GATO Earth Variation Report: Delta-7X

System Status: Stable

Relevant Subject: Leocedes “Hunter” Filo, Age 8

Location: Delphare, Valoria Province

Threat Assessment: Moderate

Recommended Action: Observation with potential intervention.

A few months later…

Jocasta grabbed Hunter’s hand and pumped it. “It’s starting!” His little sister pointed at a man dressed in fine robes whose sudden appearance in the Templar Coliseum made everyone gasp. Even with his aura reined in, the priest’s power charged the chamber with energy.

Hunter glanced at his sister and gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. He forced a smile, but he wasn’t sure he could contain his excitement without getting sick.

All around him, the other children who had gathered for the elemental affinity awakening ceremony stood there wide-eyed. Some families were so in awe of the Templar priest's entrance that their open mouths could have caught flies.

Close by, Hunter’s uncle wore a proud grin as he watched the priest take the stage. The warmth faded when Hunter grasped his uncle’s hand, a cold sensation of smooth metal to the touch.

His uncle had the unblemished appearance of a Peak Star Order cultivator—a cultivator so powerful he had to suppress his aura to shield those weaker than him. And, well, in Hunter’s experience, that included pretty much everyone, everywhere, at all times in Delphare.

Ever since his mother had fallen ill and his father was summoned to war against the demon scourge, his uncle had stepped up as his guardian. To Hunter, he was a rock, a constant source of unwavering support. Yet, there were times when his uncle's presence sent shivers down his spine.

Hunter dipped his hand into his jacket pocket and slipped a morsel to Heckle, the juvenile duck nesting comfortably inside.

Shadows darkened his uncle's eyes as they locked on Hunter. “You ought to be paying attention, boy.” He ruffled Hunter’s hair and grinned, but the darkness never left his gaze. “If Priest Helios catches you not paying heed, we'll both be in a bind. Don’t waste that clever mind of yours tending to a pitiful creature that wouldn't last a day in the wild.”

Hunter scowled.

Go on, just say it, he thought, staring at his uncle.

"The weak are the meat the strong eat."

It was one of the few things they didn't see eye to eye on. If Hunter had a gold coin for every time he’d heard his uncle say those words, he could feed all the starving souls on the streets of Delphare.

As Hunter stood in the imposing chamber awaiting his fate, he sensed those words held a deeper significance.

What if I am one of the shunned?

Every time Hunter asked that question, his parents reassured him that coming from a powerful noble bloodline that was highly unlikely.

Unlikely, but not impossible.

Hunter swallowed hard, thinking about his parents, especially the last time he saw his mother.

It always made his chest hurt.

His sister, Jocasta, feeding off the growing tension, squeezed his hand tighter. She shot him a ‘you can do this look.’

His belly flipped, threatening to dump the breakfast he’d eaten earlier. He had to do this. There was no other choice. If he didn’t awaken an elemental affinity with one of the three beast cores, he couldn’t refine his chi and develop his cultivation core.

Backing out now was not an option.

Priest Helios stopped in the center of the large chamber, his voice echoing off the marble pillars. "Hail one and all." He raised his hands high. "Please gather closer and present your children who wish to participate in the Awakening Ceremony."

Families swarmed forward, a sea of eager faces with eyes filled with hope and trepidation. Hunter's uncle, however, stood his ground, letting the surging crowd flow past them like a river around a solitary rock.

Priest Helios' commanding voice cut through the rising din, "I know you're all eager to learn your sons' and daughters' elemental affinity. Some of you have crossed treacherous seas and risked everything to be here. But rest assured, everyone will get their chance."

Hunter's uncle strode forward with purpose, his powerful presence forcing Hunter, still gripping his uncle's hand, to almost jog along on his shorter legs. Jocasta kept pace with him, her eyes shining with anticipation, her small feet moving in a skipping rhythm as they hurried along.

"Priest Helios is being kind, boy. They're not just eager, they're bloody scared shitless." His uncle slapped his hand over his mouth, but his eyes held a mischievous glint. "Sorry about that, Jo, but you'd best get used to it. I don't have the polished manners of your parents—too many years on the war front with bastards who were raised in ditches."

