Tyrex Luk'ta stood proudly before The Council of Elders, his hands clasped behind his back. He'd been thinking about this day his entire life.
And now it had finally come.
But why was their a lump in his throat? Why was he so nervous?
Light from a hole in the ceiling illuminated Tyrex's blue skin. The council was shrouded in shadows to protect their identities. They sat on stone thrones ten feet into the air, overlooking Tyrex who stood at six feet, five inches. This was made to make the Council seem wiser and more powerful.
“Your Joining Day is fast approaching, Tyrex Luk'ta,” the oldest council member announced.
That's why Tyrex was so nervous. The Joining was shrouded in mystery. A male Jeorn grew up knowing nothing about it. It was so secretive that to reveal the knowledge meant instant death.
Tyrex's friends had already gone through the Trials but never once gave hint of what to expect.
Tyrex unclasped his hands and raised them in honor of the council. “My lords, I am thankful for the opportunity to appear before you. I have dreamed about this day for many years.”
“Then would you say you are prepared for The Joining?” The shrouded figure on the right asked.
Tyrex had no clue how to answer that. How could someone be prepared for something they had no idea about it. The Council almost made it seem like he should know exactly what to expect.
Tyrex nodded with confidence. “I've trained long and hard and I'm ready for whatever awaits.”
“The Trials aren't just for the strong of body,” a frail voice said. “You must also be strong of mind.”
Tyrex shifted his weight. The Council had made him stand in the empty chamber for hours until they finally arrived. It might've been the first Trial and he was willing to endure any torture they threw at them.
Tyrex stood firmly. “I am ready.”
The oldest Elder leaned forward in his throne. “The first Trial of the Joining is to find your Intended.”
Tyrex had heard the term before but never knew what it meant. “Intended, my lord?”
“You will find a mate. Someone who is the mirror image of your soul. There is one Jeorn female who is the Intended of the male. You must find her.”
Tyrex was deeply confused. He thought back to his parents and didn't remember them ever telling him how they met and fell in love. “My lords, you're telling me is that every Jeorn male is forced into an arranged marriage?”
He tried his best to be polite as possible but the thought of an arranged marriage was hard to swallow.
“You offend us greatly, Tyrex Luk'ta,” a shadow said. “Jeorns have become Joined this way for millennia. We do not choose your mate. You do.”
Tyrex raised his head. “But she must be approved by the council?”
“Well...yes. The Council has the ultimate decision on who may be Joined.”
“And what if I don't find a mate?”
“But you must, Tyrex Luk'ta. If a mate is not found within seven days, a sentence of death is passed.”
Tyrex gulped and brushed his long black hair out of his face. He didn't remember hearing about anyone dying from their Joining. But maybe the Council was good at covering that up.
“Then I believe I have no choice then.”
“Please, Tyrex Luk'ta, this is not a bad thing. To find a mate to Join for life is a wonderful experience.”
Tyrex knew that this couldn't be just about finding a mate. They made too big of a deal of it. “And what of the other Trials?”
“That is none of your concern yet, Tyrex Luk'ta. Focus on the Trial set before you. This meeting is adjourned.”
The Council of Elders disappeared from their thrones and Tyrex was left alone.
–
Tyrex wandered his small village of Ja'la. It wasn't as big or advanced as some of the bigger cities on Jeorn but Ja'la was his home.
He watched as kids ran across the dirt roads playing with a stick and ball, the dust kicking up behind them as they ran off into the distance.
Ja'la used to be a bustling crossroads town until a decades-long drought decimated the surrounding villages. It was spared due to the dense jungle bordering the east. But the income had dried up and now Ja'la fought for survival.
Tyrex found himself back at home after a long walk through the village. The clay hut built into the side of a dirt hill provided just enough shelter for him and his parents. It was cramped but Tyrex had lived their all his life.
Males and females lived with their parents until their Joining Day. It was a long held tradition on Jeorn. Tyrex didn't mind. His parents were a wealth of knowledge and he didn't know how he could get by without them. He couldn't imagine moving away.
