Lize! Noel woke up shouting, where is she? He asked with panic. She is fine, you should worry more about yourself, he heard a familiar voice. He calmed down, he noticed the room was unfamiliar and was very bright, it looked like a hospital ward, the bed was too large for a normal hospital bed though.
I guess I should explain everything, said the woman next to his bed reading a book, she didn't even look at him as she spoke but her voice was tender and full of lover, it was Anele. How long have I been here?? He asked. Four days, she replied casually. No no no no no, that doesn't make any sense, my arm was broken, there's no way it completely heal in four days, he said shaking his arm. What do you mean it doesn't make any sense, you fought a man whose skin turn Gray and has sharp claws, did that make sense to you, she looked at him like he's an idiot.
Yeah now that you remind me, who were those men I ki...he suddenly stopped, leaned over the bed and threw up. Anele sighed, stood up and poured him a glass of water. It okay, she said, it was not your fault, you were just defending yourself and your girlfriend. Yeah I kno... WAIIIIIIT! Stop right there, she is not my girlfriend, he replied. Yeah right, she said. No really, she's not,he said, trying to convince her.
She threw him clothes, change,I'll wait for you outside. She got out. He put on his new clothes before following her out. He came out to a long hallway with doors like the one he just came out off on both sides, at the end of the hallway was an elevator. He followed Anele towards it. The elevator went up for around 50 metres before stopping.
He realised they were in one of the companies owned by him. I didn't know we had a secret underground hospital here, he said, looking at Anele with a questioning look. Of course not, I didn't tell you about it afterall, she replied. Infront of the building parked a beautiful black Mercedes Benz. They walked towards, a tall man in a black suit opened the back door for them.
They went inside before the man started driving. So what really going on? He asked her. A lot of things are going on, let talk when we get home, she replied. They sat in the car in silence for the entire drive home. When they got home, Anele went to the kitchen to make them something to eat. They sat down, okay, you can ask, what do you want to know first?. Who were those men and what did they want from us?he asked her.
You, they just wanted you, the little girl was collateral. They want something from you, a key. Key? What key?he asked confused. You the one who should have that answer, not me, she replied. Your mother should've left something for you. I don't know what it looks like but that is the key.
A key to what?he asked. I don't know, that for you to find out replied Anele, taking a sip from her coffee. All I know is,that key holds the secret of a bygone era as well as power, tremendous power. Atleast that what your mother told me, from her discoveries and those of your grandfather, they speculated the key might have been a seal.
They theorised that, the awakening of the key symbolises the return of the forgotten era. Whatever was sealed will break free and could either bring prosperity or doom to everything and everyone. I'm leaning more towards doom though, otherwise why would it have sealed away. She said, taking another sip from her coffee.
The entire time Noel was listening intently, he didn't even touch his food. Okay, and now everybody is after this key, he asked. Yes she replied, and they won't stop until they get it. He sighed. Then tell me about the awakened, I heard Lize call that man an awakened, what are they?? Awakened are humans who had not only awakened their spirituality but also formed an essence core, she replied.
You already half way through, so is that girl. You've already awakened your spirituality which is the hardest part and also one that takes the longest, all you need now is to form an essence core and you'll be fully awakened. That girl on the other hand is a bit weird, really weird, she formed an essence core before awakening her spirituality, which should not have been possible, she said.
Noel adjusted his breathing, unlike the previous times, this time it was of his own will, his eyes turned blue. He looked at her chest, so that what that is, he said. Your core, it seems to be the same size as that of that man but the space inside it is larger, much larger, why is that?? He asked.
Ranks, she replied, it the difference in our ranks. Awakened have different ranks, there are three currently known ranks, although it theorised that there might be seven in total. Each rank has four sub-stages, early, middle, high and peak stage. Once you reach the peak of high stage, you can try to break through to the next rank by shattering your core and creating a stronger and larger one.
It is not a good idea to break through while at the high stage though as the chances of success drop and even if you do break through, your core would be weaker and smaller than your peers who broke through at the peak stage. There are two types of awakened, the warriors and the Magus, they also have their own sub professions you'll learn about on your own time.
Noel listened to everything with excitement, he was just an eighteen year old kid afterall, there's no way he would not be excited by something like this. By the way, I think there's something strange with me, he said. When I killed those men I did not feel disgusted or sad even though I was killing humans for the first time, it felt natural. That might be the effect of your bloodline,said Anele, I don't know it full abilities but your mother said it has to do with storms and it could also steel one's heart.
You most likely didn't feel disgusted because your bloodline deemed them lesser lifeforms, like how a human feels nothing when killing a chicken or a rat. Then why at the hospital.....It because of the anesthesia, it suppresses your bloodline, you overused it without being an awakened, your soul is too weak to bear that weight, it was killing you, so we had to use it, because it was suppressed, the emotions and disgust you felt towards killing humans came in a rush all at once, but you fine now aren't you?,she answered before he could finish his question.
So how does one becomes an awakened?? He asked with anticipation. Through a breathing technique and a chant, she replied. Oh like this?he asked as he adjusted his breathing and started following a certain breathing rhythm. Blue wisps gathered at his chest but dissipated after, his rhythm changed and the blue wisps gathered at his forehead before dissipating again. Anele was amazed, two breathing techniques of such high ranks, for a warrior and a magus, but her excitement dropped when she realised the problem, there was no chant to support them, she sighed a little, what a pity.
Yes like that but with a chant accompanying the breathing technique, she said. Where'd you get those breathing techniques anyways, she asked. I think I learnt them from this, he showed her his wrist. Your wrist? She asked with confusion. No..what?no, this, the bracelet, he said. Bracelet?she asked.
You can't see it?he asked with confusion. No I can't, that must be the key, I heard legends say, only it wielder can use it, I guess others can't even see it, didn't think it would be a bracelet though, thought it would be something cooler like a sword made from dragon bones or something, what a letdown. Why are you disappointed, you can't even see it.
Well anyways, without the accompanying chant, those breathing techniques can only help you clear your mind and raise your spirituality a little, she said. So I can't be an awakened, he asked with panic. Calm down, your family has their own techniques, they might not be as high ranked as those two but they are complete.
Come, I'll show them to you, she led him to a secret underground passage. Deep underground they arrived at a room lighted by giant white balls of lighting that seem to never go out. The room was clean and well maintained, it was filled with book shelves and was about 30 to 30 metres large, at the other end of the room sat an old man with dark skin, grey hair and a grey beard with a cold look, reading a book.
As soon as they walked in,the man stood up and slowly approached them. Noel was tense, this man was radiating danger, he was dressed in a Buttler outfit. He looked at Anele and she looked relax, happy even. Hi dad, she said with a smile. Dad?you have a dad?he asked with surprise.
Why do you look surprised?she asked with a raised eyebrow. I just didn't think you'd have a parent like normal people, I always just thought you were conjured from hellflames, wait, it that how it was, is that how she was made?he asked looking at the old man. Does young master want to know how my daughter was made?asked the old man with a serious face.
NOO! stop, nobody want to know that, she said, covering her fathers mouth. Anyways I'm a human with parents you rude brat. I guess introductions are in place. Noel, this is my father, patriarch of the Khoza family and guardian of the Zulu royal family library. Lucas Khoza.
Huh?