The day had arrived. Julian, the youngest of the royal children, was about to undergo his Awakening—a moment that every member of the Valaris family had been anticipating. With the immense power that had manifested in each of his older siblings, the eyes of the court, and the family itself, were fixed on Julian, waiting to see what kind of ability he would inherit.
Julian, still only 14 years old, had been full of excitement and youthful energy in the days leading up to the ceremony. He had always been the bright-eyed and optimistic youngest, often underestimated by his older siblings, but he had a quiet hope buried deep within him. He wanted to be strong, stronger than any of them, perhaps even stronger than Simone—the Crown Prince who had now become the strongest of them all.
It was a rare power that each prince and princess was supposed to inherit, one that could shift the balance of the empire. Everyone knew how important this moment was. Even though Julian had often been a little naïve about the politics and the power struggles, he understood the weight of what this meant. He hoped, somewhere in his heart, that his Awakening would give him an edge to stand toe-to-toe with Simone.
The Emperor, as always, was present for the ceremony. His eyes were sharp, calculating. He had high expectations for all of his children, and he had seen the potential in Julian, despite his youth. The Emperor stood in the center of the grand hall, the room packed with nobles, advisors, and all the royal children who had been through their own Awakening.
Adrian, Livia, Cassian, Selene, Dorian, Helena, Felix, and Astrid watched in silence. They were curious, but their focus was split between Julian's Awakening and Simone, who stood a little further back, detached and silent as usual. His presence had grown more distant ever since the public revelation of his power and his new title as Crown Prince.
Simone was there, but he had no judgment on Julian's fate. His emotions had dulled to a point where he simply observed. He knew all too well the weight of an Awakening. It was not something that could be judged lightly, and for once, Simone wasn't interested in the power dynamic that would emerge. His own power had come with its burdens—Julian, it seemed, would have to face his own.
The air crackled with energy as Julian stood on the ceremonial platform. His body was tense with anticipation, his gaze fixed ahead, eyes sparkling with the hope of greatness. He closed his eyes, focused, and the Awakening began.
A pulse of light erupted from him, surging in waves. Julian clenched his fists, his body trembling, and for a moment, the entire room seemed to hold its breath. The Emperor watched with a faint, calculating smile, but there was a flicker of uncertainty in his eyes. Could Julian awaken to something extraordinary?
Then, as the light began to subside, the power that Julian had awakened was revealed to all. It wasn't the beastly force of power that many had hoped for. No, it wasn't the overwhelming storm of destruction that could rival Simone's darkness.
Julian had awakened to the power of Wind Manipulation.
A light breeze stirred in the hall, a slight chill filling the air as the wind swirled gently around him. The room was silent for a moment, and then the whispers began. The Emperor's expression was unreadable, but his eyes narrowed in thought. Wind, while a powerful ability, was not the type of power that would rival the likes of Simone. It was elegant, useful, and capable of great versatility, but it lacked the raw, devastating strength that the family had grown accustomed to.
The younger prince, Julian, felt a twinge of disappointment. He had hoped for something more, something that could make him stand apart from the shadows of his older siblings. But as he opened his eyes, he realized that his Awakening had been far from what he expected.
The whispers in the court grew louder. Julian stood still, trying to make sense of the wind circling around him. His siblings, though they tried to mask their reactions, were a mix of relieved and slightly disappointed. To them, the fear of another Simone-like figure, one with power so overwhelming that it could change the course of the empire, was no longer a concern. Julian's power was strong, but it was not that strong.
Adrian, Livia, Cassian, and the others exchanged glances, their breaths held as they tried to gauge the situation. While Wind Manipulation was a respectable power, it was not a force that could contend with Simone's ability to control Darkness, nor did it hold the terrifying magnitude of the powers of his other siblings.
"Wind…" Livia muttered, her voice laced with a mix of relief and disappointment. "It's still powerful, but not what I expected."
Cassian nodded in agreement. "It's not enough to challenge Simone."
Helena, though playful and lighthearted, gave a small sigh. "Guess we can breathe easy, huh?"
Simone, however, remained silent. His eyes flickered toward his younger brother, watching him with a strange neutrality. Simone had no judgment in his gaze; he didn't see Julian's Awakening as a failure, nor did he find it lacking. Wind had its uses, after all. But in his heart, Simone couldn't help but feel a small pang of sadness for his brother. Julian would never know what it was like to be burdened by a power as primal as his own. And, perhaps, that was a blessing in disguise.
The Emperor's voice broke through the tension. "The power of Wind Manipulation," he announced to the court. "A solid and valuable ability. Julian, you will use it well in service of the empire."
As Julian nodded, his heart heavy with mixed emotions, Simone's thoughts drifted to his own journey. Power was a strange thing. Some sought it, others were born into it, but in the end, what mattered most was how one wielded it.
The ceremony ended, and the court slowly began to disperse. Julian stood quietly, trying to gather his thoughts. He wasn't a failure, but he couldn't shake the feeling that he would always be seen as second-rate compared to his siblings. Simone's power had cast a long shadow over all of them, and now it was his turn to carry that burden.
Meanwhile, the older siblings exchanged glances, trying to mask their relief. They had dodged a bullet. No more Simones. They could breathe easier now.
And as Simone stood at the back of the room, observing his younger brother, he couldn't help but wonder how long it would be before the others realized that power, true power, was not something that could be measured in strength alone. It was something much deeper—and much darker.