Awakening Shockwave
The moment Kalem's eyes snapped open, the world around him was in chaos.
An ear-piercing *BAM* echoed through the chamber as the awakening machine's once-serene hum turned into a violent, blaring alarm. The crystal at its center—once a pristine black—flashed an eerie shade of **purple** before **shattering into dust.**
A shockwave of energy blasted outward, slamming into everyone present.
The mayor, standing nearest to Kalem, was hit full force. His body convulsed as if struck by an invisible hammer before being flung backward, crashing into the ceremonial stage. Gasps and screams erupted from the crowd as the energy rippled through the room, knocking some to the ground while others stumbled back in confusion.
Kalem staggered, his body still tingling from whatever had just happened. He barely had time to process his own state before noticing the stunned faces around him. His golden eyes flickered as he quickly looked down at himself.
He felt… **different.** Stronger. *More.*
The divine light that was supposed to pour into his body like a gentle stream had instead **erupted** like a tidal wave. And for some reason, no one else seemed to notice the full extent of what had just transpired—except for the destroyed awakening crystal.
"What the hell just happened?!" someone in the crowd shouted.
The mayor groaned, pushing himself up onto his elbows, his usual composed expression replaced with wide-eyed shock. He looked at Kalem, then at the crumbled remains of the crystal, his face paling.
The examiners and instructors rushed forward, their voices overlapping in confusion.
"This has never happened before—"
"The crystal—it's gone—"
"What kind of awakening is this?!"
A tense silence settled over the chamber as all eyes turned to Kalem. The mayor took a deep breath, dusting off his robe before stepping forward, his gaze sharp.
"You," he said, pointing at Kalem. "What just happened? What did you do?"
Kalem blinked, his mind racing. He thought back to what ShuShu had told him about his family's history—about the **Umbars** and their connection to Khonshu. He also remembered the moment ShuShu had tried to remove those hidden **seals** and the massive surge of energy that had followed.
Slowly, Kalem smirked, a mischievous glint in his golden eyes. He wasn't sure how much he should say, but if they were going to treat him like an anomaly, he might as well lean into it.
"I activated my bloodline," Kalem said casually.
A stunned silence followed.
Then, **chaos.**
"Bloodline?!" someone gasped.
"Impossible! He's a street rat—how could he have a noble lineage?"
"Wasn't this just supposed to be a blessing?"
Murmurs and whispers filled the chamber as even the instructors exchanged uncertain glances. Everyone had assumed Kalem was just another poor fool trying to gain a god's favor through a **blessing.** But a **bloodline activation?** That was something entirely different.
The mayor narrowed his eyes. "You're saying you had an inherited power locked away all this time?"
Kalem shrugged. "Looks like it."
Some of the nobles in the audience scoffed, unwilling to believe a nobody could awaken something so rare. Others looked on with intrigue, some with envy, and a few with **fear.**
The awakening machine was **designed to handle divine blessings**—it was not supposed to **crumble into dust.**
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The atmosphere inside the private viewing chamber was tense.
Thomas Dunkirk, a seasoned evaluator with decades of experience in awakenings, stood frozen, his eyes locked onto the shattered remains of the awakening crystal displayed on the monitor before him. The entire room, filled with scholars, noble representatives, and powerful figures from various factions, had fallen into **dead silence.**
Never—not once in all the years they had overseen the Awakening Ceremony—had the **crystal been destroyed.**
"What in the name of the gods… just happened?" one of the younger scholars finally broke the silence, his voice shaky.
A few murmurs of agreement rippled through the room, but no one had an answer.
"That energy wave…" another muttered. "It didn't just disrupt the machine—it **obliterated** the crystal entirely. Something like that should be **impossible.**"
Seated at the far end of the table, an **elderly woman with silver hair and piercing violet eyes** tapped her cane against the marble floor, calling for order. She was **Lady Selene Ravenspire**, one of the oldest and most influential figures in the city's ruling council.
"There is no point in sitting here like stunned cattle," she said sharply. "We all saw it. That was not a mere blessing. That was a **bloodline activation.**"
Murmurs filled the room again, some skeptical, others intrigued.
"We don't even know **what kind** of bloodline it was," one of the noble representatives argued. "For all we know, it could be something… *dangerous.*"
Lady Selene scoffed. "**All great power is dangerous.** But tell me, gentlemen—does anyone **weak** produce a phenomenon like that?"
Silence.
She leaned forward, her violet eyes gleaming with interest. "We should **recruit him.**"
Some of the noble representatives shifted uncomfortably at the idea. Recruiting an unknown street rat with a mysterious power? It was **risky.**
Dunkirk, still processing what he had witnessed, finally spoke. "The awakening process isn't even complete yet. Whatever that power was, we've **only seen the beginning.**"
Lady Selene smiled, satisfied. "All the more reason to keep an eye on him."