Nine years have passed. Thick dark clouds raged across the sky. A group of kids around the age of 14 are walking through Flint village, led by a wiry old man. Johan has grown to 5 foot 11 inches, rivaling the height of his mother. He has an athletic build that is at odds with his bookworm personality. He's trailing behind the group, one arm holding the other at the elbow.

"You'll be participating in the test soon, kids. Any questions?" the old man asked.

A tall, lanky elven figure spoke up, "What does the test consist of?"

Flint village has an artifact that tests a person's capabilities and assists them in activating their root. Artifacts are usually exclusive to cities and towns. The cost of getting one is monumental, and finding one is no easy feat. Flint village was founded by a powerful mage a century ago. That mage, using his connections and resources, was able to acquire one of Liam's artifacts for the village. For a small fee, nearby villages can send children to participate in the test.

"We have Liam's black rock, an artifact that stimulates your third eye and gives us a clear understanding of the state of your soul. When you grab the artifact, your root activates and the Glory will be formed at the crown of your head," he said, gesturing at his own bright yellow halo resting at the crown of his head.

"From weakest to strongest, the Glory ranks are red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. Upon activation, one's Glory will be red, orange, or, rarely, yellow. Red is weak and below average. Orange is average. Yellow is exceptional. The intensity of your Glory's light determines the strength of your soul, while the color of your Glory determines the maturity of your root."

"A mature root strengthens your mana, while the soul acts a bridge between your root and the mana around you. Therefore, a sturdy soul allows for a strong connection. This test will give you a clear understanding of the maturity of your root and the strength of your soul."

Johan furrowed his brows and crossed his arms. "I don't get it. So the only difference between a sturdy soul and a magnificent soul is the connection? What does that even mean?"

"The stronger your soul is, the more sensitive you are to the mana around you. When you reach a bottle neck, the strength of your soul determines whether it'll take 10 years to break through or 100 years. A sensitive soul is able to perceive more, which naturally leads to a deeper understanding of the arts. Your rate of improvement will be miles ahead of your peers."

Johan stroked his chin. "Is there anything we can practice to strengthen our soul?"

"Meditation naturally strengthens the soul. Your soul is used as a bridge between the root and the mana around you. A very small amount of that mana will settle in your soul, strengthening it. However, it takes decades to see any noticeable gains because most of the mana goes straight to the root."

"Thank you, sir." Johan had a lot of new information he had to sift through. He walked in silence, while trying to get a deeper understanding of the relationship between the root and the soul.

They entered the bordering forest and walked down a winding dirt ath. The kids were animatedly talking to each other, trying to guess at what color they'll rank at. They spoke of their dreams of money, women, and power. Gushing over starting their own kingdom, traveling the world, and taming dragons. Johan swept his gaze across his peers, a hard look in his eyes.

You guys may have the power to bend the universe to your will, and you're preoccupied with money and women still? Johan shook his head.

Bending the universe to one's will was no exaggeration. At the highest rank, one would have the power to soar through the sky, destroy planets, and more. But Johan didn't want the power just for the sake of having power. He had a thirst for knowledge and understanding; whether it was on Earth or on Gaia, he wanted to understand what made the universe tick.

Kieran trotted up beside Johan. "We'll probably be the top kids here" he snorted.  "Our parents are the strongest in Flint village, after all."

Johan regarded him with a steady look. "I guess."

They walked shoulder to shoulder in silence for a bit, stepping over thick tree roots and avoiding trees.

"I'm gonna aim for the top school. After I graduate I'm gonna apply to The Order and then join the King's Gilgam Group. I'll take over this small village and raise it to become a huge town! It'll be known throughout the world. Anyone whose ever insulted me or my family will definitely pay for it." He spoke with awe, impressing himself with his aspirations.

The Order is the largest and oldest society for those with a high aptitude in the arts. It's a non-profit organization open to those at the yellow rank or above. Statistically speaking, fewer than 5% of the population will ever reach a yellow rank, making the society quite exclusive. Being a member of The Order makes you a VIP; stores may lower their prices, you can own land without having to pay a tax, and more.

