Chapter 3: Awakening Part 1

*4 and 1/2 years later*

"Lucien hurry up or else we are going to be late!" Reyna shouted.

She stood by the door, wearing a sleek, charcoal-gray jacket hugged her frame, its high collar and structured shoulders lending an air of authority. Subtle embroidery in gold traced the hem and cuffs, glinting faintly in the light. High-waisted trousers flowed seamlessly from her jacket, their crisp lines emphasizing her poise. A single crimson brooch fastened at her chest.

Next to her Mathew was wearing a deep charcoal fabric suit, its subtle sheen accentuating the sharp lines of the jacket. The lapels were edged with black satin, framing a crisp white shirt beneath. A slim, dark crimson tie added a dash of boldness, tucked neatly into a waistcoat with intricate embroidery faintly visible under the light. His polished leather shoes echoed softly on the marble floor, and a silver pocket watch chain glinted at his side, the only adornment to his otherwise dignified ensemble.

"Coming mum." Lucien voice sounded as he appeared from the hallway alongside his sister.

Lucien stood proudly, dressed in a miniature version of his father's attire. His tiny suit jacket was cut to perfection, the soft navy fabric complimenting his raven black hair. Beneath it, a pale blue shirt with a neat, ivory bow tie peeked out, adding a playful touch to the otherwise formal outfit. His trousers, slightly tapered, ended just above polished black shoes that seemed too new to have seen much use. A vest with silver buttons completed the look.

Reyna looked at her son and nodded appreciatingly.

"Look at that, my little boy would be such a heartthrob when he grows up." Reyna jokingly said.

Lucien looked away, shyly blushing in embarrassment, luckily his sister took over.

"Mum! Mum! What about me?" Seraphina asked excitedly.

She twirled in her dress,

a rich shade of dark garnet, shimmered faintly as she moved, the fabric catching the light like ripples on a still pond.

The bodice was tailored with a delicate floral embroidery in black thread, emphasizing the contrast against her porcelain complexion. Puffy, sheer sleeves tapered into lace cuffs at her wrists, while the high-waisted skirt flowed in layers of soft tulle and satin, brushing just above her polished black shoes. Around her waist, a wide satin sash tied into a flawless bow at the back, its ends trailing slightly as she walked. To complete the look, a small pendant in the shape of a teardrop ruby hung around her neck, a subtle mirror of her luminous eyes.

"Like a pretty princess." Reyna complimented

Seraphina let out a mischievous laugh at her mother's compliment. Mathew looked down at his watch, noting the time.

"Alright kids time to get in the car we're almost late." He said.

Seraphina took Lucien's hand and ran to the family car parked on the driveway.

As they got in, Mathew started the car and drove off. Reyna in the front seat turned back to look at Lucien.

"Sweetie, are you ready for your first awakening?" She asked.

"Mm! I'm ready mom." Lucien answered excitedly.

Reyna smiled and looked forward, Mathew continued driving and Seraphina distracted herself by playing games on her father's phone. Lucien looked out the window as they drove past the houses in their neighborhood, delving into his thoughts.

Awakening.

A new term Lucien learnt in this new world. At around two years old after Lucien had learnt how to read and write, he spent most of his days in the family library, soaking up the knowledge of the world and what he learnt shocked him.

The first thing you need to understand is that this world—Arcanis—isn't simple. It's beautiful, yes, but it's also vast, chaotic, and teeming with forces that defy logic. Multiple domains and realms that could encompass the earth a hundred time over. 

The first thing you should learn. No two places are the same. Not the land, not the people, and certainly not the powers. Take the continents for example, each continent bows to its own god. Each god leaves its mark—not just on the land, but on the people who call it home.

Vyralis (Flame and Fury):

The land of molten rivers and volcanic plains, ruled by Ignara, the Goddess of Flame and Rebirth. Her influence is everywhere—cities built into volcanic craters, powered by geothermal energy, and the people, the Emberborn and Drakkin, who are as fierce as the land they inhabit. They believe destruction is necessary for creation, and their technology reflects that philosophy: plasma cannons, terra-scorching weapons, and starships that run on Ignara's ever-burning energy cores.

