Although our valley was full of different races and stories, our daily life seemed simple and full of emotion. For us children, these diversities were merely the backdrop for our friendships and dreams. Hitomi and Galaxia stood out among all of this, with their unique energy and dreams.
Something interesting our parents had mentioned was that we, the High Humans and the Half-Elves, are something like kindred races. I don't quite understand, but Hitomi's parents are both tall, with orange-blonde hair and blue eyes, in contrast to their daughter, who is still the same height as me. Galaxia, on the other hand, has parents of normal height, with blue-gray eyes and silver hair with blue tips. She is also my height.
At the ages of three, six, and nine, we undergo the Initiation of the Mystic. Through this, we receive the knowledge required to become complete citizens. Unless you are a Non-Pedis, in which case you connect to a system and draw all information from there.
Despite the bustle of the markets and the trucks leaving full of products, life in the village remained calm and simple. Unfortunately, in the area where I lived, there were no other children, except for the daughters of the Sodakai and Kremous, Hitomi and Galaxia.
They were nearly the same age. Hitomi was full of energy and always teased me, although she was always cute and never truly bothered me. She was always building something, which was logical considering her parents were engineers. Galaxia, on the other hand, was always quiet, always smiling, and always with a different book.
But the day for them arrived, and the Initiation was close. They were both lucky. They had birthdays earlier than me: Hitomi on 6/21—the day of her birthday was also the initiation—and Galaxia on 5/21. They had both turned seven, and it was the period for the High Priestess to give them their names.
Just before the initiation, Hitomi was sitting under a tree, working on a small mechanical bird. She held it in her hand and looked at it with pride. "You, my little friend, will be my first great creation."
I don't know if it was my imagination, but the moment the High Priestess uttered their names, her gaze changed for a moment. It became stern, as if weighing the burden of those names.
When it was Galaxia's turn, she remained silent for a moment, as if seeing something in front of her that the rest of us could not perceive. "Names are power," she finally said, as she gave Galaxia the name. "Some bring with them a responsibility that is not apparent at first." She closed her eyes for a moment, as if something had been confirmed within her. "Your name, my child, is a star that has no limits. A horizon of knowledge without end."
The High Priestess stood silent for a moment, her gaze penetrating. Galaxia looked at the High Priestess with eyes that seemed to reflect the infinite sky. A mixture of awe and concern appeared on her face. For a moment, she seemed to want to say something, but the words did not come out. What had the High Priestess seen?
Hitomi, as always full of energy, laughed carelessly, jumping up and down with excitement. When the High Priestess looked at her, she smiled. "You, Hitomi, the world will remember you not for your machines, but for how you made technology sing. You will become the bridge between technology and soul. A creator not only for machines, but for our hearts."
The High Priestess looked at the two of them for a moment. "You will bring light to this world," she said slowly, "but light does not exist without shadow." Hitomi blinked, but instead of words, she smiled and turned to look at Galaxia with a sparkle in her eyes, saying, "I am so excited."
Galaxia, conversely, remained still, her eyes lowered. For a moment, she seemed like she wanted to ask something, but hesitated. And me… I also felt something strange. Had the High Priestess foreseen something for them?
As I watched Galaxia and Hitomi receive their names, I couldn't help but wonder about my own. If my name brought with it expectations and responsibilities that I couldn't bear. It was something I looked forward to knowing, but at the same time, it scared me.
Hitomi came close to me, with a big smile, and whispered hesitantly: "Aether! Can I confide something in you? Even though I have so much joy, I'm scared too. I don't know if I can do it." She continued, saying, "Isn't it strange? Even though I seem excited, I'm afraid I won't succeed. I want something more than just machines that work. I want to build something that gives hope."
I looked at her and smiled. I placed my hand on her head, stroking her hair, telling her, "It's okay. And it's logical, because you don't know what comes after this. But we will be together in whatever is needed!" She just smiled, became the classic hyperactive Hitomi we know again, and the three of us laughed.
I looked at Galaxia. "Hey, Galaxia, smile. Whatever it is, you are also a part of all this here, of the joy we have and the laughter. Whatever happens, we will all be in this together."
Galaxia smiled faintly, but there was a worry in her eyes. As if she understood that her name was leading her to something greater than herself. She went to rest her head on my shoulder, but like lightning, Hitomi appeared and took her by the hand, telling her, "Let's go for a walk! Come on! Straight to sleep!" Galaxia looked at her: "But I wasn't going to sle—" Hitomi put her finger in front of her mouth, saying, "Shh! Let's go!" They said goodbye to me too, but full of wonder, I thought: "What happened?".
As I watched the girls' initiation, I wondered if my own name would mean something similar. The High Priestess gave names to females, and the Mystic gave names to males, so that day we went to the big celebration, which happens twice a year. The ceremony took place in a lush green meadow with many different flowers! After a few months, my name would be given to me as well, so I had to be patient!
The celebration continued with laughter, music, and dancing. Young and old feasted together, while the aroma of sweets and wine spread in the atmosphere. The sun began to sink on the horizon, painting the sky crimson. Finally, the day came to an end, full of smiles and memories. Aethercrystal knew how to take care of its inhabitants.
When we returned home, the atmosphere was calmer. My father hadn't returned yet, and my mother looked thoughtful. As I lay in my bed, I thought: My parents, and especially my mother, called me Aether, but her expressions were full of worry. I knew it wasn't just a typical celebration for her. Something worried her deeply, and that made my own anticipation even more intense.
The Mystic, however, might have a different opinion about my name… And what if what he gave me was something I wouldn't like? If it was a name that bound me to something greater than myself? A prophet once said that our world would not be lost by a god or a war, but by a man who would take the wrong name.
Did my mother know something more? Was her fear not just about the initiation process, but about something bigger? I closed my eyes and let the thought fade with the night. In the morning, everything would seem clearer… Or at least I hoped so.