Thanks for joining the party

The summer air was filled with the sounds of birds and voices of people.  A group of around a ten or so were setting up for a party; table, food, streamers, punch, lawn games, you name they had it. It could have been easily mistaken for a massive Fourth of July celebration, but the issue was it was nowhere near July, and there was no color; everything was white or gray.  A tiny 10-year-old girl was carrying some boxes across the field. The boxes had in bold letters' keep away from children' written on them.  She was following a man who could have been easily mistaken for her father due to their similar appearances.  The little girl wearing an all why white outfit and she had the biggest smile on her face.

"Uncle Daniel, I am so excited. Mom and I were up early this morning, making flower crowns for the new members! I can't wait to meet the new member." The girl jumped up and down as she spoke. "Oh, the other and me kids where talking…" she looked down at the nervous to ask, taking a deep breath in Summer spoke, "We were wondering if wecouldsingasongforadults, for today?" her words quick and slightly jumbled.

The blond looked down at his niece, Summer was avoiding eye contact with him. He smiled. "We would be honored to have you perform. I am also very sure that Xemüg would be honored to have his children perform in his honor." Summer's eyes lit up as she looked up to Daniel.

"Oh, really! I can't wait to tell others they are going to be so excited." Summer still following Daniel up to a stage at the front of the clearing. Looking out, Summer tried her best to spot some of the other kids. Most of them were working alongside their parents, smiling, laughing, and full of joy.  Summer jumped form the stage running to get other kids so they could get their things for a song.

"You really have a way with her," a voice said behind Daniel. Turning around, he saw his twin sister, "You know she really looks up to you and sees you as her father." She sighed, thinking of her husband.  She loved him, but he had always been distant with Summer, and never seemed to support her with any.  

Daniel only looked at his sister "That's what I thought.  So I am going to make an official announcement today that I diced to have her be my successor."

"Have you talked to the Council about this." She looked shocked, "You know they will never approve, there has never been a female leader."

"I know, but they can't say no." He turned to her and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder

"It was our father's last wish, and they can't go against a leader who has ascended word."

"You're right, I trust your judgment.  Father did pick you to follow in his footsteps." The two adults watched as Summer had gathered a group of children and seemed to give some sort of intrusion to them.  Daniel's sister left to get her daughter from the group so she could help continued the set up for the party.

"I hope she just understands the sacrifice," Daniel said under his breath.

--

It was around three-thirty, the clearing was full hustling a bustling. People talking and all-around having a great time, it was like one big back yard cookout.  Summer sat at the entry of clearing with flower crowns she and her mother had that morning. Summer's mother led a group of fifteen adults who all seemed nervous.  Summer intently realized they where the new member who her mother had been working. So they could come to the Ascension party, her mother brought the group up to Summer.

"Welcome, new family members!" Summer said as she as hand the flower crowns to the new member. Crowns were made with daisies and other white flowers that had been found in the sounding forest. Summer's mother realized more and more why Daniel had picked her to follow in his footsteps: She was just like their father.  Summer was talking to them and was jumping up and down from excitement. "Well, please enjoy yourself, and may Xemüg protect you." Summer said before she left to meet up with the other kids.

A small banded playing on the stage that sat at the front of clearing. Once the singer had finished his song, he called Summer and her friends to the stage. "Hello everybody, for those who don't know me, I am Millie Summer, and with me, I have my friends. We are going to play you all a song, for this is such a joyous celebration." Summer sat down behind the piano while another took the mike to stat sing.  There were two other kids one on guitar and the other on drums.  The parents smiled and watched their kids perform.

"I assume this is your doing." Summer's mother asks Daniel, who was watching.

"Actually no, Summer had asked me afternoon if she and her friends could perform.  I only gave them my blessing." He said, watching the small group having a blast performing.  The music wasn't as bad one might believe, but it is not the best.  Once their song was over, the people at the party were clapping and cheering for the young kids.

Summer Jumped formed the stage and ran over to her mother. She was proud of herself. "Mom, did you see me. We have been working on it for weeks, I am so happy you got to see it."

