Everything felt strange and new. His old life, his old strength—gone, replaced by this small, weak body. Panic and anger mixed inside him. This new world was already changing him, and he wasn't ready.
He looked around again. People were watching quietly.
Hiroshi looked at the man in front. He wore long white clothes that covered his whole body. 'Isn't he feeling hot in that? Hiroshi thought. 'That looks heavy and thick.'
The man's voice was clear and strong. He spoke in a serious, formal way.
"Today, we gather to begin a sacred ritual. May the light guide us and bring blessings to our land."
In front of the man stood a young girl. She looked about sic years old, with long brown hair that shined like silk and she wore a simple white dress. She looked nervous but brave.
The girl stepped forward and put her hand on a glowing, clear ball floating in the air. The ball shined very bright, and Hiroshi had to cover his eyes.
Around the room, many people whispered softly. Then, they started clapping.
The man in white smiled and said, "You are blessed by the light. Your path will be strong and full of hope."
Hiroshi heard the man call another name. "Axelius Dravenhart."
Hiroshi shook his head and said, "I need to get out of here."
He stood up quickly and started to walk away. But suddenly, someone stepped in front of him, blocking the way.
Hiroshi frowned. Before he could say anything, the person grabbed his arms and pulled him toward the front.
Hiroshi looked around the church. Their faces were serious—some looked worried, others curious, but none friendly.
Hiroshi frowned. 'What the fuck?' he thought. 'Why are they all staring at me like that?'
He tried to move, but someone suddenly stepped in front of him, blocking his way. Before he could say anything, the person grabbed his arms tightly and pulled him forward.
"Behave," the man muttered, his voice low but firm.
Hiroshi was pushed right in front of a large glowing ball, clear and shining, about the size of his head. He looked up at the man in white robes again and noticed the pointed ears.
The man spoke calmly, "Axelius, of the family Dravenhart. Guardians of this land for many generations."
Hiroshi blinked, pointing to himself. "Me?" he muttered in disbelief.
The man in white robes nodded calmly. "Yes, you. Put your hands on the Mana Core," he instructed, gesturing to the large, translucent orb in front of him.
All around the room, whispers began to spread like wildfire.
"Is that him?""I heard from rumors that he's not as lucky as his siblings.""They say his mana is... weak."
Hiroshi's eyes narrowed. He looked around at the crowd, their judging eyes and hushed whispers sending a spike of annoyance through him. He spotted the man who had dragged him up here and gave him a glare that clearly said, "What are you doing?!"
The man didn't react, just crossed his arms and watched silently.
The white-robed man cleared his throat, pulling Hiroshi's attention back. "Axelius Dravenhart, is there something wrong?" he asked, voice firm but polite.
Hiroshi gritted his teeth, clenching his fists. Argh, damn it! Just get this over with already!
With a sharp breath, he stepped forward and placed his palm firmly on the Mana Core. The surface was cool and smooth, almost like glass. He waited, eyes fixed on the orb, expecting...something.
But nothing happened.
The room grew tense and quiet, the silence stretching out painfully. Then, the whispers began again, louder this time.
"Nothing? Not even a flicker?""I knew it. He's the black sheep of the Dravenharts.""What a shame... his father must be so disappointed."
Hiroshi's jaw tightened, but he kept his hand on the orb, frustration building inside him. 'What the hell is going on?' he thought, glancing at the orb, then back to the crowd, their eyes filled with pity and judgment.
Hiroshi's eyes shifted to the side, catching a glimpse of the windows. His breath hitched. Outside, sunlight poured in, bright and warm, casting light over something he hadn't seen in years—green grass, swaying gently in the breeze, and a massive tree full of bright, ripe fruits. His eyes widened in shock.
Without thinking, he bolted from the platform, ignoring the murmurs and whispers that grew louder behind him.
"What is he doing?""Did he just run off?""What's wrong with him?"
Hiroshi didn't care. His heart pounded as he pushed the heavy wooden doors open, stumbling outside. Sunlight hit his face immediately, bright and strong. His eyes burned from the sudden light, and instinctively, he staggered back, tripping over his own feet and crashing to the ground.
"Aaahhh!" He screamed, covering his face with his hands, bracing for the burning pain he was so familiar with. His whole body tensed, waiting for that scorching heat to crawl over his skin... but it didn't come.
Slowly, his screams died down. He lowered his hands from his face, blinking up at the clear blue sky. Sunlight streamed down on him, warm and gentle—not the deadly, burning sensation he remembered. His hands, his arms... nothing was burning.
Hiroshi's breath came out shaky. "It... it's not hurting?" he whispered, his voice trembling with disbelief.
Behind him, more whispers erupted. Some people stood up from their seats, peeking out the doors, watching with confused expressions.
Hiroshi ignored them, staring up at the sky, hands still stretched out like he couldn't believe it. His heart thudded in his chest as the realization sank in.
He was standing under the sun... and it didn't hurt.
"Axelius Dravenhart!"
Hiroshi froze. That voice—stern and sharp. He turned around, eyes narrowing as he saw the man in white robes marching toward him, face twisted in frustration. Hiroshi's mind raced. That guy knows this body... I need to get away from here!
Without another thought, Hiroshi spun on his heels and dashed away, feet pounding against the soft grass. He didn't know where he was going; he just knew he had to run.
As he sprinted, his eyes widened with every step. Green grass stretched endlessly, dotted with flowers of every color—red, blue, yellow, pink—all blooming beautifully under the sunlight. Butterflies flitted from petal to petal, their wings shimmering like jewels. Birds chirped happily from branches, their songs filling the air with life.
Hiroshi stumbled to a stop, his chest heaving. He looked around, eyes wild with disbelief. "What... what is this place?" he whispered, his voice shaky. It was too beautiful, too bright. Nothing like the ruins and ashes he remembered.
"Axelius! Stop right there!" the man from before shouted, his footsteps crunching against the grass as he hurried over. "Are you out of your mind? Running off during the ceremony?! Do you even understand what you've just done?"
Hiroshi turned his head, blinking in confusion. "Ceremony?" he muttered under his breath.
The man reached him, face flushed with anger. "Yes! The Awakening Ceremony! You just embarrassed the Dravenhart family in front of everyone! Running off like a wild animal! What were you thinking?!"
Hiroshi frowned. 'Awakening Ceremony? Dravenhart? What the hell is going on?'
The man grabbed him firmly by the shoulders, shaking him a bit. "Are you listening to me?! Do you even understand the consequences of this?!"
"I-I... I just needed air," Hiroshi stammered, mind still spinning.
"Air? You needed air?!" the man scoffed, looking at him like he was crazy. "That is no excuse for this nonsense! Do you even realize how important today is? You think you can just run away whenever you feel like it?!"
Hiroshi opened his mouth to argue, but suddenly, the world around him began to blur. Colors melted together, the sunlight felt too bright, too warm. His vision swayed, and his knees grew weak.
"Hey! Are you even listening?!" the man shouted, voice growing distant. "Axelius, answer me!"
but Hiroshi couldn't hear it anymore. His vision swam, the colors around him blurring together. He swayed on his feet, his hand reaching out to steady himself.
Suddenly, the world tilted. His knees buckled, and darkness crept into the edges of his vision. "No... not now..." he murmured
The dizziness overwhelmed him, and before he could stop it, everything went dark.