Dawn broke over Emberleaf Village, painting the sky orange—almost the same color as the ember in Ashen's core.
Today was the Awakening Ceremony, the moment when all sixteen-year-olds tested their Spirit Roots before the Village Elder.
For normal kids, it determined their future.
For Ashen, whose meridians had been "beyond salvation," it should've been hopeless.
But that was before the Ember Root System.
Villagers gathered in the square, surrounding a stone altar etched with runes. Children lined up nervously. Proud parents whispered excitedly.
Ashen arrived last, wearing Lira's patched clothes and carrying faint bruises from yesterday's battle.
Whispers followed him.
"He'll fail again.""Poor kid… with that sick body?""Even farmers have better talent than him."
Ashen ignored them.
At the altar, Elder Rowan—white-bearded, stern—raised his staff.
"Let the candidates come forth!"
One after another, teens placed their palms upon the glowing slab.
A green light = common grade.Blue = uncommon.Red = rare.Gold = extremely rare.
Ashen watched quietly.
Most received green or faint blue. A boy named Orin received a strong blue, and cheers erupted.
Then—Ashen's turn.
He stepped forward. The crowd fell silent.
"Be quick," someone muttered."He barely survived a fever last week," another whispered.
Ashen placed his palm on the cold stone.
Nothing happened.
Elder Rowan frowned. "Increase your focus."
Ashen pushed harder—circulating the ember. A faint warmth spread from his core, reaching his palm.
Suddenly—
The stone trembled.
A tiny spark of orange light flickered.
The onlookers gasped.
"What… color is that?""Orange?""I've never seen it!"
The spark grew slightly but didn't become a beam like the others. It hovered like a tiny flame.
The altar glowed weakly.
Elder Rowan's eyes narrowed. "Strange… this is no ordinary spirit root."
He leaned closer. "Boy… what did you awaken?"
Ashen swallowed. "I… don't know."
Inside his mind, the system responded:
[Spirit Root Awakening Linked]
[Classification: Ember Root – Unranked, Unclassified]
[Warning: Root may attract unwanted attention]
Elder Rowan stepped back slowly. "The results are inconclusive… but there is something inside you. Something… unusual."
Villagers murmured. Some fearful, some curious.
Ashen bowed and stepped away.
He hadn't revealed much… but enough for trouble to begin.