She shrugged. “I’ve heard the groundskeeper say worse to the weeds.”

Uncle Eratos shook his head and laughed while the brief moment of truth provided Hunter with relief and a smile.

As they reached the gathering of families, Hunter's skin prickled with unease. Heads turned as his uncle released his aura to make his presence known, parting the crowd like a ship's bow slicing through water. His uncle came to a halt before Priest Helios, who bowed, took a step back, and nervously cleared his throat.

"Today, children," he paused, his gaze held steady across the masses while his voice carried the weight of the gods, "you will have the opportunity to awaken your elemental affinity by choosing from one of three beast cores. If you succeed, you'll have chosen your destiny." The words hung in the air like an unspoken prophecy.

Murmurs rippled through the crowd.

"Just wait for it," Hunter overheard one man say to another, "he's going to mention the risks."

"Many of you here will connect to your elemental affinity," Priest Helios continued, his voice softening, "but others... I am sorry." He lowered his head briefly before raising his penetrating gaze. "I wish I could assure each and every one of you that you'll succeed today, but history has shown us otherwise."

Jo tugged on Hunter's hand, her voice small but earnest. "If Hunter chooses the wrong core, can he try again?"

"No second chances, Jo." His uncle’s eyes lit with anticipation as his voice quieted. "But that won't happen to Hunter. He'll know which one to pick…” As his uncle's voice trailed off, he leaned in closer to Hunter. "It's the sealing of the beast core into the chi cultivation medallion afterwards that should be a greater concern, but I can tell by the clueless expressions, some of these plebeians are ignorant." His gaze swept across the gathered families, a touch of disdain in his eyes.

Hunter couldn't shake his anxiety, even with his uncle's confidence. How would he know which core to choose? He recalled a distant memory of his father offering counsel to a man whose son's beast core had turned black and disintegrated. It meant the boy had an elemental affinity for Dark plasma, a curse in their city that led to exile.

Hunter's father, a compassionate man who had always been guided by principles of kindness, had taken pity on the man. He had offered him safe passage to one of the outer islands, a place where he could find work and protect his child from the death cultists who would be eager to snatch him away.

But his uncle seemed to read his thoughts. "You're Auberon and Katina's son, Hunter. There's no use fretting; your fate is sealed."

"But how will I know?" Hunter blurted out.

"I've told you before, boy, you'll just know." His uncle leaned back in, his voice a quiet assurance. "And soon, you'll have your own Sun Emperor's cultivation scroll to permanently keep, just like every other child who awakens their elemental affinity today."

With a stern look, Priest Helios silenced the crowd. "Today marks the first step in your cultivation journey. Sealing your chi cultivation medallion allows you the opportunity to break through into the Refiner stage. Take full advantage of the techniques in your scroll, train hard, and perhaps, one day, you’ll reach the Founder stage."

One dark-haired boy couldn't contain his enthusiasm. "Forget Founder stage! I'm going to reach Core Former before I'm eighteen." He leapt into view, his father nodding with pride. "I'll claim the Regal beast core; it's mine!"

Hunter groaned at Pheres and his even more arrogant father, Xuthos Andeno.

Priest Helios, unimpressed by the interruption, snorted. "In all my years, I've never seen the purple glow of a Regal beast core. And few in this city have the resources to break through the Founder stage bottleneck and reach Core Former stage." He nodded toward Hunter's uncle. "Unlike our esteemed guest, General Eratos."

All eyes turned to General Eratos, and Jo couldn't contain her pride. "He's our uncle!"

Hunter chuckled at her spirited enthusiasm but hushed her before she could continue.

Jocasta's innocent charm softened the atmosphere, lifting the lingering tension. Her round eyes and infectious smile worked their magic on the crowd.

The priest raised his hands, a low hum filling the air. "Parents, please step back and allow your children to form an orderly line." He stepped aside, revealing the first set of three mysterious and identical beast cores perched on velvet cushioned pillars, their ethereal glow casting a mesmerizing spell over the gathering. Each egg-shaped core held the promise of untapped power.