The king will often pick members for his personal and most trusted group of mages, the Gilgam Group, from The Order. The Gilgam Group admits solely based on skill and potential. It's not possible to buy your way in. The members are sworn to secrecy, telling no one of their membership. The king made public the existence of his group to attract any hidden talents in his nation. The Gilgam Group is the life goal for thousands of mages.

Johan just stared at him. I'm not good with this kind of person.

"That's a nice dream, Kieran." Johan said carefully. Surely that's neutral enough.

Kieran nodded his head in satisfaction.

"What about you, Jojo?" they continued down the path. "What are you gonna do?" he pestered.

Johan sighed. I Can't take this dick measuring. "I don't know yet. I don't even know what color I'll rank at. I probably won't even rank anything special, knowing my luck. God had to place some kind of handicap on me to make it fair for the rest of you." he chuckled.

Kieran shot him a glare. "You think you're better than me?" he snarled.

"It was just a joke man. Like I said, I doubt I'll produce anything special. Expect the worst, so when it happens, it's not as heartbreaking. That's my motto, brother."

Kieran regarded him with a steady look, before walking off.

Johan felt a little too familiar with the area, but he couldn't quite place why. He noticed the trees thinning the further they walked. From a distance he could see a clearing, with a grave in the center that read 'Founder'.

He shuddered. He avoided this part of the forest since the day he saw ghosts. He hasn't even astral projected again. His eyes shifted from place to place, searching for danger.

"This is Founder's Rest, where the founder of our village lies. We do the tests in his presence, to thank him for blessing us with this artifact." the old man droned. "You'll remember this moment for the rest of your life! Do well on this test and a world of power, money, and opportunity awaits you."

"Come on now, line up so we can get this started." he barked, frightening the kids into order. "Step up. I'll heal you, to make sure you're at your best. Then you can grab the artifact."

The old man pulled a shiny black rock out from his robe. It looked like a cut gem, and it had a faint glow. At the sight of the artifact, all of the kids paled and began to sweat. Artifacts are said to be left behind by either the King's or Betrayer's avatars. It's like holding a piece of history.

The first kid stepped up to the old man. With a wave of his hand, the old man sent a warm wave of light over the kid's body. The kid clenched his jaw and looked at the artifact with focus. He grabbed the artifact. A crackling noise was sent running through the forest. A dim orange light bloomed from the crystal, lightly painting everything around him. Moments later, the Glory formed over his head as a flat orange disc. The kid sucked in a breath.

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"Next!" the old man barked.

The kid excitedly handed back the artifact and skipped to the side of the line. The line progressed smoothly, with the old man making sure to waste no time. Most testers gave off an orange light of varying intensities. None shined too brightly. The lanky elven from earlier managed to get a dim yellow color, causing many in the line to fidget with envy. Elves are naturally more gifted than humans when it comes to mana and the arts.

Johan waited at the back of the line calm but excited. Kieran stood in front of him looking nonplussed.

"Seems like only that elven kid is worth any attention." Kieran sneered. "My dad says that my Glory will probably be yellow."

"Huh. How does he know?"

"What?" Kieran frowned.

"That your Glory is gonna be yellow. How does he know? There's no way to determine that kind of thing before trying. No matter how good your parents are, it doesn't mean that'll pass on to you. Besides, your dad doesn't even have a yellow ranked Glory himself."

A few kids nearby nodded in agreement, staring daggers at Kieran.

Kieran's face flushed. "Why don't you just mind your business? No one was talking to you," he spat.

"Don't think out loud if you're afraid of other people's opinions." Johan shrugged.

"Y-You! -" Kieran sputtered.

"NEXT!" the old man cut in.

Kieran gave Johan a sharp look. Johan only chuckled. Kieran walked over to the old man and doused in a warm light. All of the anger he previously felt melted from his expression. He took a deep breath and grabbed the artifact. The same crackling sound was heard, louder than before. A steady, warm golden light burst forth, causing some of the kids to suck in a breath.

Son of a bitch...

"Congratulations," the old man smiled. Kieran handed the artifact back in a daze and walked over to the side of the line.

Johan stared at him.

"Next! Don't just stand there!" The old man barked.

Johan walked over to the old man. The same warm light flowed over his body. It was a comfortable, tame feeling. A cool breeze lofted through the forest, making the trees fidget with anxiety. He looked closely at the black rock in the old man's hands. It had an eerie purple glow to it. He reached out and could feel the skin on his arms crawl as he got closer to the artifact.

