[Weekly Simulations Remaining: 0]
[Generating Random Minor Talent for 0 Essence stones]
[Talent generated. Minor Talent: Just Run!]
[Talent Description: Slightly higher comprehension towards movement techniques. Endurance and stamina are also slightly increased. Speed is doubled when running from enemies.]
Aron raised his eyebrows. While he had not started learning any cultivation methods or techniques yet, he had still learnt about the different types over the course of his education. Movement techniques was pretty broad, and could cover anything from escape movements, dodging techniques, or movements techniques that prioritize straight line speed.
As for increased stamina and endurance, he thought that it may come in handy during the early stages. Once he beings cultivating, though, Essence will make things like endurance moot in most instances.
Finally, if the last sentence he read was true, that would be a major game changer. A complete life saver. Especially if it was still double the speed when he entered cultivation. But, considering it was a Minor talent, Aron wouldn't be too hopeful about that.
"Alright, lets get this started."
A large smile broke out on his face as his bright eyes watched the simulation begin.
[Simulation Beginning.]
[After a long day of studies, you find yourself basking in the sunlight in the courtyard of your family's villa. With the warmth of the sun on your skin, you soon find yourself falling asleep.]
[You slowly wake up to the sound of people walking near you. It seems to be some of the Perch family elders. You over hear their discussion about the upcoming Core examination. They mention your name as one of the children that has the most promise.]
[The elders keep walking, but you want to keep listening so you follow behind them. Not long after you start to follow, they notice you. Upon seeing that it is you, the orphan child of the Perch family, they glare at you and tell you to mind your own business.]
[Dejected, you walk back to the tree that you feel asleep at only to find one of your half-siblings has taken your spot.]
[Too afraid to say anything after being berated by the elders, you return to your room. Demotivated by the day, you spend your time reading historical books.]
[Your daily life continues as you dedicate yourself to your studies. Your tutors sing your praises and you put in more work to continue to please them.]
[Time passes by and, eventually, three months have passed by since your nap at the big tree in the courtyard.]
[Instead of your breakfast being brought to your room like usual, your attendant tells you to report to the main dining hall. Upon your arrival, you see all of your half-brothers and sisters. At the head of the table is your father, the Patriarch of the Perch family, Darius Perch.]
[As you take a seat at the table, breakfast is served and everyone begins to eat. Only after everyone is done eating, does your father speak up. He tells you and your siblings that tomorrow will be the Core examination for all children of the Perch family and clan. Those that are being tested range from five, your age, to ten.]
[Your father mentions that the better the results, the better the treatment in the future. At this, you begin to be hopeful. If you test well, maybe those elders will treat you better. Maybe, just maybe, your father might spend more time with you.]
"D-Didn't the voice say that I have a Minor Core? It's unattributed, too. Isn't that just setting me up to fail?!"
The information that was coming in was confusing Aron. If the voice told him that he had a Minor Core, then why was the him in the simulation looking forward to the examination? The only thing that everyone will think about him is that he is worthless. That isn't anything to be excited about.
"Unless... Does the me in the simulation not have memories of the voice? Is that really a good thing?"
[After that breakfast, you were told that your studies had been canceled for the day. Curious, you try to enquire why. Before any tells you anything, your father appears behind you and asks you to walk with him]
[On the walk, he mentions that he is looking forward to your results. He tells you that your mother had fantastic potential before she was killed, and that combined with the Perch talent, yours would be beyond excellent. Your fathers words struck a chord in your heart, and you promised him that you wouldn't let him down.]
[He thanks you, before disappearing. Shortly after, your attendant arrives and walks you back to your room.]
[That night you are restless, unable to fall asleep. The anticipation for tomorrows events keep you awake, and your hope lies in making your father proud. Soon, despite your mind wanting to stay awake, your body succumbs to exhaustion.]
[The next day, you are taken to the examination hall. Hours pass by as all of your siblings are tested. Being the youngest of the group to test, you are the last of your siblings to be examined. Your anxiety is growing and growing as more and more of your siblings receive high marks and endless praise.]
