The crowd's chatter swelled into a thunderous hum of excitement and disbelief as Lucian Delmar descended the spiral steps of the Awakening Spire. His earlier awakening still fresh in their minds, his footsteps were slow and deliberate, each step echoing his supreme confidence. The confident smirk playing on his lips was a clear proclamation of pride. The name Lucian Delmar now resonated across the grounds, whispered in awe by nobles and commoners alike.
But then, as his foot touched the ground, the earth trembled violently beneath them. The entire ceremonial grounds shook, sending ripples of shock through the crowd. Gasps erupted as people stumbled, clutching at one another for balance.
"What's happening now?" someone shouted.
"Is this part of the awakening?" another asked, voice trembling.
Before anyone could answer, a blinding light descended from the sky—so brilliant it forced many to shield their eyes. The light surged downward with unerring precision, striking Lucian directly.
He staggered, caught off guard by the sudden impact, but did not fall. Instead, his body was enveloped in a swirling vortex of golden-white radiance. The murmurs turned into gasps of horror and awe as the light thickened, forcing the onlookers to step back.
And then it happened—a second awakening.
The light around Lucian burst outward like a supernova, leaving behind an eerie, suffocating silence. When the crowd dared to look again, they saw him standing in place—but something was different. The arrogant smirk had vanished, replaced by a look of bewilderment and shock.
A second translucent screen materialized before him—the unmistakable sign of a dual awakening, a phenomenon so rare it was considered myth.
Whispers rippled through the crowd:
"Two awakenings? That's impossible!"
"There's only been one case like this in a hundred years!"
"This… this changes everything."
Lucian's body began to shift subtly. His amber irises shimmered and transformed into an otherworldly silver, streaked faintly with blue. The air around him thickened, pulsating with raw power.
Then, as if the universe itself bowed to his newfound authority, a thin, translucent blade of distorted space materialized in his hand. He instinctively slashed it through the air, and the ground beneath cracked, ripples of spatial energy spreading outward.
The announcer's voice trembled as he declared, "Behold the awakening of the Lucid Pathway!"
Chaos erupted.
"The Lucid Pathway? Isn't that a legend?"
"Impossible! No one awakens the Lucid Pathway—it's a fragment of creation itself!"
"This is far beyond a god's blessing!"
The Veil Interface shimmered into view, its ethereal glow casting eerie light on Lucian's figure. The data displayed was staggering:
Veil Interface
{General Information}
Name: Lucian Delmar
Age: 16
Realm: Novice Realm
{Talents}
Elemental Affinity: Shadow
Elemental Affinity: Fire
{Special Powers}
Draconic Sovereignty:
Bestowed by Dracos Ignis, the Dragon God of Flame and Shadow.
Blessing Note: "A fragment of my essence resides within thee. Wield the power of dominion."
{The Lucid Pathway}
Manifestation acknowledged… Integration confirmed.
Designation: Bearer of [Rank 6: Spatial Rend] — A fragment of the enigmatic Lucid Pathway.
The Lucid Pathway, a timeless enigma etched into existence itself, defies comprehension. Its powers ripple through the fabric of reality, a testament to forces that precede gods and surpass mortal understanding. Few awaken it; fewer still survive its calling.
{Abilities}
[Spatial Slash]: Partially unshackled… fragments of its essence bleed into reality.
[Ability II]: Sealed… the void shall reveal what you must not seek.
[Ability III]: Sealed.
A final note from the Veil:
"The Lucid Pathway has claimed you, bearer. This is not a gift—it is a summons, an invitation to a truth that should never be known. You have become a key to doors long sealed, and there are forces beyond comprehension waiting on the other side. They will come, not for you, but for what you now possess."
The crowd fell into stunned silence.
"What is the Lucid Pathway?" a young noble whispered.
"It's not just power," an elder murmured, voice trembling. "It's… something even the gods fear."
The Lucid Pathway was no ordinary phenomenon. Whispers told of it as a shard of original creation—a remnant of primordial forces that shaped existence itself. Unlike divine blessings, which carried the essence of a single god, the Lucid Pathway transcended divinity. It existed beyond gods and mortals, a force older than time, unbound by universal laws.
Legends spoke of it as both gift and curse—revealing truths no being was meant to know. To awaken it was to stand on the precipice of omnipotence, wielding power to reshape reality itself.
