Author: Krista Allen

Edan had chosen a slingshot as his primary weapon. He liked it because it was unexpected and stealthy, plus it came with three hundred rounds of standard simulated ammunition. Too bad he’d been banned from play for two seasons. Three hundred fourty-three days. Almost a year in Earth time.
A scarlet afternoon glow reflected off the Martian concrete, casting shadows across the one-way glass in the observation booth above the playing field. Edan spotted the boot of a new participant sticking out from behind a triangular conglomerate. His sister, Adri, would have picked him off immediately. But Edan preferred to let newbies gain some false confidence.
“I was fifteen when my father had this conversation with me.”
Edan heard the door click closed, his father’s footsteps barely audible as he approached. He didn’t reply. He was almost twelve, but this was his third violation. His temper had gotten the better of him. Again.
“There comes a time, Heir-of-Waterbearer, when one’s home becomes a prison instead of a playground.”
Edan had never felt connected to his tribal name. He didn’t believe in prophetic designations. It was a deceased distant relation who had squeezed the first drops of water from the polar ice caps, not him.
“Are you sending me away?” he asked.
“A spiritual quest can only be embarked on voluntarily.”
“What happens if I refuse?”
“It is not a question of acceptance or refusal. Your path will reveal itself regardless. Better to embrace uncertainty, open yourself to the universe, and explore your true purpose. The sooner the better.”
“Like Adri?”
“Your sister will return when ready.”
“How will I know if I’m ready?”
“You will know.”
The boy behind the boulder yelped, his exposed foot tagged. Edan watched him stand up, raising his bow in surrender. Adri’s bow was leaning against the bottom bunk of their room. That was one of the rules of a spirit quest. You went out into the universe with not much more than the clothes on your back. Alone. As their native ancestors had done long ago on Earth.
“When do I leave?”
His father placed a hand on one of his shoulders.
“First, you will spend a night with your great grandmother, Eye-of-Truth, learning what you need to know to be successful. You will leave behind all but your first name.”
“And then?”
“And then, your journey to adulthood will begin. The choices you make will affect only you. You will learn what it means to be free.”