Milo awoke to the soft glow of his mother's salamander.
The tiny fire creature was curled up on the windowsill, its muted light illuminating the room in the pre-dawn gloom.
Today was the day.
His eighteenth birthday. The day he would finally come of age and face the challenges of the System Book.
He rose silently, careful not to wake his younger siblings, Asha and Nilo, who slept soundly at the other end of the small room.
His mother, Lyra, would already be awake, preparing breakfast with their meager resources.
As he dressed, Milo couldn't help but reflect on how much had changed in recent weeks. The new regime had ushered in a wave of changes he was still struggling to comprehend.
He stepped out of the bedroom and found his mother in the kitchen, busy preparing a modest meal.
"Good morning, my future summoner," Lyra greeted him with a warm smile.