Eugene sat leaning back, and his Miracle Lion was on his head sleeping. The beast was content to spend its youth above the head of its ride, and no matter how much the boy moved, as long as he didn't tilt upside down, the baby lion would not fall.
"Damn, the tremour has increased lately. Didn't they conquer the titan beast yet!"
Eugene commented with annoyance. His eyes were fixed on a crystal that showed moving pictures of a drama he loved the most.
He was sitting in a large room, his siblings were all scattered around doing different things.
His elder sister was drawing her beast, his brother was trying to absorb the Natal Essence to purify his beast from impurities.
His father, on the other hand, has placed a thin glass on the bridge of his nose reading the World Newspaper that only adults like them have access to. Even if Eugene takes it he won't understand anything from the Archaic Language.
"Dinner, ready!" Their mother came inside hurriedly.
Eugene and his sibling jumped toward the Dinner room, but it was as if their father didn't hear her.
So, she walked to him and was about to snatch the newspaper to bring him back to their reality but a small Miracle Lion appeared on his head and growled.
The kids all stopped moving and they looked back. There was no way a husband beast would ever growl at the wife and vice versa.
Something must be happening here.
"They have become greedy and broke the treaty!" The man said with a grave tone as he folded the newspaper and removed the glass from his nose bridge.
"We Land has consumed Bay Land Gateway and is coming this way!" He said.
"Let them come. We are stronger than them!" The woman said. However, she was more upset that the lion growled at her than the conflict of land.
She was about to complain when the whole land shuddered, and immediately, their castle activated its defences and was flooded with Diyam, and they were all frozen.
Diyam was a Mysterious Water found nurtured by Ar Land Gateway and it's their most abundant resource that shapes their land culture and ecosystem.
If one were to look outside the castle from far above the sky, one would see mountainous land filled with a single tree species and numerous shrubs and vines.
But the most notable thing was a single structure that stood 3,330 feet long and 333 wide, shaped in a rectangular way.
One word lands in the mind—Gateway.
Gateway was the most prized object of every Independent Land, and people would die to protect it.
Gateway was also the source of destruction if not tamed or controlled well.
"They are here." Eugene's father said gravely.
The parents were the only ones capable of moving.
"That's too fast. How come the news reached us just now? Damn it, we must have a traitor among us that blocks the information." Eugene's mother said.
The parents were moving in the thick liquid toward their armoury. War was on the corner, and they needed to prepare fast.
"Maybe they find a way to block the news. A traitor is unlikely. If we lose the Gateway, the hypothetical traitors will lose their power too." The man said
"Hmm. Wealth can buy the greedy…" She became silent as she saw a flash of blue light, which meant the Gateway was being used.
Suddenly, they immediately felt the Diyam, themselves, the Miracle Lions on their head, the land and even their souls no longer belong to them.
They panicked as their body moved very fast, preparing them at the fastest they could ever achieve before the Diyam vanished, they stood in their armour before their kids.
No words need to be exchanged because things have just gone beyond their wildest imagination since their sole Ascendent is here.
Nothing but extreme danger can bring that being here and he even took control of everything and sped it up.
Now, they have less than a minute to say goodbye to their kids before they are taken to war.
War was not new to them; in fact, they thrive at it, but whenever a war involves Ascendents, the uncertainty and chaos in it is something that can't be quantified.
"You know the drill. Eugene, you're of age, but don't worry, even if we are not here to receive you, your siblings are." The mother pulled him and hugged him.
Eugene was 18 years old, so he wasn't a child by their standards, but as an aristocratic family, their children can reach even 20 with no repercussions from society.
The ideal time for adulthood was 14, one must make a pact with their beast by going through the Gateway.
"Marium, you are the oldest, please be patient with your brothers. And make sure our business continues. Don't let our rivals outperform you!"
The mother then looked at Aaron, he was the most talented among them all. He was already the heir to the family.
"Aaron, we will be back. So, don't challenge your Second Ascension Rite until we are back."
