In the city of Veraelis, the working capital of the Solinthar Empire, in a small, dilapidated apartment where the walls seemed to be creaking under the weight of the years, a little girl could be seen running around. Her black hair bounced on her shoulders, and her loud laughter echoed in the modest living room.
"Miria, you're going to break something!" a deep, annoyed voice called from the table where a young man, barely fifteen years old, seemed to be concentrating on an old textbook. His dark brown hair fell carelessly over his forehead, and his tired emerald green eyes, far too serious for his age, cast exasperated glances at his sister.
The little girl stopped short, a mischievous pout on her face. "But I'm bored, Michael!" she protested, crossing her arms. "Mom and Dad are still at work, and you're still doing the same thing, reading or telling me to shut up."
Ephraim, who was now Michael Osiris, sighed deeply and closed his book wearily. "Miria, I understand, but we live in a place where we can't afford to run around. Look around you. The furniture is old, the walls are fragile. If you knock over a shelf or knock something over, we won't be able to replace it."
The little girl looked down, her smile fading for a moment. Then, in a sulky whisper, she replied, "But I'm careful…"
Michael stood up from his chair, stretching to relax his stiff muscles. "I know you're careful, but that's not what it's about. It's just that…" He paused, searching for words. "…you're a child." You should be outside playing with other kids, running around in a real garden, not stuck here getting into mischief."
Miria shrugged, her playfulness slowly returning. "If we had a garden, maybe I'd be outside. But we don't, so I just have to deal with it."
Michael shook his head, both amused and a little saddened by her response. Before he could answer, a younger, higher-pitched voice sounded behind them.
"Are you guys arguing again?"
A smaller boy, eight years old, entered the room. He held a worn wooden toy in his hands, probably made by their father in a rare moment of respite. It was William, the youngest of the family. Unlike Miria, he had a calmer, almost contemplative demeanor, but his large, clear eyes reflected curiosity and intelligence.
"It's not an argument, William," Michael corrected him, giving him a tired look. "Your sister just can't sit still."
William raised an eyebrow and set his toy down on the table. "Maybe she's right to be restless. You know, if Mom were here, she would have found a way for us all to have fun together."
At the mention of their mother, a silence fell over the room. Miria, who had been carefree up until then, suddenly looked thoughtful. "Mom works a lot… She hardly ever stays with us."
Michael crossed his arms, his gaze hardening slightly. "Mom and Dad work hard to keep us all fed and a roof over our heads. They have no choice."
William approached his big brother, placing his small hand on his arm. "I know they work hard. But you know what, Michael? You work hard too, all the time. Why can't we just... have a good time together, like before?"
"If I work so hard it's for all of our futures, you are aware that the awakening test for me is not for a long time. The school year is almost over and I have no right to slack off if I want to be able to get a scholarship to an academy if I pass." Michael said.
William looked down at Michael's answer, but he didn't let go of his brother's arm. "I know it's important, but… does it really have to make you so serious all the time?" he asked, a hint of sadness in his voice.
Michael ran a hand through his messy hair, trying to formulate a response. "Listen, Will, I know you don't like seeing me like this, but you have to understand. The Awakening Test isn't just another exam. It's the only chance I have—we have—to get out of here. If I pass, it could change everything."
Miria, who had been content to watch her brothers interact, sat cross-legged on the floor, her face lit up with childish curiosity. "Why is this test so important? What is Awakening, exactly?" " she asked, tilting her head to the side.
Michael knelt down at her level, taking the time to answer her question. "Awakening is... it's a ceremony where you discover if you have a connection with the spiritual energy of our planet which is Qi. You know, that energy that allows martial artists and many other people to do extraordinary things. Every child takes this test when they reach the age of fifteen."
Miria frowned, a little perplexed. "And if you pass? Are you going to become a warrior or something?"
Michael smiled slightly at the description. "Maybe. But it's not that simple. If I succeed in awakening, that means I'll have the potential to enter a training academy. But academies are expensive, Miria. So, in order for me to go, I also have to manage to get a scholarship thanks to my academic results. Without it, even if I passed my test and had the highest talent, we wouldn't be able to afford to pay."
William, who had been listening in silence, raised his head. "But… what if you fail?" he asked hesitantly. "What if you don't have any talent for cultivation?"
A heavy silence fell over the room. Michael looked away for a moment, then answered, his voice lower but firm. "Then I'll keep working hard. I'll find another way to get us out of here. But…" He took a deep breath. "…that's why I can't fail. Because this test is my best chance."
Miria seemed to be thinking hard. "And if you pass, what happens next? Will you leave us?"
