Ranked
I stepped into the room, and breath left my lungs. The space was huge. To call it beautiful would have been an understatement. An enormous bed was placed at the center of the wall, draped in rich fabrics, with a carved coffer at the foot of the bed.
"This will be your room, Koliasis," the attendant who brought me here said, before turning and leaving me alone.
I let my gaze wander one last time, taking in the splendour. I did not want to grow comfortable, but everything here was so tempting. They treated me like royalty.
I moved closer to the bed, where a long, flowing black gown had been laid out. The fabric looked expensive. My eye caught the silver low-heeled shoes that were set beside the gown, and then the jewelries arranged on the table in the other side of the room... they had prepared everything in advance.
It was for the feast, of course. Every piece had been prepared to ensure I would arrive adorned, and presentable.
I glanced to the left and spotted a door. Curiosity nudged me forward, and I pushed it open. To my surprise, a private bath chamber was concealed within the room. A smile tugged at my lips. Finally, I would rid myself of the dust and sweat that clung stubbornly to me from the road. The bath had already been drawn, and the water in the basin was steaming hot.
Without hesitation, I shed my travel-worn clothes and stepped inside. The warm water met my skin, easing the ache in my muscles. I scrubbed all the dirt away from my body and washed my hair, till I was satisfied.
By the time I was done, I wrapped myself in a linen cloth and stepped out of the bath. I walked to the front of the mirror standing in the room, and stared at my reflection. Being Koliasis in this part of the world had its perks, but it would have been easier to enjoy if I hadn't lost so much along the way.
Memories began to surface through my mind, unaware of how much time had passed, until a knock on the door jolted me back to the present. It swung open.
"Hi, it's almost time for the feast. Are you ready, or would you like some help preparing?" An attendant stood there, smiling at me.
I could manage my clothes and shoes on my own, but my hair needed special care.
"Please... could you help me with my hair?" I asked.
"Yes, Koliasis, I'd be honoured," she replied.
I despised being called Koliasis, though I never let it show. But alone with her, I couldn't stop myself.
"Call me Dana!" I blurted, my voice rising, before quickly softening as I realized my harsh tone. "My name is Dana, not Koliasis. Please... just call me Dana."
"If that's what you wish, then so be it, Dana," she said, though I could see that she might have been offended by my earlier tone.
I didn't want these people worshipping me. I was just a normal person, not some god. If only they could see me differently... maybe then, the guilt wouldn't eat me up so bad.
"I'm sorry if that upset you... please, what's your name?" I asked, hoping to ease the tension.
"My name is Lysara," she replied.
I smiled, watching her linger at the door. "Nice to meet you, Lysara. Please, come in."
She stepped forward, moving toward me.
"Can we talk while you help me with my hair?" I asked, hoping to gather some information from our conversation.
"Yes, we can."
"Alright, good. I need to understand what goes on in this Temple."
"What exactly would you like to know?" she asked.
"Everything, but let's start with who you are and what you do here," I replied.
"Okay... um, I hold the position of Novitiate here in the Sanctum."
"What is that?" I asked, confused.
"It's the lowest rank here," she explained. "We are new recruits in training, assigned to basic duties while learning the ways of the Sanctum."
"Alright... so what's the highest rank?" I pressed, wanting a clearer picture.
"The highest rank is the Ascend. There are four ranks altogether." She paused for a moment, like she was collecting her thoughts, then continued, "The Ascend, which is the Highest Bound, is a council of seven, ruling collectively. They hold ultimate authority over the Sanctum and the city. Only the Ascend can decide on sacred rites, alliances, or war. All members of the Sanctum, including the other Bound, show them absolute respect. Still, they answer to their overall leader, Ascend Kaelric. Decisions are made together as a council, but Ascend Kaelric's word is final."
The Temple suddenly seemed far more political than I expected, a hierarchy of power and rank. I wanted to understand more, so I asked, "What about the other ranks?"
"The second rank below the Ascend is the High Bound. They are senior members with command over major districts or special duties. They lead rituals and enforce the rules set by the Ascend. They often act as intermediaries between the Ascend and the rest of the Bound."
"And the third one?" I asked further.
"The third rank below the High Bound is the Bound," she continued. "They are core members of the Sanctum, fully sworn. They guard the Sanctum, train novitiates, maintain the temple city, and in times of war, the defence of the city becomes their highest duty."
