Ryzen's Choice

Ryzen swiftly captured the blue butterfly.

When its wings touched his palm, the butterfly turned into golden specks of dust and vanished into thin air, thus, leaving the piece of paper on his palm. 

Raya was still so busy admiring the event unfolding before her that she failed to notice the real magic happening beside her. Ryzen's heart thundered with dread as he slowly unfolded the piece of yellowish paper on his palm. He did not know how he would know what was written on it. After all, the lowest races did not have the privilege of learning how to write and read.

Glancing toward the stage, ten flags were raised by each centaur. Each flag seemed to be a banner representing the teens' fate in this arena. Each flag had an embroidered drawing at the center of each flag. There was a book for the scholars or mentors, a home for the housekeeping, a shield for the guards, a sword for the next generation red blood soldiers, a feather for the messengers, an aristocrat hat for the silver blood's servants, a horse for the squires, and the ironic wings for the slaves. 

But two flags separated the attention of everyone. A red flag with a scythe as the sigil and a silver flag with a dragon as the symbol would not need a bright mind to figure out which was which.

'Maybe that's where we'll stand later.'

Shrugging his thought as he gazed at the flag with a drawing of wings, he opened the paper to end the awful feeling once and for all.

The symbol of the wings—that was what he got. Ryzen drew a deep breath

'That was scary.'

Now, it was his sister's turn, who was fixated on the rain of gold specks of dust everywhere. Everyone in the arena seems to know their future already. Some were jumping with delight, some shoulders sagged, some were afraid, and uncertainty was evident on their faces, and some were squealing with utter happiness or denial.

"Be still," Ryzen warned Raya.

He was afraid that she might make a move that would scare the butterfly away before having the paper. In a matter of a split second, he captured the blue butterfly. Raya, still on her back against him, was not aware of the nervousness her brother's face was showing.

Ryzen was afraid more than anyone, much afraid than earlier when he opened his.

'Raya is my responsibility. And no matter if it is just a split moment or two, I am the older one. She is mine to protect like what I promised to Mother.'

Ryzen silently prayed to all the gods that everything would be alright. "Hey, you still haven't captured it yet?" Raya pulled Ryzen from the trance he was in.

"I said, be still."

Raya obliged. 

Ryzen slowly opened the paper with trembling hands and a thundering heart.

When it opened, he opted to scream, but it only resulted in biting his tongue, enough to draw blood. Hurt was not even there. It was inside his heart, burning like molten lava. Gazing upon him was a bitter truth. They just condemned his sister to death. He blinked once, twice, until he could not hold it anymore to control the boiling emotions in him—while failing miserably in controlling the flashing beast beneath his eyes as veins started to crawl from his chest to his neck.

"Hey, is it done yet?" Raya suddenly faced him. 

Ryzen immediately smiled at her, one thing Raya was stunned too. It was not every day; her brother would smile at her.

"What did I get?" It was Raya's turned to be uncertain—one thing that pained Ryzen even more.

'If only you knew Raya. The gods chose to be merciless on us.'

Ryzen smiled briefly again. Just when Raya was going to ask him what was going on, Ryzen engulfed his younger twin sister in a bone-crushing hug.

So many words were left unsaid. So many words were represented by that hug. The hug that would leave a permanent scar for the both of them and the hug that would eternally be etched on their mind.

But at this moment, Ryzen was the only one feeling the pain as he whispered. "You got the slave future. What else do you think, huh?"

Ryzen ruffled her hair playfully. 

"Hey, watch the hair! Mother had murdered enough of my deathly attributes," she said smugly. Happiness was evident in her eyes. 

Ryzen could not help but feel at ease as he watched her relax.

"I know," he whispered, but Raya could still catch it.

"What's happening to you? You surely are smiling a lot," she said with a shudder that earned her a sharp look from Ryzen.

"Am I not allowed to smile at my younger sister anymore?" He folded his arms playfully at her.

"You are giving me creeps, you know."

Ryzen chuckled at her confession.

"Here's your paper." Ryzen handed her the paper. As she accepted it, Ryzen brought his hood up again, which immediately covered his face. He knew what would happen next and could not risk having the seer notice that he cheated.

Like what he thought, a horn was blown by a centaur to get their attention. "All of you now surely have the paper," the king said.

The people replied with a yell of 'ayes' and 'yes'.

"Now, there are flags here on the stage. Find the flag with the same symbol as the one on your paper and stand to fall in line," he ordered, to which everyone complied.

A cold feeling rushed through Ryzen. It was coming too soon—the farewell was near, and he was not ready yet. He was never prepared to bid farewell to his sister.

Raya and Ryzen silently went down from the bleachers toward the stage. The dragon was still there, but the goblet was nowhere to be found. Holding each other's hands, Raya and Ryzen were one of the last teens to stand their ground.

Each step towards the flag for the slaves was heavy for Ryzen. It was like he was chained, and he was scared. He was terrified to die and to leave everyone behind—his sister, mother, father, and the Yolke Swamp.

Pulling the hood down to cover his face, he thought. 'Good thing I am wearing the coat, and the hood covered my face.'

Everyone was silent while waiting for the people who would fall in line for the two flags. They waited for the one who was blessed and the one who was condemned to step forward.

A meter away from the line for the slaves, Ryzen took his hand away from Raya's grasp. She looked at him. "Is something wrong?"

Ryzen did not answer, but he hugged her petite frame again. He hugged her for the last time. "Take care of our mother and father. And please do grow up and gain some brain, alright?" His voice was teasing and light.

"What?"

Ryzen did not answer Raya. She was left dumbfounded as realization dawned on her. Raya watched her brother, her protector, her best friend, turn away from her as he dreadfully stood alone after the red flag. She watched him walk right into death.

'Ryzen is selected to become an Avatar!' Raya screamed at the back of her numbing mind, tears falling from her unblinking eyes.