I’ve always expected to be exiled, and if I am, I’d be setting my bond up for a lifetime of sadness and torture. The bond can handle a little distance, but to know you wouldn’t see your bond again… the pain would be unbearable. Once you complete your bond, you want no one else.
Finding my bond would be a long shot, anyway.
Bonding has been happening less and less frequently in recent generations. The statistics in school said less than 30% of the population had bonded in the past decade. My parents weren’t bonded. History books speak of some faction mages having multiple bonds, but in thepast century, there have only been five accounts of someone bonding two others.
You also can only bond within your own faction and remain at the academy. It’s extremely rare for someone to bond with someone from another faction. When someone bonds, the stronger faction gets the weaker one.
“The universe hasn’t granted me much luck in life so far; I highly doubt she will grace me with a bond,” I say a little bitterly.
“Well, we will know soon enough at the bond ceremony today. We always start the year off with the ceremony since this is the first time most students are around other peers and have the highest chance of discovering their bond. Of course, even if you do not discover a bond today, you could develop a proximity bond. Immediate bonds are more common, but proximity bonds happen from time to time here.”
Proximity bonds and immediate bonds—these are the two bonds that can appear. Immediate bonds snap into place during bond ceremonies; both parties feel it right away.
I think back to the yearly bond ceremonies Furycliff would host. It’s not possible to bring the entire territory together, but often people will take leave and travel to other cities for the ceremony, searching for their bond.
I have witnessed many reactions when immediate bonds form, some inappropriate for public display, but one thing is clear: a powerful force irresistibly draws the two people together.
Proximity bonds work differently. They happen a lot less frequently than immediate bonds do. Proximity bonds can randomly snap into place at any time with anyone. It could be someone you’ve beenaround a hundred times, and then one day, boom, the bond snaps into place.
People know little about bonds, especially proximity bonds. There are members of Sloth who devote their lives to studying bonds. It’s assumed that the bond is always there, but it’s shy, cautious. It wants to be sure it senses compatibility, proof that it will be cared for, before tying itself to its counterpart.
Both immediate and proximity bonds require completion of the bond to take full effect. I’ve heard of no one outright denying a bond, outside of inter-faction bond rumors, but some couples choose to take it slow. Get to know one another before completing the bond. Some complete it within hours. The bond will continue to pull you together once it snaps into place, desperate to complete and unite with its counterpart. Once the two parties mix their blood in the ritual, they complete the bond.
“For such a curious girl who had so many questions after her trial, you are awfully quiet.” Dean Bellows looks over me, trying to assess my reaction to the thought of bonding.
“Apologies, Dean Bellows.” I say, unable to hold the sarcasm in my tone. “In case you haven’t noticed, everything in my life has changed in the past couple of days, and I’m nervous. I’m still working on the belief that this is real and not that I’m just having some fever dream after being thrown to the wastes. I’m taking it all in.”
“See that you continue to take it all in, Miss Davies. I encourage you to pay very close attention during your classes and sin training. Anything could trigger your sin manifestation. I don’t need to remind you what is at stake.”
“Of course, Dean Bellows,” I say in earnest. “I would really, really like not to be exiled.”
“I expect you to send word through your academy-issued phone as soon as your sin manifests. Outside of that, we will not be meeting again for some time. If you have questions, Miss Davies, now is the time to ask them.”
I’m sure I’m going to have a million questions. There are hundreds of questions I should ask right now about my fate, my studies, my future exile... but…
“My bed,” I blurt.
“Your bed? Is it not up to your standard, Miss Davies?” she asks, raising a brow.
“No, I mean, my stuff. Is there any way to have my things sent to me here at the academy? Like my bedding and other necessities?” I ask.
“You will find anything you need that is academy-sanctioned, in SinVail Shops. It’s a store for our students to use as needed. You’ll find it in the building past the faction tower dorms.”
“But I don’t have any money...” I say, a little red in the face.
“Our academy serves not only the wealthy. Each faction has its own method of qualifying who gets academy entrance. Your own faction is based on power level, not wealth or status. We are used to accommodating students who come from less fortunate means. The Academy provides these students with a monthly stipend and entry deposit. Before you get too excited, I’ll admit it’s not much. But you should be able to order what you need; just bring your academy phone and the store can access your accounts through there.”
“Oh, okay, thanks, Dean Bellows,” I reply, feeling skeptical. Nothing comes free in Vail.
I get up to leave, but pause on my way to the door as I think of one last question.
“The other students…” I continue, “Won’t they be curious why I am attending different sin trainings? Won’t that look odd?”
I hope she has a solution because the last thing I want to do is announce to the entire school that I am a sinless nobody. I mean, they’ll find out eventually, but it’d be nice to live in this little normal bubble with Holly for a while longer.
“The staff and faculty have been made aware of your situation. I do not feel the need to air out this information to the students, the same way I wouldn’t share knowledge of anyone’s sin with the student body. It is your business. You will probably get questions regarding your syllabus and lack of sin class participation. What you choose to share in that regard will be up to you, although I would advise against discussing any specific details from the trial.”
I nod in understanding.
