After learning about the Lunareth family's past, I chose to focus my studies on important topics like awakening bloodline powers, spirits, and the different races of Calethia. Luckily, the Lunareth family library was full of books and knowledge. I even found some magical scrolls and ancient tomes, but I tried not to let them distract me.
As I studied more, I realized that living beings in Calethia grow and mature much faster than in my previous world. I could feel this myself after just five years, my body had changed significantly. I also learned that when someone turns twelve, they have a ceremony called the Awakening Ceremony.
In noble and wealthy families, the ceremony takes place in their homes. Commoners typically attend one in a church. During the ritual, a special crystal triggers a person's awakening and reveals their innate power. These powers often connect to a person's family bloodline, elemental affinity, or other unique abilities. Most awakenings occur around age twelve, but some people experience early or delayed awakenings. A few never awaken at all and rely on their physical strength instead.
By age sixteen, people are considered adults in this world. Growth and development seem to happen much faster here than I'm used to. After doing more research, I found out that this is because of a natural energy called mana, which comes from Calethia itself. Mana speeds up growth, supports magical plants and creatures, and even boosts a person's awakened powers.
The awakening and a person's family bloodline depend a lot on their race. Humans usually balance magic and physical power elves often excel in magic.
In my case, our family's bloodline can connect with spirits. However, I'm the first half blood in our line I'm half human and half elf. It's hard to predict what kind of power I'll awaken. Even though I'm half elf, I look mostly human, which has always confused me.
When I was younger, I asked my mother trying to sound like a curious child why I didn't have pointy ears like hers. She explained that most half elves tend to look more elven, but my father's bloodline is much stronger than her elven heritage. When she mentioned my father, her expression darkened, so I didn't ask any more questions.
From what I've managed to find out, my father's name was Vaelor Lunareth. He reportedly made contracts with six spirits, allowing him to borrow their power and summon two of them. He was seen as a genius among the earlier Lunareth generations. My mother, on the other hand, is a elemental mage, but I still don't know which elements she Possess.
I tried to learn more about my father, but most of the books I found were too old and didn't offer much information. My grandfather, however, is incredibly powerful. He claims he can only form a contract with one spirit, but it's a sixth tier one, and he's also a great swordsman. He often brags about it. Out of curiosity, I once tried to persuade him with my best puppy eyes, asking to see it, but sadly, it didn't work.
After that, I learned about elements, spirits, and other powers I might have to face or use in the future, maybe both.
First, I researched the elements and found that there are six main elements: fire, water, earth, wind, light, and dark. These are the most common and core elements.
People can't choose an element to learn; they have to have an affinity for it. For instance, someone with only a fire affinity can learn and cast fire spells, but not those related to water or any other elements. A person can have between one and six affinities, but no one has ever wielded more than four of the main elements. This rule doesn't seem to apply to certain bloodlines, especially ours. There are also relics and artifacts that can bend these rules, though not completely.
Beyond the six main elements, there are secondary ones that branch from them, like ice, lightning, and shadow. Some rare elements, such as time and space, don't come from any main element. These are often called special elements due to their rarity. The more elements someone has, the more powerful they can become, but mastering them takes much longer.
Spirit magic users seem to break these limits. Among humans, only the Lunareth family can practice spirit magic. Spirit users make contracts with elemental beings called spirits, using the natural energy of Calethia, also known as mana. Sometimes, people need to find and meet a spirit to form a contract because higher tier spirits rarely respond to summoning calls.
Once a contract is made, the user can borrow the spirit's power or summon them directly. This is why spirit users often become stronger much faster than elemental mages. Spirits are divided into seven tiers: the 1st tier equals an adept powerhouse, while the 7th tier equals an eternal powerhouse.
Most spirits look like animals or humanoids and have a beautiful gemstone called a spiritstone embedded in their forehead, which sets them apart from normal beings. Typically, a person can only contract with spirits below their own rank, though rare exceptions exist, like my grandfather, who once made a contract with a spirit of equal rank or even one above.
There is a limit to how many contracts a spirit user can maintain. Once that limit is reached, they must cancel old contracts before forming new ones. Some spirits become angry when a contract is broken and might even attack their former partner if they meet again.
I've learned that lower tier spirits often appear beastlike, while higher tier ones tiers 4 through 7 usually look human. They tend to hide from humans, as many are hunted for their spiritstones. Some spirits can even shapeshift or evolve over time.
Eventually, I found out that when a spirit user awakens, their process is different from ordinary people. Instead of gaining power naturally, they awaken by forming their first spirit contract, either through summoning or by meeting a spirit in person.
I also learned about other powers, such as holy energy, which is given to those who serve gods or goddesses. This world seems much more complex than I first imagined.
I wonder what element my mother possesses. I know Lucy has an affinity for wind magic, and that's her only one. I can't help but wonder what will happen next, but there's still time to find out.