"Move It"

Being pushed to the side, The illusions of my awakening disappeared, I slowly returned to my mundane awareness, now however there was something inside me that was starkly different to before. I could feel two different powers moving around inside me, one made me feel safe and secure, the other was roaring at me, screaming to get out and unleash its power on the world. I was just preparing to do that when I was pulled around once again, breaking my concentration. The panic rising inside me as I was moved to a bench beside the town hall, the sound around me pulsating in my ears, fading in and out, the calls for the next few people to be awakened, it was a quick process once it starts, but even still these guys seemed to want to fly though the group, the usual minute to gain your bearings after you awaken was reduced to seconds, if even.

"Micael, what did you awaken?"

The whisper to my left broke me out of my stupor. I turned to see Joyd had been awakened, he didn't look particularly happy about his awakening.

"I awoke to a basic water element, my gift was barely the size of Irdir Lake"

Calling it a lake was a bit generous, it was a small body of water just outside our town that we all used to fish in. The fact that his potential power was only equal to that was quite bad for him.

"Size doesn't matter you know that, the stories all prove it, being practiced with your skill is far better than someone who has to spread themselves too thin"

He nodded, he knew that, of course he did. Everyone did. Those were the foundations of many stories of the Empire. People who specialized in their small amount of power to a great degree allowing them to go toe to toe with some truly powerful foes. It was incredibly difficult though, without that natural power, your practice time is limited, and if you go down the wrong path of power, that would mean you could be left with nothing but wasted time and hope, so it was a much harder life for someone with a small pool to draw from.

We were joined by a few others as the time went on. All saying pretty liberally what they had got and how much potential they had. As always, even in these subdued circumstances there was pride in being a seed with great potential, so that was the talking point. I had yet to say for myself my power potential so I let myself go under the radar a bit.

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The awakenings continued faster and faster, the bandits seemed to be getting more and more panicked, The guy that had been a little kind to us, was constantly looking up at the sky. It was clear something was coming, even though by this point I wasn't sure what I wanted anymore.

If the Empire caught up and freed us, even though we had been awakened against our will by a foreign power, their policies on such things were pretty Iron clad, I would be put in a very difficult situation, the only true way from now was to follow Ben's plans, bring down this Horde from the inside. Becoming a hero and a citizen through that. Even if that barred me from ever joining the ancients, but even so I would still have access to the capital and I could begin to take back my ancestral home. If we were rescued now, I could pretty much say goodbye to all of that, no matter how long I might be in the Empires forces, they never let so called foreigners in any positions where they might actually be in the position to gain glory from their service. No that was the domain of the natives of the Empire. A foreigner becoming a citizen was a spit in the face to all the folk in the empire. So that wasn't an option for me.

"Come on, final one now, keep it moving guys"

One of the bandits kept urging us and their brethren on.

The final awakening occurred,Ben, He didn't struggle as he strode with purpose up to the podium and placed his hand on the awakening stone. Ben was out for a few seconds, meaning at least a medium level power. He was pulled along as well, brought over to where we were.

"Right now that all that unpleasantness is out of the way, it is time for us to move you all to your new home."

With that and a few moves from his hand, obviously not having the same spatial control as the Halas that brought such destruction, the portal slowly began to widen as they began to move the workers and laborers through, the newly awakened with crafting skills as well, it was clear that they were more important to the hordes than a few extra young warriors.

A huge crash up above us brought a golden glow down onto the ground, the dome that had destroyed our town was obviously still in place, it was now just invisible. Making it clear that my plan would never have been able to work. There was no way I could break through that shield to escape, then constant bangs began to ring out as the bandits began to urge us faster and faster in, somehow in my thoughts I had been pushed to the end of the line in, I watched up at the now glowing shield as a purple crack slowly started to show on the dome, I was pulled through the Portal just as I turned around and saw chariots of purplish light begin to descend into the ruins of our town. With that the portal closed in front of my eyes, leaving my old life behind me.