"But I'm almost complete. Who knows when you will be back." Aaron interjected. He was delayed until he was 20 years before he went for the challenge and now, they want him to delay again.
"Well, you must have the most robust foundation among us. After this war, we will bring more wisdom on how high-level battles and abilities operate. With that, your growth will be accelerated!" The father said, his deep words made it a final decision.
After this serious conversation, the family said their goodbyes and then walked out to answer the call of the Ascendant.
Eugene, Marium and Aaron stood by the side as they watched their parents covered in diyam and were pulled toward the sky and vanished.
They can't see the army but they know they are there.
Thunder rumbled and the sky returned to normal from the dark mask that hid the bright stars and the cracked moon.
The wind blew as the refreshed air covered them; they weren't the only ones standing as in different locations were children and elderly, and their power hadn't reached the level required to participate in the battle to come.
"They want you to delay till we hear their mortality status. Naturally, if they perished, their body and the battle details would be sent to us. Then, you can go ahead with the challenge!"
"Your words are too harsh!" Eugene said with annoyance.
"That is the reality we live in," Marium said as a matter of fact before she turned around and went back.
She used to be a very cheerful and talented woman; she got married to the son of the Main Family Leader and even had two children, but in one night, she lost everything.
Marium is now 29 years old. The scar in her mind is enormous, and she sometimes has recurring nightmares of that night.
"They will be fine!" Aaron said, but his words lacked credibility.
Eugene snorted; truth be told, he envied his brother, but he also loved him. Why wasn't he that has those monstrous talents? Why can't he do what his brother can?
He looked away from the broken moon and walked inside, the starlight beginning to freeze him.
Aaron, on the other hand, was completely immune to them. That is a testament to his talent.
The moment the youngest Lion entered the house, he pulled out a gem that turned him invisible and he sneaked into Aaron's room.
"I may not be as talented but that doesn't mean I will not follow your path. Dedication is all one needs, not just talent"
Eugene muttered as he rummaged through Aaron's notes until he got a black book that had ten pages before he ran outside to his room.
Using Clear Quartz the size of a thumb to store the black book, I then ran to the preparation pod and jumped inside.
A few minutes later, he came out in a skin-tight suit with many pockets and met the gaze of his siblings.
"What? No one said I can't go to my first!"
Eugene argued, but they sighed, and he noticed the Gatekeeper behind them; he sighed; he thought they would stop him.
"You ready?" The Gatekeeper asked and Eugene nodded.
His siblings stared at him; he could see their worries but just acted nonchalantly as if he had everything under control.
"This wasn't too early, but I wished you had waited a few days!" Marium said her tone had a softness in them, which was a rare thing.
"Don't worry I got it under control!" Eugene said boosting.
"You will never surpass me though. I'm the strongest in the house!" Aaron teased
"I have surpassed you long ago in my dream!"
"That's because you made it. But not in the real world!" Aaron mocked again.
"I will invade reality too"
The two began to banter and laugh. Marium herself smiled at the two.
When they came before the 3,330 feet tall Gateway, they stopped.
"At least I know for sure you will come back!" Marium said. This indicates she has given off on their parents by now.
"Ha. He must come back, who will clean my shoes in my palace when I become Family Head." Aaron teased.
"You have no idea what role I gave you in my dream." Eugene snapped, "You clean my abandoned donkey to curry favour."
"Fantasy is a good lie boy. Quick, come back, this master will wait for you!"
The two will began fresh new banter before the impatient gaze of the Gatekeeper brought them back to reality. They calmed down and hugged each other.
"I love you broza, please be safe!" They both said to him,
"I love you too. I forgive all your transgression in my room; I hope you do to me, too!"
"Nah, your punishment will await for you, boy!"
Aaron began but the Gatekeeper was not having it, he grabbed Eugene by the waist, and threw him inside the gateway.
The whole Gateway structure lit up with numerous symbols and runes of an old language before the passage filled with diyam rippled and Eugene passed through.