Alden's body twitched as his eyes suddenly shot open. His breathing was rough and uneven. He could still feel the pain but it was more psychological than physical.
He soon calmed himself down, taking a deep breath. The familiar sight of the Awakening chamber greeted him as he sat up. The chamber was as big as ever.
There was no one else present in the chamber. Alden scanned the place where other participants stood before the trial.
"It seems all of them have already completed their trial." He muttered as he quickly got up from the ground.
He brushed off the dust from his body as he inspected his body. His body was the same as he had left before going to the trial.
The protective circle not only protected the user but also had the preservation effect as it slowed down all bodily functions of the person using it, preserving him in a kind of stasis.
Alden quickly dismissed all the system notifications as he decided to check his newly awakened abilities after reaching his room.
"I need to find someone." He quickly started walking towards the exit of the chamber trying to find someone to escort him back to the family estate.
He quickly left the chamber without looking back.
As soon as Alden left the room, the shadows in the room started flickering before a figure appeared out of them.
"Thank God, you are okay Alden." Alaric sighed in relief as his body relaxed.
He had been there the entire time, hidden in the shadows to ensure nothing went wrong.
After seeing Alden safe and sound Alaric didn't wait anymore as he soon vanished again this time leaving the room for real.
____________
As Alden exited the chamber he soon saw a middle-aged man casually sitting on a chair just outside.
The man was just busy scrolling through something on his ManaSync seemingly immersed without a care for reality.
The sight reminded Alden of his previous life when he used to be immersed in novels for hours without a care for the world around him. A faint mischievous smile tugged at his lips as he saw the scene.
He walked with quiet steps as he soon stood behind the man. The man didn't even notice him standing as he tapped on the man's shoulder lightly.
"Excuse me!" Alden spoke in a loud voice.
The man was startled as he quickly jumped out of his chair, his ManaSync falling from his hand.
The man caught his device just before it hit the ground as he turned around with irritation flashing across his face.
"Who the f…" Just as he was about to curse at the perpetrator his words stopped in track meeting the two cold crimson eyes staring at him.
The man's irritation vanished as his body froze for a moment he felt a cold shiver run down his spine and just for a brief moment an overwhelming fear took hold of him.
He quickly regained his calm and bowed as he knew who the owner of those cold crimson eyes was.
He had been assigned to escort Alden back to the estate after he completed his trial. He had been waiting for the last thirty days.
'But what was that feeling?' The man thought without showing much expression on his face.
"Welcome back, Young Master Alden." The guard greeted Alden in a respectful voice, his tone different from before.
"Thanks," Alden replied casually without thinking much of the man's reaction. "Are you here to guide me somewhere?"
"Yes, sir, I'm Mac," Mac answered quickly. "I've been instructed to escort you to the Patriarch as soon as you finish your Awakening," Mac spoke without even lifting his head.
"Okay, Lead the way then." Alden spoke, gesturing to Mac.
Mac nodded and walked ahead, leading Alden to a car parked just outside the chamber.
Alden soon climbed into the backseat of the car followed by Mac. The vehicle hummed as the driver started the engine.
Alden leaned back in his seat as he thought about the meeting ahead.
This was the first time he was going to have a conversation with his father but Alden knew it wasn't that his father wanted to see him but it was just a formality.
Every awakened member of the family had to report to the Patriarch after their Awakening, to report their potential and if they awakened any special ability.
The family then decides the worth of the awakener and allocates resources to them accordingly.
Even the patriarch had no real power regarding this as the Elder council of the family is the one deciding the allocation of resources.
But this was a rule for just normal members of the family and not direct descendants. But Alden also had to follow this rule.
'Why? Because I'm just an illegitimate son after all' Alden thought bitterly as he clenched his fist tightly. But he quickly dismissed his emotions as he tried distracting himself.
"How many completed their awakening this year?" He asked, breaking the silence in the car.
Mac hesitated for a moment before answering Alden. "This year there were a total of 150 members undergoing awakening." He continued carefully "Out of which only 100 completed their awakening successfully."
Alden knew very well what had happened to those who failed the awakening. They were dead. Any person who fails their awakening dies, that was the hard truth of this world.
"I see," Alden said with an unreadable expression. "And what about Cedric? Seles?"
Mac hesitated as a flicker of surprise crossed his face. "Young Master Cedric....and Young Miss Seles...both completed their Awakening within the first week," he replied, his tone careful almost hesitant.
Alden closed his eyes, drifting in his thoughts. Mac looked at Alden but decided to remain silent.
The rest of the ride was silent until the car slowed down and came to a halt in front of an imposing building.
The building was the main family estate which screamed with air of nobility and power. The building was an architectural masterpiece with every detail speaking wealth and power.
This was the place where all the main family members resided a place that Alden was never allowed to enter until this moment.
Alden had been residing in a small mansion behind the main family estate. It was small only in comparison to this building though.
'So, this is it,huh?' Alden thought, his expression were impassive, but his clenched fist betrayed his expression.
A sharp voice pulled him from his thoughts. "Welcome, Young Master," a man in a butler's uniform greeted him with a respectful bow. "The Patriarch is awaiting your presence. Please, follow me."
'It seems Mac had already informed them of my arrival.'
'Let's see what they have in store for me' Alden thought as he followed the butler to the patriarch's office.