This was a lot to take in. So I repeated it for emphasis. "Okay, so there's the Ascend with the highest authority, the High Bound, the Bound, and the Novitiates. How do you tell which rank is which?"
"We wear different colors," she further explained. "The Ascend wears gold, the High Bound wears blue, the Bound wears silver, and the Novitiates wear orange. Gold signifies divine authority, blue for leadership and guidance, silver for sworn service, and orange for growth and learning."
My mind drifted to Doya. He always wore silver.
By the time she finished, my hair was already done. I gazed into the mirror, it looked beautiful.
She stepped back slightly, removing the stray strands from the brush. "You're probably wondering how the Sanctum is arranged," she said casually, like an afterthought.
"Oh, there's more?" I smiled. "Tell me."
"Alright," she began. "There are six floors in this Sanctum... and each floor determines where a person stays."
She spoke softly as she bent down to gather some strands of hair that had fallen to the ground.
"The ground floor is where the Novitiates live... the attendants of the Sanctum... the cooks... and most of the guards within the Sanctum." She looked up briefly still picking up the strands. "It's the busiest level." She chuckled.
"The first floor holds the Great Hall. That's where ceremonies are held... and where important visitors are received. Some guest rooms are there as well."
A small breath escaped her lips as she stood up.
"The second floor is for the Bound. There are so many of them... so their rooms are quite smaller and more tightly arranged, than the higher ranks."
She exhaled softly, squinting her eyes as she asked. "Would you like me to help you with your dress?"
I glanced at the dress laid out on the bed and realized it might cause me more stress than I expected. With a small sigh, I replied, "Yes, please."
"The third floor..." She continued as she brought the dress over and helped me into it. "...the one we're on now... is for the High Bound. It's more spacious and better prepared as you can see." Her hands moved freely around me as she straightened the dress on me. "And it is also reserved for the Guardian."
She paused briefly, her eyes trailing me from head to toe, before she continued speaking.
"The fourth floor, just above us... is a much more restricted floor. That's where the seven Ascend reside."
Her voice dropped a little. "Their quarters are far larger than any others in the Sanctum."
She ran her hands over the dress she had just helped me finish.
"And finally the fifth floor... is called the Upper Room." She shook her head. "I don't know much about it. I've never been there."
After a few minutes, we were ready. I studied my reflection one last time. No doubt about it, I looked breathtaking. Lysara smiled, her eyes sweeping over me, then she said softly, "You look beautiful, Dana."
"Thank you," I murmured.
I gave the mirror one final glance and silently told myself, 'You've got this.'
"Take me to the room where the feast is being held. I presume they are awaiting my presence," I stated boldly.
"Yes, let's go." Lysara smiled, leading me toward the feast.
I stepped into the hall where I had stood only hours ago, the same hall where Ascend Kaelric had spoken to me. But now... it was transformed. The place looked entirely different. Long tables were arranged in rows, and chairs were placed behind them. At the far end, the center of the hall held the long golden tables set before the thrones where the seven Ascend of Thyr Vael were seated. On the right side of the hall, the blue robes occupied the chairs. These were the High Bound based on what Lysara had told me. And on the left side, the silver robes sat orderly, the Bound-sworn members of the Sanctum.
I noticed, however, that no orange was in sight, perhaps the Novitiates were not permitted to attend such a gathering.
My eyes darted immediately to the silver side, searching for Doya, and then I saw him. He looked incredible, my breath caught. Our eyes met, and he smiled... Oh, that smile.
My thoughts wandered for a moment to Kumbuye.
Where was he? Was he not allowed here either?
The sound of Ascend Kaelric's voice pulled me back instantly.
"Sacuum rael, Koliasis," he intoned.
Gods. I hated that name.
"Please, call me Dana," I said calmly, careful not to sound disrespectful.
"Alright, Dana. You're welcome," he responded.
"Thank you for having me," I replied, still standing as he observed me for a moment before gesturing.
"Please, have your seat behind you," he said, motioning toward a golden table and chair that had somehow appeared since I entered.
I walked toward it, and took my seat. My heart pounded hard. I wished Doya was beside me. These people relied on me, and if I was to recover my powers as expected, I needed to show them the person they hoped I would be. The hall around me was beautiful and intimidating and I had to stand tall in the midst of it all.