Arvaken English Version

Chapter 2: The Owl's Test

One week had passed since Kiron completed the First Flight Ritual. During those days, the boy had tried to remain calm, but he knew that the moment that would determine his future within the Owl Clan was approaching. That night, he would have to face the Selection Trial, the challenge in which the ancestral spirit would decide whether he was worthy of receiving its mark.

Kiron was fourteen years old, and although he had spent his entire life listening to the stories of those who had faced that trial, none of them could fully prepare him for what he was about to experience. He felt a mixture of anxiety and worry. Part of him wanted the moment to arrive so he could prove that he was ready; another feared he might not be capable of overcoming whatever the Owl placed in his path. He had not told anyone, but the possibility of failure troubled him far more than he wanted to admit.

His grandmother, the leader of the Owl Clan, knew that uneasiness well. Throughout the week, she had not tried to calm him with promises or assure him that the spirit would choose him. Kiron already knew that this decision did not depend on his family or his preparation. He could only present himself before the Owl and face the trial.

When night fell, the members of the clan began gathering in the settlement. No one celebrated or spoke loudly. The Selection Trial was a solemn event, and everyone knew what it meant. The candidate had to venture into the forest alone and remain there until dawn. If he passed the trial, the Owl spirit would manifest its acceptance in a way that the entire clan could recognize. If he failed, there would be no sign at all.

Kiron stood beside his grandmother, ready to depart. He wore the clan's usual clothing and carried no weapons. He could not bring tools that would give him an advantage or receive help from anyone. Unlike the First Flight Ritual, which had taken place in the Clearing of Eyes, this time he would have to venture much farther beyond that place, into a deep area of the forest where the trees grew so close together that the moonlight barely reached the ground.

"Remember what you learned during the ritual," his grandmother told him.

Kiron raised his eyes toward her.

"Observe before trying to understand."

The old woman nodded.

"And do not let what you wish to hear make you forget what you know."

Kiron understood that her words referred to something more than the sounds of the forest. However, he did not ask what exactly she meant. His grandmother could not explain what he would encounter during the trial, and he was not supposed to know beforehand either.

Before departing, Kiron looked one last time toward the settlement. There were the people he had grown up with, the homes he had known since childhood, and his sister Naty, who watched him from among the other inhabitants. She was one of the most important people in his life. Kiron wished to return with the Owl's mark, but he did not know whether he would have that opportunity. Finally, he turned toward the forest and began to walk.

At first, the path was still recognizable. Kiron moved between the trees until the dwellings were left behind and the sounds of the settlement disappeared. He continued deeper into the wilderness, guided by the faint light filtering through the canopy. When he reached an area where the path split between roots and rocks, he stopped. There were no signs indicating which direction he should take.

He remembered the teachings of the ritual and observed his surroundings before making a decision. He chose the path that seemed to continue deeper into the forest and kept moving forward until he found a small clearing surrounded by ancient trees. There, he stopped. There was no ceremonial stone or statue marking the place as sacred. There was only the forest, the darkness, and him. The trial had begun.

For a long time, nothing happened. Kiron remained alert, listening to the movement of the branches and the occasional sound of an animal among the undergrowth. At first, the stillness allowed him to maintain his concentration. However, as the hours passed, the silence began to weigh on him. It was not the same silence he had known during the First Flight Ritual. There, he had been able to hear the wind, the leaves, and the birds. In this place, on the other hand, there were moments when it seemed as though the entire forest had stopped moving.

Kiron tried not to become uneasy. He changed positions to relieve the fatigue in his legs and walked a few steps around the clearing where he stood. He could not leave the place. He had to remain there until dawn, no matter how long the night lasted.

Then he heard a voice.

"Kiron..."

He froze.

The voice had spoken his name with such familiarity that it made a knot form in his chest. For an instant, he thought someone had managed to find him, but he soon remembered that he was alone and that no one was supposed to accompany him during the trial.

He did not answer.

"Kiron, where are you?"

The voice was heard again. It seemed to come from among the trees, a short distance away. The boy clenched his fists and kept his gaze fixed on the darkness. He knew that this trial could test his mind and that he might hear things that seemed real. He must not let himself be carried away by what he heard.

The voice disappeared.

Kiron remained alert, waiting for it to be heard again. When the silence stretched on, he began to breathe more calmly. He did not know how much time had passed, but he understood that he could not allow every sound to make him lose control.