In another room at the Awakening Center, Eira and the young boy, Brad, followed the four instructors to this room.
It looked sophisticated with technological instruments, and some scientists were in the room.
Kimberly looked at the two Awakeners before her. "Awakening an S and SS Talent isn't all; you must awaken a powerful requiem, so don't let that make you proud."
"So, there are different levels of power in S and SS Rank Talent. They are divided into low level, mid-level, and high-level," she explained.
Eira and Brad looked surprised by this fact; they never expected that there were different levels in S and SS Talents.
"You will step into the cube reactor, which will check the level of your talent," Kimberly said.
Then she asked Brad to step into the cube reactor, where he lay down in it.
"Begin" she turned to the scientists in the room, commanding them.
The scientists nodded and began to operate the machine in front of them; a large wave of energy was released.
In the cube reactor, a golden lightning was discharged from Brad's body, and the machine readings went high, emitting immense power.
When the four of them laid their eyes on the machine readings, words appeared, floating above the cube reactor.
"Mutated High-Level S Rank Lightning Talent, comparable to SS Rank Talent."
When the four of them read this, they looked at each other in surprise and shock, as they didn't expect this.
Eira too saw this; she was surprised as she understood the floating words.
The cube reactor opened, and Brad came out of it. When he saw the words that were floating, he was excited, knowing that his talent was strong.
"Eira, you can move next," Kimberly said, shaking her mind off the shock.
It wasn't that people didn't awaken such talent like him, but what shocked them was that such a talent appeared in a city like Sunset City.
Eira moved and entered the Cube Reactor. The same process with Brad's own happened; ice energy was released from Eira's body, freezing everywhere.
But this wasn't what was shocking.
The ice continued to spread, freezing the entire cube reactor. The ice was spreading to the outside world.
"Energy is more than what the cube reactor can bear," one of the scientists roared out in fear as they were losing control over the energy.
Kimberly, Charles, Kaien, and Daniel were beyond stupefied; they looked at one another. It seems they knew what was happening.
Brad felt confused about what was happening when he saw that the whole surrounding was getting chilly; ice was spreading everywhere.
"You can stop the process now before it's too late. We would check it over at our place," Kimberly ordered.
The scientists didn't waste time as they switched off the cube reactor.
"High-Level SS Rank Ice Talent"
Even though they saw these words, they knew that they weren't certainly true.
Eira came out from the cube reactor when she saw the words floating on the cube reactor.
Her silver eyes shone with excitement, and her lips curled up into a smile.
Daniel stepped forward, "Would you both like to become students of the Requiem Academy?. You can first discuss it with your parents, then come back tomorrow."
He told them, and both of them nodded, even though they knew that their parents would agree to it.
\\\
"You should all head home now and come back tomorrow because in years, you might not be able to visit your parents," the rough man said to the children.
They were led outside, where their parents were already waiting for them.
Matt was among the crowd; his expression dropped moodily with sadness, and the chattering of the other children, differentiating him and Eira, intensified it.
When he saw that he was going back home, he hid the feelings in his mind but didn't know it awoke something devious.
Matt walked among the crowd, looking for Uncle Ben, Aunty Sylvia, and his sister.
"Big Brother," he heard a familiar voice, turning to his side to see them waiting for him, his sister waving at him in joy.
When he saw her smile, he smiled, but he didn't understand why this thought came to his mind the next moment.
What if his sister found out about his talent? Would she ridicule him? It felt as if he could imagine her pissed, her disappointed expression.
Before Matt knew it, he couldn't step forward; he was afraid of the fact that his sister would reject him, finding his talent and hearing of Eira's talent.
He didn't know what was happening, but his insecurities were dug out, showing his fear.
Mia was surprised by why her brother wasn't heading towards their direction; he was just looking at them with a strange gaze.
But she didn't think of it, running towards him in the crowd, jumping onto him, hugging him, "Big Brother."
"jie jie, your sister would surely hate you when she finds out your talent. You know you are such a disappointment, awakening such a trash talent. jie jie jie....." This voice was ringing out in his mind, breaking him further.
It was at this moment that his sister hugged him, bringing him out of his thoughts. Seeing her smile, all of his thoughts disappeared as he hugged her back tightly.
He didn't dare imagine that scene again. Mia was confused why her brother was hugging her this tight, but she didn't think much of it.
