The days that followed were fast and the training was tedious, Luna helped as much as she could, probably more than any mentor ever would.
Life in the Moonrealm was wonderful, but for the things that shattered her peace. After training in the Moonrealm for two moons, Luna had not-so-pleasant news for her. Eli was to undergo a test too, a single test.
“He has to fight the UnderLord and defeat him.”
“Who will train him?”
“The UnderLord.”
There was no way the UnderLord would train Eli enough to be able to defeat him.
“He chose him to be his master.”
Belladonna paused. Eli was definitely plotting something.
“Also, the failure of one is the failure of both of you.”
Belladonna blinked, the times and the trails were against them but Eli was no fool. He definitely had something planned.
——-
——-
\[TRIAL DAY\]
The first thing Belladonna saw when she stepped into the hall was a woman on her knees screaming in agony, while three faceless people with the staff in their hands stood around her, the lights that shot out of the staffs connecting together and going around the woman like a rope.
In her torture, she had looked up and her gaze had settled on Belladonna before she finally turned into white ashes and vanished.
“You should have warned us that the Kore’s punishment was happening,” Luna snapped at someone behind her. It was so jolting to hear her anger that Belladonna had been drawn out of the shock of what she had just witnessed. The High Being Luna had snapped at, looked apologetic but she gave him no time to explain himself. She pulled Belladonna’s hand and directed her to a different part of the hall. Belladom cast one last look at the place where the Kore had now totally vanished from with no trace of her ever existing, the three faceless High Beings with their staff seem to cast her a glance. Belladonna looked away feeling deeply unsettled by their attention.
The Fates. Those were the Fates, she just knew it.
Her suspicions were confirmed when it was time for her trial to begin. Two guards had taken her away from Luna’s care and directed her to a small caged pit in the middle of the hall. There were many high beings around her, they were seated according to their realms, with the symbol of their realm hovering over each section of the hall. From where she was seated, Luna gave her an encouraging smile, she was easy to find after all she was the Queen of her realm and therefore, had the first seat.
Ama was easy to find too, she flashed her a smile and Belladonna nodded lightly in acknowledgment but when she saw the UnderLord seated beside Ama, something twisted painfully in her dead heart.
Was her trial the first one, or has Eli been defeated? She was tempted to ask but she had to be patient. She had to trust that Eli knew what he was doing when he chose the UnderLord as his mentor. She had to have faith in him.
Finally, her gaze was upon the ones who would judge her. Three of the Fates as she had suspected. Their symbols were right in front of them on the table, and the Fates were seated in the middle. The High Being Luna had snapped at earlier, the High Being of Magic, was seated at the far right. He seemed to be slightly distracted by the flames that adored the head of the High Being that was seated next to him - Ina, the High Being of the Wings. She didn’t seem pleased to be here at all, this must be a waste of time for her. On the far right was the High Being of the Sea, he looked at her with a rather unimpressed gaze. On his side was the High Being of ghosts, the brightness that surrounded her only reminded Belladonna of how much light she had lost over the three moons.
A drum was struck and the test began.
This only reminded Belladonna of the time she had been chosen Inaymi only that this was different, right now she was dead, afraid of something greater.
How ironic.
The first test was a breeze, she was able to create things out of thin air, creatures that could move around but couldn’t last long because they had no life. She was able to move things with her mind and finally, she was able to vanish and reappear somewhere else within the pit.
The first test was over and it was time to vote for her to go to the next stage.
This council had seven High Beings as Luna had said it would. There was no way she could impress the Fates so she didn’t even try, so had focused on impressing the rest. All she needed was a simple majority. Just four. The only one she was certain she had impressed though was the High Being of Magic which was strange because to him her magic was certainly nothing. Maybe there was something between him and Luna.
Four of the High Beings voted for her to proceed to the next stage.
It was surprising, it almost seemed like they hated her but for the High Being of Magic.
At the next stage, one of the fates asked her if she thinks Eli failed or won. The presence of the UnderLord and the signs of violence she found in the pit didn’t feel encouraging. It was though, by Ignas, she had to have faith in him. If she didn’t have faith in him, who would? They were all each other had. Also, what were the Fates trying to test, her correctness or her faith?
“He won. That is what I believe.”
The hall was silent and this time the High Beings didn’t vote, instead the symbols appeared around her just like Luna had shown her.
Belladonna felt agitated. Was she right or wrong? No one would say, even the look in Luna’s eyes wouldn’t give her an answer. Soon enough, Belladonna realized why. Not even Luna knew.
Belladonna wanted to ask if she was right, but that would puncture the strong faith she was trying to display. She held on strong and said nothing.
“Pick a realm,” another Fate said.
She was right, she had to be. Belladonna said over and over again to herself as she headed to where the symbol of the Moonrealm was, as she reached out to the glowing sign of the crescent moon that hovered in the air, it suddenly lost its color and vanished.
Belladonna took a quick step back, glancing at her mentor who looked distraught.
She turned back to the symbols that hovered around her. The Moonrealm didn’t align with her soul, she had to pick another.
But soon enough, there were no choices left for her, everything she reached for had turned black and vanished. With nothing left, she looked at the council.
“Is there another realm—” she began to ask when the High Being of Magic cut in.
“Maybe, we can——“
“No.” The Fate in the middle that had spoken till that moment, stood up, voice deep, filled with hatred and anger. The Fate grabbed its staff and the two other Fates s
tood up. They said together, “You have failed. You must face the consequences.”