A tiny red flame emerged from the first torch, barely more than a flicker. The second torch followed suit with an equally small yellow flame. The third torch ignited with a green flame, matching the modest size of the previous ones.
Mav’s anxiety mounted. This was his final chance to show something promising. Even an intermediate affinity for Blue Flame could provide a role as a healer in the battlefield or aid in potion creation. But as the blue flame appeared, it was just as small and unremarkable as the others.
Despair engulfed him. The thought of his worst fears materializing was almost too much to bear. He struggled to keep his emotions in check, fighting back the urge to cry. The looming prospect of a quiet, insignificant life back in Oraios Village seemed to grow more inevitable with each passing second.
But just as he was about to be overwhelmed by his disappointment, a dark flame erupted from the last torch. The torch, which had remained inactive throughout the ceremony, now blazed with an immense and towering dark flame. The dark light cast eerie shadows and illuminated the faces of the onlookers, drawing gasps of astonishment from the crowd.
Organos took a deep breath, visibly regaining his composure. “Display status,” he instructed Mav. A status box appeared, revealing:
Red Flame Affinity: 5/120
Green Flame Affinity: 5/120
Blue Flame Affinity: 5/120
Yellow Flame Affinity: 5/120
Dark Flame Affinity: 120/120
Skills:
Red Fireball (Basic) lvl. 1/5
Green Protection (Basic) lvl. 1/5
Blue Healing (Basic) lvl. 1/5
Yellow Enhancement (Basic) lvl. 1/5
Dark Ascension (Maximum) lvl. 120/120
The room fell into a stunned silence. The unexpected revelation of Mav’s Dark Flame affinity, with its towering blaze, left the crowd in a state of awe and disbelief. Mav, still reeling from the emotional rollercoaster, looked around at the wide-eyed faces. Instead of feeling triumphant, he was overwhelmed with confusion and dread.
Organos, regaining his usual demeanor, addressed the crowd. “It seems we have an extraordinary revelation today. Let us reflect on the true potential of each Flame.” His words carried a weight of both surprise and reverence, signaling that the ceremony was far from ordinary.
Dark Flame had been dismissed earlier as a useless affinity, and now Mav faced a new uncertainty. The grand display of power clashed with everything he had heard, leaving him unsure of what to feel. Was this newfound strength truly a blessing, or was it a dangerous anomaly? As he stood in the circle, the dark flame casting long shadows around him, Mav felt a mix of fear, confusion, and a hesitant glimmer of hope. This was the beginning of a new chapter, one filled with questions about his own potential and the path that lay ahead.
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For a moment, the room remained frozen in stunned silence. Organos, still processing the unexpected revelation of Mav’s Dark Flame affinity, caught himself staring at the boy longer than intended. The weight of the discovery was heavy, almost tangible in the air.
But then, the head priest snapped back to reality, realizing that the ceremony was far from over. There were still other children waiting anxiously for their turn, their expectant faces now tinged with uncertainty in the wake of Mav’s extraordinary display.
Before calling the name of the next child, Organos gestured for Mav to come closer. Mav, still dazed by everything that had just happened, approached hesitantly. Leaning down, Organos whispered in a low, urgent tone, “Tell your parents to stay after the ceremony. I need to speak with you once everything is finished.”
Mav nodded, though his mind was still swirling with questions. The head priest’s request only added to the confusion he was already grappling with, but he knew better than to question it. With a quick glance toward his parents, he understood that this was something serious.
As Mav stepped back to his place, Organos straightened and prepared to continue the ceremony. The room, still buzzing with the echoes of what had just occurred, gradually settled as the head priest called out the next name.
As the final name was called and the last child’s flame was bestowed, the tension in the temple began to fade away. The colorful torches lining the walls flickered with a gentle warmth, casting long shadows that danced across the ancient stone. Organos, his face still marked by the shock of Mav's affinity, took a deep breath, signaling the conclusion of the ceremony. The families began to gather their children, whispering among themselves in hushed tones, but the attention of a few remained fixed on Mav and his parents.
Mav stood with his parents near one of the torch-lit alcoves as Organos finished extinguishing the ceremonial flames. The head priest moved with deliberate care, his mind clearly preoccupied. When the last torch was doused, Organos turned toward Mav and his family, his expression unreadable.
"Please, wait here for a moment," Organos instructed, his voice carrying the weight of his thoughts. He quickly summoned another priest, an assistant to his side. The assistant, a younger priest with wide, curious eyes, listened intently as Organos spoke in a low voice.
"I've never seen anything like this before," Organos confessed, his tone laced with a mixture of awe and concern. "A maximum affinity… not just for Dark Flame, but for any flame type. The highest affinity I’ve ever encountered was 100, and even then, that was considered remarkable. And so see a skill immediately reach its maximum level after bestowal... This could be an unprecedented discovery. We might finally uncover the true potential of this mysterious skill."
The assistant priest nodded, though his expression was one of uncertainty. The mention of Dark Flame had already sparked whispers among the few remaining families in the temple, their unease palpable.
"Let’s begin," Organos said, refocusing on Mav. He looked the boy, his expression softening as he gave him a reassuring nod. "Mav, can you open your status box again?"
Mav hesitated, his small hands trembling slightly as he raised them to summon the box. His mind was a maelstrom of fear and doubt, the earlier excitement of his bestowal now crushed under the weight of the unknown. The box appeared before him, and as Organos leaned closer to examine it, the head priest's eyes widened.
"It really is level 120/120…" he murmured, shaking his head in disbelief. "Incredible. And now, Mav, I want you to check the skill Dark Ascension. Let’s see what it reveals."