Ian stepped inside. The row he was in was the last to enter; and moments later, the massive black gates of the Core Plaza gradually slammed shut behind him, sealing all the children inside.
Ian felt a sudden tightness in his chest. Now that he was inside, whatever came next, he would have to face it all by himself! The brave face he had worn since morning started to falter slowly.
He had read about the Core Plaza in the books. Everyone had to learn that. He'd seen some pictures too, though they were scarcely available because of the safety cautions.
Some of his classmates had older siblings who had been here before, and they'd learned about it from them too.
Almost everything they knew about the Core Plaza came from stories.
Because, for every child, the awakening day was the first time, and the only time they'd ever set foot in this place.
—
No one knew when the Core Plaza had been built. People said it had always existed, standing there long before the city was built around it.
It was one of the greatest mysteries of the city; a place every citizen would visit once in their lifetime yet leave knowing almost nothing about it.
He had learned so many things about this place but seeing it in person was something else entirely.
The building felt far larger than he had imagined. The ceiling rose high enough above him, fading into darkness. As they walked, the smooth white marbled floor reflected blurred shapes moving across its surface.
Tall pillars lined evenly apart, with strange symbols carved into them. Writings in an unknown language covered the walls. Obviously, he couldn't recognize and understand any of them.
But what surprised him the most was the silence.
The Core Plaza was unnaturally quiet!
Only the soft taps of their shoes and the hushed whisper of some of the curious children echoed faintly before disappearing in the unsettling silence.
Plaza guards patrolled with precise, smooth movements, yet they made almost no sound.
Are they some kind of human-like cats!
At some point, even a weird idea like that crossed his mind.
But the thought vanished as quickly as it appeared. The next moment, Ian found himself standing in front of the Great Hall, the very place where the awakening took place.
The Plaza guards guided them inside.
It was an enormous circular chamber. The ceiling arched high enough so that it looked like it was disappearing into the shadows. The walls here, too, bore those unknown writings that he saw earlier on the walls.
At the very center of the hall, there was a central platform which bore the Ascension Obelisk.
It rose from the floor like a pillar, stretching upward towards the ceiling. The smooth and seamless surface looked like it was carved from black glass, though he wasn't sure if it was actually glass. Ancient runes glimmered along its surface, beaming in a slow, steady rhythm.
This was the object every child had heard about since birth — the core of all awakenings.
Before the Obelisk stood a low stone altar. Atop it was a crystal orb; clear, cold, currently in a dormant state.
It responded only during awakening. When an awakener placed their hand upon it, the orb detected their core energy and reacted accordingly.
And then, rows upon rows of seats arranged in perfect rings surrounded the central platform.
The seating followed strict order.
The closest ring to the center was for the Elite families. Behind them came those from the high-rank districts, then the mid-rank districts, followed by the lower-rank districts.
And finally, the very back rows were for the children coming from the outer districts; the place Ian belonged to.
—
The guards helped the children take their seats, guiding them row by row through the massive hall.
Ian sat down in the second-last row. Once he settled, he glanced around.
All the children were seated now. Many had already started talking among themselves, and the quiet hall slowly buzzed with their chatter.
His eyes moved to the front rows.
Those children acted like they owned the place. Some of them leaned back in their seats, laughing openly. A few children from the high-ranking districts hovered near them, clearly trying to please them.
He looked at their uniforms.
The uniforms of the Elite and high-ranking district schools were expensive; dyed in different colors, with unique patterns and badges. The Elite section even bore its own insignias.
Then he looked at himself.
His uniform was plain gray, the standard uniform issued by the outer district schools.
Compared to all the rows, it stood out for one reason alone...
It was the dullest of them all.
Not long after, a sudden sound of footsteps echoed outside the door. And soon, a group of people appeared by the door. The academy officials led the way, followed by others.
The officials moved forward and took their places on the central platform. Healers, equipped with mana absorbers, stationed themselves along the sides; ready for any sudden backlash or accident. A group of guards encircled the central platform swiftly, ensuring the safety of the academy officials.
Then came the master, the person who'd help the children in the awakening process.
He had a tall, imposing figure, with a presence that clearly screamed: no-nonsense. Of all things, he was definitely not at all 'child-friendly'.
The master stood by the altar, then casting his gaze across the hall, he started speaking in a cold, rehearsed tone.
A welcome speech that didn't feel very welcoming.
He took his time, explaining the awakening procedure; though it was pretty much known to everyone.
Each awakener had to place one hand on the crystal orb and stay still, gathering all of their focus into one place. The orb would read their core, and react accordingly, relaying the result to the Ascension Obelisk. The Obelisk would respond in return, which would determine the core's grade and affinity.
With that, the master stepped aside. And, the awakening ceremony finally began.