"It really is the Azure Water Blade..." All of the orphans universally heaved out a sigh. They were the ones who had grown up with Junius and were most familiar with how the Azure Water Blade looked like in its infancy. Not a single commoner could have possibly linked the resplendent Spirit to the former Blade of Death, the sword that terrorised thousands of innocent souls. It was simply too pure and beautiful to seem capable of reaping another's soul.
"Congratulations, Shin. Your son's Spirit Awakening Ceremony is a success!" Suji, oblivious to the numerous conflicting thoughts that were running through Shin's mind, cupped his hands together and praised Errol's smooth awakening.
"Congratulations, Master. I'm certain that your eldest son would rise above the masses, much like you did many years ago." Alyssa, Suji's wife, quickly gave her appreciation as well.
"Hahaha, looks like Shin's children would pull ahead from all of ours!" Danroy, who had a pot-belly and flabby arms like a chicken, bellowed out in laughter. Although his tone was mostly cordial, one could feel that there was a tinge of jealousy within his voice. And who could blame him?
Shin was not only lauded as the Prince of Water, but he was also the world's greatest hero. There was no one on the planet who hadn't heard of the Master of Guardian Sword. The man who sliced through the darkness and brought a fleeting peace back to the chaos of the world. Wealth, influence, power… Shin had everything. Now, even his own children were maturing and could possibly grow to become influential figures in their own right. Who wouldn't be jealous of such a perfect life?
"Thank you all for your well wishes," Shin smiled, clearly amused. However, behind that smile, Shin's inner thoughts were anything but jubilant. Shin thought about the promise he made to himself back when he first decided to adopt Errol as his eldest son. In the past, the Frie Clan had kept the fact that they'd massacred the Awter Clan from Shin and the other orphans, causing a visible rift between the two factions.
The Frie Clan had thought that it was the right decision at the time, saving the young children from the burden of truth. However, that proved to be a miscalculation. Without understanding the Frie Clan's point of view, Junius had defected to the other side and swore vengeance on the dastardly clan which had misled them their entire lives. He didn't care if he was fighting against loved ones that raised him up, such as the Instructor or the First Elder. All he wanted to do was to walk down the path of revenge and get justice for the fallen Awter Clan.
Alas, hatred only breeds more hate and destruction. In the final assault against Frie Mountain, hundreds of the Frie Clan's brightest were so viciously killed off, including Ariel, Lily and Linus. Three innocent souls that Junius had respected and loved. Spiralling out of control, Junius made mistake after mistake and had dug himself deeper into the abyssal pit.
It took him many years to finally acknowledge his sins and to repent in his final moments. Junius' life could have been something more than that… With his chivalrous and loving heart, Junius could have been a hero, much like Shin was. He could have been the Blade of Justice that slices through the darkness, instead of the Blade of Death that breeds destruction and despair.
Shin would never want Errol, Junius' biological son and his own loved child, to walk down that meandering path of suffering. Hence, Shin knew he had to tell Errol the truth. The truth about Junius and about how Shin was forced to put a spear through his heart, even if it meant losing Errol's love of him.
So, it really was a bittersweet moment for the Prince of Water. Alas, he wasn't able to bask in the moment for that long...
"Father… I don't feel too well..." Luciel tugged on Shin's sleeves, his face red and filled with sweat.
"Mother, I feel hot..." Cassiel did the same with Kanari. She looked nauseous and was grasping both hands close to her heart.
"Luciel? Cassiel? What's wrong?!" Stunned, Shin instantly fell to his knees and tapped their developing bodies. A wave of spiritual sense surged into the two teenagers bodies, slowly identifying if there was anything amiss. Kanari was likewise worried about their children, but how could she possibly compare to her Rank 78 Spirit Emperor husband in spiritual sense? She resisted the urge to hold her children and watched Shin's expression with earnest.
"What's going on?!" Kanari gasped.
"T-This… Their spiritual bodies are being activated! Mana is flowing through their souls!" The astute Prince of Water exclaimed, his eyes still wide with shock.
"Wait that means..."
"They're awakening their Spirits!" Shin shouted, his face smiling, not knowing whether he should laugh or cry. For mana to be produced, one must first possess a Spirit, something that could generally be awakened by the Spirit Awakening Ceremony.
Cassiel and Luciel both were nine-years-old. By tradition, they had to wait a full year until they could attempt their Spirit Awakening Ceremony. The law stated that all children below the age of ten weren't allowed to prematurely awaken their Spirits, due to the immense stress it would deal onto their growing bodies.
However, there were some exceptions to that rule. Some rare talents were able to trigger the awakening of their Spirits all on their own, without the help of any Shrine Maidens or superior cultivators. Heck, the most famous cultivator of the modern age, Spirit Immortal Dream, awakened her Spirit without the help of the spiritually dense atmosphere of the Day of Spirits.
