Countless pale blue specks of light!
They streamed out of the wooden crate like fireflies, dancing in the air and emitting a gentle glow.
The specks multiplied rapidly, soon merging into a vast sea of blue light. Intertwining with the red beams from the rune stones, they formed an enormous, intricate sigil in midair.
William had never seen anything so extraordinary. Holding his breath, he stared at the glowing sigil, his mind a whirlwind of questions and awe.
What is this sigil?
What are these blue specks of light?
And what's their role in this ceremony?
His thoughts raced, a gnawing feeling growing inside him—this ceremony was far more intricate than he had imagined.
"William, what are you thinking about?" Chuck's voice suddenly broke through his thoughts, pulling him back to reality.
"I... I was wondering what those blue specks are," William replied softly, not wanting others to overhear.
"I don't know either," Chuck admitted, shaking his head. "The village never lets underaged kids watch the ceremony, so this is my first time seeing this too."
At that moment, one of the warlocks stepped forward, taking a list from the village chief's hands.
After glancing at it, he raised his head and, in a voice both ancient and commanding, announced: "Now, all children who are sixteen or older, step forward one by one to receive the baptism of the Awakening Ceremony."
Though not loud, his voice carried clearly to every ear, as if imbued with some mystical power.
Hearing the warlock's words, the kneeling villagers rose and began pushing the eligible children forward.
The teenagers' faces were painted with a mix of nervousness and anticipation. Forming a line, they stepped onto the circular platform beneath the massive sigil.
The first teenager stood beneath the sigil, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath.
The blue light within the sigil seemed to respond to an unseen call, drifting slowly toward him and merging into his body.
Suddenly, his body began to emit a faint blue glow, and a look of pain crossed his face, as though enduring some kind of searing trial.
"Ah!"
He let out a low cry, his body trembling slightly.
The villagers watched anxiously, some whispering among themselves.
"His glow is so faint."
"Yeah, doesn't seem like he has much talent."
"What a shame."
The young man's parents exchanged looks of disappointment, their hands tightly clasped, their eyes full of worry and helplessness.
The second teenager stepped forward, and the same scene played out.
This time, however, the blue light radiating from her was noticeably stronger.
"Not bad."
"Yeah, much better than the last one."
"Seems like he has decent talent."
The villagers' murmurs turned more approving, and the child's parents sighed in relief, their faces lighting up with pride.
One by one, the children stepped forward to receive the blessing of the ceremony.
Some glowed faintly, others brightly, and a rare few shone so intensely that it was almost blinding.
Each time, the villagers reacted with emotions ranging from disappointment to pride, envy to admiration.
"William Lawrence!"
William's body tensed, and he snapped back to attention.
It was his turn.
Taking a deep breath to steady himself, he stepped forward toward.
The soft soil beneath his feet gave way slightly, leaving faint footprints with each step.
His gaze fixed on the enormous sigil above him.
It was an impossibly intricate pattern, formed by countless interwoven lines of varying thicknesses. It resembled a massive vortex—or perhaps a mystical eye, silently watching all who approached it.
The sigil, circular and spanning nearly three meters in diameter, glowed with scarlet lines that shimmered faintly. Surrounding it were countless tiny blue specks, which floated and danced like fireflies, giving off an eerie, ethereal glow.
On closer inspection, the blue light wasn't static. It consisted of countless moving specks that flowed, flickered, and jumped like tiny streams of light, creating a breathtakingly mysterious display.
Standing beneath the sigil, William tilted his head back to gaze at it. A profound sense of reverence welled up within him—an innate awe for something beyond human understanding.
Suddenly, the blue specks seemed to stir as if summoned by an unseen force. They broke free from their flowing patterns, surging toward William like an incoming tide.
William's vision blurred as countless specks of blue light rushed into his body.
A sharp, prickling sensation swept through him, as though thousands of tiny needles were piercing his skin all at once.
He had braced himself for excruciating pain. Yet, after the initial sting, the sensation quickly faded, becoming no more irritating than a mosquito bite.
William frowned. He had noticed that others screamed in pain during their turn, their bodies radiating varying intensities of blue light.
But for him, aside from the faint prickling, there was no sensation—and no blue glow emanated from his body.
What's going on?
Is something wrong with my body?
Or… does this ceremony not work on me?
William's mind swirled with questions as he tried to discern any changes within his body.
"Look! William absorbed so many blue specks!" a stout woman in the crowd exclaimed, her voice sharp with surprise. She was known for her nosiness.
"Yeah, more than anyone else so far!" a tall, thin man chimed in, always eager to stir the pot.
"But why doesn't he have any glow?" a gaunt woman, the village midwife, said with a puzzled expression. Though experienced, this was beyond her knowledge.
"Does this mean he has no talent?" a young man scoffed, a trace of glee in his tone. He had always been jealous of William's looks and now relished the chance to mock him.
"Impossible! He absorbed so many light specks…" an elderly woman countered, her fondness for Baker extending to William.
"Maybe he's a waste," came a shrill voice. The speaker was the village chief's wife, who had always harbored disdain for Baker—and by extension, William.
"Shh, don't let Dr. Baker hear you," an older man warned, eager to avoid conflict.
