#3, Birth

I make my way toward the outer gates of the city, I avoid the main roads in hopes of avoiding the drones on their way to or from the hall. I never have fit in. Not because the other Encantado do not like me, I am very popular. I do not fit in because I am discontent, and seem to be the only one that feels that way. I want more options for my life, not just service or death.

Most choose service in city hall. Some choose death. Those that choose death have generally lived so many years, that they feel it is time to allow new life, or they are those selected by their family for death. You see, our race only has 2000 members, give or take a few. One of the oddities of our race is that none can be born unless one dies, and because dying is voluntary, it is often several hundred years between the births of children.

Most families select someone to die in order to keep their line going, and their line young. My Grandmother had been just such a person. Growing up, my Father’s favorite phrase was, “Your Gramma sacrificed for you Kyson, and it is your responsibility to live up to that.” I have been taught that my Grandmother gave up her wisdom, her joy, and her very life in order to allow my existence, and that because of her sacrifice it is my duty to gain all that she had given up, serve the people well, and leave an even greater legacy than she. Of course, being me, I really don’t care what she gave up, don’t get me wrong, I am grateful, but it was not my choice, and thus I do not feel honor bound to provide any great legacy. Just the opposite in fact, I feel that I should live as I choose, and serve, or not serve as I see fit. Why should everyone else get to choose for me?

In the Drake line, the women are the ones asked to sacrifice, and those who live over 50,000 years, with my Grandfather being the exception due to his position in government. My Grandfather was considered somewhat of a sage. His wisdom was what gave our country formation, and his systems are what have kept our race in existence. No child can be born if one of us is killed accidentally; you have to give up your life voluntarily in order to be blessed with a new life. And, while we can live forever, if we are shot, stabbed, run over by a car, etc. we will die. We do not get sick, but we can die. So, barring we avoid accident and injury, most live for a long time.

My Grandfather saw our race start to dwindle, there were 3000 members when my Grandfather was a youth, but neglect of youth, and carelessness in the race reduced its number a third. However, in the past 50,000 years, there have been only 3 cases of death without replacement. How? My Grandfather came up with a system where each member of our race pledges our life to bring new life. We do this when we come of age. We fulfill the commitment to the Gods to make our lives a voluntary sacrifice, to beget new life, but we do not specify when. Thus, if someone does die accidentally, a new child from his or her line can be born.

At the age of 70, 556 my Grandfather decided he had lived enough, and chose death. My cousin Angela was his birth-sacrifice. She is my closest friend, and only confidant. She doesn’t understand my feelings, but she listens, and does not belittle, so when I need a sounding board, I turn to her. I think I might seek her out today, but remember she is away on a mission for the Elders. She is the youngest Encantado to ever be asked to join the Counsel of Elders. This is due in part to the three deaths that occurred accidentally before the oath of sacrifice was made. These “deaths without replacements” as they are called, occurred in the “nursery” which is a school where young Encantado are kept before the oath ceremony in order to protect them from accident and injury.

The three children were gathering in one of the eating rooms of the dormitory, and an improperly mounted cabinet fell from the wall, and killed them instantly. It is very rare that something is done faultily, but on this occasion, a human had been allowed to complete the construction finish work of the building because of the “Festival of the Elders”

The Festival is an Encantado tradition held only once every hundred years, and it is mandatory for every member of our race to attend. It lasts a week, and is filled with rituals, dancing, singing, and a showcasing of talents, beauty, and superior intelligence. It is something our race looks forward to, and each works on their contribution for the hundred years between the festivals. Even I enjoy the festivities and would not miss them.

They are a celebration of our heritage and our future, and provide a unity among us. The year of the accident, there was very little left to be done on the school to complete construction. The school magistrate allowed the carpenters working to finish the school to bring in a “skilled” human carpenter, and enchant him to finish the last of the interior work so that they could attend the festival without the incomplete school weighing on their minds.

The human was enchanted, and appeared to be doing as asked without issue, but the spell went wrong some how, and his brainpower was slightly diminished, resulting in a silly mistake when hanging the cabinets in the dormitory kitchen. When the festival ended and three students returned to the newly finished dormitory kitchen to make a late night snack, they opened the cabinet, and it came down on top of them, breaking one’s neck, and fracturing the skulls of the other two.

This was a great loss for our race, and the mourning was long. The joy of the festival was quickly forgotten that year, and the counsel met for several months to discuss what, if anything, could be done. The laws of the universe did not allow for any new child to be born, and just as my Grandfather had, they were unable to come up with a satisfactory solution.

Angela did not come up with a solution to replace the ones who passed, but she was able to weave a strong magic that would protect the children who had yet to pledge their oath from physical danger. This is why she is an Elder. This is why so many of the Encantado near our age are so intimidated by her.

So why not make the pledge before we come of age? Why not make it at birth, so as to avoid any decline of our race? I asked the question to my Grandfather once, and was scolded for my lack of understanding of our culture. While I am still not wholly clear, it has something to do with not being able to make true commitment until you are of age, and thus the Gods would not accept a pledge or oath made early, as it is not a true pledge when made by someone who does not understand what they are agreeing to.