Chapter 2: Kid
"You seem quite worried," Kaelen spoke, noticing Selene's tense expression.
Her face had a concerned look on it from the morning. She seemed quite stressed out about something or someone.
"I'm just worried about Lucian's awakening ceremony." She replied, expressing her concern. Despite low, there is a certain chance of accidents happening during the awakening.
"Don't be." He gently placed his hand over hers, reassuring her. He looked straight into her eyes and continued, "He will be alright. He's our son after all."
Selene smiled at her husband's warm gesture. "Yeah, Maybe I'm overthinking too much." She replied, calming her anxious mind.
"You remember what happened during his birth, right?" Kaelen questioned, his voice filled with affection and pride.
"Of course, How could I forget that incident." Selene's voice was filled with nostalgia as she spoke those words. She could still vividly remember that phenomenon despite it being almost sixteen years.
"How beautiful it was."
"Yeah, and the trouble he caused thanks to that was also beautiful." Kaelen chuckled softly.
hmph..
"You should be able to do at least that much for your son." She feigned anger and responded, feeling offended by his words.
"I was just kidding, Dear." Kaelen lightly embraced her from behind, "I would happily give my own life for you and Lucian."
"Alright. You don't have to butter me up. I'm not a petty person unlike someone." She shot him a side-eye, but a smile betrayed her teasing.
—
Meanwhile,
"To the enlightenment ceremony," Lucian ordered, leaning peacefully on the carriage's back.
The coachman whipped the rein, ordering the horses to move forward. The carriage started moving while Lucian was lost in his thoughts. He was excited and nervous at the same time, thinking about the awakening.
Awakening– a process where you form an astral seed inside your body. The seed is the encapsulation of your spiritual powers in a condensed form. It grows with the user and if it's destroyed, you become a cripple.
Humans normally experience the awakening from the age of sixteen to eighteen.
He being sixteen years old was perfectly capable of experiencing the awakening.
Hmm…Zeph and Kiara should be there too. It's been a while since I last saw them. Lucian muttered, remembering the faces of his two childhood friends.
creak
Suddenly, The coachman pressed the brake harshly, jolting the carriage from moving further as Lucian almost stumbled and fell inside.
What happened? He inquired with an angered tone.
Sir, A kid suddenly jumped in front of us and my horses panicked. That's why I had to hit the emergency brake. Sorry for the inconvenience. The coachman quickly apologized, explaining the reason for the sudden brake.
A kid? Lucian exited the carriage and looked outside, finding a malnourished kid dressed in tattered clothes that hung loosely on his frail frame near the horses. The kid was struggling to stand up due to weakness.
He quietly approached the kid while the coachman was calming down the horses. Thankfully, the kid didn't seem injured but was just heavily malnourished.
Hey kid. What are you doing standing in the middle of the road? He inquired, his voice etched with curiousness.
The kid slowly stood up, dusting off its tattered clothes. He then turned towards Lucian and weakly responded, I was trying to buy some food but that shopkeeper pushed me away, telling me to get lost.
Hmm? Lucian turned his head sideways, gazing at the said shopkeeper. The shopkeeper held his head down at Lucian's gaze but his eyes were still glaring maliciously at the kid.
Lucian thought for a while before calling the coachman. Zilton, take him to some restaurant and satiate his hunger. He ordered, turning back towards the carriage.
The horses had calmed down and were ready to continue their journey.
Umm…I also have a sick sister waiting for me at home. The boy lowly muttered, gaining a side look from Lucian.
Pack some food for his sister too. Oh and also take her to the doctor. Lucian commanded and left the scene, entering his carriage.
Yes, Sir. The coachman bowed slightly and took the boy to a restaurant.
A few minutes later,
Zilton returned to the carriage and took the rein, commanding the horses to move forward.
Done? Lucian inquired.
Yes. Zilton respectfully answered. It seemed they were orphans. He added, the reason behind the kid's malnourishment.
Lucian heard his words and contemplated for a while. Aren't we conducting a recruitment ceremony next week?
Yes, Sir. Lately, The business has been growing very well and thanks to that we are short on employees. So, Sir Kaelen has decided to conduct a recruitment ceremony. Zilton explained.
Add the siblings' names to the list, Lucian replied, gaining a short nod from Zilton. He'd expected it since his master was kind and helpful, unlike the typical nouveau rich kids.
Take their consent first, got it?
Yes, Sir. He replied and the journey towards the Enlightenment Platform continued. The Enlightenment platform was located in the center of the Valar City so it took them some time to reach there.
The Central Plaza was filled with crowds of people gathered together to witness the awakening ceremony. The bustling crowd slowly came into view—parents beaming with pride, children fidgeting with nerves, and curious onlookers eager to witness the awakening ceremony.
Lucian's carriage stopped before the plaza as he exited through the door.
Crowded as usual huh. He mumbled, taking steps outside. He had attended the ceremony a few times as an onlooker and every time, the plaza would be heavily crowded.
Lucian roamed around the crowd, his trusted bodyguard following beside him. He usually hated crowded places like these due to the stuffed air and heavy noises surrounding them but today was different.
Today, he was a participant instead of an onlooker so, the excitement overlapped his displeasure.
He arrived before a less crowded spot and quietly stood there waiting for the ceremony to begin.
Lucian! A sharp voice echoed from within the crowd, garnering his attention.
Hmm? He turned towards the direction of the voice, finding a familiar face among the crowd.
It was a young boy with honey blonde hair, amber eyes, and a handsome face that displayed unbound confidence. He had a muscular and well-trained physique packed with toned muscles.
His sharp appearance mixed with his confident demeanor displayed him as a popular young man.
He approached Lucian with a charismatic smile etched on his face.
Yo!. Long time no see. Lucian responded with a smirk on his face. How've you been Zeph? He inquired, extending his hand outward.