Azzy was on his way ho. He sealed up his soul orb as his ancestors suggested, trying to prevent the influence of that mass of energy.
But never in the world did he expect that on the way, he would once again be hit by the invisible energy and lose his consciousness. Azzy falls to the ground with a heavy thud in the middle of nowhere.
And he lost his consciouness once again. The dream strikes him once again, continuing where it ended last ti.
Month of January, Year 983 (Before the Era of Arcana)
It was the first week of the new year, a ti of great significance across the Kingdom of Calot.
In every town and city, knights from the royal palace conducted awakening ceremonies, a tradition passed down for millennia.
It was during this sacred week that children above the age of eight would awaken their Arcana spirits, discovering their affinities and the extent of their potential.
For noble houses like the Garcia family, the ceremonies were more private, and conducted with much pomp and reverence.
Though so nobles, wealthy individuals, and powerful Arcana Masters defy the law passed by the forr King Uther Pendragon, most will adhere to it and show patience until the new year even after their kids turn 8, seeing it not only as a tradition but also as a declaration of loyalty to the crown.
At the Garcia estate, the excitent was noticeable. It was finally ti for Rael, Eon, and Raphael to undergo their awakening.
The grand procession from the Garcia manor to the Temple of Zeus was a spectacle. The streets were lined with guards and servants, while the noble family rode in gilded carriages, their banners fluttering in the crisp winter air, although no one outsider is there to witness this spectacle.
The Duke, Aurelius Garcia, led the group, his presence commanding respect. Behind him followed his children—Raphael, the ever-composed eldest of the triplets, and the inseparable Rael and Eon.
Inside the temple, the High Priestess awaited them. Her youthful appearance belied her ancient status; she was a demigod who had witnessed countless awakenings over thirty millennia. The chamber was filled with the Garcia family’s elders, the Duke’s advisors, and even the Duke’s wife, Aunt of the triplets, Emily Storm, who rarely attended such events.
The High Priestess stepped forward, her voice calm yet resonant. "Today, the next generation of the Garcia bloodline will unveil their destinies. Step forward, children, and pour your soul energy into the awakening scrolls."
Three high-quality scrolls, shimring with golden light, lay on the altar. Each one bore intricate glyphs, drawn from ancient magic. Rael, Eon, and Raphael stood before them, pouring their soul energies into their respective awakening scrolls as instructed.
Soon, the awakening scrolls disappeared into their bodies, one after another, and they sat down on the floor, cross-legged, with their consciousness traveling to their respective mindscapes for the first ti, breaking the seals and bringing out their Arcana spirits.
The room fell into a heavy silence after Raphael’s awakening, who was the first to erge out of deep state ditation.
His Arcana spirit materialized before him—Astralith, a humanoid creature that had drawings of a live galaxy and stars swirling on his body. The creature radiated an otherworldly glow, its re presence seed to warp the air around it.
"What is that thing?"
The elders were awestruck.
One of them muttered, his voice trembling with disbelief, "A celestial-grade Arcana spirit... That is the highest grade one can awaken. To think it would manifest in the Duke’s heir..."
Another elder added, his eyes wide with astonishnt, "I’ve never seen anything like this... A humanoid Arcana spirit, other than a golem. This child is destined for greatness."
A third, with a proud smile, remarked, "Indeed, Lord Aurelius knew what he was doing, grooming him as the Duke’s successor. His potential is unmatched."
Yet, so eyes shifted nervously towards the two remaining children, Rael and Eon. Despite their stillness, their auras carried a weight, one that made the air tense. So muttered doubts—"They’re still ditating, but how could they possibly surpass Raphael’s Arcana?"
anwhile, Rael and Eon found themselves standing together on a desolate cliff, gazing out over an endless, barren land that stretched as far as the eye could see. It was their mindscape. Why did they share a single mindscape? They couldn’t help but wonder.
However, their thoughts imdiately shifted to sothing else: a humanoid creature, a skeletal creature, cloaked in darkness. It was a specter. Its face was hidden, save for a gleaming, skeletal grin.
Eon’s heart pounded in her chest as she faced the figure, involuntarily grabbing her brother’s arm. Rael, however, was completely calm. If anything, he felt peace instead of fear when gazing upon this specter.
The Specter spoke, his voice like the wind in the graveyard, "Both of you are worthy, worthy to beco my successors. As I cannot choose between you two and leave the rest to fate, I shall impart half of my powers to each of you."