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

Beyond them, a cauldron appeared in a silvery haze as if summoned there by some mystical force. Through the haze a man strode into view and stood beside the cauldron. A mountain in human form, he wore a blood red eye patch and fierce dragon tattoos snaked down his arms.

Eyes widened in wonder.

Priest Helios pressed on as if their sudden appearance were an everyday occurrence, his words blending into the ceremony's rhythm. He beckoned the first child in line, a sandy-haired boy, to approach the three beast cores.

The boy hesitated, casting a nervous glance over his shoulder. His parents offered encouraging nods, and he moved forward with caution, examining each core in turn. Suddenly, his eyes lit up, and he placed his hand on the third beast core. It split open with a resonant crack, unfolding like a stone flower bud, its bright red hue filling the air with the scent of burning incense.

"A Fire cultivator in the making! Well done Zaccirius!" Priest Helios pointed to the cauldron. "Now, hurry over to Mercos and have your chosen beast core aether sealed in your chi cultivation medallion." Urgency tinged his voice as a reminder that time was precious.

The young boy rushed over to the cauldron, following the priest's instructions. He handed the core to Mercos, who deftly worked the blacksmithing tools. The aether core absorbed the boy's pre-refined chi, sealing it into the enchanted medallion as the boy dipped it into the cauldron. The resulting medallion sparkled, catching Jocasta's eye.

"It's like a ruby." She gasped. "So pretty!"

Next in line, Pheres sauntered forward with an air of confidence, his swagger on full display.

The crowd’s attention shifted to the woman in long silk robes who carried a velvet pillow showcasing the three new beast cores. With a mesmerizing smile, she returned to the front, gently placing each egg-shaped core onto the pillars.

Pheres paced back and forth, his brows furrowed, before finally approaching the middle beast core. Placing a hand on it, the beast core cracked open but remained dark. His hand trembled as he removed it, only for it to be bathed in white light. His shoulders relaxed, but there was a flicker of annoyance in his eyes.

His father's sour expression conveyed a sense of entitlement, irked that it wasn't a violet regal core, oblivious to the fact that his son had awakened the Wind affinity.

Priest Helios offered congratulations, but there was a coolness in his voice that hinted he didn’t really mean it. As Pheres fussed over Mercos' sealing process, the priest called the next child forward.

That’s when Hunter noticed him. It was the stranger with the bright yellow eyeglasses. This time he was dressed in fine robes like the priest and he kept adjusting his glasses as he scanned the crowds.

At first, Hunter thought he was arguing with someone, a child perhaps, but as he narrowed his eyes, he saw the man was alone. Wagging a finger in the air, he moved like a ghost through the crowds.

Hunter turned to Jocasta. “What do you think is up with him?”

“Who?” Her brows crinkled in confusion.

When he looked up, the stranger with the funny glasses was gone.

Time dragged on as Hunter's turn approached, and Jocasta grew restless. "Why are there so many guards?" She tugged on Hunter's sleeve, her eyes wide with curiosity at the sentinels stationed around the chamber.

Hunter looked to his uncle for an answer.

His uncle's expression turned grim. "To watch for death cultists. They despise our way of life and believe our system is flawed and corrupt. They've attacked during the Trial of Worth before, but it's unlikely they'd target a children's ceremony."

Hunter knew more about the cultists than most children his age, thanks to eavesdropping on his father's conversations. Before his father left for the war front, he'd received countless reports of the cultists' desperate acts to counter his father's guards ridding their existence in the city.

Jocasta's complexion paled, and Hunter patted her arm. "We're safe here. Even if some crazy cultists got in, Uncle would send them packing with his flaming sword."

His uncle nodded, and the priest, his gaze fixed on Hunter, waited with undue patience.

"It's your turn." His uncle smiled, but the tone of his voice made Hunter's skin crawl.

Jo squeezed Hunter's hand, her presence a reassuring anchor. “You got this.”

