"Pant..pant.." Chris panted, wiping his brow. He let out a small smile as he gazed at the crops infront of him, he felt pretty tired, his arms and back were in unfathomable pain.
'Oh, welp. That finishes up the task for today.' Chris thought as he let go of the scythe in his hand.
He gazed at his palm where the scythe was once gripped onto, he felt like he the tool belonged to him. An ancient weapon used long ago, though he brushed it off, letting it off as weird thoughts.
"Chris!" A burly old man called from behind, walking up to him. "Good job with the crops today, you are very talented. Here's your payment, kiddo" The man said as he dropped a few copper coins into Chris's hand.
Chris smiled, though the money wasn't alot, it should be enough to help his mother out.
"Your birthday is coming up tommorow, right? Well i hope you get blessed with a good magical attribute, then you could become an adventurer and earn way more than this." The old man said as he placed a hand on Chris's shoulder.
"Thank you, sir. I hope that too." Chris said. He quickly spun around on his heel and walked back to his house, the rays of the sun illuminating the beads of sweat on his frame. His clothes were drenched in his own sweat, he took a quick sniff and recoiled from the foul stench.
'Damn! I need to take a bath, quick.' Chris thought as he covered his nose with his hand.
He soon arrived at his home and opened the door, as soon as he was inside a delicious aroma seized attention of his nostrils and beckoned him into the kitchen.
Chris walked in and saw his mother preparing a meal, her beautiful brown hair hanging down her back as she hummed a small tune.
"Mom, im home." Chris said as he walked up to her.
Chris's mom, Jade, smiled warmly as she looked behind to see her son "Oh, welcome back. Take a seat, your meal will be finished shortly." She said in a sweet tone as she resumed her cooking.
He walked over to the table and pulled a chair, seating on it as he rested his arms on the table.
'The ceremony..' Chris thought internally, squeezing his palms and balling them into small fists.
Chris's mind was filled with thoughts of the ceremony that was going to take place tommorow, a selectful of other kids his age would gather at a large plain and place their hands on a crystal ball.
The ball would shine a type of colour, indicating that you possess magic and a type of aptitude for it. The stronger the ball shines, the stronger your aptitude for your type of magic is.
Jade walked over to Chris and handed him his meal, "Here you are, enjoy." Jade said with a smile. Chris happily took the meal and began eating it, smiling brightly as the flavours rested on his tongue.
Jade watched him eat, a small glint of pain gnawing at her heart. Her son looked exactly like her father, the man who did unimaginable things to her. She had to quit adventuring and leave the Royal Capital to take care of Chris and raise her son well.
Chris looked up at her, noticing the pain in her eyes. He swallowed and looked at her,
"Is something wrong, mother? You don't look very well." Chris asked.
Jade blinked in suprise, she was too focused on her past that she forgot about her son's presence "Oh uhh, it's nothing. I was just..thinking. That's all." She said as she tried to put on a smile.
Chris narrowed his eyes and grit his teeth, already knowing the cause of her pain. He recalled when he was reincarnated into his mother's womb, though he couldn't see and move at all, he could hear the voice of a man in the room.
One that was cocky and arrogant, the voice demanded that Chris be killed as soon as he was born, but Jade pushed through and fought to protect her son. The noble had threatened her: telling her not to disclose this secret to anybody, otherwise she and her son would both be killed.
Chris's heart ached that day, realizing that he was going to be born into a broken family. He felled infuriated that his father would just abandon him like that, but he carved the voice of the man into his head, promising to find him and make him pay for what he had done.
Chris returned the smile as he finished up the last of his meal, "Thanks for the meal mom." He said as he went ahead and washed it. As he did, a small smile tugged at his lips, he knew the moment he turned 10 he would awaken his system, the one the Celestara had promised him.
Time passed by as Chris and Jade engaged in small conversation, particularly about the Awakening Ceremony. Chris reassured her that everything was going to be okay and left to go to his room.
He pushed open the wooden door and slumped over to his bed, he fell face first into the sheets of the bed. The clock on his wall ticked, the sound filling the room as Chris began to fall into a deep slumber.
The glow of the moon resting high behind the clouds of the night sky, illuminated the village.
