Free Web NovelChapter 2: Awakening A Guardian
Each and every one of the students walked closely to one another—about fifty of them following after the woman who had instructed them earlier.
Murmurs from all around echoed through the vast white hall of the passageway they walked through.
Up was white, down was similar, and so were the sides of the walls. The only things that allowed for the differentiation of left from right were the edges where the walls intersected with the ceiling and flooring.
Finn was at the back of the group, his head down while he thought about the awakening ceremony.
People were born with magic, and at the age of four, their magical potential would start to appear. By the age of five, many were already able to command elements and do things beyond human imagination. However, for Finn, it had taken seven years to finally discover his magic.
And unlike other children who found joy and endless opportunities in theirs, he only found utter despair.
In a world where people could raise the seas into tsunamis or turn shallow breeze into a hurricane, he, a man running around with a sword was nothing short of handicapped.
Of all the Magic varieties he could awaken, he had awakened Sword Magic.
Which led to his life becoming a total hell.
That was why he needed to Awaken.
For those who chose the path of becoming stronger and rising higher than the bare minimum of society, there was a single highest honor and choice... To become a part of the King’s Guard.
Popularly known around the world as the Grey Knights of the Gravemont family.
And to be chosen for such an honor, one had to Awaken a Guardian.
Finn swallowed nervously, his hands slipping down into his pockets. ’If not for my stupid talent, I wouldn’t be so over-reliant on getting a good Guardian. But right now, my life is really riding on this.’
A Guardian was a cheat sheet to the full mastery of one’s magic.
A Guardian teaches its Mage everything about their magic, helping them grow drastically and even assist them in battles.
Finn had even heard about a rumor of a slug-magic user, someone who originally only had the ability to shoot slippery green slime from her palm, growing into a Mage with the power to flood whole towns with her slime, all thanks to the intervention of her Guardian.
They were just rumors, but he hoped they were more than that.
He hoped they proved true.
He really did.
’With a Guardian, I will surely be more than just an idiot swinging a sword on a battlefield of mages...’
He hoped.
The group reached the end of the white tunnel. The Instructor stopped at a dead end that carried the exact same color as the room, making it impossible to imagine there was a way to get past it.
Nonetheless, with practiced experience, the woman moved. Her hand went instinctively to a side of the wall, placing her palm against it for a moment.
Blue lights surged around her palm, scanning every detail before finally...
The gentle sound of mechanical movements followed, and the wall broke apart into two halves that receded into the sides of the passageway.
The woman, without wasting time, walked into the next room, leading the students inside.
Finn was the last to enter, stepping into a room with a far different aesthetic than the passageway.
It was much darker compared to the white room. The lights were set to a low orange that shone softly upon the rows of red velvet seats prepared for them.
The room was wide, and more importantly, staged like a cinema where they could sit and watch the awakening through a show glass placed a few meters away from the seats.
Past the show glass was a huge garden of purple flowers and a stream of translucent blue water that looked magical, even from way across the room.
"Take your seats," the woman ordered, clearly referring to the students who, like Finn, stood mesmerized by the sight of the beautiful stream. They quickly scurried off to find suitable seats.
Finn was once again at the back of the class, doing his best to stay away from the prying eyes of anyone who might see him and start ranting about his status as a "trash son."
’At least up until I become super-empowered and come back for sweet, juicy revenge.’
"You are in the waiting room of your awakening," the instructor began. "Here, you will watch as your fellow students head to the Pure Vine Streams to Awaken their Guardians. For the sake of order, I will call students one at a time to perform their ceremony first—"
She paused, her eyes drifting to the blue digital screen at her side for a moment. "First, we have Antigonous Frey."
The class went silent. The name mentioned was almost unforgettable. Not many knew the name Frey, but ’Antigonous’ was a different story.
Without a fear in the world, Frey rose from her seat, answering the call. Her long brown hair was tied up to seem short, and her sharp, beautiful features made her look stunning yet dangerous. Her clothing spoke of nothing less than someone arrogant yet competent; she wore a tight, long-sleeved shirt paired with black jeans.
Her expression was empty and unreadable as she walked over to the Instructor.
All students kept their eyes on her, many admiring her moxie and lack of fear, while others silently cursed.
Finn had his interest piqued. He studied her behavior like he was reading the pinnacle of an adult book.
She was confident, as though she already had an idea of the outcome of this entire ordeal.
’She is an Antigonous after all. Yet this level of confidence must either be oblivious thinking or utter bravery.’
The instructor shortly after led Frey out of the waiting room, past a door, and into a place they could not see.
Moments later, Antigonous Frey was walking toward the translucent water of the Pure Vine Streams.
Yet, she did not falter.
Even in the face of failure or success, she simply walked into the stream, taking steady steps down the fully immersed staircase of the small river.
By the time she was submerged up to the base of her neck, she finally stopped.
She was now in the cruel hands of fate, awaiting any sign of her Guardian showing itself to her...
That was, if she even had a Guardian to begin with.
A few seconds passed, and a harsh truth began to settle within everyone’s hearts.
Frey...
The girl from the reputable family.
One of the top ten greatest families of the Gravemont Kingdom.
The supposed heir to the Antigonous line...
Was a complete failure—
However...
"What’s that?!"
"Henry, look! Is she awakening a Guardian?!"
Murmurs, shouts, and screams began to rise from one person to the next as they all witnessed their first sight of a Guardian awakening.
The entire vicinity around Antigonous Frey turned pitch black. An empty, utter darkness surged around her like a sea of shadows.
It swirled for a moment too long for comfort, slowly taking form.
Until it finally shaped into a giant black serpent. It coiled itself around the proud young daughter of the Antigonous family, wisps of sizzling shadow curling into the air.
Finn slammed onto his feet at the sight, his eyes gleaming with wonder and his teeth clenching with growing resolve. freeωebnovēl.c૦m
A smile formed on his face, his fingers pressing into the headrest of the chair before him. He was enthusiastic.
He scoffed softly. "I will definitely get a great Guardian. I won’t fail."