Inhaling a deep breath, Hunter let the lingering incense from Pheres’ beast core fade away. Stepping forward, he approached the egg bearer as she carefully placed the final beast core on the pillowed pillar. As he stared at the three egg-shaped cores, each one appeared indistinguishable from the others.

“Don’t take too long, boy.” His uncle's voice came from behind him.

Hunter placed a hand over his stomach, calming its restless churn enough to focus on his Pre-Refiner core. The hint of unrefined chi within him seemed to resonate with the aura emanating from each beast core, but one stood out, exuding a stronger presence.

Stepping to the first beast core, he laid his hand on top of it. The surface was cool to the touch, and a pang of panic set in as time appeared to stretch on without change. Warmth radiated into his palm, and with a resounding crack, the beast core glowed a brilliant orange.

“Earth chi!” Jo's delighted squeal echoed from the crowd.

Priest Helios nodded, opening his palm toward the cauldron. “Following in General Auberon’s footsteps. Hurry and seal your fate with Mercos.”

Hunter grasped the awakened beast core, turning his gaze to Mercos who hovered over the hazy cauldron.

Hunter's eyes darted back to the crowds where his uncle stood, arms crossed under a proud grin. Suddenly, the grin vanished, and his uncle's gaze shifted to the stirring crowds. A piercing scream shattered the air, and the crowd began to scatter.

In the chaos, three figures emerged like shadows in Hell's fire. Their colorful robes dropped, revealing skeletal forms draped in black.

Hunter's heart hammered like a war drum.

The world twisted into a nightmare as the intruders' true nature unfolded. The word "cultist" clawed its way into his mind. Their red eyes glowed with killing intent, their mission clear: to destroy the Childhood Awakening Ceremony, even if it meant spilling innocent blood.

A heavy clang echoed, signaling the fall of sentinels' armor.

The guards surrounding the chamber couldn't save them; one by one, they collapsed, bodies convulsing before going deathly still.

Hunter's hand trembled as he clutched the pulsing beast core. His breath came fast and shallow. The image of his little sister's scared face, clinging to their uncle, forced him to push down his panic.

He pocketed the core, feeling its reassuring pulse against his skin, and dashed over to his sister. But just as he pushed past a fleeing family to reach her, he was knocked to the ground. His uncle hoisted him upright, steadying him with big hands.

"Take your sister and run!" His uncle’s eyes glinted as a flaming red sword materialized in his hand. He powered toward the three cultists who lashed out with claw blades, clearing a path to Priest Helios.

Hunter's heart raced, his breaths coming in frantic gasps. He barely had time to register the fluttering sensation against his fingers before he realized the juvenile duck had escaped his pocket, its tiny wings propelling it into the chaos.

Jo chased after the little bird.

"Jo! Come back!" His voice drowned out by the bedlam. Fear clenched at his chest like iron claws as he sprinted after his sister, his heart thundering in his ears.

Jo, oblivious to the peril, stretched her small arms toward the bird, trying to shield it from the chaos.

Hunter pumped his legs, zigzagging past fleeing figures, his eyes focused on Jo and the bird. Claw blades pierced the air as one of the cultists diverted, preying on the vulnerable.

The bird and Jo headed straight toward the cultist.

Adrenaline surged through Hunter, lending strength to his limbs as he closed the distance. He stumbled over a fallen body, then rolled, sliding through a gap in the fleeing crowds.

A final burst of effort brought him within reach of Jo.

Scooping her into his arms, he shielded her and the bird just as the cultist lunged at them. The panicked bird's flapping wings struck the cultist's face, buying Hunter precious moments.

Swift reflexes kicked in; he extended his leg, sending the cultist crashing to the ground, his claw blade skittering away. Every muscle screamed in protest as Hunter dashed away, cradling Jo in one arm.

His eyes fell upon a crying child, stumbling amidst the corpses. Hunter scooped the boy onto his back, his small frame light enough for Hunter to bear. His legs pumped with desperate urgency, but he could almost feel the cultists' hot breath on the back of his neck.

The sense of impending doom grew stronger with every step he took.