Michael felt a pang of pain at that question. He placed a hand on his little sister's shoulder. "If I go to an academy, it means I won't be home all the time. But I'll do all this for you, Miria. So that you and Will don't have to live like this. So that you can have better things, like new books, real toys, and maybe even… a garden."
William seemed touched by his brother's words, but he still had one worry. "What if those at the academy treat you badly because we're from here?"
Michael gritted his teeth slightly at the thought. He knew that prejudice against people from the working-class neighborhood was commonplace. But he looked William in the eye and replied with determination, "If I manage to get in, they won't be able to say anything. Because I'll be here thanks to my own efforts and talent, not because of my birth or my money. I'll prove to them that we're worth just as much as them, maybe even more."
Miria raised her arms in the air, a big smile on her lips. "So you'll succeed, Michael! I know it."
William nodded shyly. "Yes… me too. But promise us one thing, Michael. No matter what happens, remember that we're here. That you're doing all this, but you're not alone."
Michael felt a lump form in his throat. He looked at his two younger siblings, the two people he loved more than anything in the world. "I promise you," he said softly. "Everything I do is for us. We'll get through this. Together."
A soothing silence followed those words. For a moment, the weight of the future seemed less heavy on Michael's shoulders, as if Miria's pure energy and William's confidence were enough to lighten it.
Then Miria, true to form, broke the moment with a mischievous smile. "But in the meantime, you're going to play hide-and-seek with us, right?"
Michael laughed, an unusual warmth in his voice. "Okay, but just one game. Then back to my books."
The laughter of the three children echoed through the apartment, brightening their modest lives for a moment. But in the back of Michael's mind, the weight of the awakening test remained, a constant reminder of the stakes to come.
After a game of hide and seek, Michael returned to his room with a determined mind. He knew that the awakening test was only a few months away, but unfortunately he couldn't stay still. He was excited at the same time scared at the idea of perhaps not being able to awaken.
Michael lay on the rudimentary bed in his small room, staring at the ceiling stained by the years. His mind was whirling, a mixture of excitement and fear gripping him. The awakening test. Only a few months away, this step would mark a decisive turning point in his life. Awaken or fail. Progress or remain forever trapped in this narrow existence.
He closed his eyes, letting himself be invaded by the memories of his previous life. On the Earth he had once known, the challenges were of a different kind: the struggle for economic power, social inequality, and technological advances. But here, on Nova, everything was different. A planet much larger than Earth, though considered small in the scale of the universe. With its five continents and seven empires per continent, Nova was a complex world where natural laws coexisted with supernatural forces: qi, a raw energy often associated with martial arts.
Legend has it that it all began millennia before. A man—or an entity?—proclaiming himself a god from a higher plane had appeared on Nova. He had brought with him this m-energy, transforming the planet into a breeding ground for power. Ancient tales described miracles, titanic battles, and impossible feats, but over the centuries, these stories had given way to a harsh society, governed by a simple rule: the law of the strongest. It was the beginning of the Age of Power.
Michael clenched his fists. In this world, strength was not simply a matter of muscles or wealth, but of intrinsic power. Those who awakened their qi-related talent were given a chance to rise through the ranks. The most powerful martial warriors became influential figures, lords or empire leaders, ruling the lives of others. As for the rest, those who failed to awaken and had no talent, they remained confined to mundane lives, often reduced to the status of workers or servants.
The awakening process itself was anything but simple. Across Nova's empires, special machines, often as large as buildings, were deployed in major cities. These machines, built from rare materials and infused with Nova's ambient energy, had the power to trigger the latent awakening in an individual. But the cost was exorbitant.
Only the wealthy could afford to pay for their children's education. For the impoverished like Michael, the only option was to earn a scholarship by achieving excellent academic results. It wasn't just a question of money. Those who failed the awakening test after investing all their resources were often ruined, unable to get back on their feet.
Michael knew all this. He knew that even if he did manage to awaken, he would have to face the prejudice and hostility of those who considered people from the working-class neighborhoods inferior. But he had decided to fight.
He turned his head to a worn notebook on his table. He had filled it with notes on the history of Nova, theories on qi, and even combat strategies for martial artists. It was his way of preparing himself. After all, he had read and written all sorts of books in his past life. "I have to be ready," he murmured.
But deep inside him, a dull fear lingered. What if, despite his best efforts, he had no affinity with qi? What would happen if he failed to awaken his talent? He would become a mere spectator, doomed to remain at the bottom of the social ladder, unable to offer William and Miria a better future.
A sigh escaped his lips. He straightened up, grabbing the notebook and clutching it to his chest. "No matter what happens, I won't let it get me down." He thought of his siblings, their laughter still fresh in his mind. For them, he would climb this mountain, no matter how high it was.