"Are we all ready?" Old Man Eric asked a group of six teenagers.
It's been approximately two years since Max had contracted the shield and ever since that day he felt his powers growing stronger alongside the shield. His body became tougher and his power more explosive and with it, he became easily the strongest amongst his peers.
Everyone in his class has already grown up to the age of 18, no other casualties happened over these two years. Eric, after reporting the incident, got into some trouble right after. The parents of Jericho wanted Eric dead but someone of their status weren't enough to make that happen and they instead got a hefty compensation from him which Eric wasn't even supposed to give but he didn't feel like it was right for him not to do something.
Lots of children awakened after coming to the age of eighteen but some, including Max, weren't able to awaken it naturally so they would need some help if they wanted to awaken it at the same time as the others. Their magic could awaken at any point during their period of being eighteen-years-old, but it would be best to awaken faster than later as it can help you during the long run. That is what everyone thought at least.
Max along with Rya, Ken, and a few others weren't able to awaken their magic after a few months of waiting so Eric thought of helping his pupils. He asked that everyone that has not awakened yet to present themselves at the academy on Monday on their free week, and everyone did.
Craving for their own awakening after seeing their friends becoming able of wielding magic of their own kind they became jealous. Not only that, but while waiting for their own awakenings the ones that already awakened became stronger and faster than before, some even being able to compare themselves to Max and his physique.
"Alright then let's board up, there are two carriages as you can see, you guys split up in two groups and enter one of them" Eric said, ever since the incident he became more careful, the recklessness from before was nowhere to be seen.
In reality, the groups were already decided. Max, Ken, and Rya formed one group while the other three young adults grouped up in one of their own.
"I can't wait to see what kind of magic I will awaken!" Ken said bluntly after closing the carriage door.
"Don't forget, we might even not be able to awaken our magic, this is something like our last hope..." Max said to the so-expecting Ken. It would be worse to set unrealistic goals then don't even meet the minimum of them. You would feel like the world is crashing down on you if that happened.
Max wasn't that worried, Matt already told him that he has an affinity for an element which would be the one he awakens. He asked Matt which one but he responded joyfully 'It's a secret! What would be the fun in spoiling a secret?' which really got on his nerves a little.
The carriage they were in began moving.
***
The road was long and boring, Max found himself more than one time shifting between his soul realm* and back because he found Matt more interesting to talk to than to look on the small windows which the carriage had. When entering his soul realm Matt would be there ready to talk to him about anything, there wasn't even a point to their discussions they just spoke about stuff that has been happening over the years. On the outside, Rya and Ken would see Max just falling asleep, which was strange but could be justified, they have been on the carriage for about three hours now.
The carriage wasn't cramped and it was better than what they thought at first but it wasn't spacious either. You didn't have any space to move in freely but the worst part was the bland design it had, there wasn't anything to keep you entertained other than the people present inside the carriage.
Their waiting had paid off though, the carriage stopped and the voice of Eric could be heard.
"We are right now waiting in line at the entrance, I will announce it when we are inside, I also recommend not to go outside for now" Eric's voice felt monotone, the boredom also seems to have affected him.
"Max?" Rya began 'waking' Max up, or that is what they thought.
Inside his soul realm, Max was busy chatting with Matt about trivial stuff once again but after Rya touched him he was once again conscious of his surroundings inside the carriage. Max, even after two years, wasn't good enough to be able to concentrate on his soul realm with ease so anyone could disrupt him anytime and bring him back.
Max gasped as he spotted Rya, even though not necessarily painful, it was scary when the switch happened. "What is it?" Max felt reassured when he saw it was Rya 'waking' him up.
"We are passing through the checkpoint at the entrance, I thought you should know sorry for waking you up." Seeing the exaggerated way he woke up Rya felt like she had to apologize to Max.
"No worries, you just startled me a bit..." Max said awkwardly while scratching his head.
Just then the carriage they were in began moving. Ken was woken up by the sudden change in speed. "What is happening?" He alarmedly said.
"Hold down your horses it's nothing" Max responded to Ken, a smile could be seen on his face.
The group chatted away while waiting for Eric's notice, and after a while once again the carriage stopped along with the voice of Eric sounding "Alright everyone, get out and line-up!"