“Mother, Father, I'm home,” Tyrex announced, swiping away the rug used as a door. The whole hut smelled of boiled gnoji, Tyrex's favorite dish.
Lija rushed in from the kitchen, a wooden spoon still in her hand and a white apron to protect from stains. “How did it go, Tyrex?”
“So I pretty much have seven days to find a mate or I'm going to be executed.”
“Oh Tyrex, you're so dramatic. It's not that bad.” Lija walked back into the kitchen and Tyrex followed.
Tyrex tried to dip his finger into the pot of his mother's special sauce but was instantly slapped. “So I guess that's how you and father got together.”
Lija nodded, stirring the pot. “But there's more to it than that.”
Tyrex sat down at the dinner table. “I think I'm ready for the story.”
“I wish I could, but not until your Joining is finished.”
“Why does this whole process have to be so secretive?”
“It's how it's always been done, Son. Now can you get your father and let him know that dinner is ready?”
Tyrex found Kitor in the backyard working on a transfer seeder. “Father, dinner is ready.”
Kitor wiped the sweat from his brow. “How did your meeting go, Son?”
“Not what I expected to be honest.”
“I was just as surprised as you were,” Kitor replied.
“How did you find mom?”
Kitor lowered his head. “I'm sorry, I can't really get into specifics with you yet. At least not until you've gone through all the Trials.”
“Don't worry about it. I know the drill.”
The Luk'ta family sat around the dinner table for a nice meal of boiled gnoji.
Tyrex played around with his food. He had so many questions.
Lija clapped her hands to break Tyrex's concentration. “You haven't even touched your gnoji.”
“I know, Mother. There's just so much on my mind.” Tyrex pulled apart a green leg from the body of the gnoji. “It tastes really good. Thank you.”
Kitor took a bite and agreed. “Tyrex, are there any potential mates that have caught your eye.”
“What do you mean? I thought you were supposed to be tight-lipped about this whole process.”
Lija put her hand on Tyrex's. “We just can't tell you about our specific experiences yet. But we can help guide you towards the perfect mate.”
Tyrex breathed a sigh of relief. “You don't know how much that means to me. I haven't even thought about any potential mates yet.”
“What about that Yura girl?” Kitor asked. “She'd be perfect for you.”
“She's not really my type, Father.”
“Not your type? What's wrong with her? She's beautiful and the oldest daughter of the Nah'ta clan.”
“Don't butt in so much, Kitor,” Lija said. “Tyrex will find his own way.”
Kitor put up his hands in defense. “I was only trying to help, Beloved.”
“If you both don't mind, I'd like to be excused from dinner. Need to go clear my mind.”
“Of course, Dear,” Lija replied.
“Take all the time you need, Son. If you need us, we're here to help.”
“I really appreciate it.”
Tyrex left his hut and walked back through the village under the night stars. He cycled through the various women he'd met in the last few years. There weren't many to choose from. And he'd have to pick one or die.
Tyrex took the trail leading into the jungle. It was common knowledge to stay away during the night. All sorts of creatures came out to play and a Jeorn male wasn't a match for some of the bigger predators.
Tyrex roamed the forest until he came across a shiny piece of material sticking straight of a tree trunk.
“What is this?” he asked, pulling the foreign object out. The piece felt heavy in his hands. It wasn't something you'd normally found sitting out in the jungle.
As Tyrex walked further into the jungle, he came across more of the same pieces littering the ground, creating a trail of breadcrumbs to follow.
He finally reached a giant object sitting in the middle of a clearing. The trees above had been splintered to pieces indicating it had fallen from the sky.
Tyrex had never seen anything like it. He was wary to approach it.
There was a rustling within the object. Tyrex quickly looked for a weapon he could use. He grabbed a long tree branch off the ground. It wouldn't do much if there was a harvu inside but it could be used to scare off a smaller creature.
A creature emerged from the big object. Tyrex gripped the branch tightly.
His grip loosened. A creature came out that he'd never encountered before.