"Yes, I am very proud of you. You did the family proud today, sweetheart."

Once again, Summer was off running around with the other kids. Summer's Mother and Daniel stood there, watching her playing with the other kids. "I am going to have her help me with the ceremony today." His sister looked at him, stunned.

"I see, I just think she too young she only 8 and dad didn't have you start until you where 13."

"That was because he was moving for Georgia to remember.  We spent our summers at that hell of a summer camp Because of the construction that was going on here."

"I do now. I had forgotten about those days." She looked down at her watch, "shall we get some food before you start this evening's event."

"Sure thing, I haven't eaten since this morning, so I am starved." The two made their way across the clearing to them for food.

The two were sitting down, eating, chatting, and just talking about things they did as kids.

Summer sat in between the two eating her third cookie, and intently listing too the two siblings.  Summer looked up to see a member of the compound heading towards there table.  The man gave a wave to the child; Summer excitedly gave a wave back to the man.  This caught the adults' attention.

"Daniel, The Council. Is waiting for you by the stage." Male said.

"Jason, will you tell we will there in a couple of minutes.  I need to talk to Summer real quick." Daniel said in a cold tone. "Also, tell the council I will have a successor with me." She said in a hushed tone to make sure no else would hear.

"I will," Jason said before heading to the side of the stage.  

"Summer, you will be helping me today." Her eye got wide as she heard those words. "You understand what this means.  Your mother and father will ascend on this day." Daniel looked over to his sister, who gave him a smile as if to tell him he did the right thing.

"Yes, I do." Summer ran over to her mom a gave her a hug.

"Now let's get going your elders are waiting to meet you." Summer followed with her head held high.

Men in black robes stood next to the stage as Summer couldn't see there faces, but she knew they were looking at her.  Summer only knew these people as her elders on many occasions, she would hear Daniel refer to them as the Council.  These men could talk with the Xemüg messengers, making them powerful.  

"So you picked her to be your successor.  You the Council's position on of females and their roles." One of the members said.

"I do, but you have to understand my father is the who wanted to be my successor.  It was his last wish.  I also have seen in her that she has a strong connection with Xemüg." The Council looked at each other. They huddled up for what seemed like ages.

"We will accept her as your successor. Under one condition, you will pick her successor." Another member said.

"Thank you.  I shall make the announcement today then.

I wish you my best wishes on you travel back Georgia" Daniel bowed to the Council members as they left the clearing.

"I thought they were going to say no." Summer said.

"I knew they won't say no.  They respected your Grandfather a lot, and to hear he picked you. They had no other choices to allow you to be my successor." Summer only looked in aw at her uncle. "Now, let's get this party started."

They both made there way up to the stage, Daniel gave his opening speech. Summer had zoned out some; all she could think of how she was picked to be next in line.  Summer snapped out of it as she heard Daniel call the kids, who parents were to ascend. The kids lined up. There were only five of them between the ages of 15-18. Then stood Summer, the youngest of the group, which made some of the crowd members give confused looks. "May I have the Mothers of these children come and percent the gifts, they will remind them to be pure of heart and caring," Daniel said.

Summer's mother came up to her, gifting her a beautiful opal necklace that shaped to be a dagger. "My beautiful, strong, caring Summer. Remember, I will always be by your said when times get hard, I will be watching you form the stars." She chocked up some knowing this will the last time for a long time that she would be able to hug her daughter.

Daniel's voice broke the silence among the kid and their mothers. "Now may have fathers of these young adults come and percent their gifts, That will remind to stand strong and protect the ones they love." The fathers of the kids came up Summer watched, She looked around trying to see if she could find her dad anywhere but to no luck. "Summer, where is your father?" Daniel asked.

"I don't know." By now, Summer was the only kid up there as the others were saying goodbye to there parents.  

