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Chapter 7 – The Awakening Begins
It was finally time.
The whole village had been talking about it for weeks.
Kids were awakening left and right.
One got water.
One got air.
Someone apparently awakened mud. No one really knew if that was even real, but Kael said he saw it.
And now it was our turn.
Me, Kael, and Noah — we were standing in a field near the edge of the village. It wasn't anything fancy. Just a flat area with some grass and a few rocks, some worn-out wooden dummies from sword training, and a big flat stone in the middle with soft runes carved into it. Nothing glowing. Nothing epic. Just quiet.
The Elder was already there.
Long beard. Calm face. Staff in hand.
He looked like he'd seen a hundred kids awaken and wasn't impressed by any of them. But he also didn't look mean. Just… like someone who'd lived long enough to stop freaking out about things.
"Alright," the Elder said, voice deep but chill. "Everyone take a seat. One at a time."
There were seven of us today. All kids from the village. But I wasn't really paying attention to the others. Just Kael and Noah.
Kael was bouncing on his heels like he had lightning in his pants.
"I'm so ready for this," he whispered. "Fire mage energy. I feel it. I know it."
"You felt that because you ate three bowls of spicy soup," Noah said, flat.
"Exactly. That was the sign."
I rolled my eyes and sat down.
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The first three kids went one by one.
One girl got earth.
One boy awakened air and sneezed during it. The Elder said it was normal.
The third kid got nothing, yet. The Elder told him to meditate more and come back next week.
Then he called Kael.
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Kael's Awakening
Kael stepped up like he was entering a tournament.
He threw his arms out like, "Let's gooo!"
The Elder raised an eyebrow but said nothing.
Kael knelt on the stone, closed his eyes, and actually did sit still for once.
Everyone held their breath.
Nothing happened.
A few seconds passed.
Still nothing.
Kael peeked one eye open.
"…Is it broken?"
"Shhh," Noah whispered.
Then — just when everyone started to think he'd flopped — a sudden burst of orange-red light sparked around Kael's hands.
He gasped.
Everyone jumped back slightly.
"🔥 YOOOOOO I GOT FIRE!!" Kael yelled so loud he scared a squirrel off a tree nearby.
Flames were flickering around his palms, dancing like little candles.
"I KNEW IT!!"
"Please calm down," the Elder said.
Kael immediately tried to stand up, tripped on the edge of the stone, and nearly set the grass on fire.
The Elder sighed. "You're done. Sit down before you burn your pants."
Kael walked back like he just won a war.
"Fire mage," he said proudly. "Respect it."
Noah and I stared at him.
"…You almost exploded," I said.
"Exactly. That's power."
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Noah's Awakening
Noah's turn was different.
He didn't say anything.
Just walked up quietly, sat on the stone, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath.
I could feel the air around us go soft. Cooler.
Then — small ripples shimmered around his fingers. Not flashy. Not dramatic. But clean.
Water.
It circled his hand gently like a bracelet, then faded.
The Elder gave a small nod. "Water. Good control."
Noah stood up, looked at me, and said, "Watch me awaken ice next."
"You're so dramatic," Kael muttered.
"You yelled like a dying chicken."
I laughed.
Then the Elder looked at me.
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Theo's Awakening – Real Version
My name was called.
And suddenly the whole world felt like it zoomed in.
I stood up slow. Legs heavy. The wind felt thick, like I was walking through it.
The stone was still warm from the sun. My feet pressed against it as I sat down.
I closed my eyes.
Breathe in.
Breathe out.
Focus.
That's what they said. That's how you do it. Simple.
But it wasn't simple.
Not for me.
The moment I pulled in breath number three… I felt it.
Something moved.
Inside me.
Like a small thread tugging from the center of my chest, reaching out through my arms, down my legs, up into my throat.
Mana.
Not outside. Not floating in the air like in books.
Inside me.
It pulsed with every beat of my heart.
Bum. Bum. Bum.
And it spread.
Through my veins, into my fingertips. Like warm water… but also fire. And air. And something solid under it all.
It wasn't just one feeling.
It was four.
🔥 Fire — hot and fast, roaring at my chest
💨 Air — light and sharp, spinning in my lungs
🌊 Water — cool and slow, curling around my ribs
🌍 Earth — heavy and steady, grounding my legs
I wanted to move. I didn't.
I wanted to speak. I couldn't.
The power was trying to burst out of me. But I knew — if I let it all out, right here, right now…
They'd see.
Everyone would see.
So I didn't.
I focused.
I took another breath.
And I locked two of them away.
I took the water and earth, and pulled them inward — wrapped them deep into my core, like shoving clothes into a too-small drawer and slamming it shut.
Just fire.
Just air.
That's what I let show.
Outside, the wind around me curled. Heat flickered off my skin. Tiny red flames danced over my knuckles. The Elder's robe rustled slightly.
I opened my eyes.
The Elder said nothing for a second.
Then he said, "Fire and air. Not a common mix."
I nodded like that was all.
But his eyes…
His eyes looked at me like he knew.
He knew that wasn't all.
But he didn't say a word.
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Aftermath
Kael: "That was sick, bro."
Noah: "You okay?"
Me: "Yeah… just a little tired."
But I wasn't tired.
Not really.
I just didn't know how to explain what I felt.
Four elements.
All at once.
What even was that?
No one said anything more. The ceremony kept going. More kids took turns. But I didn't really hear any of it.
My hands were still buzzing.
My chest felt like it was glowing.
And I was already lying.
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