"Are you ready ?" Ares asked York.
His younger brother stood at the doorway, and he muttered a light 'yes'.
" Then let's go. "
It was already morning. Right now the sun had yet risen, the sky still a deep dark blue, not dark yet not bright.
They went on the main street towards the inner parts of the city. Many people were coming and going. Stalls lined both sides of the busy street. Vendors selling their street food, and delicacies. They overheard many conversations on their way :
"Ha, this is the chance of a lifetime! I have sent both my son and daughter to the ceremony. Just imagine our good fortune if one of them succeeds!"
"The city lord is truly benevolent, giving this opportunity to us common folks shows he did not forget his roots."
" This isn't goodwill at all! He is getting so old, he wants to find a good inheritor for himself, someone not from the big families."
"I doubt that, why would he do that openly? He can't just blatantly oppose the big families, can he?"
"Haha, that doesn't matter to me. This is like the New Year festive coming early, I'm going to get rich with this windfall of customers. I already made two weeks' worth of profit today!" - Commented one of the sellers.
Most of the people were in high spirits, some were suspicious of this grand event, and some did not care as they weren't affected, but they were in the minority.
*****
The sun rises in the sky, the sun's rays brilliant. The city fog is not very thick; the sharp rays easily pass through.
Over five hundred 14-year-old youths gathered in front of the Master's Hall. The Master's Hall was in the middle of the city, reaching 10 stories and having sharply tilted roofs; it was heavily guarded.
York looked around, the number of youths present was too many, and most of these youths were not from the Sun City, but rather ordinary people from many small villages, in other words, they were the slaves of the Sun City. The number of young people from the Sun City is only about 100.
This was the first time the city had made humans outside of them enter the Awakening Ceremony, and the person who allowed it was the city lord despite the objections of the elders. And no one knows the purpose of doing this.
Those humans who had thought that they would never get the chance to awaken their inner world, but now thanks to the Sun City Leader were able to fulfill their dream of being Inscriptions Masters, their hearts were filled with gratitude towards the City Leader.
But some of these people had their hearts filled with greed and were planning to stage a coup after they had the power and then rule this city by themselves.
"Good, all of you are punctual. Today is the Awakening Ceremony; it is your life's great turning point. I won't say much, just come with me." the elder of the academy said.
The academy elder was wearing a yellow headband decorated with a sun Inscription as he led the young men to the place where the awakening ceremony would be held.
The youths continued to go down, the deeper they went, the more turns they had to make, sometimes, the straight distance seemed to be short, but they had to make a long detour.
"When we get there, don't be too surprised." The elder smiled.
The Youths felt some curiosity and anticipation.
A while later, Ares, York, and the other youths officially stepped into the last layer of the Cave.
Their vision was covered by bright glorious lights.
All sorts of colors were emanated from the rocks, soil, and grass in this place.
The group of youths made surprised noises.
"Wow, so pretty!"
"It is beautiful!"
The new sight opened the young teenagers' eyes. Each one of them had a light radiating from their gaze with excited and anxious feelings.
The elder walked a few more steps forward and stood next to a large circular rock, by looking only you will know that this rock is not ordinary.
The rock was flat and wide so that a few people could stand on top of it together at the same time, it was adorned with many unique and strange Inscription.
" Well, listen as I call your names. Those who are summoned must stand on top of this rock. Stand for as long as possible, of course, the longer you stand the better. Are you all clear?" The elder said.
"All clear." the youths replied.
Even humans who did not know these details were told this information previously.
" Ray Dem ." The elder held the name list and called out the first person.
The rock was huge but not high, reaching only the knees of a young man.
Ray's face was full of seriousness as he climbed up and stood on top of the rock. As he did so, he could feel an invisible pressure as if there was a wall in front of him that he could not see, blocking him from walking forward.
During this moment, the signs of Inscription at his feet began to brighten one after the other.
Ray gritted his teeth and gathered his strength, standing firmly. But it wasn't long before he was forcibly ejected from the top of the rock, causing him to stumble and fall.
The elder ignored Ray's fall and looked at the number of inscription marks that continued to shine.
As he watched this the elder sighed. While recording what happened, he said, "Ray Dem, 9 Inscription marks, no talent to become an Inscription Master."
Ray was deathly pale as he walked past back to the youths, clenching his teeth. Without the endowed talent, he could live as a normal human, holding the lowest position in the city.
Many people threw him pitiful gazes, while even more had fixated stares at the second person.
The elder grabbed the list of names and continued to call the second person :
" Next..."