10 The Ceremony

We then again cleaned up and went inside the hut to change our clothes. Chimeg went outside after that to go to the village. I was also a little afraid on whether Chimeg would tell anything to my mother. Even with their casual attitude towards nudity and sex, I felt a little apprehension.

But that night nothing happened and Chimeg even slept very close to me. I couldnt help but have a stupid grin on my face that night. From then onwards my relationship with chimeg changed.

I always looked for opportunities to be alone with her but I didn't get any oppurtunity as we had lot of work to do in the house and with helping mothers pottery.

Then one day when i was taking bath with my mother, "Gan your 15th bloom will be in few days, you will have your gifting ceremony soon".

I kept quiet without knowing what to say. But, a thousand thougts were going in my mind , If i get a good gift I will be able to live a good life here. And with the bartering system people follow in this village If my gift has good value I will be able to live a lewd life to my hearts content.

Like my thoughts days vanished in a instant. On the day of my 15th bloom, We woke up a little early and went to see the village head. It was the second time I was going inside the village. I did not interact with the other villagers in fear of getting caught. So, I mostly kept to our hut and mother didnt really view it as odd, which was lucky for me.

Once we reached the village head's hut, village head came out and took us to the center of the village. There were a lot of villagers standing outside their huts wearing the same green tunics. I noticed there were a lot of women than men and there werent any children. The youngest looked around my age .

Once we turned a bend, we came in front of a huge ilphyr tree and embedded in it was crystal with greenish tint. The village head then turned back and looked at me.

"Gan, go and sit before the light crystal."

Then he looked back at the villagers and said "Everyone Start Communing". The villagers all took their neighbours hands and released their gifts. Everybodys hands glowed in different colors and finally the village head standing at the end of the villagers human chain kept his hands on my back.

"Gan, Now place your hands on the crystal". I did and next second I was in a dark void with light coming from my behind. I turned back to see the light and withheld a breathtaking Ilphyr tree made completely of crystals. I instinctively walked towards the tree in wonder. After walking for few moments i was able to reach the tree trunk.

There in the crystal trunk I saw another crystal but it was colourless compared to the red ilphyr and had a ethereal light pouring out of it. Something in me urged to touch the crystal and I did.My body suddenly felt hot and i lost consciousness.

When i came back to my senses, I was sitting infront of the tree and touching the greenish tinted crystal.My hands slowly dropped down.