Rays of morning sunlight shone on the Verdant Great Plains. The Spring Clan estate basked in a golden ray. The buildings and the cobblestone streets shined with golden brilliance. Chatter could be heard throughout the streets. Young clansmen all over the estate were gathering at one destination in particular: the clan academy.
The young clansmen talked with each other while onlookers expressed their encouragement. In every spring, it signifies blossoming and birth. The heavens excitedly shone upon the region with endless life energy. It was at this time that Heaven's Springs had its highest batch production of mana stones. Adapting to spring, the clans would traditionally hold their awakening ceremony at this time, as it was believed to bring good luck to the clan.
“After this, we will be a step closer to being powerful magicians!”
“When I open my fissure, I’ll be able to help out more in my family.”
The myriad voices of emotions echoed throughout the estate, blending with the gentle morning wind.
The clan academy, a grand structure made out of brick stone, was located west of the Spring Clan Pavilion. Only a few narrow streets stood between them.
One by one, the young clansmen gathered at the gates of the academy. They stood on the patio of the academy in front of large wooden gates that stood up to fifteen feet in height.
Among them were Jinto, Paul, and Melissa, who stood on the patio passing through the crowd.
“It’s getting real now,” Paul said as he put his hands behind his head. “Think we’ll see the awakening of a legendary amethyst fissure today?”
“The chances are extremely low. Only a few can even become magicians and awaken their fissure, let alone an amethyst fissure,” Melissa added.
“It would be great if I could awaken such a fissure,” Jinto said, his voice carrying a trace of hope as he looked ahead at the gates bathed in golden brilliance.
Melissa looked at Jinto. “Sigh, I don’t want to crush your dreams, but don’t beat yourself down if you don’t obtain it.”
Jinto could only give a light smile while saying, “I know.” His confidence wavered slightly at her words. Inwardly, he could only be hopeful about his future.
“Well, as long as I get a good enough fissure rank, I’ll be satisfied. That’s enough to live a comfortable life,” Paul added.
“How realistic of you. Based on your appearance, I would think you’d be a meathead,” Melissa said with slight sarcasm.
“It seems that after all these years, you haven’t truly known me,” Paul said, slightly glancing at her.
Melissa could only shrug her shoulders in defeat and say, “It seems so.”
After a few more rounds of chatting, the wooden gates slowly opened.
Everybody stopped their actions to look toward the noise coming from the gates. As the gates slowly opened, a single figure came into view. He stood firmly wearing a green robe lined with silver threads. His hair contained streaks of white.
“Greetings to the next generation of my Spring Clan.” His firm voice spread through the ears of the clansmen gathered. “I’ll be your guide on this momentous occasion, Master Hector. Please follow me after making two single-file lines.”
As the clansmen quickly gathered into two lines, Paul asked lowly, “Do you think he practiced that speech in the mirror, or does he just wing it?”
Melissa put her index finger on her lips and lowly said, “Be quiet.”
Jinto took in a deep breath as two neat lines formed completely.
“Good.” Master Hector nodded slightly as he turned around, going deeper into the academy grounds.
Beyond the gates was a well-kept courtyard filled with beautifully arranged trees. The trees had sturdy yellow trunks, while their leaves were pale blue. They were birds-alluring trees. This type of tree attracted countless birds to lay their nests, allowing the birds to pluck out its seeds for reproduction, forming a symbiotic relationship.
The morning air swept across Master Hector and the clansmen, causing their robes to flutter in the wind. They walked on a wide stone pavement. A fountain stood in the middle of the pavement, depicting a beautiful woman in elegant robes holding a basin of water atop her head.
The academy building loomed to their right—a grand structure made of stone bricks. Its splendor was evident, with intricate patterns covering it from the first story to the third. Sunlight reflected off the building, giving it a majestic aura.
They passed many structures of unknown purpose scattered throughout their surroundings. They continued walking until their eyes were drawn to a circular structure, vast and grand. Grand pillars anchored into the ground surrounded the exterior of the structure. Thick and sturdy, the pillars had carvings of intricate lines and designs above and below. Above them, a second layer of pillars descended downward onto a stone line above the first batch. These slimmer pillars bore carvings of spiral paths around them. This was the academy stadium, the site of the awakening ceremony and other events involving students’ combat prowess.
Master Hector led the children to a tall and wide entrance into the stadium. They passed through the interior design of the building, arriving at a gate that connected to the arena within the stadium.
The youngsters’ hearts palpitated with nervousness. They knew they were moments away from becoming magicians. Some prayed under their breaths with their eyes closed, while others clenched their fists, their eyes shining with anticipation.
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The barred gate separating them from the arena slowly rose. A vast arena of short grass lay before them, encircled by a myriad of seats. Among the upper levels of the stadium, special compartments stood out, with the largest located at the eastern side of the arena.
The ten elders sat in this compartment, observing with expectation. At the head sat Clan Leader Nero. Beside him stood Cielo and Rosen, to his right and left, respectively.
The audience watched as the youngsters entered the arena. At the center stood a massive orb accompanied by an elderly man holding a piece of wolfskin and a quill full of ink. Beside him was a wooden platform with another man standing next to it.
The participants, led by Master Hector, closed in on the orb. He said, “Sit right here.” Motioning with a simple gesture, he continued, “Your names will be called in alphabetical order. After that, you’ll go to that man.” He pointed toward the man beside the orb. “He’ll inscribe an array on your lower torso. Then, you’ll be given mana stones and instructed to sit and absorb the mana stones. Once you awaken your fissure, you’ll pour your mana into the orb.” Master Hector instructed.
