The soft morning light bathed the central sqaure of Aurudil.
There, hundreds of children stood in line. All wore identical white tunics, their eyes gleaming with the same hope.
This would be the most important day of their lives. That day they would perform their second baptism and awaken their Devastra, the gift from the heavens.
"Attention!" a commanding voice shouted.
The figure advanced in front of them. He wore a white tunic far more ostentatious than the children's, adorned with golden embroidery.
"Today is a very important day for all of you. Today you will begin your long journey to adulthood. From today on, you are no longer children," the man said as he raised his hands dramatically.
As he did so, the sunlight reflected off the golden palace behind him, giving him a majestic, almost divine aura.
"You are special! Vanirs, the descendants of the gods! The Keter flowing through your veins proves it."
The man's voice resonated throughout the square. It was no longer harsh, but more fraternal, as if he were giving a speech to lifelong companions.
"All of you are. I want to make this very clear to you. No matter what Devastra you receive today, you must remember it is still a gift from the heavens, the tool that will allow you to reach your destiny."
It was no longer a speech, but a warning. Those children needed to know that regardless of what power they received today, a divine gift remained the greatest honor they would receive in their lives.
"No matter what destiny has been assigned to you, all of you are fundamental parts of the Great Radiance's plan."
But even as they listened to the priest's wise words, not everyone seemed to respect that view.
And even if the sacred ministry sought to project an image of everyone being equal, the reality was very different.
"Well, without further delay, let the ceremony begin!" the man finally exclaimed.
The 12 priests before him began to recite a chant. There was one priest for each line of children, to baptize them one by one.
In front of each line stood a small marble column that held a vessel with water.
But it wasn't ordinary water. It shimmered with small golden particles instead of the blue of conventional water.
But only Alioth noticed that. He was the only one present who could see spirits.
"Od'Zohar! Make yourself manifest!" the priests acclaimed in unison upon finishing their prayer.
All eyes turned upward. Even the most distracted were attentive to what was happening. But only one pair of eyes could capture the true beauty of that phenomenon.
Alioth watched as the colors of everything around him grew more intense, and then, they appeared.
Currents of tangible color began to twist, joining at a single point.
"Wow..." the boy said quietly, as the air moved his white hair.
The city began to darken even though it was daytime, and the air became colder and drier.
Alioth knew why. In that world, spirits composed everything. They were the air, the humidity, the dust, even the light.
It was as if night had swallowed the city, and all the stars had descended to illuminate it again.
Soon, a great mass of white light remained suspended in the air, illuminating the entire square.
"Wow! I'm shining!" said a child's voice.
"Me too!"
The children's enthusiastic voices filled the square. A golden aura emanated from their bodies; while some shone more brightly than others, all of them glowed.
Everyone except one.
"This is truly fascinating..." a voice murmured in awe.
However, his hope shattered at that very moment. He wasn't glowing.
Alioth blinked in confusion. The light in his eyes gradually dimmed.
He checked himself, as if the golden glow he should have was hidden somewhere in his body.
But it didn't appear.
"I should have imagined it," the boy sighed with a look of defeat.
He had been too naive, too foolish.
He knew the relationship between that glow and the silver light of that "artificial moon."
It was orgone reacting with a specific spiritual frequency.
But he had been born without Ka, and therefore, couldn't have that natural protection characteristic of all living beings.
The boy's sad eyes fixed again on that mass of light shining with intensity.
"What a disappointment," he muttered through clenched teeth.
It was frustrating. He had been born with the gift to glimpse the true beauty of that world.
But at the same time, he knew he didn't truly belong to it.
He was reincarnated. He had been reborn as a baby with memories of his other life, and of a different world.
However, what should have been something good turned out to be a wicked trick of fate.
He had been born without Ka, the force necessary to live. Without it he shouldn't even be alive, but for some reason, he could be.
"Pay attention, children. The ritual is about to begin. Go through one by one," a voice said, instructing the children.
Alioth didn't pay too much attention. He remained deep in his thoughts.
The boy had come to that ceremony with hope that it would be the key to awakening his Ka.
He wanted to have some of it, even if just a little.
Without it, he not only became physically vulnerable by not having orgone, but he also couldn't do magic or anything like that.
However, now he was starting to regret it.
'Shit... what if they discover I don't have Ka?'
Alioth thought, worried.
Ka was sacred. It was proof that someone was alive. Without it, one couldn't live, and if you did... you would be considered an abomination.
Alioth knew this firsthand. Right after being born he had been discarded. They had literally thrown him in the trash, not only for being defective, but because his very existence defied everything they knew.
The boy swallowed hard, imagining the worst. How he would be captured by the priests and killed right there. Surely they would even celebrate his death.
'No, you must stay firm, Alioth! There's still a small possibility of acquiring Ka. I just have to perform this ritual.'
The boy encouraged himself. But his fear didn't dissipate.
He still remembered that old priest, looking at him with hatred and disgust, for the sole act of having been born.
He still remembered how he had ordered them to get rid of him as if he were a simple insect.
Back then he had been rescued... but if he was caught here, he wouldn't have the same luck.
"Run... I must run," the boy finally said.
He felt his guts churning and his heart beating forcefully against his chest.
However, it was already too late to act.
A white light blinded him for a few moments. Upon recovering his sight, he looked ahead.
There, a black-haired boy enthusiastically inspected his arm, where a red tattoo had appeared. Surely, his Devastra.
"Rats..." the young man cursed quietly.
It was already too late. He had taken too long to act and now... it was his turn to be baptized.