So, even though the twins were awakening their Spirits, Shin wasn't all that worried. Furthermore, the twins were far more physically resistant as compared to other children their age. They would unquestionably be able to weather through the sudden trial that was placed in front of them. Not to mention…
"Sister Yibai, please make way!" Shin lifted both his feverish children and bolted straight towards the prepared altar. Errol quickly stepped aside and allowed his younger siblings to take his place. The young boy was still delirious from his encounter within his spiritual body and could barely make out words. However, his eyes were filled with worry for the safety of Cassiel and Luciel.
"F-Father! Are they going to be alright?"
"Don't worry," Shin smiled and reassured his eldest son. "Shrine Maiden Yibai is here right? Also, the moment I sense that something is amiss, I'll instantly jump in and save them." Waving his hands like a wizard preparing a spell, Shin summoned out a wisp of Celestial Energy, that was injected inside a stream of water.
"Did you forget? You father is the first disciple of Grandmother Seph! I'm more than capable of healing any injury!"
That's right… The twins were in more than capable hands. Shrine Maiden Yibai didn't even bother to confirm her doubts before placing her hands on both the children. Just as she did for Errol, the Shrine Maiden guided her consciousness into the twins' spiritual body and helped guide them to their Spirits.
Taking a hint, Shin channelled the mana within his body, and marvellous lights emerged from his pores. Sparkles appeared throughout the wide chambers, as the water elements danced in pure euphoria. Shin was careful not to overcommit and to use the gentleness of his element to full effect. He wanted to activate his children's Spirits, not harm them in any shape or form. Therefore, Shin had to be as delicate as he could.
Cassiel was sweating buckets while Luciel had his face entirely reddened. However, once Shin's Celestial Aura enveloped their juvenile bodies, the pressure that came from within somehow ceased and a look of pure comfort came back to their faces. It was as if they had been turned back to infants and were enjoying the soft embrace of their mother. Shrine Maiden Yibai also felt the change in their spiritual bodies and was taken aback. To think that the twins' Spirits would instantly calm down after sensing Shin's Celestial Aura!
It was at that moment that Yibai couldn't restrain her smile. The twins… Their Spirits were likely something that had inherited Shin's Celestial Dragon bloodline, just like the other Eight Scions of Water! And she would be the first one to awaken them!
The Shrine Maiden's heartbeat quickened as she was grinning from ear to ear. Whispering, she said: "Look into your souls! Find your Spirits and make them yours!!!"
"..." The twins both fell into a meditative state. The Shrine Maiden was guiding them while Shin was watching over them. There was nothing for them to fear anymore. They could simply let their souls roam free, and their Spirits would emerge all on its own.
And…
NEIIGHHHHH!!!
Cassiel was the first one of the twins to open her eyes. A plethora of azure and colourless elements surrounded the young girl, giving birth to an adolescent creature about a metre-long. It had a white horse's upper torso and the back of a fish. Blue fins sprung out from its back while gills were embedded in its neck. Its eyes were translucent, giving it sort of a phantom look and more shockingly… It had a single, drill-like horn.
"What's that creature? A mixture of a unicorn and a mermaid?" Isadore gulped.
"A One-Horned Hippocamp..." Kanari blurted out a more apt description. "It even has Water and Mind Elements..."
Cassiel was the first one of Shin's own blood to awaken her Spirit, and shockingly enough, it was neither one of the Eight Scions of Water. The future generations of the Lantis Republic were about to be changed forevermore through Cassiel's awakening… However, that wasn't the final bit.
Luciel raised both his arms up heavenward, and two distinct colours descended upon his open palms. One blue, one red. The blue elements that congregated reflected the calmness of a pristine lake while the red ones showed the beauty of a shining, fiery ruby. Just like his sister, Luciel's spiritual energy congregated in one spot, taking the shape of a metre-long furry lizard.
Shockingly, the lizard boasted two heads, one blue and one red. On its back, there were two little bumps, seemingly waiting to burst open at any given moment. The two heads of the lizard playfully chirped, nibbling on Luciel's fingers that held it. It was small now; however, there was no doubt in everyone's mind that once it matured, this Spirit could become one of the most dominant powerhouses in the entire world.
Why?
"It actually has both Water and Fire elements together..." Shin gasped.
There were no two more contrasting elements than water and fire. Water held tremendous versatility, while fire was the most explosive element of them all. Throughout human history, Spirits that held two elements were rare and Spirits that could use both the Water and Fire Element were even rarer. Heck, it was highly likely that Luciel's Spirit could be the first of its kind!
"Both of them awakened two-elemental Spirits… Hah, I shouldn't be that surprised..." Elrin slapped on her head, saying that it couldn't be helped. True, Shin possessed the Celestial Dragon which could use as many as five elements while Kanari's Kumiho held authority over three. It wasn't surprising that their children could inherit at least two of their elements.
"Still… It's going to be an uproar…"
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