In Valeria, the age of ten marked a significant milestone for every child, the Awakening. It was a rite of passage, a ceremony where an individual's magical potential was awakened and measured. For the common folk, this usually occurred around their tenth birthday, often guided by the village elder or a traveling mage. However, for the noble families, the process was far more elaborate and began much earlier.
Noble children, from the age of seven, were brought to special sanctums, often located within the heart of their family's estate. These sanctums housed ancient artifacts and were imbued with potent magical energies, facilitating the Awakening process. Here, a trained mage would guide the child, helping them to awaken their mana core, the source of their magical power, and measure their innate talent.
The Awakening was a momentous occasion for noble families, as a child's talent determined their future prospects and their family's standing. A child with exceptional talent was a source of pride and a valuable asset, while one with meager talent was often relegated to a lesser role.
In Duke Gareth's household, the Awakening of his children was a particularly significant event. His lineage was known for producing individuals with strong magical aptitudes, and he held high expectations for his offspring.
Elian was the first to undergo the Awakening. Even as a young boy, he had shown a natural affinity for magic, his spells manifesting with an ease that belied his age. When he was brought before the awakening crystal, it glowed with an intense azure light, indicating a talent that was considered exceptional. He was declared a Prodigy, a title given to those with the potential to become Grand Masters. This news was met with great fanfare and celebration. Duke Gareth beamed with pride, and Elian's future seemed bright and assured.
Seraphina's Awakening was a more subdued affair. The crystal glowed with a soft, emerald light, signifying a talent that was above average but not exceptional. She was deemed an Adept, a level that still held promise but did not inspire the same level of excitement as Elian's. While there was no disappointment, there was a noticeable lack of the celebratory fervor that had accompanied her brother's Awakening.
The talents of the extended family were also a topic of much discussion and comparison. The Gareth lineage had produced a number of notable mages and warriors throughout history, and their current generation was eager to prove their worth. There were cousins who displayed moderate talent, their awakenings marked by a faint glow from the crystal, and others who showed little to no magical aptitude, their ceremonies passing with barely a flicker.
These results further solidified the social hierarchy within the family. Those with strong talents were showered with attention and opportunities, while those with weaker talents were often marginalized and overlooked. This created a competitive and often cutthroat environment, where status and power were closely tied to one's magical potential.
Malrik, however, was an anomaly. Due to his age and the prevailing belief that his frailty made him unsuitable for the Awakening, he was not scheduled to undergo the ceremony with the other children. In fact, there was considerable debate within the family about whether he should undergo the Awakening at all.
"It would be a waste of resources," some argued. "He is unlikely to possess any significant talent. His mother was weak, and he inherited her weakness."
Others expressed a more superstitious view, whispering about his curse and the unsettling aura that surrounded him.
"He is touched," they would say. "It is best not to meddle with whatever dark forces cling to him. The Awakening might unleash something we cannot control."
Duke Gareth, torn between his desire to uphold tradition and his own reservations about his strange son, ultimately decided to postpone Malrik's Awakening indefinitely. This decision further ostracized Malrik, marking him as even more of an outsider within his own family.
Malrik, for his part, observed these events with a detached curiosity. He already knew that he possessed a power far greater than any of his kin could imagine. He could feel the raw magical energy thrumming within him, waiting to be unleashed. The Awakening, he suspected, would only serve to reveal a fraction of his true potential.
He continued his own training, delving deeper into the forbidden knowledge he had uncovered in the library. He learned to control his magic with a precision and subtlety that would have astonished even the most accomplished mages. He was in no hurry to reveal his true power. He would bide his time, honing his skills in secret, waiting for the moment when he could use his abilities to their fullest effect.