[Zeke Perch, the eldest of your age group, received a Greater Core with a lightning attribute. Though a Greater Core is only the third best Core, a lightning attribute is uncommon. It is also one of the Perch families signature attributes. Many of the family's strongest techniques are lightning attributed.]
[Julia Perch, one of the middle children, received a Major Core, the second best. Her attribute was fire and metal. A rare double attribute. Though neither align with the family's specialties, there are many ways to get good techniques and methods.]
Aron sat and watched as the simulation told him about the two children he had seen the most around the villa. A Greater Core, in most places, would be great. In the Perch family, it was only what was expected.
As for a Major Core with double attributes, one of which was uncommon. That was something that was rarely seen. Even for the Perch family, a Major Core with a single attribute was more in line with the norm. The fact that the two attributes didn't line up with the families specialties, that was nothing too hard to deal with.
[Finally, it was your turn. You walked up to the examination pillar that stood in the middle of the hall. You could feel all the eyes from the elders and wives and concubines. Placing your hand on the pillar, you felt a cold chill run through your body. Seconds passed when the pillar began to glow. The color coming from the pillar was dull. Much more so than the color from your half-sister's Major Core. More dull that your older brother's Greater Core]
[As the anticipation began to grip at your heart, a single word began to appear on the pillar: Minor. Your body began to shake as you looked up at your father. His eyes were filled with a stunning look of indifference. Like you didn't matter to him. As you looked away from your father, a second word wrote itself on the pillar. Unattributed.]
[Seeing this word you collapsed onto the ground. Understanding how important this event was for your future, you knew that nothing good could happen in the near future. Tears began to fall from your eyes. From the corner of your eye, you could see your father stand up and leave the room, no longer interested in the upcoming examinations of all of your cousins from the Perch branch families.]
[As your father walked away, a laugh sounded out. You looked to see who it was, only to see your stepmother, Trea. As she began to laugh, so too did other elders and siblings. They knew the truth behind your upbringing. They knew who your mother was. They knew that she, at least, served a purpose to the Perch family. As for you, her offspring, what good would you ever bring.]
The words from the simulator rang through the head of Aron in reality. So it was true. He really was useless.
But the words that stung the most, the words that hit Aron the hardest, they were about his mother. Having been killed shortly into his life, Aron never got the chance to know her. But people have only ever told him that she was talented and so he would be as well.
Did he disappoint her? Is that why everyone in the simulation is laughing at him?
It took several minutes before Aron was able to calm himself enough to begin looking at the simulation once more.
[Being unable to move, frozen by the fright of the examination hall. You sat, collapsed, in the middle of the floor. Seconds passed and eventually Marvin came and scooped you up into his arms.]
[He took you out of the hall and told you that he would stand by you no matter what. Gradually, you stopped shaking. You thanked Marvin with a hug and fell asleep in his arms. When you woke up, you were back in your bed.]
[The next morning, an attendant knocked on your door and told you to attend daily training, something that all newly awakened Perch children must do.]
[Upon arriving, several of your siblings make cruel jokes at you. Your eyes water, but you keep yourself from crying. After all, what good would that do anyone?]
[The instructor arrived and your training began. He handed out cultivation methods that fit with everyone's attributes, yours being unattributed. As he handed you yours, scorn and displeasure filled his eyes. As he walked past, the instructor spat onto the floor.]
[The day went by as the instructor guided everyone in their first steps of cultivation. At the end of the day you didn't make much progress. Your half-sister and another one of your half-brothers succeeded in detecting the presence of Essence.]
[The instructor sent you back to your rooms. Upon arrival, you noticed a note on the end of your bed, it was from Marvin. In the note, he tells you that he is sorry but that he must go. He doesn't tell you why, nor where he is going. Just that he must leave. You don't know, but you can only think that he is leaving because of you. Because you were worthless. Your tears fell down and smudged the ink of the letter. The tear slid down the paper, all the way to the corner, before falling off. You don't notice, but mixed in with the ink that signed his name was a splotch of blood.]
In reality, tears were falling down Aron's face in synch with the simulation. All the information that the simulation was giving him was too much to take in.
He was being told that he was worthless. That he had no place within the Perch family. That even the one person that had raised him since he was young, wanted nothing to do with him. His only value was his potential. With that gone, there is nothing left.