[Aiden's POV]
After the Patriarch, my father, announced the start of the ceremony, an Elder stepped on the platform where the Awakening Sphere is placed upon a raised square column.
This column is supposed to have some connection with the mana veinlet of the SS-rank mana vein.
Over time, the Awakening process has changed slightly.The main procedure is introducing pure raw planetary essence to awaken a person's origin heart and unique ability.
The only thing that changed is the way to incorporate this procedure. Currently, this process is the best, easiest, and most painless way of awakening.
The elder glanced at everybody; his eye stayed on me for a second extra. He then turned towards the Patriarch to again get mock permission. The Patriarch nodded.
The elder addressed the crowd with an enthusiastic voice, "Today, those Youngbloods of Arclight Clan will awaken their Origin Heart, destined for them. Their cultivation journey begins here from today as they step into the Initiate Rank with their potential and fate revealed."
"Those who awaken high-ranking ability and origin heart will be given cultivation resources and direct entry to the beginner dungeon of the Arclight Clan," He concluded.
"According to the names I take, come here and place your hand on the sphere and let the essence enter you." He explained.
Everybody nodded; it was pretty common knowledge, but I guess he wanted to get into the good books of my father. I sighed internally.
"Paul Arclight...Selena Arclight...Dean Arclight." He called names one by one.
I stood a little back, but I was able to see and hear everything. There was a different reaction for every type of rank ability.
Those with E-rank were the gloomiest of all; their cultivation journey ended the day it began.
The rank of their Origin Heart determines how high they will go in cultivation, and being E rank means they will stay forever in the beginner tier.
The only rank lower than E was F-rank, which was rarely seen.
The D-rank ones were also sad, but there was hope that if they work hard enough, they might enter the mid-tier.
Few awaken C and B rank abilities; they had smiles on their faces, as now they will have better status in the clan and a better life.
The life of cultivation was still filled with dangers, but those who faced their dangers and survived were recognized by society, and now they had that chance.
3 boys and 1 girl awakened A-rank abilities; they had the broadest smile on their faces. Their parents were also beaming with joy, like they had just been selected for an elder position in the family.
Then he spoke one name, which brought down all the gossips and whispering: "Zale Arclight."
A young boy with a small stride and blonde hair in the ceremonial dress walked forward.
I recognized him from my classes in the clan's academy.He is the one who always stayed at second place after me.
He headed towards the platform with a smirk on his face; he had that air of superiority around him.
He reached the Sphere and placed his hands on it.The next moment a glow covered his entire body, which turned fiery in a few seconds.
The murmurs and whispers started occurring: "That phenomenon, did he awaken a physique and bloodline too? How rare is that?" questioned one person standing at a little distance from me.
The other standing beside him answered, "Yeah, it's very rare. Only those with high rank have a possibility of such a phenomenon and opportunity, although I don't think it's both, but surely one of them is very much possible. Good, at minimum he will awaken an A-rank ability."
The first one nodded, the flow subsided, and he stood there with his head held so high that he might hit his head on the ceiling.
The crystal panel, which was showcasing the ranks of the awakening of individuals, showed the result of this awakening.
(S-Rank Origin Heart and Unique Ability Awakened)
(A-Rank Bloodline also detected)
These two notifications brought the monumental pause in the hall.
The elder, understanding his role perfectly, announced, "Congratulations, Zale Arclight. You have a very long and tough journey of cultivation ahead, but if you keep that spirit, you will soar high in the heavens."
"Yes, elder," he bowed in front of the elder, then turned towards the patriarch's seat and bowed his head again in reverence.
The ceremony continues for a little bit more; there were no more talented ones, only E, D, or up to B rank awakeners.
Almost everybody had their awakening; I thought I would get called, but it seemed like the elder was consciously stalling my name.
It was out of my hands, so I just patiently waited for my turn.
