kalon tryout 1589 & 1590

[chanhee.]

entry for kals 1589 & 1590

writing by me, art by poemo!

kal 1589: retrosolstice, edgar, male
kal 1590: poemo, augustine, female

[chanhee.]

Faux smiles decorate the faces of those attending the meeting held deep in the caves. Women and men dressed fancily according to their purity (or lack thereof) mill about aimlessly, chatting pleasantly until a man in pure white robes makes his way through the group of people. He stands before them at the pulpit, clearing his throat. Silence befalls the crowd, some eyes lighting up while others can't bring themselves to look at the man before them.

"Ladies and Gentlemen... it's the first meeting of the month, and that means it's the Night of Sacrifice. Does anyone have anything to bring forward before we begin?" The Priest scans the crowd, nodding at those who have items to bring them up to the altar, where they're set along the outer edge. Once the crowd settles once again, he smiles maliciously.

"The boy?" He asks to seemingly no one, and those who had been excited earlier begin whispering happily amongst themselves. A boy in red is brought out, still struggling against the men who don't budge and pleading to be let go, promising that he'd be better and he wouldn't tell anyone about the caves, but he's ignored by those holding him.

The Priest looks at him with mock pity. "You've tainted yourself too much for redemption now, dear Caleb." He watched the men lay the boy on the table, eyes cold as the dagger was brought out and held up for the crowd to see. "Don't fret- it'll be over soon."
250

[chanhee.]

"Edgar, darling, would you please sit still so I can wash your mask?" Maria sighed, exasperated.

"But I'm bored, mom," Edgar huffed in his chair, his legs dangling above the ground, "Plus, it's not like someone's going to see us at home without our masks!"

"I suppose you're right... I'd still like to get this scuff off, though."

"But the scuff makes it unique from yours and dads. I want to keep it."

"Nonsense! Scuffs show imperfection, love, and you know our family's perfect, don't you?" Maria raised her eyes from the mask and squinted at Edgar, who looked down when he saw his mother's eyes on him.

"I suppose... I still don't see why you have to clean it while it's on my face."

"That's just punishment for dirtying your mask," His mother tut-tutted as she wiped the last bit of grime off the mask, "and see? It wasn't so hard to sit still for ten minutes, now, was it?"

"It was unbearable." Edgar scooted off the seat and looked at himself in the mirror, his mask covering most of his face. He frowned and turned away, seeing his mother smiling at him.

----------

Years later, Edgar sat at one of the ceremonies with his immaculate white mask situated perfectly on his face, his eyes barely visible behind the faux lashes. His mother looked at him with a soft grin and, for once, he smiled back before looking back up to the pulpit, where the ceremony was about to begin.
250

[chanhee.]

"Why can't you just go along with this, dear? You're better than thinking he deserves to live- you've heard what he's said about our family! You can't possibly agree with him!"

"He's right, mom! Our family shouldn't be here- we're not the prestige, dad's family is!"

"And by extension, we are too. Don't you dare disrespect me like that, Augustine. I don't want anything bad to hapoen to you. We may not see eye to eye, but you're my daughter. Even if you're wrong, I want you to be okay."

Augustine took a breath, trying to keep herself calm. It wasn't worth it to fight with her mom. Her hand falls to her thigh and she pinches the soft skin in an attempt to keep her cool, and she huffs before turning away and heading to her room, ignoring her mok asking for an apology behind her.

When Augustine gets to her room, she glares at the black mask hung up on her coat rack, grabbing it and staring at it in her hands for a bit, drifting off into thoughts of running away- after an hour she finally puts it back and lays down, sending a quick prayer out to whoever's watching over her to help her stay safe from her own parents.
215

[chanhee.]

Three months had passed since Augustine and Edgar started practising their instruments together. They'd meet up bidaily and work on the pieces assigned to them in Augustine's room, Edgar playing his violin softly and Augustine carrying the melody throughout the room with her piano. While at first, they were strictly professional about their assignment for their curriculum, it had quickly turned chummy, and Edgar would make small jokes that left August's cheeks red and her hand over her mouth to cover laughs. It sparked something in Edgar each time he'd be able to actually hear Augustine's melodic laugh, and he made it a point to make her at least chuckle when they were in private together.

On a bright Saturday, though, Edgar close himself and Augustine in her room, a bit of panic in his eyes as he removed the mask he was required to wear before her family.

"You can't stay here."

"What do you mean? Why?" August was taken aback by Edgar's sudden frantic nature, knowing him as a cool and collected young man.

"They- you... you're in the pool for the next sacrifice," Edgar scratched at his wrist, leaving red welts behind his nails, "You can't let them do this to you. You- we need to run."

"We? Why am I... why am I a candidate?"

"... You know why, Augustine. Please, just... leave with me?"

"I don't have much of a choice, do I? Do we have a plan?"

"You, me, the money I can take from my parents' accounts?"

"Sounds like a plan."

257

[lumilys]

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