After the Breakfast
All the children, including the young prince, followed their teachers into the forest. Towering trees rose around them like ancient walls, their branches woven thick enough to veil the sky. In the clearing ahead, a wide circular stage lay carved into the earth, surrounded by moss and stone. Upon it stood Master Caldier and the other instructors, waiting in solemn silence.
The children gathered around the stage, their whispers fading as Caldier raised his hand. His sharp eyes scanned the crowd—lingering for a heartbeat longer on Xerxez. He already knew the truth, whispered to him by Devein the night before—the boy's bloodline was not ordinary.
"Everyone, listen well," Caldier began, his voice echoing beneath the canopy. "Today, we begin by knowing who we are. Each of you carries a bloodline, a thread of power passed down through generations. Our training will focus on awakening your own. And if one among you holds something... special, they will receive training worthy of it."
From within his cloak, he lifted a shard of stone—flat, translucent, and glowing faintly from within. The light pulsed like a heartbeat.
"This," he said, "is the Stone of Orion. Through it, your elemental nature will be revealed."
Then, the history laid out..." the book of Orion guide our ancestors to figure out this stone, they seek the stone under the very bottom of the lake, these stone was rare stone, it grow hundred of thousands before it form."
The children was amazed. Orion tell our ancestors, through stone we will no longer ponder what we are capable of."
The other teachers stepped forward, each holding a fragment of the same glowing crystal.
"Form a line!" Caldier called. "Each of you will touch the stone. Its light will show your path. Fire, water, wind, lightning, earth, or wood—these elements form the foundation of the Orion's awakening."
He pointed toward a series of banners planted in the ground, each marked with a sigil of its element.
"When your fragment glows red, join the Fire Faction. Blue, Water. Yellow, Lightning. White, Wind. Brown, Earth. Green, Wood. These factions will guide your training."
As the students shuffled into line, a mix of excitement and nerves rippled through them.
Matheros, however, hesitated, frowning. "Teacher Devein," he said, tugging at the man's sleeve, "we already tested our bloodlines yesterday, remember? Why do we have to do it again?"
Devein crossed his arms, a hint of amusement in his eyes. "Yesterday's test was for security—to confirm your lineage. Today's is for awakening—to see your element. Now, go."
Matheros huffed. "But why tire ourselves again? What if Xerxez and I end up separated?"
"This time, it's not my choice," Devein replied gently. "The stone decides."
Matheros puffed his chest, glancing at Xerxez. "Hmph! No stone can separate us. I bet we're both lightning—or maybe wind! Right, Xerxez?"
Xerxez chuckled softly. "Let's see what fate says."
After a few minutes, many of the children had already discovered their inner elements. The forest clearing buzzed with excitement—flashes of red, blue, and green glimmered from glowing stones as factions formed beneath banners. Yet, a long line still remained, with eager faces waiting for their turn.
While the young prince waited, his eyes wandered across the crowd. Then—he saw him.
A boy, a little older than Matheros, stood tall among the Red Faction. His hunting attire was rugged and worn, a wolf pelt draped over his shoulder, and his eyes—sharp, like a predator's—scanned the venue with calm confidence. The way others moved aside as he passed spoke volumes. He wasn't just a trainee; he looked like someone who had already hunted beasts alone.
"Matheros," Xerxez whispered, nudging his friend's back. "Look over there. That kid… he looks like a real hunter."
Matheros followed his gaze. His mouth dropped slightly. "Whoa… he is a real hunter! Who is that guy?"
"Seems like everyone respects him," Xerxez said quietly. "Do you think he's a Wendlock dweller?"
"Probably," Matheros muttered, then squinted. "But look at him—he's got that face. You know, the 'I'm-better-than-you' face. Ugh… I don't like him."
"Hey, Matheros," Xerxez chuckled softly. "Don't judge someone you haven't even met. He might be nice."
"Nice?" Matheros crossed his arms. "Hmph. You'll see—guys like him, they'll boss everyone around. Bet he's one of those 'silent but deadly' types. Nope. I'm not joining his faction."
"You don't even know your element yet," Xerxez teased. "What if you do end up in the Fire Faction?"
"Then I'll switch! Or, uh—just pretend the stone's broken!"
Before Xerxez could reply, a voice called from the front.
"Hey, you two!" one of the instructors waved them forward. "Quit whispering and get over here!"
They jolted slightly and hurried to the table where glowing stones were arranged in neat rows. The instructor—an older huntress—stood with her bow slung across her back and a quiver of earth-tipped arrows. Her sharp eyes softened as they landed on Xerxez.
"So you must be the young prince of Thallerion," she said warmly. "Rumors spoke of your arrival. And they didn't lie—you are quite the handsome one." She smiled, her tone playful but respectful. "Xerxez… a fine name. It means king of kings, doesn't it? A noble title for a boy destined to rise."
Xerxez blinked, caught off guard by her praise. "Uh… thank you, ma'am."
Beside him, Matheros puffed out his chest, clearly feeling left out. "Such a long speech! You got one for me too, teacher?"
