In the middle of the city, around a huge dome-shaped structure made out of weathered stone, several dozen youths waited patiently under the sunlight.
They gazed at the dome building with deep emotions. Some with hope and excitement, others in fear and apprehension.
Today was the day.
Today, they would be judged.
Today, some of them will rise.
Today, some of them may die.
As the crowd waited in tense silence, a dirty young man emerged from a dark corner of the streets and timidly joined the gathering.
The others around him immediately frowned as they stepped away, covering their noses.
They clearly weren't pleased to have him around.
Meanwhile, the dirty youth—named Kaden—tried his best to ignore the bad-tempered gazes directed at him, his eyes locked on the giant dome.
As someone born in the slums, Kaden only had one chance to get ahead in life: the annual Awakening Rite.
On the first day of the year, every youth at the age of 15, regardless of status, would be thrown into the Sanctum to ignite their souls and awaken their dormant potential.
Those few who succeed will join the exalted ranks of the Elite, wielding superhuman strength. Those who did not would either die in the process or return to their normal lives.
Kaden had just recently turned fifteen, making him eligible and a subject to that ordinance.
Standing some distance away from the colossal structure, he couldn't help but feel both excited and nervous.
This annual event has always been filled with cheers and tears, with hope and tragedy.
Success means a brighter future, while failure leads to broken dreams or an untimely funeral.
Although rare, casualties sometimes occur.
For the scions of rich families or noble clans, this was an unnecessary risk.
But for people like him who were born with nothing, it was hope.
A gamble worth risking everything for.
As he waited along with the other youths, Kaden prayed to the Three Great Gods, something he had never bothered doing in the past.
'Please…'
Kaden wasn't sure if praying would really improve his luck, but he was simply grasping at straws. Whether it works or not, it costs him nothing.
Suddenly, countless gasps echoed amidst the crowd.
Kaden abruptly halted his prayers to check on the cause of the commotion. Seeing everyone gazing at the sky, he too looked up.
There, he saw it.
High above, four figures emerged from the veil of white clouds, their bodies forming a tight perimeter around a floating cube of shiny metal.
His gaze brightened at the sight.
Heroes!
The Heroes have arrived!
The four descending Heroes scanned the group of youths below with a brief, indifferent glance before wordlessly entering the Sanctum.
The two Knights guarding the iron doors of the dome structure bowed at their passage.
Soon, the Heroes disappeared into the darkness of the inner chamber, the massive doors closing right behind them.
Shortly after, the silent crowd burst into activity, animate conversations flooding the public square.
Kaden had no one to talk with and wisely chose to remain silent, knowing full well that none of these people were truly interested in exchanging words with someone like him.
The arrival of the Heroes signals the ritual's imminence, elevating the unseen tension that hung in the air. Everyone felt the need to reassure each other, despite the fact that it wouldn't really change the outcome of the coming ritual.
Kaden couldn't really blame them. After all, he had prayed to the gods, whom he did not even know the name of, for the exact same reason.
Several minutes later, the iron doors of the Sanctum opened. Countless eyes immediately turned towards the giant doorway. For a moment, all they saw was deep darkness. Then, golden radiance exploded from deep within the stone edifice, and the darkness was no more.
"Aspirants, you may enter." A voice resounded, mixing with the rays of gold.
Kaden squinted his eyes as he gazed at the blinding light. Hearing those words, he hesitated for a moment, then took a step forward. Some did the same, their hesitation fleeting.
Soon, Kaden entered the radiant domain, golden light washing over his dirty face.
'This…'
The light felt welcoming.
It felt familiar.
Why does it feel so familiar?
Bathed in that light, he felt warmth coursing through his veins. Something profound heated within him, failing to ignite. As he stood there, lost in the sea of brightness, the voice echoed once again.
"Continue walking." It said.
Kaden followed the instruction, stumbling from time to time, unable to see anything.
As he got deeper and deeper into the Sanctum, the mysterious heat within him slowly grew searing and eventually sparked a fire.
His soul was ignited.
Then, everything became clear.
The world around him was just as bright as before, but now he could see where he was and where he was going.
Kaden was standing at the very edge of a vast hallway, and beyond it lies a huge circular stone chamber. Up above, floating in the center of the dome-shaped ceiling was a shining cube.
It was the source of the golden light flooding the whole Sanctum and beyond.
Shortly after, Kaden stepped into the stone chamber, expecting something to happen, only to face disappointment.
The place was just needlessly grand but has no substance.
Kaden frowned, finding the situation a bit strange.
It felt wrong and odd to be the only one in this vast chamber.
He looked around for a bit, but the four Heroes were nowhere to be seen.
'Where did they go?'
Previously, although the iron doors were opened, he had not seen the Heroes leaving the Sanctum.
This chamber is a dead end.
They couldn't have gone anywhere.
Yet he still couldn't find them.
'Well, it doesn't matter.' Kaden thought to himself.
Those were Heroes, after all.
He did not feel too concerned.
Or rather, they were beyond the scope of what he could be concerned about.
Soon, more and more people entered the chamber.
Some were still stumbling in their steps, unable to see. A few stared at the ceiling, mesmerized by the cubic star hovering above.
For a while, everything seemed to be going well.
Until someone suddenly burst into flames.