He gripped the artifact and faint crackling could be heard. A pale imitation of the reverberating cracks that Kieran produced. A flickering, dim red light sputtered from the artifact. The kids around him stared at the scene, jaws dropped. They didn't know whether to pity him or laugh at him. A faint red Glory struggled to existence at the crown of Johan's head. I knew it. He sighed.

The old man regarded him with a look of pity. Johan's results were the worst among his peers; he likely wouldn't live this day down. Those with red ranked Glorys are referred to as the 'Red Peasants'. They have little talent for the arts and cultivation. A Red Peasant is expected to stay at that stage for most of his life.

"Why did it flicker?" Johan asked.

The old man was impressed by the lack of a reaction from Johan. "That means your soul is weak, possibly damaged... Not only is your rank red, but your connection is weak. I'm sorry, but I'd recommend you look for a different path in life."

Johan stood there, contemplating his options.

"Okay, those of you who scored well and plan on applying to a school, I'll be headed to the capital in two days. If you plan on coming with me, you can. Break the news to your parents today, make any preparations to leave tomorrow, and be ready to leave in the early morning two days from now."

They started walking back to the village. Everyone was excited, crowding around the elven kid and Kieran. Kieran stood at the center, laughing gaudily, puffing out his chest, and acting like a king. He loved the attention.

Johan walked separate from the crowd, brooding in silence.

"That confirmed it. My soul was originally at the blue rank, but somehow dropped down to the red rank. But why? Is there really no way to strengthen my soul? These people probably just haven't thought of one yet..." he mumbled to himself.

The elven kid trotted over to Johan, with a look of pity in his eyes. Johan was so deep in thought that he didn't notice his approach.

"Hey there, I'm Argus. I'm sorry about what happened today man. Never give up! Work hard and maybe you can raise your rank!"  he said with a smile.

"Eh?" Johan looked up, hearing someone talk in his direction. "Oh, hey. Congratulations. What do you plan to do?"

"Uh, I dunno really. Haven't really thought that far ahead. I'll probably go to school, but after that... well, I'll cross that bridge when I get there."

"Fair -"

"Hey Argus! What're you doing with that Red Peasant?" Kieran shouted, cutting Johan off.

People around him broke out into laughter.

"He really couldn't even make a steady light" one said between laughs.

Argus shrank into himself and gave Johan an embarrassed look. Johan shrugged.

"I grew up with some of these kids and they turn on me at the first sign of weakness." he chuckled. "I expected no less. People are only with you as long as it benefits them."

Kieran trotted over to Johan and Argus, a smug expression fixed on his face.

"Hmm. Didn't a certain Red Peasant say I my Glory wouldn't be yellow? Do you feel dumb now?" he sneered.

"Nope. I said you don't know for sure. It seems that being a yellow rank doesn't help your listening skills, clown."

"You still want to insult me!?"

"Listen man, you approached me, trying to impress me with your rank. Go show off to your daddy; I don't want to hear any of that crap."

"Ohhhhh," the kids around him began to say, trying to instigate a fight. They crowded around Johan and Kieran, setting the stage for them.

"Are you gonna let a Red Peasant talk to you like that?" one of them chuckled.

Kieran's Glory seemed to intensify with his rage. He clenched his fist and cut in front of Johan, blocking his path.

Johan loosened his posture. He had a wide stance and his arms were loose at his side, knuckles cracking with anticipation. He stared Kieran down with intense scrutiny; not daring to miss the smallest detail. The last time he was sucker punched, he lost his life. He wasn't about to let that happen again.

Kieran seemed to wilt under his gaze. At that moment, the old man cut through the crowd and broke it up. He grabbed both Kieran and Johan by the back of their neck, applying a bit of pressure.

"Save this shit when you get home, I don't need anyone's parents blaming me for your injuries!" he bellowed.

The group broke up and continued walking. Johan rubbed the back of his neck, glancing at the old man. That guy is stronger than he looks.

They arrived at the village, and most of the kids took off to do their own thing. Johan was still trying to think of a way to strengthen his soul. He decided to head for the village library to see if he could find any information there.

As he made his way to the book store, he heard an angry shout behind him.

"Hey, Red Peasant!"

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