Satisfied seeing the youngsters seated, Master Hector stood to the side, nodding at the elderly man next to the orb.
Knowing it was time, Nero rose from his seat. His commanding presence spread out, and with a slight release of his aura, all attention turned to him and the elders who sat beside him. His deep voice reverberated as he addressed the audience.
“Today marks the day of our legacy. Since our ancestor established the Spring Clan, we have had a long-standing presence in the Verdant Great Plains that has been nothing but arduous, taxing, and difficult. All life faces challenges; humans aren’t exempt from this rule. From calamities to beast tides, this world is truly perilous.”
“The winds of time are inevitable. The new will replace the old. Today will result in the emergence of strong warriors and brilliant heroes for our clan. I look forward to the new generation soaring and maintaining our Spring Clan legacy. Engrave this moment into your lives, as it is the start of your own path, one that only you will be able to carve.”
Hearing the end of the speech, the audience erupted in applause. The youngsters couldn’t feel more motivated and inspired by their own patriarch. His words ignited an unceasing fire in their hearts, calming their nerves for the most part.
“Now I’m getting pumped up. If only I can reach the heights of the patriarch. I’m not too idealistic to wish for a legendary fissure, but as long as it’s possible, I’ll welcome a chance to be the best I can,” Jinto thought.
Nero sat down in his seat as the applause stopped. He then commanded, “Let this ceremony begin!”
At his orders, the elderly man looked at the sheet in front of him.
The youngsters held their breath.
“Aldering Liora.”
From the seated participants, a girl stood up. The moment she rose, all eyes locked onto her. She felt the pressure but pretended not to be nervous. She portrayed a resolute expression while walking step by step with clenched fists.
“Pull the tunic upwards enough for me to see your belly button.” Aldering pulled her tunic, revealing her belly button. The elderly man, with his quill, drew a small circle below her belly button with intricate details. He then closed his palm near her lower torso, pouring mana into the circle he had just drawn.
After he was done pouring mana, he gave her four mana stones and said, “Go to the wooden platform, place these four mana stones at the designated corners where they belong, then sit cross-legged. The man guarding the platform will instruct you.”
Aldering gave a nod, collected the mana stones, and went toward the wooden platform. The wooden platform had a large circular array that was two-by-two meters. At the corners, small circles protruded from the big circle. She placed the mana stones into these spots and then sat in the middle of the array.
Once she sat, the man said, “Now you must concentrate on the array Master Kondle inscribed into you. You’ll feel a foreign energy akin to slight pressure. Don’t be afraid to take in this energy into the array,” he explained.
“Okay.”
Aldering concentrated on her lower torso, and shortly, the array she sat on started to glow with a golden-white light. Aura surged as her long hair stood up, waving to the sides like snakes. Her body was covered in light, making her seem like a saintess who had stepped into the world.
The four shining mana stones quickly dimmed, turning into ordinary rocks, then to dust that scattered in the wind.
The man nodded, satisfied with the result.
In the crowd, a mother and father pair had excited looks in their eyes.
“Oh, our little Aldering is now a magician.”
Aldering slowly opened her eyes, her hair now cascading down like a waterfall, covering her back and shoulders. Aldering had awakened her fissure! She couldn’t shake her excitement. Step by step, she reached the massive orb, then placed her hand on it. Upon awakening one’s fissure, releasing mana becomes an instinct akin to a baby’s reaction upon entering the world. She poured her mana into the orb.
The orb glowed with a yellow light, and from within, two foggy roots made of white light surged.
The elderly man took another piece of wolfskin and, with a quill, wrote while saying, “Aldering Liora, Silver fissure.”
Aldering, satisfied with her results, returned to the spot where she had previously sat.
After she sat, another name was called out.
“Alger Trembula.”
The same process started. Master Kondle drew an array on his lower torso, gave Alger mana stones, and instructed him to proceed to the wooden platform. Alger placed the mana stones and sat cross-legged, following the man’s instructions.
However, after he sat down and tried to concentrate, he couldn’t feel the energy. Thus, the array didn’t activate.
“Wait… don’t tell me… I can’t be,” Alger thought as he tried with all his energy to concentrate. Sweat dripped from his forehead, but it was all meaningless.
The man at the wooden platform then said, “Alger Trembula, no fissure, mortal.”
Disappointment and anger filled Alger. His hands shook, and he took staggered breaths. He had hoped this day would be the one where he became a magician, but were his dreams about to be shattered just like that? No way!
“There must be something wrong. Please give me a second…” A formless force grabbed Alger, preventing him from moving, and slowly returned him to his seat.
The youngsters erupted in laughter, taking joy in his suffering. Others prayed even harder, not wanting to be in Alger’s position. Some looked on with amusement.
Jinto gulped as he thought, “Poor guy. This world truly is cruel. Only a few can ever hope to awaken their fissure. From there, the chances increase exponentially with each rarity.”
Melissa couldn’t even look at Alger as she closed her eyes.
Paul could only look at Alger pitifully as he was slowly pulled back to his seat.
“What misfortune,” someone sneered from the seated crowd.
“It seems he’ll only be a pitiful farmer in this life.”
“There can’t be kings without their jesters.”
The young clansmen exclaimed.
“Quiet down,” Master Hector instructed, instantly silencing the noise.
Alger could only watch as the force gathered him to his seat, knowing that his future was already predetermined. He now felt shame and anger like never before, cursing all these scoundrels who laughed at him.