Awakening Ceremony

It was the 15th September, the day of the annual awakening.

"Finally, it's today! It's today! Big sis Ramona let's go we cannot be late."

My sis, a beautiful 20 years old girl with black hair, descended the stairs of that big mansion and reached me near the door, ready to go out.

"Calm down lil pest, there are still 20 minutes to go before the sanctuary opens"

"Yes but the academy representatives will be there much sooner and I don't want to make a bad impression"

The 4 academies of Edenfall one of the three human cities: Arama, Derta, Porto and Kartos.

Named after the first four ieros of humanity, these institutions pick out the newly awakened kids and teaches them how to develop their abilities. Arama, Derta and Kartos are schools focused on fighting while Porto is specialised in non-offensive capabilities.

"Okok we'll be going, jump on my shoulders"

"But big sis…"

"With those short legs of yours it will take ages to arrive half-dwarf"

"…"

"Wanna be late?"

"… sigh*"

I hung on her shoulders and then she opened the door and started jumping extremely quickly from a house rooftop to another.

"BIG SISSSSS. YOU'RE GOINGE TOO FAST"

"Calm down half-dwarf, try enjoying the sight, ahah"

She started laughing.

[I'm gonna have my revenge later I swear… oh well the view truly isn't bad]

Edenfall expanded under us; I could see thousands of houses leaning on the mountain Epheso with uncountable roads passing through them like a spider web. What a fantastic sight… I could even see the big plaza where the first ieros placed the legendary black obelisk, the place where the new era started for our race. Even the wastelands where only monsters can survive are visible.

[Ugh*]

"Hey Ramona why did you stop?"

"We've arrived haven't we?"

[She's right… wow!]

We were in the highest point of our city, a big square paved with stone where the sanctuary, the greatest building of Edenfall stands.

A 10.000 m² large structure with hundreds of rooms in which all the logistic matters of the city are taken care of. Its façade is bright white with an infinite amount of grey inscription and countless circular windows that allow the light to pass through on it.

It was the first time I went there since kids under the age of 8 are not admitted in this location.

"*cough, cough*"

My sister bent over coughing very strongly.

[It is one of her attacks again]

"Big sis, are you okay?"

"You shouldn't worry 'bout her Alexander, it's not the first time it happens right? Ramona just stop it! You are a Morrowitch and the members of the Morrowitch family never show any weakness."

[Elijah…]

Elijah Morrowitch, our uncle and tutor, a big burly man with brilliant black eyes similar to burning coals. Everyone here knows his name; he is the most loved and honoured man in Edenfall. He fought in the third territorial war 40 years ago in which he saved the precedent ieros' life from a murder assassination attempt. After that, he became exceptionally famous by supporting financially and training some of the strongest EMS warriors. The others consider him as valiant, brave and intelligent, someone to emulate. He was waiting us.

"I'm sorry uncle I'll stop immediately…cough*"

He then turned around toward me, losing interest in Ramona

"Alexander my dear nephew, are you ready for your big moment? I am sure an intelligent and handsome boy like you is going to make our family proud. Right?"

[It's always like that since we were kids, he is much softer with me than with big sis.]

"Yes sir I won't disappoint you"

"Good, good. Let's go inside"

We entered one of the doors of the palace. The room we ended up in was filled with seats were many people both young and old sat waiting for the ceremony. The air was incredible tense; some kids were even on the verge of crying, they knew that in a few moments their fate would be written.

Honestly speaking I wasn't feeling well too, I didn't know how my elemental affinity or my body potential would be, the better they are the more people respect you, your social position depends totally on it. As my uncle used to say: after the activation of the EMS, you become a wolf or a sheep, there is no second chance.

"Good morning sirs and ladies, my name is Roriksen in few moments we'll call the kids one by one and bring them in the room next to this one."

A man appeared in the middle of the hall.

[That man must be the officer sent by the council to coordinate the event, he is short and thin, probably a non-offensive user]

"Bartholomew Jackson"

A kid of around my age stood up and slowly went next to the officer trembling like Chihuahua under everyone's gaze.

[… ahahaha He is making me feel quite sorry for him]

Not even two minutes had passed since they left that we heard a very loud noise came from the wall behinde that door and something similar to an earthquake shacked the floor under us.

[What the hell is happening in there?]

Another five minutes passed before the officer and the little kid were back. The new EMS user was grinning; he held his shoulders high and went toward his parents that were waiting for him near the exit.

"A lucky one eh?"

"He is Bartholomew Jackson, Edward Jackson's son right?"

"Seems like we will have to keep an eye on him"

I could hear the other whispering these kind of things.

"Alexander… Morrowitch"

Everyone started looking me.

[They recognised my surname I suppose. Now I'm feeling even more nervous]

"Hey half-dwarf don't you worry your results will be fantastic. You are my brother after all"

Ramona was smiling at me.

"Any doubt?"

We both started laughing.

[Thank you sis]

"Excuse-me sir Alexander we don't have much time, we should move"

"Oh yeah, I'm sorry"

I hurried up and followed him.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"W-what is that thing?"

Floating in the middle of the room there was light blue sphere. It was the first time I managed to get near to it and it was mesmerizing, just like the scenery of a calm lake: it was beautiful, calm and deep. A strange sense of comfort started enveloping me as I looked at it.

"This is the crown of the infinite, its origin are mostly unknown. We know that there are only three crowns in the continent, one for each human city. As for its origin, let's just say that there are more than one theory about it. The important thing to know is that their fate is intertwined with ours, we protect them from those who want to use their power for their own scopes and I exchange they help us discovering our potential. None of us is as important as them not even the ieros"

"From the way you talk about it, they almost seem to be sentient"

"They are, more or less. The can understand what the person in front of them is like and react consequently, this is one of the reasons they are able to trace the perfect ability trees for each one of us"

Another wave of that friendly aura touched me

[This sphere can really understand what we're saying???]

"Let's stop wasting time, touch it!"

"O-okay"

I did it and a wind of the same colour as the crown of the infinite began to blow around us.