Chronicles of Neverwhere: Graduation Night

The torchlight flickers off the bare chests of the graduates from the Crimson Company. These graduates are led blind folded and bare footed down narrow passages into the deep underground where their only sense of direction is the rope they are holding on to that connects them with the person in front of them and the person behind them. They are all eventually led down into a large carved out chamber where tall stone doors stand.

Each graduate is led through these doors one at a time and as they step through the doors they close with an audible bang. Then, as they are guided by the arm deeper into this secured chamber, they are met by a sharp object pressed against their chest over their heart that pierces the flesh. Then the graduate is led around the chamber and forced to recite various things from his training as the blood freely flows.

After what seems like hours the graduate is led to the altar against the north wall of the chamber and the blindfold is removed. As the graduates eyes adjust to the candlelight they see before them an dark wood altar with a skull, arrows, a small leather bound book that has a nautical compass embossed on it, some antlers, a bowl of what appears to be salt, and a crimson cloak. The graduate soon realizes someone is standing next to them dressed in traveling gear and draped in a crimson cloak. The person looks at them with a mask covered face, grabs a handful of slat and pushes against the graduates wound in the chest and it a deep voice they hear, "repeat after me" and the oath begins...

"Night gathers, and now my duty begins. It shall not end until my death. I shall take no partner, hold no lands, have no children. I shall wear no crowns and win no glory. I shall live and die at my post. I am the sword in the darkness. I am the watcher in the woods. I am the shield that guards the realms of men. I pledge my life and honor to the Crimson Company, for this night and all the nights to come."

After the oath ends, the masked person picks up the cloak on the alter and holds it to the graduates wound. The graduate feels a strong cold sensation before the cloak is removed and draped over their shoulders. As the graduate looks down to inspect their wound, the realize it is completely healed and the only evidence of it every existing is a crescent shaped tattoo like scar.

The graduate is then led into a different chamber where the commanders of the three different divisions of the Crimson Company make their selections from the fresh members and the appropriate symbol appears on the back of their cloak. This is where the wait for their colleagues to go through the same initiation they did before they all are led up a winding spiral staircase to a dinner hall for a feast and a night of merriment.