Rachel, seated among the nobles, watched with unflinching intensity. Her cold ocean-blue eyes narrowed as she studied Lucian's transformation. A faint unease prickled at her mind's edges.
"The Lucid Pathway…" she murmured, voice barely audible. "Even the gods covet it."
A memory surfaced—vivid and unbidden—from her childhood, standing beside Lord Cedric Ardent.
"Rachel," her father had said, grave and steady, "The Lucid Pathway is not just a phenomenon. It is a fragment of creation itself. To wield it is to stand beyond gods and mortals, to hold power that defies comprehension."
"Why would anyone want it?" young Rachel had asked, curiosity shining in her eyes.
"Because power is temptation no being can resist," Cedric had replied. "But the Lucid Pathway is more than power. It is knowledge—truths so vast and terrible they can drive even gods mad. That is why it is both coveted and feared."
"A curse?" Rachel had pressed.
"Yes," her father had said, voice heavy with sorrow. "A curse disguised as a gift. The gods envy it because it is beyond their grasp. Wars have been fought, civilizations destroyed over it. Those who awaken it are marked—hunted by mortals and gods alike. If the gods cannot claim it, they will destroy the bearer to keep it from others."
Rachel's eyes widened. "Then why seek it?"
Her father's faint, bitter smile lingered in her memory. "Power blinds. Even knowing the risks, some will always reach for it. But the Lucid Pathway is no gift to be taken lightly. It demands a price few can pay."
Rachel's gaze returned to the present, fixed on Lucian. Does he understand what he's awakened? she wondered silently. This is no mere power. It's a fragment of something far greater—something even gods fear.
Beside her, Elena broke the silence. "Rachel, did you hear that? The Lucid Pathway! Incredible, isn't it?"
Rachel's lips tightened. "Incredible, yes. But not in the way you think."
Elena frowned. "What do you mean?"
Rachel hesitated, the weight of her father's warning heavy on her mind. "It's a key—to truths never meant to be unlocked. It tempts the strongest minds, and consumes those unprepared for its burden."
Elena's excitement dimmed as she absorbed the gravity of Rachel's words.
Murmurs rose again among the crowd.
"Wait, aren't there rumours Lord Orin Tumara holds the Lucid Pathway?"
"Didn't he have a Rank 7 Lucid Eye?"
"His son is sixteen and already awakened Rank 6… The Delmar family's influence will skyrocket!"
"Think Lucian will surpass his father?"
Among the nobles, guild leaders, and academy officials, knowing glances were exchanged. The Lucid Pathway was not just power—it was opportunity.
As Lucian basked in the crowd's adoration, the Awakening Spire pulsed faintly, its crystalline surface shimmering. For a fleeting moment, Rachel thought she glimpsed a shadow—an unseen presence watching.
The Veil Interface, she thought, unease deepening. It always feels like something watches us. But what? And why grant such power to people like Lucian? What is it testing us for?
Her father's warning echoed again: "The Lucid Pathway tempts even gods. Power without balance is destruction."
Rachel's gaze lingered on Lucian, unreadable. The real question isn't what the Lucid Pathway is. It's why it exists at all.
The memory faded, leaving Rachel with a deep sense of foreboding. Her eyes remained locked on Lucian, now basking in the crowd's awe.
This isn't over, she thought, fingers tightening on her seat's armrest. The Lucid Pathway doesn't grant power without demanding a price. What will Lucian have to pay?
Regaining his composure, Lucian raised his hand. His newly awakened eyes shimmered silver, radiating an aura that seemed to bend reality itself.
"Behold," he declared, voice resonant with newfound authority, "the gift of the Lucid Pathway!"
The crowd erupted into frenzied applause and whispers, but Rachel remained silent, her sharp gaze never leaving him.
In that moment, as the name "Lucid Pathway" echoed like a forgotten hymn, it was clear to all: Lucian Delmar was no longer merely a prodigy. He was a harbinger of something far greater—and far more dangerous.
He descended the platform with measured steps, surveying the crowd like a king among subjects. As he passed Rachel, their eyes met briefly.
No words were exchanged—only a silent acknowledgment of the awakening's gravity. Lucian's smirk remained, but Rachel's piercing gaze carried a subtle challenge: power alone does not command respect.
The murmurs followed him as he rejoined his family, the Delmar crest gleaming proudly on his chest. Today, Lucian Delmar had claimed his place—not just as a prodigy, but as a force that would shape the future.