NETYISHA'S POINT OF VIEW.
It is an especially busy morning for me.
I monitor the Low ranked Reverreds as they go about setting up tubs with which we'll carry out Immersing the applicants with.
Gallons of Blue Stream Water are heaved into the hall , and general decors are installed on the walls.
I yawn in boredom;
-Most Rev Yulia entrusted me with the task of ensuring smooth running of the arrangements for the Immersion-
I hug myself, while simultaneously rubbing at my forearms.
I frown as I notice something amiss;
"Those two tubs are too close to each other... adjust the positioning" I instruct, and two Low rank Reverreds quickly scramble according to my directives.
Someone taps my shoulder, and I turn to see;
-Rev Waer-
"You're here early..." she remarks yawning.
I shrug; "I AM in charge of the students..."
She regards me quizically;
"You just know exactly how to make someone feel guilty..." She grumbles in an undertone,
-That's right, she's also in charge of the students-
I chuckle;
-I inadvertently made her remorse over not coming earlier-
Soon the preparations are rounded up.
Subsequently, the hall becomes crowded up with Mages and Reverreds, as well as the Applicants in question.
-Presently, we await the arrival of the Head Upper Mage and the Most Reverred Hostess-
The hall-scape is a subtle bustle of activities and converse however as the Head Upper Mage's arrival is announced, things get quieter.
We all bow in response to his arrival.
A few minutes afterwards and Most Rev Yulia finally arrives.
Even more silence falls on the hall as they take their stance on the podium.
Most Rev Yulia clears her throat dramatically;
"Today is a very important day, it is the day we officially welcome our new students into the System" she pauses as her eyes span across the New students who stand in a section of the hall;
"You lot of students are the first with which we're joining both Reverred and Mage curricular schemes...", Most Rev Yulia turns to the Head Mage who nods in concurrence;
"Indeed...we have mighty expectations of you all, and we demonstrate this hope in you by aiding you manifest your abilities today"
Whispers are passed around as the students undertone questions.
"Would Reverred Lotta come up and explain more about Immersion?" Most Rev Yulia gestures at Rev Lotta.
-Rev Lotta, is above me being a rank 1 Reverred, I don't know so much about the four Rank 1 Reverreds but I do know that she's strong enough to have been considered for the position of Reverred Hostess-
She bows deferentially as she steps up to the podium;
"Immersion is a heritage that has been maintained right from the inception of the System, also, the Blue Stream Water has been upheld as a symbol which drastically progresses the degree of Essence flow in an individual's body and therefore remains the major catalyst of Ability Manifestation, summarily, we will be dipping you into Blue Stream water and carrying out activities upon you in order to enable you-"
-Come to think of it, this explanation DOES sound like a load of bullshit, how did I, for six years of being a Reverred, actually believe that people only get abilities from the system?-
I unconsciously search for Mr Hood.
As usual, he is standing at a corner of the hall;
-If he's lying to me too, then perhaps nobody involved with the System can be trusted-
I feel a light tug at my sleeve;
"Rev Netyisha...are you okay?" Misty looks up at me expressionlessly.
My lips press together tightly;
-Why is she always on my case of being okay?-;
"I'm fine Misty...why do you ask?"
She shrugs; "I was just detecting some really bad aura around you" she whispers before walking away.
Rev Waer crosses her arms, her eyes narrowed;
"You and Rev Host. Misty are basically sisters huh?" she rumbles.
Before I'm able to respond, someone close by lets out a derisive laugh.
"Maybe you wouldn't be so proud of her acquaintance if you knew where she comes from, and what she had to do in order to gain the position she's in"
-Sticking her nose into business absolutely not concerning her; CLASSIC Mayter-
"Mayter, you want to start spreading bad rumours about the Reverred Hostess don't you? Just don't forget she holds the power to expel you..." Waer snaps.
Mayter chuckles; "This time, I'm not talking rumours...why don't you ask her best friend over there" she wags her finger at me.
I sigh heavily;
-Mayter always spews out drivel, her envy for me, makes her baloney even more ridiculous-
"Yeah, ask me" I say good-naturedly as I wink at Waer.
HOWEVER;
-An inquisitiveness concerning Mayter's words douses my consciousness-
There must be truth, no matter how miniscule, within her brazen words.
