He felt a nudge on his shoulder, Theo looked up at his mother who had a serious expression. She nodded at him and so did Theo.
'She is telling to hurry…' Theo grasped what she wanted to tell him and after nodding at his brothers and sisters quickly, he started moving toward the monunt's entrance.
He felt many eyes on him and the sounds of murmurs filled the whole area.
Theo ignored them all, it was what to be expected as he was a rrick. The ones who were the strongest among all Baronies and even so Viscounts.
Words were that if the Baron of the rricks beca serious, he would overtake many Viscounts too. Just the rumors kept many of the families vigilant.
Theo climbed the stairs and looked at the man in the robes. The latter had an aloof expression and after nodding at Theo, the robed man started looking at his parchnt the next second.
Theo entered the darker gate of the monunt and the direction moved to the right, he brisked forward seeing that there were only so torches to light up the brick-lined walls.
Theo kept moving forward in zig-zag as the direction led him too. There was no other way the whole ti, just the back and the front.
After a minute of moving forward and taking another sharp left, he saw rays of light coming from the end of the corridor toward the right.
He took a small breath of air and moved even more fast before he reached the sharp right turn where, finally, he was able to see what he ca for.
Theo entered the room and moved his neck around to take the whole scenery in. His eyes widened in shock by looking at the size of the place.
The room stretched far beyond the boundaries of an ordinary hall, its sheer scale almost too vast to grasp at first glance.
The high, vaulted ceiling arched gracefully, adorned with intricate carvings that seed to tell the story of so beasts fighting humans.
Massive stone columns, each carved from dark marble, lined the periter of the room, their surfaces etched with runes that pulsed with a faint, otherworldly glow. Between them, towering statues of humans stood, each seed to be made of marble.
The floor was a masterpiece in itself, a mosaic of polished obsidian and jade that reflected the flickering light of braziers scattered across the chamber.
'It looks bigger than the whole rrick castle.' Theo thought.
His gaze finally fell on the front where many people stood, Theo recognized the two children that ca before him.
There were many more robed people all around the place that looked like an old temple of sorts.
"Theo rrick, please step forward" Theo heard the old man far in the front.
Theo moved forward toward the people, he still felt like the room looked more like a piece carved from heaven. Though, he had already seen sothing even better than this once.
Soon, he reached the people who were standing in a group and that was when Theo realized sothing.
His eyes fell on a small orange-colored orb on the ground that seed to resonate with the whole monunt. It felt like it was the reason everything in that monunt was there.
"Congratulations, prospective tars." The old man clad in white robes said, his beard was very long and he used a cane to walk around. The only thing missing was a pipe to smoke and he would be the sa as Bernard.
"Today, you all have co here for the awakening ceremony that will determine your whole future." The old man said while looking at Theo and everyone, with matureness in his voice, he continued, "Here, you are in the presence of this world's most precious object, it is but a small part of the artifact deep inside our world."
Theo felt a shiver in his spine when he heard that, he looked at the orange-colored orb on the ground with a new light. At first, the thing looked rather important because of it being in the center of the group but now, Theo could tell that it was not only important by the standard of this room but also the whole world.
"There are countless artifacts like this all around the world, they're called, the 'System Bestower'. It helps younglings like you get associated with the artifact that connects the whole world. They first ca to this world's surface after the artifact bestowed its benevolence to this world by choosing it."
It felt like the old man had given this speech to countless people like him his whole life yet still, there was this proudness in his voice while explaining them as if he could never be bored by this explanation.
"Now, let us not take more precious ti of the artifact," The robed old man said and took a small parchnt in hand, "Elysia Stonekeep, please co forward."
Theo looked at the girl flinching at her sudden na call, she showed a serious expression much like any noble but the sudden twitch in her eyebrow and cheek showed just how nervous she was.
She stepped forward two tis and looked up again, the robed old man nodded.
"All you have to do it get in the range of the orb and the artifact will do everything for you."
The girl took a deep breath and took another step forward, seeing that nothing happened, she took another until she reached inches away from the orb.
Suddenly, the already glowing orange orb flashed a bright white light, Theo and everyone there had to close their eyes because of the bright light.
With a hand on his eyes, Theo tried protecting himself when suddenly, the sound of a tallic bell hit his ears.
TING!
Theo opened his eyes finally seeing that the robes n were unfazed by the light yet after looking at the boy in his side, Theo confird that the light was very bright.
"Congratulations, Elysia Stonekeep." The robed man said with a few claps. The other robed n clapped too.
When Theo's gaze finally fell on the orb again, his eyes widened while looking at it.
The orange color of the orb had changed to blue and text started covering every bit of it.
Until, in front of everyone, a big blue screen hovered over the orb.
Theo squinted his eyes to look at it and his breathing beca rugged. He kept a hand on his chest to control his breathing.
'The status screen… it's finally here…'
After years of staying without it, Theo finally saw a status screen in front of him.
"Elysia Stonekeep, you have successfully contracted with the belevolent artifact. I will now tell you your affinity." The old man said while he stepped forward to look at the status screen.
Without changing his expression, the old man continued, "You have gained an affinity with the Ash elent. Congratulations again."
The young noble girl took a breath of exhaustion, clearly having the burden on her heart lifted.
"Ash is a common elent that cos under the main elent of Fire. You can learn more about it by entering the academy. Now, please step back." The old man said with a smile.
"Thank you for the information, I shall now take my leave. Farewell." Elysia said with a bright and dazzling smile. She bowed regally in front of the robed and then at the boy and Theo who greeted her with a smile too.
"Now, Sigrid Frostmoor, please step forward."
User Comments
0 comments from readers