"Summer comes back up to the stage." Summer Jumped up on the stage, the crowd was watching. "Summer, Since your father is not here. I will be acting as your father." He paused as he pulled a box from underneath the table "Mille Summer, I present you with your Grandfather's dagger. May this reminded to protect the ones you love and that I fully trust you to follow in my footsteps when times come for me to join your mother." Summer pulled out the blade, the sliver shown in the sun. Summer was speechless as she held the knife. All she was able to be very quiet and shaky, thank you.  Summer looked at the crowed they where capping for her. Daniel smiled happy that it seems the members of the compound have expected her to be their next leader.

"Now all who have not been chosen for accession, please leave and wish your friends and loves best wishes. As they go to stand long side our Ultra Lord Xemüg." Daniel Spoke, about half of the crowd left. Leaving Summer and Daniel standing in front of the select few.  He called them up to grab a drink for the toast before there accession. "Thank you all for coming to the party," Daniel said before he gestured towards to announce the final words before the toast.

"And may Xemüg guide your path." Summer said with pride as she and Daniel raised there cups and took a sip. The crowd followed suite; many of the members crowed collapsed. Summer herself fell to the ground, She started to throw up the purple kool-aid like dink she had just consumed. Then yelling, Summer looked up and saw her father with the police in the toe. Her heart broke. Her father had betrayed her family and religion.  Daniel pulled Summer to her feet; she felt a bit sick but was feeling better than she did after drinking whatever the purple drink was.

"Summer, we need to leave now," Daniel said as he moved to her off the stage.

"THAT'S HIM! HE TAKING MY DAUGHTER!" Summer's father yelled.  Both Summer and Daniel ran as fast as they possibly could think the forest that backed the clearing. Summer's father ran to his wife's side, who was already dead.

Summer ran by Daniel's side, stumbling every once and a while since she was still lightheaded from the drink.  Summer could hear the yelling from the police fad as they made it deeper and deeper into the forest before the police had lost the two.  The sun was setting, and Daniel was carrying Summer on his back. He had come to a house; they looked like it hadn't been lived in for over a year or more. "Home Sweet Home." Daniel took Summer off his back and grabbed a key from under the house's front doormat. "Your mother and I grew up in this house. Isn't that cool, Summer?" He asked the tired girl who was a little shaken up form the events for earlier.  He opened the door most things where covered in dust spider webs, a good clearing would make this place feel like new.   Daniel flicked the light switch one a surprisingly the lights turned on. "Wow, the power still works. So we are going to stay here for a while since no one really knows about this place.  The people who do know will come if things get terrible." He looked at a tired child who was falling asleep as she stood by his side. "I guess I need to get you to bed."

"I sleep in mom's old room?" Summer asked

"Sure thing." The two walked up the second floor of the house. Family photos line hall of the second story.  They came to a door white door with flowers pained on it.  The room has a small bed, with a couple of old dolls lying on the bed.

The walls had photos of Summer's mother, along with pictures of the family back in Georgia.  Summer ran over and threw herself on to the bed, and the cloud of dust came off the bed as soon as she hit the bed.  Summer crawled under the covers, completely unbothered by the dust as she got cozy.

"Daniel, why does dad hate us?" Daniel heard Summer ask as he was heading out of the room.

"Well, Summer, sometimes people just don't see what we are doing as good. These are people we can't save when they see trying to the people that we can save.  They will get upset and try to stop us, and these negative emotions can even lead the family to turn against each other." Daniel said. He was trying to find a way to put it in a way that would make sense to the young girl. "Now Sleep well, Summer." Daniel left the room and headed back down to the living room.

Daniel sat on the couch, not sure if he should stay awake just to keep watch.  

--

It was around twelve in the morning. Daniel laid there awake listing to the grandfather ring.  A nock on the door caught his attention, Daniel walked to the door with his dagger in his left hand.  Daniel looked out the next to the front door and saw Jason and his other friend Jen waiting at the door. "You know this place is near impossible to find," Jason said.

"That's the point. But I good to see some of you were able to find this place." Daniel said as he classed and locked the door behind them. "Now, let's go to the kitchen and talk."

The group of three walked into the kitchen and started to discuss the events of the day.