The next stage of the Coming of Age Ceremony will take place somewhere else.
Lirien led the group of young feys out of the Arvandor Village, their faces etched with excitement and anticipation. The next stage of the Coming of Age Ceremony was to be held at the Black Bamboo Jungle, and they were all eager to participate.
As they made their way through the forest, everyone was talking about how excited they all were. They all looked at Ashton with a mixture of curiosity and admiration, impressed by his performance during the initial stage of the ceremony. Some of them even tried to strike up a conversation with him, but Ashton appeared distant and aloof, which only added to his mystique.
Lirien, the female Elder who oversaw the ceremony, walked alongside Ashton and the other feys, providing guidance and answering their questions. She explained that they would be joined by at least four other groups from different Elven Villages, each bringing their own unique traditions and customs to the ceremony.
As they journeyed deeper into the forest, the air grew thick with the sounds of rustling leaves and distant howls. The sky above was obscured by a thick layer of dark clouds, casting an eerie pall over the forest floor. The trees around them were tall and imposing, their black bamboo trunks stretching upwards like the claws of some terrible beast.
Ashton couldn't help but feel a sense of unease as they traveled through the gloomy forest. He could sense the eyes of unseen creatures watching them from the shadows, and the hairs on the back of his neck stood on end. The other young feys seemed to feel the same way, huddling together for comfort and safety
Ashton and the other young feys were making their way through the dense forest of Black Bamboo Jungle. The towering bamboo shoots cast shadows on the forest floor, creating a mysterious and eerie ambiance. The canopy above was thick, filtering the sunlight into faint beams that illuminated the path that lay ahead of them.
The forest was quiet, save for the occasional rustle of leaves and the chirping of crickets. Ashton felt a chill run down his spine as he realized that they were being watched. The eyes of unknown creatures were upon them, lurking in the shadows.
'This is where the next part of the ceremony will take place?' Ashton mused to himself as he continued to be alert. 'It seems that Fey Traditions were a lot more astringent than I initially expected.'
As they pressed on, the scenery gradually shifted. The bamboo trees thinned, and the undergrowth grew denser. Strange plants with vibrant colors and unique shapes sprouted all around them. Some of these plants exuded a strange aroma, and their mere sight made Ashton feel uneasy.
Lirien, who was leading the group, stopped and turned to face them. "Welcome to the Black Bamboo Jungle," she announced. "This is where the next part of the Coming of Age Ceremony will take place."
Ashton gazed around, taking in the sight before him. He could see other groups of elves emerging from the thick foliage, representing the different Elven Villages that Lirien had mentioned earlier.
He couldn't help but feel a little overwhelmed by the sheer number of participants. He knew that the next stage of the ceremony would be even more challenging, and the people he was with were kids.
Yes, they are kids in his eyes. Feys have a longer lifespan than humans do. 16-18 years old was nothing but a comma to a life of a Fey.
As they prepared to continue on their journey, Ashton noticed that many of the other feys were still staring at him. He felt a twinge of guilt, realizing that his aloof behavior might have contributed to their unease.
But he knew that he needed to focus on the task ahead, so he pushed aside his doubts and readied himself for the challenges to come.
As they journeyed deeper into the Black Bamboo Jungle, the group came across a clearing where they found the other groups that Lirien had mentioned.
The first group hailed from the Starlight Village, known for their exceptional archery skills and prowess in battle.
The second group was from the Moonshadow Village, where the elves were renowned for their magical abilities and affinity for moonlight.
The third group hailed from the Sunflower Village, where the elves were skilled in the art of healing and herbology.
The fourth and final group was from the Shadowvale Village, where the elves were known for their stealth and cunning.
He learned of their identities through the gossip around him.
Ashton was amazed by the diversity of the different elven groups, each with their own unique skills and talents. He felt a sense of nostalgia cause this reminds him of his people too...
The ones he had to leave behind...
Ashton shook his head and chased away those thoughts. Now's not the time for that.
Lirien led them to a large platform in the center of the clearing, where they would be performing the next stage of the ceremony. The platform was surrounded by towering bamboo trees that seemed to stretch up to the heavens. The sound of the wind rustling through the leaves was like music to Ashton's ears.
A gloomy and harrowing music, but music nonetheless...
The clearing was dominated by a massive stone altar, surrounded by a ring of black bamboo trees. The altar was adorned with strange, esoteric symbols and carvings that seemed to writhe and pulse in the dim light.
Ashton could feel a sense of anticipation building inside him as he surveyed the altar. This was the site of the next stage of the Coming of Age Ceremony, where they would be tested in a trial of strength and courage.
But more than that, he was interested to learn more about those symbols and carving. This was his inner scholar rearing its ugly head.
The other groups from the different Elven Villages were there too. Just like his group, most of them feel frightened by the gloomy and depressive atmosphere of their current environment too.
As the sun began to set over the jungle, Elder Lirien emerged from the shadows. She was an imposing figure, tall and regal, with long silver hair that shimmered in the fading light.
"Welcome, young feys," she said, her voice echoing through the clearing. "You have all made it this far, but the true test lies ahead."
She gestured to the stone altar, and the group of young feys stepped forward. Ashton could feel his heart racing as he approached the altar, his eyes fixed on the symbols and carvings that covered its surface.
The Elder Lirien began to speak in a strange, guttural language. Ashton was able to understand her. The language she was using was Ancient Elven Language, something that his Omnilingual Trait confirmed with him.
The chants she was uttering sounded grim and harrowing but that was mostly because of the language. In truth, she's just praying for their ancestors to bless this ceremony and watch over the Young Feys.
As she spoke, the symbols on the altar began to glow with an otherworldly light, and the ground beneath their feet began to shake.
Suddenly, the bamboo trees surrounding the clearing began to move, their trunks twisting and contorting as they came to life. The young feys gasped in horror as they realized that they were surrounded by a ring of giant bamboo monsters, each one at least ten feet tall and bristling with sharp, deadly thorns.
'Uh oh...' Ashton blinked as he slowly retreated away from the monsters that appeared.
Ashton could recognize Magic if he sees one. And these, are no different.
They're Golems made out of Black Bamboo. At the same time, they are also given a level of sentience and animosity through Magic.
He analyzed the pattern of magic they used for these golems and discovered that these creatures are on a mission.
The magic used was primitive. Wasteful, even. Ashton could do something like this too and he could guarantee that he would be more effective and efficient. However, now's not really the time for comparisons.
The Bamboo Golems started attacking wantonly, great scaring the Young Feys.
Ashton had long noticed that Lirien, along with the other supervisors from other villages, had gone into hiding. He couldn't say exactly tell where they are right now, but he knows that they were observing them nearby.
'You all could've given us a warning or something...' Ashton clicked his tongue in annoyance.
They put the kids in a traumatizing situation without informing them beforehand. He knew that they strictly follow tradition but still, it is unnecessarily cruel to do it this way.
Unfortunately, he couldn't do anything about this for now. So in the meantime, he'd just perform according to how he sees fit.
Hopping into one of the bamboos nearby, doing it the same way he did back at the initial stage of the ceremony, Ashton surveyed the rest.
As they scrambled away from the Bamboo Golems, Ashton took a deep breath and swung his hand into a gorgeous arc.
And similarly, he killed the Wild Boar a month ago, Ashton shot a condensed arrow of pure Mana into one of the Golems, disabling it permanently.