Eisveil (Ice and Endurance):

A frozen wasteland of glaciers and tundras, presided over by Vorthos, the God of Ice and Survival. His worshippers, the Frostborne, endure the cold with unyielding strength, their bodies engineered to thrive in subzero temperatures. Their tech is a marvel of cryogenics—cryostasis chambers, frost rifles, and energy shields that flash-freeze anything they touch. Vorthos teaches resilience, but in the shadows of the ice, whispers of rebellion stir.

Viridios (Life and Growth):

A sprawling jungle continent of unending greenery, devoted to Lunara, the Goddess of Life and the Wilds. The Sylvans, part plant and part human, embody her domain, while the Aetherials, beings tied to the winds, live in floating citadels above the jungle canopy. Lunara's influence permeates their biotechnologies—living ships, self-repairing armor, and energy derived from organic life itself. But with life comes chaos, and not even Lunara's blessing can hold it all together.

Solavara (Light and Shadow):

A land of stark contrast, where the sunlit deserts clash with shadowed caverns, divided between Solis, the God of Light and Order, and Noxis, the Goddess of Shadow and Secrets. The Radiants, Solis's chosen, live in cities powered by concentrated solar energy, their crystal towers glowing with captured light. Below the surface, the Duskborn worship Noxis, creating shadow-infused tech—cloaking devices, neural disruptors, and stealth drones. Their uneasy coexistence is held together by the gods' decree, but tensions simmer.

Eryndor (Balance and Ambition):

The central continent, where humanity thrives, worshiping Eryssia representing progress and adaptability. Eryndor is a hub of innovation—starship docks, orbital elevators, and sprawling mega-cities surrounded by tamed and untamed wildlands Humans lack the innate connection to the Primordial Aspects that other races have, but their ambition is unmatched.

Myrtharion (Void and Chaos):

The smallest and most feared continent, ruled by Zareth, the God of the Void. Myrtharion is a desolate land of shattered cliffs and blackened seas, its inhabitants twisted by Zareth's chaotic power. The Voidborn dwell here, their forms shifting and unstable, wielding powers that defy understanding. The technology of Myrtharion is as unpredictable as its god—war machines that run on dark energy, devices that warp reality itself. No one visits Myrtharion willingly, and its people are regarded with suspicion and fear.

The main energy source of the world is termed Mana. A unique source that helps in powering most technology in the form of mana crystals. Though mana is seen as a great boon by everyone it's not one to lack its downside. Mana in large quantities is extremely poisonous and leads to the formations of gates. Gates are portals that lead to different dimensions each with its own ecosystem and wildlife, but these gates are dangerous as different monsters live there and if there are not closed in time, they may open up and allow those monsters to charge into the main world and sow chaos.

The one's in charge of curbing such threats are known as awakeners. People who have gained supernatural abilities that allow them to fight against the monsters. 

Not everyone can awaken as 1 in 100 people are able to awaken and each awakening can be ranked such as: F, E, D, C, B, A, S, SS, SSS. From lowest to highest. This represents talents and where a being is able to reach not the actual strength of the person. They are split into three ranks E-, E, and E+ 

Then there are the blessings that one can receive from the gods and beneath the 6 main Gods there are other lesser deities that can provide blessings, and each blessing can be categorized into: Lesser, Advanced and Herald. Lesser blessings can provide minor buffs and minor abilities, Advanced blessings provide greater buffs and an increase in abilities and then there is Herald.

Herald is a different blessing altogether as this shows you represent that particular god or goddess. Heralds are a dime in a dozen and are treated as the incarnations of the divine. Statistically Heralds are around 1 in 100 million so any being deemed to be a herald are a cause for celebration for their continent and dread for the others. Heralds are even able to give temporary minor blessings to others and are treated as precious gems by others. Sometimes the stronger the herald the stronger the blessing.

Now we come up to what I mentioned about the first awakening. Generally, there are two awakenings a person can go through, one when they are five years old and the other when they are trying to break through to S class. Since the number of people who can breakthrough to S class are a dime in a dozen, they are treated as true elites.

The difference in power is so astounding that you can't compare an S class to an A class the same way you can an A class and B class. The power for the latter is negligible while the former is practically a vast chasm. An A+ awakener is an ant to a S- awakener.

Though there was something about this world that caused Lucien to feel like he was missing something important but couldn't know what

As Lucien was caught up in his thoughts, he didn't realize that they had arrived in the capital city of Eryndral, Cyrivane.

"We are here Lucien." Mathew said startling his son out of his thoughts.