Ashlock village
Kaien is standing amongst the crowd ash black unkept hair sporting his regular patched up black but turning brown robes from overwearing despite this being his finest clothes at least it covers the most of his body unlike the rest and barefooted. it is that time of the year where children between the age of 10-17 line up to take the law sync test that determines their future.
in this world comprehension is a critical foundation in this world and to have a specific focus in what to give all time and energy to it, They are to take a test that will tell them the element that their body is highly compatible with which narrows it down for them instead of trying to bite off more than you can chew. This test is called the law sync test and it tells them the level of compatibility which there are 5 levels.
Voidborn- No resonance
Faint Spark- Faint reaction
True Ember- slight resonance
Primal Flare-Strong resonance
Eclipsing Star- Overwhelming compatibility
in the village of Ashlock a child is considered a genius if he can manifest a primal flare and outstanding if he manages to manifest Eclipsing Star though there is a legend spread around that it is not the highest evaluation there is one more which is even rarer but no one truly believes it and is eventually forgotten.
Kaien nervous but hopeful looks at the kids by kids Infront of him lined up as they talk and laugh with each other even already praising themselves before they have taken the test on about their aptitude because in their clan they have already taken test to determine their aptitude level. A hint of envy emits from his eyes as he hears about such treatment knowing fully well the type of treatment he gets in his own clan all those eyes of scorn and disdain all because his mother was a maid to the clan head and despite being his son he was given the title of lowborn all due to his illegitimate birth.
Just as he was lost in thoughts a bright piercing light beams through the skies golden arcs of flame erupted from the center not hot but giving off a warm feeling. "Eclipsing Star?! and for the light element on top" the spectators gasp as they shot to their feet in disbelief, elders if different clans look at the person in question with burning eyes. Kaien looks over and sees a timid girl is standing quivering looking as if she is going to burst into tears at any moment as she feels different types of gazes landing on her body some with envy, pride, killing intent even greed.
Dressed in soft robes stitched with phoenix thread embroidery, her delicate frame was light and fragile making you want to save her from facing any harm she looked nothing like a prodigy more like the little sister you will die fighting to protect. "ah it is the young miss Elara from the Virellis clan she looks so pretty if i could just manage to have 5 minutes alone with her i could die happy" "Keep dreaming now that she has manifested the Primal Flame she is going to be the clan heads most favored child you wont even smell her fart" discussions spread out amidst the uproar she made and elders that are on friendly terms with the clan are seen congratulating the clan head. "congrats clan head you have such a promising descendant that will make your clan stronger with time" an elder from a friendly clan praises not hiding the envy in hidden in his voice.
Cedric virellis the clan head of the virellis clan guffaw with a beaming smile on his face "good good good that little lass just has a bit of talent thank you elders i will make sure to make good use of her talent" he says with a humble tone but the smile on his face fails to go with the words spoken as it is obvious he is bragging. A cold harrumph cuts through the joyous atmosphere "we shall see if she gets to live long enough to reach that level", cedric looks to his left where he sees a man Draped in high-collared robes the color of scorched iron, his every movement was deliberate like a blade deciding when to fall. His voice never rose, his expression never cracked, but somehow, every word felt like a hook sliding beneath the skin.
Cedric face goes dark as he shoots back "Garron watch your words and her safety doesn't concern you but if you try anything then i wont tolerate any nonsense from your clan, we would definitely assure her safety but i cant say the same for you where is your own genius? i don't see any" . Garron smiles brightly at Cedric's response "well the test hasn't finished why don't we continue and watch". Cedric snorts coldly but doesn't say anything clearly agreeing with him and focuses back on the test platform.
Just as its soon the Kaien's turn another person goes to step onto the platform a young man with long dark hair, eyes like someone filled with lofty ambition his posture already telling you he is someone of high status and was trained to one day take over He wore the formal robes of the Drovain Clan deep obsidian silk woven with threads of crimson, the kind that shimmered like fresh blood under sunlight. The collar rose high and sharp, lined with silver embroidery shaped like jagged fangs or shattered spears, the clan's crest, proudly etched across his chest in a dull metallic gleam. "Ah! its Darian Drovain i wonder what he is going to manifest, i heard he has been bestowed as the clan successor so he will be the next clan head when he grows up"
He confidently places his hand onto the crystal.
The moment his hand touched the artifact, everything stopped.
Not just the air and the murmurs of the crowd but the light around the chamber itself seemed to draw inward, like the world was holding its breath.
The artifact didn't glow. It pulsed. Once. Twice. Then, with a sound like a star being born, a column of radiant energy surged upward a beam that wasn't just bright, but stunning, forcing even high elders to shield their eyes.
The momentary silence stopped after the phenomenon with the crowd making an even higher fervor "Another Eclipsing Star!!when was the last time we have ever witnessed such an occurence?!" someone gasps, "probably thousands of years ago it seems like there is gonna be a rise of geniuses for this era" discussions flow around as Garron shows off a bright smile at Cedric "see we too have our own descendant of mediocre talent i hope it doesn't bother you too much" he says then starts laughing uproariously. Cedric stays quiet and looks at Darian with narrowed eyes his thoughts hidden.
After that the test go on majority of the clan descendats manifest True Ember while minority manifest Primal Flare but despite them not being much it is still far higher than the amount usually recorded in previous tests.
Finally it is Kaien's turn he steps up and ignores the mockery and insults thrown at him from his clan brothers while the sisters just look at him with loathing and disgust. he places his hand on the crystal his expresion giving anything far from calm "i hope i can manifest at least True ember so that i can get more useful resources to make myself stronger and find out the truth about my mothers shady death" thinking inwardly while his other hand is clenched tight into a fist.
"It's just formality nothing good can come from a bastard child" someone muttered. "A bastard child will never amount to anything."
When his hand touched the resonance stone, nothing happened.
No light. No sound. No shift in the air. The artifact, so quick to flare for others, remained utterly inert.
Laughter rippled through the watching crowd. One elder looked away, disappointed. Another shook his head, scribbling no reaction in his scroll.
But they didn't notice the shadows around the stone had grown… longer.
The heat in the chamber dimmed, ever so slightly.
The birds in the far-off trees had gone still.
And a senior disciple, sharp-eyed and unusually quiet, felt a strange pressure in his chest not forceful, but hollowing, like standing at the edge of a vast, starless abyss.
No one spoke of it. They simply moved on.
But deep within the resonance stone, a single ancient rune black and cracked like dead glass flickered once.
Kaien lowers his head and walks out of the platform not meeting the gaze of anyone until eventually he is out of sight. Elara looks at him
As the elders moved on, already forgetting his name, and the crowd shifted its attention back to the shining ones, she remained still.
Clara stood a little apart from the others, hands folded over the front of her robe, eyes wide and uncertain beneath her long lashes. Her phoenix-silk sleeves trembled slightly. Her gaze lingered on him not with pity, nor with scorn… but with something else like curiosity?...no one can tell.
He didn't look at her. He wouldn't have noticed even if he had not with the weight of the whispers bearing down on his back.