The morning air was sharp, almost too bright, as if the sun itself knew what was about to unfold. Caelum stood at the riverbank, his reflection trembling on the water's surface. In his hand was the familiar wooden box, worn smooth by years of handling. His jaw tightened.
He didn't hesitate. With a flick of his wrist, he hurled the box into the rushing water. It splashed once, bobbed, then sank beneath the current, disappearing into the depths. His eyes narrowed, anger simmering beneath the surface.
"No more," he muttered under his breath. The pill that had been chained to him since childhood...gone.
He turned and marched toward the quarters, intent on finding Elias and Seren. The servants bowed as he passed, but when he asked where his friends were, the answer came too quickly.
"They're not in their room, young master. They left early."
Confused, he searched the training grounds, the dining halls, even their usual hiding spots. Nothing. The whole morning stretched empty without them, and the silence only tightened the unease in his chest. There was no training scheduled for their age group today. Everyone was meant to rest, to conserve their strength for the ceremony so where could they have gone?
By the time the sun was overhead, he sat in his quarters, eating little and staring at the floor. His heart beat fast, not from anticipation, but from dread.
When the summons finally came, he dressed in the ceremonial robe: light silk, embroidered with faint lines of silver that shimmered in the light. Every child of fifteen would be dressed the same today, standing before the clan to discover their fate. For most, it was a day of joy, nervous laughter, whispered dreams of power.
For him, it was survival.
He entered the great hall where dozens of children his age gathered, their voices bubbling with excitement and fear. Some bragged about which element they'd surely awaken. Others whispered that they hoped for just a decent rank, anything better than shame. Caelum looked at them with something like envy. Their biggest worry was what kind of gift they'd receive. His mind churned with darker thoughts: whether the words he'd overheard were real, whether his own mother's hands would bind him, whether he would walk out of this alive and free.
He clenched his fists. Maybe I misheard. Maybe it was nothing.
That fragile thought kept him steady, though his nerves screamed louder with each passing second.
The curtain at the far end of the hall shifted, and the booming roar of the gathered clan outside spilled in. The entire family had come to watch. The Awakening was more than ritual. I't was spectacle, proof that the clan's future still burned bright.
Just as the final preparations were being called, he saw them, Elias and Seren, slipping into the hall as if they hadn't been missing the entire morning. Relief crashed through him, sharp and sudden. He rushed to them at once.
"Where have you been?" His voice cracked. "I've been looking for you all morning!"
They exchanged a glance, too quick for him to read. Elias gave that half-grin. "Relax. We had something to take care of."
Seren added quietly, "We found a way to help you, in case… things go wrong. Don't worry, Caelum. We'll protect you."
He froze, studying their faces. Whatever they had been doing, they weren't going to say. But their confidence steadied him. He let out a slow breath and nodded.
"Thank you," he whispered.
Moments later, they were called forward.
The curtain parted, and blinding sunlight poured into the hall. The three of them stepped into it together, robes shining as if lit from within. Before them lay a stadium filled with clan members, elders, parents, distant cousins all waiting with anticipation. The crowd's roar shook the air, a tidal wave of voices cheering their children's first step toward glory.
At the center of the stadium rose a grand podium, and upon it stood a radiant crystal pulsing with light. It gleamed with every color imaginable, thrumming like a living heart.
The Patriarch sat in his seat of honor, expression carved from stone, his eyes sweeping the children as if weighing them already.
Beside him, swathed in pale robes, sat Brinet, his mother. She leaned slightly, hands trembling on her lap, face pale as if still burdened by her long illness. She looked weak, frail… and yet her presence here twisted Caelum's chest.
Why still act weak?
He swallowed his suspicion and forced himself forward. No matter what he had overheard, no matter what his heart screamed, he still loved her. Some small, desperate part of him still hoped he was wrong.
He rushed to her side. "Mother! What are you doing here? You should be resting."
Her lips curved into a soft smile, her voice hoarse but warm. "Even if I am weak, I am still your mother. How could I not watch my son awaken? This is your day."
His throat tightened. He wanted to believe her, wanted to fall into the comfort of those words, but the memory of her vibrant, unmasked voice speaking with the Patriarch clawed at him.
A sharp bell rang. He was called back to his place among the others.
The Great Elder stepped forward, robes of deep gold trailing behind him. He lifted his hands and the stadium fell into silence. His voice carried over the crowd like a tide.
"Children of fifteen years! Today, you step forward into your destiny. The Awakening is not merely tradition, but truth. Within you lies blood and bone, heritage and fate. Today, the heavens will reveal what dwells in your souls."
The crowd murmured in awe. The elder's voice grew firmer.
"Do not fear what you awaken. Do not envy another's gift. For what is written in your bloodline is what the world itself entrusted to you. Stand tall, and meet it."
Applause thundered through the stadium.
Caelum glanced at his friends. Elias gave him a thumbs-up, boyish grin flashing. Seren inclined his head, calm but resolute. Both looked ready.
Caelum's chest tightened. Hopefully… today goes well.
But deep in his bones, under the sound of cheering, he felt it...the slow, steady beat of dread.