I turn and see Misty discourse with other Reverreds.
-I evaluate her peculiar height and skin colour-
Truly, I don't know so much about Misty no matter how intimate we seem to be;
-But I always see her as a kid, so having a profound conversation with her has not been something I've considered until now-
She smiles slightly at someone's comment;
-Most Rev Yulia did say she had grown in a bad environment-
"You don't actually know anything about Rev Host Misty do you?" Waer murmurs into my ear.
I let out a deep sigh;
"No...I don't"
NETYISHA'S POV END.
RAVE'S POINT OF VIEW.
I jerk upright.
-I AM ACTUALLY ALIVE-
I look around me;
-I am on a bed in a completely empty room-
Also;
-I have been completely stripped down-
I jump up from the bed;
-What the hell am I doing relaxed and NAKED... for that matter-
Presently, a woman dressed like a nurse walks in.
She gasps as she sees me and instantly runs out.
I grab up the blankets from the bed and drape it round my body-
I sigh heavily as I proceed to walk out;
However, just as I'm about to leave, an agonising throb slams into my left eye.
I grasp my eye groaning.
I see a window beside the bed and step up to it.
I look into the window viewing my reflection.
A gasp escapes my mouth as I notice something;
-My left eye is now a different colour, a horrific shade of crimson red-
Suddenly, recollections of my encounter with the woman fixated on my body, rush in.
-Is this what she meant by 'contract'?-
The eye feels so foreign, I probe at the eyeball and wince in pain.
"You're so lucky, another hour and you might have missed the Immersion"
I turn to see the Hooded One.
I immediately cover my flawed eye as he comes towards me;
He chuckles;
"I've already seen it... but right now we have to focus on getting you dressed, immersion is the last stage before you officially become a Mage student"
-Immersion?-
He hurls some clothes at me and I quickly put them on.
He watches me;
"You know Rave, something seems really different about you"
RAVE'S POV END.
THE HOODED ONE'S POINT OF VIEW.
-Something is awfully off about this new Rave-
I watch as he rips a strip of his clothes and wraps it round the left eye he is so jealously securing.
We barely arrive in time before the IMMERSION procedure begins.
As he steps into the hall;
-I perceive an emptiness about him-
THE HOODED ONE'S POV END.
CAMADA'S POINT OF VIEW.
I watch Taki sick with uneasiness.
She fidgets and her eyes scarcely leave the entrance.
-Will Rave not make it after all?-
"Camada...at this rate he won't make it for the Immersion" she mutters right as they summon us forward.
I pat her back reassuringly.
"A late arrival huh?" I hear someone remark.
We simultaneously turn to the entrance to see Rave trudge in with steady, quick strides.
Taki lets out a huge sigh of relief.
We are made to sit in the tubs prepared for us, and they douse Blue Stream water on us.
I am growing apprehensive with each douse;
-I hope this isn't some surprise Screening that will drown me, especially since I have no experience swimming-
Soon the water reaches my head level.
I watch as Reverreds and Mages gather around us.
-What did they say about us being their first set of working together?; When they're acting so much in sync?-
They join hands together and start humming.
-This all feels so eerie-
Water is continuously poured;
-It's gradually Immersing me entirely-
I begin to panic subtly as I struggle to keep my head above the water.
Then suddenly and to my utmost distress;
-The Reverred dousing me with water dips my head into the water rather viciously-
It becomes dark, and I only hear the occurrences around me in muffled form.
I struggle to breath as I gasp and gurgle.
-Her hand firmly keeps my head in place inside the water-
The humming becomes a crescendo.
I find myself gradually losing consciousness as my awareness fades away.
-THEN-
A bright light bursts from within me with a sharp, cozy beam of heat.
-For some reason, I feel energized-
I try to get some breath, but the Reverred grips me down into the water.
-Am I supposed to stay in the water waiting for directive, or...-
I begin to fade out again.
-At this rate, I'm obviously going to die-
I forcefully push through the Reverred holding me down, and I emerge from the water gasping and wheezing.
I look around to see other people power-housing through their Immersers and emerging also.
-Steady applause-
"Welcome, new Reverreds and Mages"
CAMADA'S POV END.