Chris's chest rose and fell with every breath he took, his eyes closed shut as he began to dream. His world filled with vision about Misha, with her in his arms, reunited and happy with one another.
-------
"Pant..pant..." Inside the courtyard of the Rohart family, Liora stood infront of her opponent, a wooden sword clasped tightly in her hand as she locked eyes with her sword instructor. Her breathing was heavy and unbalanced, her muscles aching and her mind hazzy.
The sword instructor, a tall woman wearing a long black sleek coat, with leather pants, looked at Liora with a dissapointed glint in her eye. One hand was behind her back as she stood in a graceful manner, her short black hair blowing in the moonlit breeze.
"Again!" She shouted, getting into a defensive sword stance.
Liora nodded and leaped back into action, swinging her sword at the instructor, their swords engaged in a heated clash. Liora fought hard, her small body trying to keep up with that of the instructors.
She had been trying hard to land a single blow on the instructor for hours, though she was advised to give up, she persisted and kept trying. Her movements with the sword were improving, but not at a fast rate, her small green eyes burned with determination as her long golden hair flocked down her back.
The instructor sighed, feeling a pang of dissapointment, with one swift motion she parried Liora's strike and send her flying back. She hit the ground hard, panting tiredly as the fire in her eyes burned out slowly.
"Sigh, we'll continue this again another time." She walked over to Liora and helped her up.
Liora gritted her teeth in frustration, she had failed again today. With a heavy heart and held back anger, she walked back into the mansion. Her appearance dishoveled and messy, the maids gasped as they looked at the mess their young mistress was.
A boy was leaning against the wall, he chuckled upon seeing the appearance of his sister "Haha! You look really terrible." He said, a smug smile on his face.
Liora didn't pay him any attention, she just kept on walking by him, not even bothering to give him a glance.
The boy slumped off the mansion walls and struck his palm out, pointing it at Liora. He began to mumble an incantation, a smal green magic circle materializing infront of his palm.
He grinned as he released a wind spell, the fierce air travelling at fast speeds towards Liora. Before she could even react in time, the spell struck her head on and sent her flying backward.
"Ah!" Liora grunted as she fell to the floor, the maids immediately ran to her side to help her.
"Oops, my bad." The boy said in a jokish manner, and strided off. The maids couldn't do anything to help Liora in this situation, since her brother ,Carl, was an awakened one, and if they ever tried telling about the young masters wrong doing, they wouldn't be believed and would could be fired.
Liora managed a weak smile as the maids helped her up and took her to the bathroom. Once inside she was washed by the maids, this was basically a routine for her after her swordsmanship training.
After eating with her family and discussing the details about Liora's awakening tommorow, she left and went straight for her room. However, as soon as she opened the door she saw that Carl was already sitting on the edge of her bed, legs crossed as if he was waiting for her.
"Carl!? What the hell are you doing here!!" She yelled at him, clenching her fists, her eyes fuming with anger after what he did to her earlier.
Carl rolled his eyes, "Oh please, don't tell me you're seriously mad about that. It was just a prank, besides, if Lance were here, he would've done worse." Carl said.
"I don't care! Just get out of my room already!" Liora said.
Carl laughed, rolling around on her bed "Or what? What are you gonna do? We all know i have the most potent magical attribute out of all 3 of us. Even with your awakening tommorow, i doubt it will be able to top mine." Carl said as he finally got of the bed and left her room.
Liora sighed, letting out a shaky breath. With heavy footsteps she walked over to her bed and snuggled into the bedsheets, drifting off to sleep, tommorow was a big day and she would need to be as strong as she could for it.
------
Tick. Tick. Tick. The clock on Chris's wall ticked, and then, when the clock struc 12...
[Congratulations for reaching the age of 10]
"H-huh?" Chris mumbled in his sleep at the sound in his head.
[Bestowing the system of the Divine Lord Of Necromancy]
----
Congratulations for reaching the age of 10]
[Bestowing the system of the Grand Beast Master]
----
Chris and Liora both jumped awake in their beds, their eyes landing on the large blue interface above them.
In suprise and shock, both of them yelled: "What!?!??"