"Yes." Seth shouted, jumping up and down like a little kid who'd received a new toy.
He couldn't believe how lucky he'd become.
Not thinking twice about why or how the mask ended up here, he leaned on a random tree and immediately began formulating a plan.
Seeing that the Exorcists present in the ceremony hadn't shown up meant that his his spirit essence was quite weak and couldn't be perceived.
Awakening wasn't limited to the exact time a person turned fifteen, rather it could differ between 12 at midnight to 6 in the morning, but not awakening immediately after was rare. This being the reason why when he didn't awaken immediately, he just gave up.
'Now that that's out of the way, how do I explain the weird mask?' He pondered. He couldn't keep it hidden as he weirdly felt that it still hadn't given everything it had to offer yet. And he definitely couldn't be like Batman with two personalities. He hated the concept of working in the shadows as he himself wanted all the glory from his accomplishments aimed at the real him.
'That'll do for now' Jerking up he started trekking back.
Walking back, he thought of the reaction he would draw from the people, how was his father going to react.
Thinking about it now, he felt bad at how he brushed him when he tried comforting him, though he was overwhelmed by his emotions at that time, it still wasn't like him.
His father had always been there for him, even after his mother's death his father still persisted on being his pillar, suppressing his own grief. He'd always supported Seth's dreams and aspirations, always believing in what anyone else could've taken in as delusions. For this Seth always respected him, but with that slip up, Seth made a vow to become what his father believed he could be.
Approaching the opening, Seth could still here them celebrating as if four teens hadn't had their souls crushed, but all this was normal.
"When did you awaken? Why didn't we sense it?"
Jumping up in fright Seth abruptly turned, glancing at the two Exorcist that had stealthy crept up on him.
One was a young lady in her late twenties and the other was a middle aged man.
The two before him were the Exorcist guarding this place whom Seth despised.
Calming down, Seth gazed at them.
"Ohh I just awkened I..."Never mind you're just too weak to intercept." Before he could finish the lady interrupted, belittling him.
This could've angered anyone, but honestly Seth already knew their personalities and that remark didn't come as a shock to him.
Shrugging them, he began searching for his father.
They didn't persuade any further as they watched him walk away a smile curving up on the middle aged man's face. "He has no idea."
_
"Did he just awaken?"
"Yeah I can see his spirit essence."
"Woh! Two exorcists in one night."
Seth hadn't even walked ten steps before a crowd gathered around him and murmurs arose, inhibiting him from searching for his father.
When the other crowd that still stood around Celia, still showering her with compliments and adoration, saw this, they left her side and merged with the one surrounding Seth to learn of the reason behind the sudden commotion.
Celia also followed suit as she also desired to learn of what would draw the attention of the people from a newly awkened.
Shoving through the cluster, Celia emerged before it, finally witnessing the reason, a smile creeping up her face "congrats."
Seeing her with the hue that growed at least five times brighter than that of him, Seth still grinned a sense of accomplishment adorning him.
"That's my son alright."
Before he could thank her, a hoarse voice he recognized all too well echoed behind him.
Turning around his smile faded replaced by an apologetic expression
"I'm sorry for before"
"Don't sweat it, that's the past, now it's a call for celebration." His father, a smile curving up on his face, said.
Seth thought of adding something else, but seeing how happy his father was for him, he scratched his dreadlocked hair as a nervous smile spread across his face.
Compliments and adoration rained on the two newly awakened teens, even if Seth's hue was a lot dimmer than Celia, the people didn't care as in their eyes they were both Exorcists and treated both of them as such.
It wasn't until late at night_early in the morning I guess, that the crowd began to break, everyone leaving for their homes.
Seth had also joined up with his father, after he deliberately left him to bear the burden of awakening, and were about to head back home, before a husky voice called out.
"Wait."
Turning they were meet by a bald headed man seemingly in his late forties clad in a blue military uniform.