Before the Awakening

The two policemen left the room with sombre, worried faces. They knew they wouldn't know the outcome of the awakening until later, and until then, they could only wait. They left Fenix ​​alone in the room, a stark, dark room with no windows to let in sunlight. The only source of illumination was a dim lamp in the corner, whose flickering light cast eerie shadows on the bare walls.

On the nightstand sat the food that had been brought to him: a simple sandwich and a bottle of water. It was not an extravagant meal, but the ingredients seemed fresh, a luxury in the slums. Fenix ​​had already finished eating and felt strangely satisfied. He couldn't remember the last time he had tasted something that wasn't on the verge of decomposition.

He dropped onto the bed, his gaze lost on the ceiling. There was nothing left to do but wait for his soul to travel to another place. That was how they understood the process of awakening. Although knowledge of what was actually happening was limited, the little he knew was enough for him to understand the danger he was in.

"It's only natural that there are no windows and the door is reinforced..." he thought, letting out a sigh. "If I fail the awakening challenge, the last thing they'd want is for a creature to escape and wreak havoc. Makes sense."

To distract himself, he forced himself to remember his childhood. Although he had grown up in the slums, it hadn't all been so bad. Before he lost everything, his life had been simple, but happy.

The people in the slums lived without luxuries, but with a certain tranquility. His father, a man of cold and stern appearance, actually had a big heart. He worked hard every day to make sure his family had a roof over their heads and food on the table. Phoenix admired him deeply, seeing him as an unbreakable pillar, someone who would never give up in the face of adversity.

And his mother... his mother was the most important person in his life. He remembered her blonde hair and her clear green eyes, full of warmth. She was always there for him, until one day she wasn't.

Everything changed in a single instant, one spring day, the first of the season. Every year, the system known as "The Path of the Soul" transported the awakened to the world of SoulRealm, where they were to find the Arcane Nexuses, teleportation platforms that would allow them to return. Once a nexus was found, they could travel between worlds at will. But the process was brutal: those who failed the test were consumed and transformed into monsters. This tragic event was called The Judgement of Spring.

That day, an awakened one failed the trial and became a bloodthirsty beast. The creature went on a rampage of destruction, slaughtering anyone who stood in its way. Among the victims were his parents.

Five years have passed since that day, but the memory was still as fresh as if it had happened yesterday.

"I still remember when the police came to my house with the news... I was only eleven years old." He let out a sigh and muttered to himself, "This world isn't fair. I didn't even have time to say goodbye to them."

It was the truth. The world was not fair. About a hundred years ago, the gates began to open and monsters emerged, plunging humanity into chaos. Although society had found some stability, many had paid the price with their lives.

Fenix closed his eyes and recalled his last memory with his mother. She leaned towards him before leaving for work, with a smile full of love.

"Be strong, Fenix. And don't give trouble to your babysitter or those around you."

"I promise, Mommy. See you later. Good luck at work."

Every time he recalled that moment, he felt a deep emptiness in his chest. Before, this would make him cry. Now, he had no tears left.

Fatigue was slowly creeping up on him. He fought against sleep, terrified of what was about to happen. He pinched his arm, trying to stay awake, but it was no use. His body could no longer resist and he eventually fell into a deep state of unconsciousness. That was his last memory before he succumbed to awakening.

Shortly after, the door opened. Two police officers entered the room. Without a word, they approached the gurney and placed four handcuffs on it: two on its wrists and two on its ankles. It was standard procedure. If it failed to awaken and transformed into a beast, the restraints would buy them some time to react. Those handcuffs were made of a material brought from SoulRealm, far stronger than any earthly metal, designed to drastically reduce the mobility and strength of monsters.

One of the officers, a middle-aged man with a face marked by experience, looked at Fenix with some compassion and murmured:

"Let us pray to God that this boy survives... and has the strength to face what awaits him."

The other, younger but with the same look hardened by the reality of his work, sighed and replied:

"Yes, I hope everything goes well... but we must prepare for the worst. I will go and inform the government about the situation. Maybe they will send someone to keep an eye on him in case things go wrong."

Without further ado, they both left the room. One headed to the office to make some calls, while the other sat outside the room, in a chair next to the door. Outside, in the cold darkness of the hallway, the feeling of uncertainty weighed on them.

Fenix's destiny was written in the fire of his own awakening. Now, all that was left was to wait.