The next few dreams were busy and exciting ones for Anya and all her new friends.  Naturally a little shy, Anya had found it hard to make friends in the Dream and was delighted that the other nine members of the group were prepared to be friendly and helpful.  She was a scarcely less awed by Medlana and Terrell, the two rulers, than she had been by the ancient Knight, but they treated her kindly.

 

Anya found herself spending much of her dreaming time with Devlin.  Apart from his fierce convictions, he was a cheerful and friendly young man.  When they weren’t in Threshold arguing theories, he took her outside to explore and taught her to hunt emphants and bogroms.

On the third day, Anya raced through her daytime tasks and could barely wait to settle onto her pallet and reach the Dream.  She ran up the ramp and burst into the Threshold Room of the house she already thought of as her home.  The nine other founding members and two more recruits whom they’d convinced to join them were already waiting. Obviously, everyone had been too excited to stay awake long this day.

 

Medlana glanced around, smiled and said, “We’ll head to the Charter Room in just a few minutes.  The formation of a Guild is not a trivial thing; we will all be sacrificing a part of ourselves.  You will notice a small drain of energy during the founding.  The art of Found Guild draws a bit from each of us to create a bond between us all. 

 

“Terrell and I will be the Rulers, Benniver and Devlin the Guardians.  Beyond that, the six eldest members of the Guild will become Initiates.  Should one of them be forced to waken, Rosanna, as the next to join us, will step forward to take that place and we will continue in order of seniority.  We ten will state our acceptance of the Charter we have written.

 

“This is going to be a solemn and important time for all of us, and we’ll have a Knight of the Illuminate Front as our witness and assistant.  Let us go and begin our great Crusade!”

 

Medlana and Terrell led a solemn procession of dreamers to the Charter Room and found the ancient Knight awaiting them.

 

“Well met, Dreamers,” the Knight saluted them with his gleaming claymore, “You are come in good time.  Let us be about our business, that the Faith may shine once again from the great house of the Radiance!”

 

The Knight and the two junior-most members of the group took up stances by the portal and the rest of the Guild-to-be stood in a circle in the centre of the room.

 

Medlana looked around the circle, drew herself up and began her evoke.  As she did so, she announced, “Dreamers and honored guest, we are gathered here this Dream to establish ourselves as a Guild Aspiring to become the Protectors of the Radiance.

 

“I shall be our founding Ruler.  I pledge my Dream, my strength and my soul to our cause and the service of our House and members.

 

“Terrell, you are called upon to serve as Co-Ruler.”

 

Terrell spoke proudly, echoing Medlana’s vow, “I pledge my Dream, my strength and my soul to our cause and the service of our House and members.”

 

Medlana then called upon Benniver and Devlin to accept the charge of Guardians to the new Aspirant-Guild.

 

Anya beamed proudly at her friend as he pledged himself.

 

Medlana then called the roll of the six founding initiates.  Anya grew nervous as the names were called and prayed that she would be able to answer with the clarity and dignity the occasion demanded.

 

“Anya, you are called to serve the Guild as Initiate.”

 

Clenching her hands to keep them from trembling, Anya spoke clearly, “I pledge my Dream, my strength and my soul to our cause and the service of our House and my fellow members.”

 

The ancient Knight nodded approvingly as the roll was called and the members dedicated themselves to their cause.

 

Medlana then glanced around the circle and spoke again, “Our Guild shall be known as the Crusaders of the Radiance.

 

“We hold true to the sacred faith of Illumination.  We believe that it is our duty to the Dream and to the souls of the unawakened to drain the essences of the vile Nightmares; to take into our own avatars the chaos and free the trapped souls to return to their suffering owners.

 

“We pledge that we will relentlessly hunt the Nightmares, that we will never leave an essence to lie, but will return all of them to our House.  Each member, according to his or her strength, shall drain as many essences as he or she may safely encompass, so that as many souls may be freed as possible.  Those essences remaining shall be placed in the House Prime where they may be drained to allow the trapped souls a chance of escape.

 

“We further pledge that we will do our utmost to persuade other Dreamers of the truth of the Illuminate Faith and the necessity for draining essences.  It shall be one of the duties of each member to convert Dreamers to Illumination and to recruit them to join our House.

 

“Although we believe that they are mistaken in their beliefs regarding essences, we shall endeavor to remain on friendly terms with other Illuminated Houses.  We shall respect their territories and beliefs and whenever possible shall ally with them in opposition to the cursed Freesouls.

 

“We pledge that we will conduct ourselves always with honor and honesty so as to provide a radiant example to the Dream of the conduct of true Illuminates. 

 

“We pledge that we will treat our fellow Guildmembers as family and endeavor always to support them.  As Rulers and Guardians, we further pledge to serve our House and our members, supporting and encouraging them in the true paths of Illumination.”

 

As Medlana concluded the clauses of the Charter for the Guild, the Knight smote the pavement a ringing blow with his ancient blade and intoned, “So mote it be!”

 

Terrell then replied, “Gladly do I pledge my Dream to the service of this Guild and gladly will follow the terms of our Charter.”

 

Again came the clash of the blade and the solemn echo, “So mote it be!”

Each member in turn signified his or her acceptance of the beliefs and Charter and each declaration was marked by the Knight’s endorsement.

 

As the time drew near for her own acceptance, Anya felt exalted by the solemnity of the occasion.  Her usual nervousness was carried away by the drama and she had no hesitation in adding her own pledge to those of her new family, “Gladly do I pledge my Dream to the service of this Guild and gladly will I follow the terms of our Charter.”

 

With the final clang of the great sword and endorsement by the Knight, Anya felt a small pang as her energy was sapped, forming a bond with her housemates and lending force to her pledge.

 

Medlana finally brought the evoke to a triumphant close and lowered her hands.

 

The Knight strode forward from his post by the portal.  He looked around at the circle of Aspirants and his harsh features softened into a slight smile.

 

“So young ones, your pledges are made, your sacrifices accepted.  I pledge to you that my colleagues and I will be swift in considering your petition and you will learn soon of our decision.  I believe you may hope for success.”

 

“Rulers, Guardians, Crusaders for the Faith, fare you well,” with those final words, the Knight vanished from the Dream.