Dizzy…
We were teleported again. At least this time it was better.
After passing the door, what stood before me was a huge altar, the surroundings too dark to see anything clearly.
"Do you remember what I told you, young master Axis?" asked Renal, who was beside me. She seemed calm on the surface, but I could see the worry in her eyes.
"Yes… Yes, I am to follow instructions told by the feminine voice only, right?" I asked, remembering what I was told.
Basically, the moment we entered the outskirts of the altar, I was provided with some instructions and tips by Avelie and Renal.
To summarize them:
When I get close to the altar, a dim light will light the path up to the altar.
The altar is surrounded by statues of old monsters who are sealed and heroes whose souls stayed behind to guide future generations. In other words, ancestors who couldn't leave this world behind.
They had made a contract with a god whose name was lost long ago, supposedly the owner of this place. It states that they will guard the seals and this place to ensure future generations do not have to face the same fate. Though not all children who undergo the Mana Awakening get their guidance, the conditions for it remain unclear to this date.
I am to follow Alnaria, if I get the chance to meet her. Since I was told about her a week ago, I have looked in every book available in the library, aside from the forbidden section that supposedly exists.
I did not find a shred of information aside from what I was told in a letter that arrived from my mother, who was stuck with some work in the capital and couldn't make it to the mana awakening. She promised to come before sunset.
Aside from the initial greeting and how she wouldn't be able to make it, the letter contained some information about Alnaria. She is supposed to be my mother's deceased teacher, or at least my mother views her as her teacher, having received her guidance during her awakening. Alnaria is also her ancestor, or so I was told. No mention of her appearance, skills, or anything else.
How the heck am I even supposed to find her? And if I do find her, how do I know it's her?
Back to the current topic: it is not necessary to get their guidance in the awakening ceremony. Even without it, one can awaken mana by just placing their hand in the water at the altar and completing the two stages: aptitude and rank, or widely known as awakening.
As for the blessing, there is not much information on it. Most do not undergo it, and those who do become incomparable to those who didn't. It differs for everyone, so there was no use in hogging the information. Of course, some don't mind sharing it, as it can reveal flaws that can be used against them.
I separated from Renal and Avelie, who stayed behind, as no one aside from the candidate for awakening is allowed to proceed further. Not looking back even once, I kept going toward the dimly lit altar, too embarrassed to look at Renal, who was practically being held back by Avelie from following me.
As I got closer to the altar, I could see more clearly. Dim lights and luminescent crystals lit the way to the top of the stairs. When I reached halfway up the stairs, I looked back toward the direction I came from, seeing nothing but darkness. I started to hear whispers… soft whispers.
"Hey kiddo, wanna tag along…"
"How about me? Let me tag along, and I'll take you to the top of the world…"
"Come here, little one…"
"How about I give you this artifact…"
The closer I went to the summit, the more voices I could hear, offering power, artifacts, anything you could think of, just to get me to go to them.
If I were a normal kid, I would have been tempted by the offers.
But I knew they were futile attempts of sealed demons and beasts to attract innocent children to their side for what purpose other than to feast on them or offer them as sacrifices to gain more power, hoping to break free of the seals and escape, as I was informed by Renal, Avelie, and some books I read in the library.
Just a few steps to reach the summit. I even started to hear voices of people I know, such as Renal and Avelie, and some I didn't recognize but felt I had heard before.
Just as I stepped onto the summit, all the voices vanished. In front of me was an altar with a dark crystal ball on top, seemingly devouring what minuscule amount of light was in the surroundings.
It should be just the altar here. Why is the orb floating on it like it's possessed or something? It's… really creeping me out. Moving forward slowly, I stopped just a few steps from it as I heard a feminine voice.
"Don't go near it just yet."
To be honest, I could feel someone's gaze from the moment I stepped on the summit, but I didn't feel any bad intentions from it, so I decided to wait until they revealed themselves.
"And… why should I… not go near it?" I asked, hoping to get some information about the mysterious orb.
"Did I startle you, little one? No need to be wary; a cutie pie like you should be kept safe and sound inside a locked room— ahem… I mean, I am here to help."
Did she just say she wanted to lock me up…?
"Renal said not to talk to strangers."
"Yes, she is right… My name is Calida Rosewood. And you?"
"I'm Axis Archborn." I put my hand over my mouth as I answered without realizing it, turning my head away while keeping my eyes peeled.
"Now, now, stop glaring. It just makes you look cuter. Aren't we acquainted now?" A small giggle could be heard.
"Says the one who doesn't even show herself." Though the words might have been daunting, they didn't have much effect on Calida.
"Alright, I will show myself, but you gotta request me to," Calida said, giggling.
Having had enough, I decided to counterattack. So that's how she wants to play, huh? Alright, I'll play along.
"Grandma Linda, please show yourself!" Drawing a breath and making a cone in front of my mouth with my small hands, I yelled.
…
Getting no response, I decided to take it to the next level.
"Great-great-grandma Lida, please show yourself!" I put my index finger on my cheek and bent my head to the side as I spoke.
A moment of silence passed.
"W… would you consider calling me big sister? E… even aunt will do, just not grandma, won't you, cutie pie?" A stuttering, hushed low voice indicated how important it was to her.
Girls really do like to appear younger no matter their actual age. Not sure who said it, but it's true and works. Ha… ha…