The sun cast long shadows on this fateful morning. When most were still asleep at this hour, Cale was awake. His mind was filled with complicated and confusing thoughts. He experienced a weird dream which changed all of his excitement into doubts.
Perhaps it was the lecture from his dad that is messing with him. It was night. He was going to sleep. Then, his dad said, "Cale, let's talk." Bad time to talk. Cale only remembered the last words told to him.
"You have our support! Remember this, Cale."
It was an odd reminder. Cale already knows this. What are they worried about? Does it have something to do with the Record Ceremony?
Daylight was starting to light up his room. The dream was starting to get blurry. Lingering doubts were fading into the darkness. Walking to his window, he could see a bright world.
There are more important problems to solve now. What will his record look like? What can he do to prepare?
From under his bed, he took out a stick. It was the length of his arm. Unlike his other sticks, it had no bumps or bends. With this strangely straight stick, he stepped forward and performed a thrust. Imagining himself holding a sword. Then he stepped back and swung diagonally, as if retreating from his thrust. Cale repeated these movements for a few minutes before hiding his stick under his bed again.
"When I get bigger, I'll hold a sword that is bigger and better than these sticks!"
His parents were still asleep, so he retrieved another item from under his bed. This time, it was a bag of small round pebbles. Unlike his strangely straight stick, it was easy to find these pebbles at the nearby stream. Their sizes were relatively similar, being easy to hold between his small fingers.
Cale emptied the bag onto the floor, scattering stones across his room. Pressing his thumb on the end of his middle finger, he flicked a pebble. It hit another pebble and bounced against another. Counting the number of ricochets, he ended on four. Cale's highest was six, luckily hitting two clusters.
This was one of the games he thought of on a rainy day. He couldn't go to the forest when it rains. His parents said it is dangerous and that he would slip on the mud. Cale didn't believe that he is that silly but he didn't want to argue.
Steps could finally be heard outside his room. Cale scooped up the pebbles scattered across the room and hid them again. He dressed into new clothes, ready to start the day.
"Morning Mom, Dad!"
"Eat your breakfast quickly Cale. The Record Ceremony will be starting before noon."
Plate, bread and a sweet, nutty spread. Drink a cup of water and leave the dirty dishes in the wash basin.
Leaving the house with his parents, Cale could see other families gathering in one direction. Towards the center of the village, where the Record Ceremony is happening.
As his parents were closing the door, Cale was already running ahead. His parents didn't worry so much since they would find Cale at the Record Ceremony.
Many other kids were like Cale, running impatiently ahead and leaving their parents behind. When Cale arrived at the center of the village, there were two growing crowds; one for children like Cale, the other for spectating families and adults.
In front of the crowds was a tall assembly hall. The doors were closed and blocked by two powerful guards. They had an intimidating aura that deterred anyone from causing trouble.
The sun was rising. From Cale's perspective, he saw it start to touch the peak of the assembly hall's roof. At this moment, the doors opened and a purple robed person stepped outside the assembly hall. Observing the excited crowd, the robed person raised their voice and welcomed everyone gathered for the Record Ceremony.
"Welcome! welcome all of you today! It is time for a new generation of aspirants to step up into the world. Children! When you enter, form lines in front of the green robed people. They are the Record Holders for today's ceremony and they will gift you your first record template. Afterwards, please find a seat and wait patiently. I will tell you more about the records later."
When the purple robed person finished his speech, he stepped away from the entrance. Afterwards, Cale and the other children walked into the assembly hall, seeing the high ceilings and the glazed windows that glowed with sunlight.
There were four green robed people, so four lines formed quickly. Cale stood in the third line, waiting to receive his first record template. Looking at the front, he could see the robed people holding a piece of paper. They placed this piece of paper on the heads of the children. A soft light emitted from them with an excited giggle following after.
Soon, it was time for Cale to receive his first record template. Feeling the piece of paper placed on his head, he suddenly saw a magical light manifest in his vision. It then morphed into a transparent, glowing sheet. Cale immediately tried to touch it, but his hands felt nothing. On this magical sheet, characters started to form to show Cale's information:
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[Name: Cale Howza]
[Age:10]
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