He had seen his best friend fail, twice in one night. Chim was absolutely drained and had given his all, there was no doubt in anyone’s mind about that.

There were two new Guardians at his father’s disposal. A giant of an ape, Maimut and a girl. Don’t really know if the word “girl” can be said of Zoi anymore. She had showed a willingness to succeed even when all hope seemed lost. She was now a Guardian.

This night had already turned some heads and it had barely started. The Guardian trials were over and Zahn was the first leader to learn who he will work with for the upcoming seasons.

All the remaining leaders waited anxiously to learn the same faith of their challengers and to see which one would pass their trial.

“Chim” Onob clears his throat.

“You…You fought well and should be proud of yourself. The Guardian positions are now taken and what will become of you is something that we, The Elders, will discuss after all the trials are done.”

Elen looked over to her son. She could read from his facial expression that he was thinking of something. Maybe it was Chim or maybe he was thinking about his trial.

Onob was still speaking to the Tribe about Chim but Elen wanted to get Marcus attention. She knew that Sinh’s trial was next and she wanted to let him know.

“Marcus…” She whispers. Nothing. “I have to be louder, Marcus!”

Marcus heard her and looked over to his mother. She took her index finger and pointed at him.

“You are next Marcus. It’s either you or Lup”

After he heard his mother’s words, something turned inside his stomach. He felt heavy. Was he ready for this?

Marcus had chosen the Shaman’s Trial. He had also hoped that Lup would be the one that would do the trial before him so he could be better prepared of what was to come.

“Let us all beat for Chim and our new Guardians, Maimut and Zoi.”

“From the use of strength and courage to the use of our mind and senses. We will go from brawls to something much calmer. Our next Trials will be held by our spiritual leader Sinh”. Onob was done with his speech and Sinh knew what to do next.

He had prepared the two drinks from the moment he learned how many challengers would undergo the trial this year. He was one of the few apes who knew how to prepare this brew. It is something that has been passed down from Shaman Leader to Shaman leader. He felt privileged and he thought that everyone that decided to go down this path should feel exactly the same.

Marcus on the other hand was still nervous. The feeling of having a rock inside his stomach from before had grown into a boulder. What was he about to experience? The third eye awakening?

“I don’t understand any of it, but how bad can it be? I mean all the challengers from last year survived and so have Sinh throughout the years. One of the oldest apes, still standing on his legs and looking as strong as he did last season.”

“I just have to trust him I guess.”

Marcus looked over at Lup. There he was. Three apes to his left. He was smaller than Marcus with some grayish fur spots here and there but other than that, he looked like the rest of them.

This was not a contest similar to the Guardian Trial. The Shaman Trial is not a competition between the challenger and there will specially be no fighting. The brew will show the challengers some insights about themselves and if they interpret it correctly, according to Sinh, they shall join him and become part of the Tribe and contribute in his ways that only true shamans will understand.

“Thank you Onob for the presentation. We can finally start with the real trial.” Sinh’s moment was here. He had the same feeling now, about the trials and what it will mean to the Tribe as he had almost ten seasons ago. He wants to see what this seasons cull can bring to the Tribe and how the two challengers will react to their sightings.

He had high hopes for Marcus. The son of Guardian Zahn and Tribe Leader Elen. He almost felt honored that Marcus chose his trial. He is a descendant of the two strongest leaders in the Tribe and Sinh sure hopes that he will live up to those expectations.

Lup was rather unknown to Sinh. He knew his mother and father but other than that, he did not know what to expect but nonetheless Sinh was pleased that he didn’t manage to frighten them all, when he presented the Shaman’s Trial.

“The proceedings of this Trial will be accordingly. Our challengers, Marcus and Lup will drink this harmless brew I have made, while sitting on this bed of leafs we have made for them. After they drink it, both of them will, well, let’s say rest for a bit before they wake up.”

“Both will drink it simultaneously. The effects are individually and vary in form of duration and depending on the stature of the ape, how powerful the experience will be for them. Even if Marcus and Lup drinks it at the same time, one might wake up before the other.”

“When either of them wakes up, we only have a brief moment to ask them what they saw. These effects are comparable to dreams. The harder we try to remember, the easier we forget. But it shall be said that even if we cannot remember it in exact detail, the sense of flying in the sky our bathing in the water is something that we carry with us every day. It is what makes us respect this rainforest and the lives that are here.”

“More often than not, the visions are confusing and are not always so easy to understand for the challengers and not even for me. With my experience of guiding numerous Shamans through the process, I cannot apprehend every vision they encounter and that is why my trial is so fascinating. One will never be able to see everything that is shown to us. There are simply not enough seasons in one’s life.”

“Marcus and Lup, can you please step forward. We will begin now.”

They looked over at each other and smiled. The competition was not between them and it lifted the mood a little.

“Enjoy it shaman. You will do better than me” His best friend said.

They climbed up to the branch were some of the leafs of the tree had been made into comfortable beds.

“Marcus you can sit here and Lup, you can sit here.” Sinh points at each of the beds. Marcus was to his right and Lup to his left.

One of last year’s challengers, Kii, was helping Sinh with the brews. He gave the first brew to Marcus.

“Do not be afraid. What your eyes will show you, cannot hurt you. And ah yes, try to remember as much as you can because Sinh’s questions are dodgier than you think. Just a little tip.”

Marcus reached out his hand. He grabbed the cup. It was made of leafs, green and yellow, in quite a remarkable way. He expected the brew to drip from the leaf but it was made in such a way that it kept all the liquid inside.

Kii turned around and took the other brew and headed for Lup. He said the same thing to him.

“Do not be afraid. What your eyes will show you, cannot hurt you. And ah yes, try to remember as much as you can because Sinh’s questions are dodgier than you think. Just a little tip.”

They were now holding the cup in their hands and staring at Sinh.

“Drink up and let the experience make you wiser and humbler”

They looked at each other, nodded and started to drink.