He searched for his uncle and found him locked in combat with another cultist. Something felt off—the cultist's movements were too careful, too personal, like the sparring matches Hunter had seen at home. No, recognition seemed to flicker in the cultist’s eyes as he fought Eratos.

Fear gripped Hunter. The cultist knew his uncle.

Hunter's mind raced.

His uncle had told him to run, but how much longer could he keep them safe? If he dashed for the exit, but it was locked, they’d be sitting ducks.

More cultists appeared, surging toward Priest Helios.

The priest spun a glowing white staff, but there were too many, even for a man of his power. With a bellowing roar, Mercos plowed through the hordes of cultists that seemed to materialize from thin air.

Jo's sobs grew louder, and the little boy on his back clung tight while Hunter supported him with his free arm. Hunter didn't need to look around. Instinctively, he knew the cultist's killing blow was imminent.

He had to act fast.

"Hold on as tight as you can. Don't let go!" Hunter pulled his sister in close.

He spun around just in time to shield the boy and Jo with his own body. The cultist's claw blades whistled through the air, inches from their skin, the metallic tang of fear choking the air.

Hunter staggered back, desperate to escape. He stumbled over a fallen body behind him. Struggling to remain upright and protect his tiny wards, he fell to his knees.

The cultist stalked closer, raising his claw blades high, ready to strike.

Hunter twisted his body, shielding the children, leaving himself exposed. A blur of motion swept in like a hurricane. With a roar that shook the foundations of the chamber, Mercos swung his dragon hammer.

The impact was deafening, the cultist's scream cut short.

The chamber doors burst open, and guards poured inside. With a final swing of his dragon hammer, Mercos ensured the fallen cultist's desperate gasp was his last. With a grim smile, Mercos helped Hunter to his feet.

Their gaze shifted to his uncle’s flaming sword as it arched against the cultist’s attack.

Eratos severed the cultist's head clean with deadly grace, his uncle’s eyes cold and merciless. At that moment, his uncle was a stranger to him. As the body collapsed, blood sprayed like a fountain showering his uncle.

Wiping blood from his face, Eratos strode towards Hunter and saluted Mercos. "Thank the Divine we have a secret warrior blacksmith in this city."

Both men smiled, but it didn’t reach their eyes.

"Nothing secret about me." Mercos’ tone appeared measured and calm. "I'm a member of the Aetherforge Artisan Guild in Pyronia Province. I served my time in Emperor Konstantinos' army and was rewarded with an apprenticeship with Master Agathos."

Uncle Eratos gripped Mercos' shoulder. "Master Agathos. I've heard of him. Some say he's the finest master blacksmith and alchemist in the whole empire. What an honor it is to have you here, serving Priest Helios and saving my precious niece and nephew."

His uncle glanced at Hunter, but his words were meant for Mercos. "Let me not keep you any longer, my good man. I need to ensure these youngsters are unharmed." His tone was dismissive, and Mercos took it as his cue to leave.

Heaving his dragon hammer over his shoulder Mercos’ expression remained stoic. "An honor to serve your family. I'm sure our paths will cross again."

“Thank you for saving us.” Hunter bowed his head as Jo held him tight.

Mercos nodded and gave Hunter a smile that carried a touch of sadness as he walked away.

Hunter glanced up at his uncle, who wiped his blade clean with a cloth soaked in blood. “Did you know him?” He motioned to the headless cultist saturating in a pool of blood.

“No. What makes you say that?” His uncle's voice remained stern as he continued cleaning his blade, the cloth effortlessly soaking up the blood.

“He looked like he knew you, and I…”

A smile graced his expression as he shifted his gaze toward Hunter. “Everybody knows and loves me. I’m the leader of the Great War, their savior!”

“But…” Hunter began to question everything he had witnessed, but the pulsing orange glow from his pocket captured his attention.

His uncle groaned. “Get that core into the cauldron now, boy, before it’s too late!”

Hunter gripped the beast core and scrambled toward the cauldron. With each step, the glow seemed to fade. Panic coursed through his veins as he sprinted. He had to seal his aether beast core in time, or his cultivation medallion would be corrupt—a fate worse than being shunned.