And like Eric commanded they got out of the carriages and the six children lined up in a random order. After seeing them all finishing lining up, Eric turned around and issued again "Follow me then, and don't touch anything you aren't told to!"
The last instruction felt quite specific but they would be doing as told. They promised that they will respect any order that Eric will give along the way.
They entered a grand and sturdy two-story high building filled on the outside with different, but simple decorations such as flowers or lanterns. They entered through the wooden door which had what looked like a dragon sculpted along the frame of it.
"Alright stay put, I will go talk to the register"
Eric forwarded and the six children didn't follow. He went towards a lady wearing a maid outfit who was standing very close to the entrance, they exchanged a few words and them the maid said loud enough for everyone to hear.
"Oh yes! Please follow me I will lead you to madame!" She hurriedly turned around and began walking towards the wooden stairs which were situated on the other side of the building.
Eric looked at Max and the others then nodded, signifying that they should go. They began walking but Max found it disturbing that Eric wasn't following them, but was staying in the same place as before not moving an inch.
The maid stood by a door and after everyone arrived beside it, the maid opened the door while saying "Inside this room is madame please only go inside one at a time, I wish you luck during the awakening!". A smile appeared on her face as she said so.
Everyone looked around, they were all nervous and didn't want to go in first but one would have to begin.
"Alright, I will go in then..." Rya said reluctantly. She didn't care about it as much as the others, she would at maximum become a Magic Knight, she didn't want to pursue her path in magic.
She went through the door and it closed behind her.
Inside the room what Rya could see was little. Before entering the room it was completely dark but now that she was inside it a light in the center appeared in the middle of the room.
"Welcome little girl..." A thin voice sounded as a silhouette appeared from the darkness " I am sorry for being a bit late, you are the first customer for today and wasn't ready, I am Eva and I will be helping you awaken."
Rya was cautious about it but knew that it was Eric who brought them here, this was the only thing that gave her some confidence.
"Come here now, don't be shy..." The slim silhouette said, a beautiful smile was seen by Rya on her face as she approached the middle of the room where the light was at.
"Let's see... here it is!" The woman called Eva sighed in relief. "Extend your hand, I will place an object in your hand then you have to close your hand into a fist then concentrate on it, it's pretty straight forward isn't it?" With a chuckle, Eva approached Rya which was extending her arm.
She placed a small ball in her hands which Rya wasn't able to examine much of as she closed her hand along with her eyes. She only saw black for a few seconds but soon began noticing a light coming from where her extended hand should be, the light was calming but soon began changing in color.
The light changed from white to blue, and Rya understood what was happening. Her element was awakening through the small ball which was held by her.
Just as she was about to open her eyes the voice of Eva was heard once more.
"Stop only when I tell you!" And along with the voice a cold sensation began flowing through her hand. Her attention was once again placed on the now blue light. It once again began changing colors, it dimmed in color until the light was a clear cyan which filled her body in a pleasant but cold sensation.
"Congratulations! You can now stop, your awakened element is Ice!" Eva said excitingly.
"It has been a while since anyone awakened the ice element in our building."
Rya opened her eyes which had a tint of both happiness and determination. The ice element was known for being a strong offensive one, but it was also known for its capability to be used along with other weapons. It was one of the ideal elements which Rya could've awakened.
The door slowly opened and Rya knew what it meant. She wanted to give the small ball which was made of crystal back to Eva but she said that it was useless now as after it awakens one person it can't do anything and now it doesn't have any use.
Rya left the room and once the maid saw it she announced.
"Next one please!"
***
It was finally Max's turn. He wasn't scared about it as he knew that he had an element on the way of awakening, but it couldn't be said the same of the others.
After Rya, Ken boldly entered the room but returned on the verge of crying. He didn't awaken any element. He and another one of the six present didn't awaken any element which brought fear upon the rest. Both of them gone one after the other which scared the last two.
Even though scared they both awakened successfully.
'Poor Ken.' Max thought as he entered the dark room. He went through the procedures and shortly after, Eva announced.
"Congratulations! You have awakened the element of Darkness!"
----------------------------------------------------------
* - the other plane of existence will be called the soul realm from now on