The huntress chuckled. "Hmm… you? Let me see…" She leaned closer, studying him dramatically. "Your name must mean trouble with two feet."
Matheros froze. "Wha—hey! That's not even a word!"
The children nearby giggled, and even Xerxez laughed, trying not to show it.
"Relax," the huntress smiled, patting his shoulder. "Every good hunter starts with a bit of mischief. Now, both of you—take a stone and let's see where fate places you."
When Xerxez reached out to touch the fragment, the mark of the dagger beneath his skin flared—
a sudden lightning crack erupted from his palm, splitting the glowing stone with a sharp crack!
The fragment shattered, tiny sparks scattering across the platform without noticing it by the people around him.
"Wha—what did you do?!" Matheros jumped back, wide-eyed. "Did you crush it with your hand?"
"I... I don't know," Xerxez stammered, staring at his palm. He could feel the faint pulse of something alive under his veins—the hidden dagger's spirit, stirring.
Was it you? he thought. But aloud, he forced a shaky smile. "Maybe the stone was just... fragile. I might've gripped it too tightly."
" Yoh, Master Caldier said these stones took hundred or thousands of years to form. Yet you broke it?"
" I promise, i- I didn't broke it intentionally." Xerxez humble face reason out.
The huntress instructor blinked in surprise but quickly composed herself. "It's all right. Try again—just grab another one."
Xerxez nodded and switched to his left hand, taking a second fragment.
This time, Matheros leaned closer, eyes wide. "Whoa, look at mine!"
In his palm, the shard shimmered a deep, flowing blue, gentle ripples of light dancing across his fingers as if reflecting a living river.
The huntress smiled. "Water element—calm, steady, and swift. How come you're water, though? You're the noisiest one here." Her eyes gleamed with teasing warmth. "Maybe the stone sees something you don't—a calmer, wiser version of yourself someday. That's a good sign."
Matheros puffed his chest. "I'm already a good boy! I'm not noisy!"
"Mm-hmm," she said, smirking. "You're definitely talking."
A few children snickered nearby—but then her smile faded. Her gaze drifted to Xerxez's hand.
There, the shard pulsed once—then began to glow dark violet, deep and swirling, like a storm gathering in twilight. A hush fell over those watching. Slowly, that violet hue bled away, replaced by a brilliant orange, molten and alive, flickering like liquid fire trapped in crystal.
Gasps rippled through the group.
The huntress blinked, her voice low with wonder. "Dark violet… and then orange? I've never seen such a shift before…"
The crowd hushed.
"This… this is strange," the huntress murmured. "Dark violet—such color speaks of omens, or entities beyond mortal nature. And orange… orange belongs to no known faction."
She straightened, meeting Xerxez's eyes with cautious respect. "I'm sorry, young prince. We cannot place you yet. The elders must see this first."
Matheros tilted his head. "Orange is between fire and lightning, right? So maybe he's both?"
But Xerxez said nothing. His thoughts raced—the way the shard cracked, the strange surge he felt, the voice of the dagger buried within his veins.
It made sense now. Its power must've spilled into me.
Maybe the fragment wasn't weak—maybe he was too strong to be measured.
Before he could speak, Master Caldier turned from the main stage, drawn by the murmurs. His steps were heavy but sure as he approached, the trainees parting instinctively.
"What's going on here, Vadylly?" he asked, his voice calm but edged with curiosity. His sharp eyes moved from her face to the two boys. "Is there a problem with the shard?"
Vadylly, the huntress, nodded slightly. "Yes, Master Caldier. You came at the right time. The young prince's shard... revealed something unusual. I believe there's something special—perhaps ancient—within him."
Caldier's brow furrowed. "What do you mean? Show me the shard."
Vadylly gently offered it to him. The fragment pulsed faintly in her hand, the orange hue flickering like a living flame trying to break free.
Caldier took it carefully, his eyes narrowing as the light shifted—violet at the core, orange at the edge. "...By the gods," he whispered. "This color… it hasn't been seen since the First Cycle."
He looked up at Xerxez, the air growing tense. "Tell me, boy… have you ever felt power stirring inside you—something not of your own making?"
Xerxez hesitated. The dagger's voice echoed faintly in his mind. "Do not speak of me yet, young boy."
"Well," Xerxez said, lifting his hand with quiet confidence, "I've already awakened Thallerion's bloodline ability."
He focused, and the air around his palm shimmered faintly. A soft blue glow gathered, swirling like mist before solidifying—a simple bow of light, pure and radiant.
Matheros snorted, trying not to laugh. "Pfft—hah! That looks like a toy!"
The instructor chuckled softly, amused by their friendship.
Matheros puffed his chest and added, "He's the only kid in our village who accidentally awakened that ability, you know!"
Xerxez rolled his eyes, but couldn't hide a grin.
The instructor nodded approvingly. "That's impressive, young prince. You're ahead of your lessons already. For now, you'll need to train your shaping—learn to refine that bow into something more distinctive… perhaps even iconic—and one day, legendary."
"Vadylly," Caldier called, his voice steady with authority, "show the young prince the true form of elemental shaping."