With a flick of his skeletal hand, the Reaper summoned two objects—one dark and one shining with an ethereal light.
He extended the scythe to Rael. The weapon was vast, with a dark aura that seed to absorb light itself. It was the symbol of death, its blade made from the very essence of mortality. Rael felt a strange connection to it as if the weapon were an extension of his own being.
The Specter then turned to Eon, his eyes glimring with approval. He handed her an hourglass, the white sand within it moving slowly, eternally. The hourglass glowed with an otherworldly light, yet its aura was far gentler than that of the scythe. Eon reached out, her fingers brushing against the cool glass, and imdiately, she felt a deep, calming power within it.
"Your Arcana spirits share a common na," the Reaper continued, his voice cold yet tinged with sothing almost paternal. "Tezca. You will find that your paths are linked, yet each of you is unique. But there is more to this. You two, together, can rge your powers to summon , Chronos, the embodint of death and ti. How to do so... that, you must discover on your own."
With those final words, the Reaper began to fade, his figure dissipating into the air like smoke.
Rael and Eon’s consciousness snapped back to their physical bodies. Rael blinked and looked around, finding himself back in the temple with the gathered onlookers.
His realm jumped to the next rank, and his Arcana spirit had materialized—the Death Scythe now floating in his hand, glowing with malevolent energy. His soul card shimred above him, depicting the Grim Reaper, holding the death scythe in one hand.
Eon, too, returned to her senses. She gripped the hourglass in her hand, its power resonating deep within her. Her soul card floated beside her, depicting the Grim Reaper, but this ti with the hourglass at his side.
The High Priestess, who had been observing the ceremony in silence, gasped, unable to contain her shock. "This... this cannot be!" she exclaid, her voice trembling, gaining attention from the spectators. "Their power... It is unlike anything I’ve ever seen. They break the laws of the world itself."
The gathered elders stood in stunned silence, murmuring amongst themselves. The air felt thick with awe and fear.
It was enough that Rael and Eon caused trouble with their tendency toward violence. Now, with such power in their hands, what kind of destruction will they bring?
Before anyone responded, the High Priestess took a step forward and imdiately appeared before Raphael, observing his Arcana spirit a bit more closely, "Based on what I have seen, you have awakened a zodiac chira beast, Raphael. You have an affinity for not just light but also every other elent of Fire, Water, Wind, Lightning, Earth, darkness, and even Space. Your Arcana spirit could govern the laws of the world, the very zodiac spirits that decide our destiny."
"Zodiac chira beast?" Raphael fell into a trance as if he were rembering sothing. "Yes, in my mindscape, there were thirteen of them, from a ram to a serpent (Aries to Pisces Ophiuchus), before they rged to beco this. Its na is Astralith," Raphael said, nodding in agreent. He looked calm on the surface, but his eyes gave away his true feelings of joy.
The High Priestess let out a faint smile. She paused, shifting her gaze to the Duke; her voice filled with reverence as she continued. "Lord Garcia, the Garcia House may, in fact, produce the first-ever god in history. Raphael will surpass all of your ancestors. He is destined for greatness. Congratulations."
"Congratulations, Lord Aurelius." "Congratulations, Brother." "The Garcia may have lost its guardian but the Heavens always repay with double." "Congratulations."
As congratulations poured from different sides, Aurelius raised his hand. The atmosphere turned quiet in an instant, everyone understanding that the High Priestess hadn’t done yet.
She then shifted her attention to Eon, whose calm yet powerful presence was unmistakable. "Eon," she said, her tone changing, "you have awakened the Chronos’ Hourglass—a symbol of ti itself. Within it, the white sands of ti flow eternally. You possess an affinity for ti and its manipulation. The potential you hold is imnse. You could beco the Goddess of Ti, controlling the very fabric of the world’s tiline."
She looked toward Rael, standing silently with his death scythe in hand. The powerful weapon was the unmistakable sign of the Grim Reaper. The High Priestess hesitated for a mont before speaking, her voice quieter than before. "Azrael... You carry the Death Scythe, the weapon of the Grim Reapers. You have an affinity with the undead, with death itself. The power you hold is undeniable, and if you master its power, you could beco a powerful necromancer."
"A necromancer?" Gasps echoed in the hall.
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