"Aiden Arclight, the youngest heir of the Arclight Clan." Hearing that special intro for me, somehow I was sure that this was done on the whims of my eldest brother.
Anyhow, stepped towards the platform. The first time since I entered, everybody's eyes were on me.
Everyone here was waiting either for me to fail or to have some kind of mess-up so they could get their chance to mock the 'useless heir.'
All kinds of thoughts were going through my mind, which ultimately helped me little to move steadily; otherwise, I may have frozen midway.
I stood in front of Awakening Sphere. 'This is it; whatever happens will decide what course my life will take, but I promise myself this: that I won't betray my thoughts.'
With that final thought, I put my hand on the smooth awakening sphere. Even until the end of the ceremony, it was still cold with not even a hair of heat.
I felt a very small bit of something invading my body; this must be the raw essence talked about. I focused on the energy, but just as it entered my body, it disappeared, gone.
I opened my eyes thinking something went wrong, but the famous blue screen of the Aetheris Record manifested in front of me.
=====
Name – AIDEN ARCLIGHT
Race – HUMAN
Bloodline & Physique – NONE
Age – 16 YEARS
Status – AWAKENED
Rank – INITIATE
Sub-stage – None
Name – MINOR NULL FIELD
Rank – F - RANK
Description – CAN CAUSE MINOR DISTURBANCE IN SKILL ACTIVATION AND MANA FLOW WHEN IN PROXIMITY.
Heart Stage – SPARK
Mana Capacity – LOW
Mana Density – THIN
Heart Condition – FRAGILE
Strength – 10
Agility – 10
Endurance – 10
Vitality – 20
Mana – 20
Intelligence – 10
Perception – 5
Luck – 2 (1-10 -> maximum)
Opened Nodes – 0/84
NONE
=====================
While I was still mesmerized by the screen, not focusing on whatever was written, a sudden boisterous laugh reached my ears.
I closed the Aetheris Record and looked around to see Zale, the man of the hour, laughing. I didn't understand, but suddenly an extremely bad feeling rose in my heart. I turned around and saw the crystal panel, in glowing words.
(F-Rank Origin Heart and Unique Ability awakened)
I felt the ground slipping under me and felt like I was falling into an unending abyss. For a few moments, I didn't register what was happening around me.
All my ambitions, dreams, and thoughts were thrown out of the window like trash.
A condescending voice addressed to me reached my ears; Zale spoke, "Well, young lord, now surely can switch on and off his own Mana lamp. If you are in need of any work, young heir, you can always find me," he taunted.
Someone from the crowd added, "I bet trash of house has a better chance of awakening a decent ability."
Some with decent power in the clan laughed openly; others with their teeth closed, but almost everyone was enjoying the situation, except me.
Due to his recent rise in value in the clan's eyes, Zale tried to get as brazen as possible. Most people in attendance were also not silent but were either whispering or snickering.
I was being humiliated in front of the whole clan, but nobody came to my rescue. I was standing there like a puppet whose strings are cut.
Having expectations from my father was like asking a stone to flow as a river, but the rest of my family didn't even utter a word.
I could already hear Valerian snickering, and expecting something from elder sister Lyra was also pointless.
Though I had somewhat suspected, my mother, the person responsible for bringing me into this world, was silently watching her own son demoralize in front of everybody, but no sound came from her.
The one who always pitied me, Caelan, was also silent; I think his pity pool went dry today.
I was ready to run out of this chamber, even if it meant disrespect in front of the Patriarch, but at this point I didn't care.
I just wanted to sit on silence and contemplate by future or whatever left of it, but the Patriarch authoritative voice trumped over everyone chatters, "The Origin Ceremony is completed. Everyone is dismissed."
He left the chamber without even glancing at me, let alone saying something.
I also left for my room among all the sneers and jibes to just sit in silence but before I could leave, a guard came in front of me and said, "Patriarch is expecting you in his room," and left.
I changed my trajectory towards Patriarch office which will probably decide where in my life would I go.