The eight young Awakened continued climbing up through the pole, using the protruding rods across its lengthy frame as a foothold.
They did not dare to look down and consider the possibility of an empyrean fall.
Such worries wouldn't be helpful at all.
In any case, the climb was much easier than they had initially thought.
Other than the tension caused by the fear of falling from such height, they had not experienced any difficulty. Their enhanced physique could easily handle the laborious process of the ascent.
Kaden himself, despite being the scrawniest in the entire group, felt like he could increase the pace at which he was climbing if he so desired. But he wisely chose not to. They already look like monkeys climbing a tree. He didn't want to worsen that image and stand out by excelling at something they weren't meant to excel at.
As he thought to himself, Kaden looked up at the distant figure clad in armor.
The old Knight had climbed far ahead of them, jumping from one pole step to the next with practiced ease, stopping occasionally to check on their progress.
While the eight of them climb like monkeys, the old Knight rose gracefully, ascending through the floors in a manner befitting an Awakened.
Kaden groaned inwardly.
Eventually, he too reached the fifth floor and joined the others in their wait. Three other Awakened had arrived before him. Vincent and Sofia looked down from the edge of the hole, watching the others struggle with interest.
Another young Awakened leaned on a wall not far from where they stood, his large build casting a deep shadow beneath his feet.
'His name should be Henry, if I recall correctly.' Kaden thought as he recalled the names mentioned during the Blessing of Swords.
Between the couple and the giant, a stalwart silhouette clad in plate armor stood like a mountain, lonesome and unmoving.
The old Knight was already there, which wasn't much of a surprise. Kaden had no doubt that the old man would have taken first place if this had been a race.
Some time later, the remaining four emerged from the hole and stepped onto the fifth floor.
'Theil, Loran, Anise, and someone else.' Kaden frowned.
That someone else is the silent boy whose presence was about as miniscule as an ant's. Kaden remembered the boy being the first to be called up onto the stage during the Blessing of Swords, a moment which he had partially missed, so he had no idea as to what name the latter goes by.
While he searched for that knowledge that does not exist inside his head, the old man glanced at each one of them. The elder's gaze lingered longer on Anise, who suffered the most in the climb due to her dress.
"Familiarize yourselves with how to climb that pole. You will need it in the coming week." The old Knight advised as he led them to the right room.
…After several tries, that is.
Kaden frowned as they walked.
'Are we lost?' He wondered.
The old man's gauntleted fist gently knocked on the door, its wooden frame trembling from the impact.
"Who is it?" A woman's raspy voice sounded from beyond the door.
Hearing the familiar voice, the old Knight suddenly looked proud.
"This must be the right one." Kaden mumbled as he looked at the door.
"It's me." The old Knight answered.
"Who the fuck is me?" The woman's voice sounded once more as the door swung open.
There, inside the room that looked like what Kaden would imagine an office to look like, albeit messy, a middle-aged woman was standing at the entrance with a more than annoyed expression plastered on her face.
"Rem? What are you doing here?" A hint of surprise invaded the woman's annoyed expression as she saw the familiar pair of blurry blue eyes.
"I'm escorting them." The old Knight uttered as he gestured to the youths right behind him.
"Are they the newcomers?" The woman asked as she studied them briefly. "But why are you escorting them?"
"Cultists." The old Knight explained.
"Ah… forget I asked." The woman responded. "You really shouldn't be talking about them so openly."
"You asked." The old Knight pointed out.
"That's why forget it." The woman waved a hand dismissively and said.
The two exchanged some more casual words before concluding their discussion.
"Alright, I'll take it from here." The woman declared, cutting the chit-chat as she turned her gaze towards the eight young Awakened.
"You all, come in. I'll explain inside."
Saying so, the woman went back to her desk, leaving the door wide open.
The old Knight did not linger and quickly took his leave, jumping down the wide hole on the floor without a hint of hesitation, his descending steps echoing with a metallic ring.
'Is that the only way to get down from here?' The eight youths thought grimly.
Kaden felt deeply concerned about the future; it no longer seemed as bright as before.
Soon, they entered the woman's messy office, choosing their own seats.
Seeing everyone present, the middle-aged woman began to speak.
"I am Lieutenant Cynthia, your assigned mentor. You lot have been summoned here to undergo a one week training program under my supervision. As for what I will be teaching you, it's a long story, so let's just call it the basics." The woman announced as she leaned on her chair. "That includes general knowledge among the Awakened and how to advance in Rank."
Then, the woman took a seemingly random paper from the pile.
"It's quite late now though, so we'll end this meeting with a brief introduction. I already have your names in the report, but I have no idea who these names belong to among you." Cynthia explained.
'Shouldn't the introduction have come first?'
Kaden quickly brushed that thought aside.
It was of no importance.
Shortly after, the middle-aged woman began calling out names, in which one of them would respond in turn. In the process, Kaden learned of a new name.
'Sveva.' Kaden thought as he glanced at the boy, whose presence remained just as elusive as ever.
He didn't give it much heed, however, and his attention was quickly stolen by another topic the middle-aged woman had raised.
Lodging.
They would be given their own rooms!
His eyes gleamed in excitement at the revelation.
Granted, those accommodations are only temporary and are quite ordinary, but it still holds a huge significance to Kaden, who had essentially been homeless since birth.
It would be his first room.
His first home.
It was this giant spire.
The Awakened Institute.