rite. I wish it were a demon they captured, but normally the front-liners don’t give up their prisoners. If it’s another human, Rao, only do it once. This one time. Promise me.”

Looking at her straight in the eyes, he nodded. “I promise, mother.”

Their gaze lingering for a moment, she patted his shoulder and sighed. “Then come home safely.”

“I will, Mother.”

She smiled softly at him. “I can’t wait to see what Gift you develop. Perhaps you’ll take after your father’s Gift — or even mine.”