Uncle Ben and Aunt Sylvia, who watched everything, looked at each other. They could see that something had happened to Matt, they knew it had to do with his talent, which made them sigh.
"Matt, where's Eira?" Uncle Ben asked when he didn't see his daughter.
Matt stopped hugging his sister began to explain that Eira had awakened an SS Ice Talent. When both parents heard this, they were beyond joyous.
He explained that some people from the Requiem Academy led her and a young boy who awakened an S-rank talent somewhere.
Matt looked at Uncle Ben and Aunt Sylvia; they didn't seem surprised by it; they nodded.
"Then we would wait for her to come back," Uncle Ben said.
"Big Brother, what about you? What talent did you awaken?" Mia felt curious.
When Matt heard this, his body shook in fear. He looked at his sister's curious expression. He felt like hiding it, but seeing her gaze, "D Rank Absorb Talent," he said bitterly, all strength leaving his body.
When he said this, his gaze was on her expression; he could imagine what would happen next.
"Wow, Big Bro. You awakened a talent, but when I awaken mine, I will make sure I help you in finding out what happened to Mum and Dad," Mia said determinedly.
As for Matt, his entire mind was in shock; he didn't know when he hugged his sister, tears started dropping from his eyes, and all negative thoughts disappeared.
Uncle Ben and Aunt Sylvia felt relieved when they saw this.
Throughout it all, till Eira came back, Max was smiling, playing with his sister, his mind free from negative thoughts.
Matt shook his head, wondering why he had such a thought.
Eira came, and the family left for the house. In the car, Eira started narrating what happened, and her ice talent turned out to be high-level SS talent.
Both Uncle Ben and Aunt Sylvia were happy, Uncle Ben laughed until they got home.
"Congratulations, Eira. It appears that I will be in your care." Matt smiled, feeling genuinely happy for her.
The family got home, dinner was eaten, and their luggage for tomorrow was packed.
Matt was tired, went to bed with his sister, his consciousness drifting away as he slept off.
\\\
Blood.
This was what filled Matt's vision when he opened his eyes; he couldn't withstand this scene, vomiting out.
Floating skeleton parts littered the blood that reached the leg side.
Fear crept into his heart as he wondered what was happening and where he was. He couldn't even move from where he was.
"jie jie, welcome, little child." This voice sent chills down Matt's body, his body feeling goosebumps. He felt darkness, his mind tumbling in fear, shock, and negative thoughts.
It was then he raised his head up and saw darkness and evil itself.
A hill-sized bone stood in the river of blood; his body shook at how many beings had been killed here.
This wasn't what really shocked him; it was what was on it.
His body unconsciously took a few steps back in fear; he was sweating buckets of water.
A throne was on the hill-sized skeleton; a dark shadow was sitting on it.
It was this dark shadow that instilled fear into Matt. He didn't dare look at it.
Because looking at it makes him see darkness, cruelty, and evil itself. It felt as if they were born from this shadow in front of him.
"Oh, don't you remember me anymore, little child?" The dark shadow laughed strangely, which sent chills down Matt's body.
Matt processed the words of the dark shadow; he didn't remember where he met such a cruel being.
Something then clicked for him; when he heard the voice, it was familiar.
His entire body shook; he immediately began to run. He didn't know why, but his body and instinct compelled him to run.
He ran and ran; the voice was what brought negative thoughts into his mind when he came out from the awakening center building.
When Matt ran with all of his might, he stopped, taking deep breaths.
"Oh, what are you doing, little child? Stop being playful. I don't have time to play such games as hide-and-seek." The cold, dark voice of the dark shadow resounded in Matt's ears.
Matt's entire body shook, his eyes widened as he looked back and saw the hill-sized skeleton, the dark shadow still sitting on the throne.
It was then that Matt realized that he hadn't moved an inch from where he was.
His entire mind and body broke down; he collapsed in the river of blood, looking at the darkness before him.
"Who… Are…. you…" He couldn't talk completely, stammering, trembling in fear.
"jie jie jie jie jie jie jie jie." The dark shadow started laughing. "Now that's an interesting question," it said. Matt felt it was licking its lips in delight.
"Am sure you know the answer yourself, little one." The dark shadow grinned, looking at Matt.
Matt made eye contact with the dark shadow; he found himself in utter darkness and evil. He didn't know why, but one word came to his mind.
DEVIL!