A Special Kind of Stone

Yami found it a bit hard to focus as his head was still buzzing from the ale that he had been drinking. So, he just had to ask again to be sure that he understood Archimedes correctly.

“Wait, you mean that I can ACTUALLY change the minds of the Fates?”

“Well of course lad!” Archimedes bellowed back.

After hearing this, Yami’s head began to clear, and he became laser focused on the stranger sitting before him.

“Believe me I wouldn’t be wasting your time with trivial matters.” the old man continued.

Yami still found this very odd as the man came out of nowhere and he just simply had a solution to his problem, it seemed too good to be true. But he was desperate. He knew the only way to get Raia back was for the Fates to change their decision. So, against his better judgement he continued to ask.

“Alright, old man. HOW do I go about changing the minds of the Fates? “

Upon hearing this Archimedes grinned before he spoke again.

“So, I just want to make sure I understand what you’re moping around about. This is about a lass, right?” asked Archimedes.

Yami didn’t know what had come over him. But all of a sudden, he found himself raving about Raia.

“Yeah! She’s an amazing kind girl with a smile that…” but before he could finish the old man had interrupted him.

“Alright lad, that’s’ enough. I don’t need the lovey-dovey details! I Just wanted to be sure that you’d be willing to take a risk before I go on. And if it’s about a lass, then usually lads would risk it all, am I right?” he continued.

“Yeah, and so? I only have two weeks until the binding ritual is complete, and once that’s done Raia would be that snake faces partner forever!” Yami teared up as he said this and took another swig of his ale.

“Not to worry lad, that binding ritual is the actually key to this whole thing!” Archimedes exclaimed.

“What do you mean?” Yami asked.

“Well, what is it that you know about the binding ritual?” the old man probed.

Yami started to recall a conversation that he had with Raia a couple of years ago during their time training in the river.

“Yami! I found out more about the pairing ritual from my etiquette lessons this week. Apparently, getting a good compatibility score is just the first step!” Raia explained.

“First step? What do you mean?” Yami asked.

“Well, what we do know right now is that we need a compatibility score of at least 75% to become partners. Right?” she said.

“Yeah, that’s why our magic needs to be super in-sync so we get a high score despite being part of different familial classes,” he confirmed.

“Correct. But that compatibility score is just a measure for us to take the binding ritual which happens sometime after the initial pairing.” she continued.

Yami stares at Raia with a blank face, struggling to understand.

“Basically, the binding ritual is the second phase that formalizes a partnership forever. Once partners are declared compatible, they are put to the test. The partners who pass that test get to be partners forever!” As Raia finished this, Yami began to understand.

“YOU MEAN ON TOP OF EVERYTHING ELSE, THERE’S A TEST!? When will the pressure end!?” he shouted.

“Wait, what happens if the pair fails? Yami asked.

“According to my instructor, failed pairs are either sworn in as keepers of the realm and report to the Fates or, registered under the welfare program and are sent to the Outskirts.” she said in a somber voice.

“The Outskirts!? Well, that’s harsh!” he yelped.

“Well, that’s to be expected. Afterall, the Outskirts is the destination of all the people who aren’t capable of contributing magic to the Council of Fates. That’s just how it has always been,” she concluded.

“Don’t worry Raia! With all the work we’ve been doing I’m sure we’ll be able to ace that test too! Did your instructor tell you what the test was about? My parents didn’t tell me squat about this!” asked Yami.

“I’m not surprised, even my parents haven’t said anything to me about this. My instructor explained that grown-ups aren’t really allowed to say anything specific about the binding ritual, so they just don’t mention it. They can only tell us that it’s a test, and it involves getting some sort of stone. The specific details of the test would be discussed by the Fates’ attendant before the actual ritual. “ Raia continued to explain.

“Oh, so that’s why parents don’t really talk about this much. Then, I guess will just have to be ready for anything then,” he replied confidently.

“That’s right Yami! Oh, and there was one last thing that the instructor told me. The venue of the test, lies beyond the gates of the Fates.” she said ominously.

“WHAT!? Wait, what’s the gates of the Fates?” Yami asked, yet again, dumb founded.

“Hahaha you really are interesting Yami Hirsu!” Raia said as she laughed.

“Are you ok lad? You’ve been spacing out for the last two minutes.” Archimedes said, interrupting Yami’s trail of thought.

“Huh!?” Yami reacted, as he woke from his daydream.

“Oh sorry. Yeah, I was just remembering. The binding ritual is supposed to be a test for partners to become official right? And it’s supposed to be held beyond the gates of the Fates or something like that,” he said as if looking for confirmation.

“Precisely lad! Wait, you mean to tell me you don’t know what the gates of the Fates are?” Archimedes asked with judgement in his voice.

Yami’s face turns red with embarrassment as he stared across the table at the old man.

“Oy vey. Did you not learn anything about the Fates lad? It’s common knowledge that the gates of the Fates which are located at their grand office, are a series of gates that lead outside this realm!” Archimedes explained.

“The binding ritual is held outside the realm!?” Yami replied in utter disbelief.

“Correct lad!” the old man confirmed, slightly annoyed.

“I never realized it was possible to even leave the realm! To think, all this time, people actually had to step out to a different realm!” Yami pondered in utter shock.

“Man, explaining this to you was harder than I expected. But at least now you’re up to speed.” Archimedes sighed.

“Now, let’s get on to the part that you’re NOT supposed to know, the nature of that test.” he declared.

“It’s actually really simple when you think about it lad. I mean you live with people who have taken this ritual, what is it that they have that you or your peers don’t have?” Archimedes inquired.

“Looser skin?” guessed Yami.

“Are you being serious lad?” the old man asked, dumbfounded.

“Ugh, just get to the point already! My head is starting to hurt with all these questions!” Yami shot back at him.

“Their rings lad! All the partners have matching rings!” he bellowed.

“Their rings?” Yami asked again.

“Yes lad. The rings of the partners are equipped with a particular stone. And that’s what the test is all about. For partners to go outside the realm and bring back pieces of those stones to be placed on their rings,” the old man explained as he gesticulated toward his fingers.

“Once both partners have the stones on their rings, their magic is bound forever. And as a result, they can contribute magic to the Fates,” he concluded.

“So as long as I’m able to change the Fates’ decision before that, I can still…” but before Yami could finish his sentence Archimedes interrupted him again.

“That’s right lad! It’s all about those stones. The gates of the Fates are tied to caves outside this realm with the threads of the Fates themselves. The binding ritual is a test for compatible partners to retrieve their specific set of stones so their partnership will be formalized,” said the old man.

“That’s why the Fates make sure that the partners are compatible with one another. They have already decided on a pair’s stones and their thread leads them right to it. Whether or not the pair is able to secure those stones, that’s the test.” As Archimedes finished his explanation, Yami began to realize something.

“So, the compatibility scores ARE important, right? If the stones are chosen based on that, would it work with any other pair?” he asked in earnest.

“No, it won’t lad.” the old man answered bluntly.

“Then there isn’t any hope! My compatibility score with Raia was -27%! Our score wasn’t good enough! I… I let her down!” Yami said in frustration. Tears started to build in the corners of his eyes.

“Like I said at the beginning lad, I wouldn’t be wasting your time.” Archimedes began to interrupt.

Yami stares at the old man intently once again.

“What do you mean?” he asked again.

“You see lad. Beyond the gates of the Fates and outside this realm. There lies a special kind of stone. A stone that binds all magic and increases it tenfold. It’s called the omni stone.” Archimedes said with a very serious look in his eyes.

***