"Why worry about him? He's an outsider. What can he do to us?" the chief's wife sneered. "And besides, with no reaction to all those light specks, maybe he's one of the 'Unblessed.'"
"'Unblessed'?" A ripple of unease spread through the crowd at the mention of the term. It seemed to carry a weight that made everyone uncomfortable.
"What… what does that mean for him?" a young mother whispered, clutching her child tightly as fear flickered across her face.
"Poor Dr. Baker. He's done so much for this village, and now this happens…" a middle-aged man muttered, shaking his head in pity.
"Hmph! I saw him standing when everyone else knelt to honor the sorcerers and the lord. Disrespect like that deserves punishment!" another voice snapped harshly.
"Such a disgrace… What a shame," someone else murmured, their voice tinged with both frustration and resignation.
The murmurs washed over William, but he paid them little attention. He was too focused on trying to sense what, if anything, was changing inside him.
And then, suddenly, he felt something—a faint but unmistakable shift within his mind.
It was as though a door had opened, revealing a new world waiting to be explored.
The two warlocks, still standing silently, exchanged a quick glance. Though their faces remained calm, a flicker of confusion flashed in their eyes.
One of them stroked his beard thoughtfully, frowning as he murmured under his breath: "An 'Unblessed'? It's been so long since one appeared… But this child's situation is unusual…"
Despite their curiosity, the sorcerers showed no outward reaction. Instead, they waited until William stopped absorbing the blue light and then calmly called out the next name.
One of the sorcerers' black cloaks stirred slightly as an object floated in the air before him—a book and a feather quill.
The quill danced lightly across the open pages of the book, emitting faint scratching sounds as it recorded something important.
William's gaze was drawn to the surreal sight. He squinted, trying to make out the writing on the pages, but all he could see were blurry symbols and faint lines.
The ceremony proceeded, with each child stepping forward to undergo their Awakening. Soon, it was over.
The village chief cleared his throat and addressed the crowd in his booming voice: "Children, you have completed the Awakening Ceremony. From this day forth, you are no longer just villagers but members of the Lord's Blessed!"
"Today marks the start of your responsibilities to protect this village!"
"The world beyond is filled with dangers. Monsters lurk in the wilderness, waiting for an opportunity to strike. But as long as we remain united and support each other, we can overcome any challenge!"
One of the warlocks then spoke, his voice calm yet commanding: "The Awakening Ceremony bestows upon you the blessings needed to repel the monsters that threaten us. But this power is not limitless."
"You must remain vigilant, honing your will and strengthening your bodies. Only through discipline can you protect yourselves and your loved ones."
"Remember: in this world, only those with strong wills and robust bodies can survive."
After the ceremony concluded, the crowd gradually dispersed. William returned home alone, his mind racing with thoughts about what had happened.
When he arrived, Baker was already waiting for him, his face filled with worry as if he had been anticipating bad news.
William recounted the events of the ceremony in detail, including the strange lack of reaction from the blue light and the remarks he overheard from the villagers.
As he spoke, Baker's expression darkened, his brows knitting together tightly.
He remained silent for a long time, lost in thought, before finally speaking. "William, based on what you've described, it is indeed strange. You absorbed so many of the blue specks, far more than anyone else, yet showed no visible signs of change."
"Normally, the blessings and protection you'd receive would be greater than anyone else's."
"But for there to be no blue glow at all… This…" Baker trailed off, his voice heavy with concern.
He paused, as if wrestling with something, then continued: "Do you understand what this could mean?"
"It means you might not be protected. You might lack the ability to repel the monsters that stalk this world."
"Without that protection, you're like a firefly in the dark to those creatures—impossibly easy to spot and an irresistible target."
"This is far too dangerous!" Baker's voice rose with alarm as he gripped William's arm tightly. "We must find a way to address this, and soon!"
"Otherwise, you won't survive in this world!"
William met Baker's worried gaze, and for a moment, warmth filled his chest. He could see how deeply Baker cared for him.
"Baker, calm down," William said, trying to reassure him. "I'll figure something out."
But Baker shook his head, cutting him off. "What could you possibly do?" he asked, his voice tinged with despair.
"The Awakening Ceremony is the only known way to receive protection, and you've already failed!"
"You have no talent, no power. You're just an ordinary person, one who could be devoured by those monsters at any moment!"
Baker's emotions boiled over, and he grabbed William's shoulders, shaking him as though trying to wake him from a nightmare.
"Son, listen to me! This ceremony is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. If you fail, there's no second chance."
Taking a deep breath, Baker steadied himself, his hands trembling slightly as he let go of William.
"The so-called 'Awakening Ceremony,'" he began, his voice calmer but still laced with tension, "is actually a process where you absorb a special kind of energy—'Awakening Insects,' those blue specks of light."
"These insects are transported to every village during the ceremony. They contain mysterious powers that grant blessings, make humans less visible to monsters, strengthen the body, and even awaken special talents in rare cases."
"Under normal circumstances, the more insects you absorb, the greater your blessings. The stronger the blue glow, the less likely monsters will target you."
"But you… even though you absorbed a tremendous amount of light, there was no glow at all. That suggests your blessings and protection are minimal—maybe even nonexistent."
"Your condition… it could draw the monsters to you, putting you in constant danger."
"So we must figure out a solution, or else…" Baker trailed off, unable to finish the thought.