31 Days of Stories

"Happy Birthday!"

I opened my eyes, blinking away the sleep. Birthday? It couldn't be my birthday. That would mean I have to pick a weapon. I was not ready to have a weapon. I was only twelve! Well thirteen now, but that didn't change the fact that I did not think I was ready. Boy was I right about that, but not in the way I thought.

Ok, you should probably have some background on this. In my city, on your thirteenth birthday, you have to go to the council chambers and receive a weapon. The power of your weapon determines the prestige of your family and the quality of your job. You got to train with it from the time you were thirteen to the time you were eighteen, when you could enter the army for three years of service and then get a job doing something else. I had no idea how you are assigned a weapon. The kids didn't know and the adults weren't allowed to tell.

Back to where I was, waking up on my thirteenth birthday, unaware of what the future held, panicking. Mom was standing over my bed with a smile on her face.

"Good morning Mallory! Happy Birthday," she said. I grimaced. I didn't want it to be my birthday, as I have already stated. Mom's expression shifted to one of concern. "Are you feeling well?"

"I'm fine," I muttered, getting out of bed.

"That look didn't say you were fine, Mal," she returned.

"I promise I'm fine, Mom." I turned and walked to the bathroom. I got ready for the day: brushing my teeth and attempting to do something to my hair. I stood in there for a long moment after I was ready. I steeled myself and went back to my bedroom. Thankfully, Mom had left. I got dressed and contemplated what could happen at the council chambers. Could it be a personality test to determine your weapon? Your scores from the academy? Did you try different weapons to see which one you liked best? Was it possible to not get a weapon? I'd never heard of that happening before, but who knows? Maybe I'll be the odd one out. No, don't think like that. You'll only scare yourself even more. I finished putting my socks on and went to the kitchen, hoping for a quick bite to eat before I was expected at to get to the council chambers.

"Hey Mal! Happy birthday!" I turned to see Eloise, my little sister, already at the table. "What kind of weapon do you think you'll get?"

"Come on El, did you really have to ask that?" I asked. I did not need my little sister asking that. I was already nervous enough without her badgering me thinking it was the coolest in the world.

"Of course I did. Are you scared or something?" she stuffed a biscuit in her mouth as she finished her statement.

Yes, I wanted to say. Yes I'm scared of this whole thing. Why do we have to do this? Instead I just shook my head and hoped my face didn't betray my thoughts. I grabbed a biscuit and put some jam on it before leaving the room and heading outside. As I sat down on the front step, my brother, Marcus, came and sat beside me.

"Are you scared, Mal? You're allowed to be scared. I was," he confessed.

I nodded, blinking back tears. "What if it's not good enough? What if I don't get anything?"

"That's never happened in the centuries that we've done this," he reminded me. "And my little sister is too awesome to not get anything; although, I have a feeling yours will be very unique."

I laughed at that. "Unique? I don't think I could have a unique weapon. Only so many exist after all," I smiled. Boy was I wrong there. Sometime I wonder what went through my mind, but others I knew exactly what I was thinking.

"You're scared of being the first person ever to not get a weapon, but you don't think you could get a unique weapon. I fail to see the logic in that."

"How does it work?" I inquired, needing a subject change, even if it was a forbidden subject.

"Magic," Marcus responded, completely straight faced.

"Tell the truth please," I giggled, no longer scared of the imminent change that would rewrite my life. Ok, I was still scared, but it wasn't on the forefront of my mind.

He lowered his voice. "It really is magic," he whispered in my ear, so quiet that I could barely hear him. I was shocked. Magic? How could there be magic? "I can't say much, but the weapons are somehow enchanted to know what would best suit you."

I was reeling. This was worse than I imagined. A faceless entity deciding my fate for the rest of time? I started freaking out even more. Apparently I didn't do a good job hiding my expression because Marcus put a reassuring hand on my shoulder. At that moment, Mom walked out.

"Are you ready?" She asked. I nodded. "It's time to go, then."

I shot a panicked look at Marcus, who sent a reassuring nod my way.

.____.

We reached the council chamber way sooner than I expected. I guess I did zone out for about half of the trip. We were greeted by Councillor Gilesprey, a shorter woman with graying hair. She was one of the nicest people I'd ever met.

"Hello Mallory Jameson," she said.

"Hello Councillor," I replied, looking around for the weapons of fate.

She saw my eyes darting around and smiled softly. "I assume it's your thirteenth?"

"Yes ma'am," I dipped my head.

She led me nodded and started leading me back to a separate room, where I assumed they kept the weapons. We went in a plain door I wouldn't have otherwise noticed. The room was about ten feet squared with the most beautiful midnight blue curtains all around. Councillor Gilesprey turned and started leave.

"Wait why are you going?" I asked.

"This task is for you and you alone." she replied, turning back to me. That was a comforting thought. She left the room and closed the door.

Almost immediately, something began to shift. "Who's there?" I asked, terrified.

"I am the one you came to receive from, am I not?" a masculine sounding voice responded.

"I don't know who you are, or why I'm here, if I'm being completely honest," I said.

"And if you aren't being honest?" The voice asked with a hint of humor.

"I would probably respond that you are the one I'm here to meet," I said. "But I'm being honest and I'm terrified."

"You are speaking the truth. No one has spoken to me like that in a long time." it said.

"Who are you? Are you magic?"

"In your tongue I would be called El Roi."

I noticed he didn't answer the question about magic. "Elroy?"

He chuckled. "El Roi, The One who sees. What would you like?"

"I don't want to fight."

"Hmm... Let's see about this." A pen case appeared. It was beautiful, a blue case inlaid with gold. Inside was a multitude of pens.

"How is this a weapon?"

"You will have to discover that yourself. Remember, you are never alone." He said, and the room returned to normal. 

Part 2 tomorrow