Ting—
The sound of a door's chime resounded with a swift breeze.
"Where to go first…"
He spoke softly, pausing as his hands slowly pushed the door open—allowing the warmth of the sun to kiss his face.
Kreig's eyes instinctively shut against the bright rays of the sun. He raised his hand to shield them.
"Phew—"
He sighed.
Kreig walked onward, his path drawing him toward the city's inner circle. Along the way, he observed both people and the places: wooden houses weathered by time, screeching with every step of a passerby; crowds of different races mingling, drinking lavishly, and conversing in fervor.
But what drew his attention the most was the strong contrast between the outer and inner circle of the city.
It was like watching a slow iodine clock reaction—gradual yet undeniable. The edge paled in comparison to the city's heart.
After some time, Kreig reached his destination: a smithery.
The shop wasn't large, nor grand. In fact, it seemed out of place amidst the more polished forges in the area. But this one matched his meager budget.
As he entered, he immediately eyed the exquisite swords, spears, and axes made by the owner of the shop.
But Kreig did not let his gaze linger for long.
"I came here to buy, not to admire those weapons beyond my reach," his tone resolute, pausing. "At least, for now…"
He muttered, a whisper so low only he could hear.
Then, he turned his gaze to a certain sword which he fancied as he was going down the edge of the city yesterday, a weapon on display, so cheap and yet so exquisite.
"This one costs a silver shard and 75 bronze…" he paused, his gaze shifting to another direction within the shop. "That armor, if I could remember, it should cost a silver and 25 bronze…"
As he was pondering his situation, a dwarf appeared.
Kreig shifted his eyes to the dwarf and gave a slight nod.
The dwarf was around his shoulder's height, with bulging muscles that seemed to pierce his own armor, holding a hammer with red spots as if adapted to the hot temperature of his forge.
After a while, Kreig had finished buying the weapon and armor he wanted, with the help of the dwarf, he was able to pick a short sword and an iron armor that was enhanced by lifter, a skill embedded to lighten the weight of the armor.
In this trip alone, he'd spent a total of 3 silver shards and 50 bronze shards.
After finishing the transaction, he decided to go to a certain guild that every aspiring lord goes to: The Awakening Guild—Genesis.
A guild home to gnomes.
The Awakening Guild was relatively small compared to the Quest Guild; it was like a church, but in essence, it was so much different. Intricate carvings on walls of ethereal chill, open stained glass windows which allowed the passage of light, then a deep, dark blue roof that twinkled as if stars.
Kreig hesitated for a moment but quickly solidified his resolve.
Slap—
He slapped his cheeks with both his hands to sober up.
"Hmmp!"
Thud… Thud…
His steps echoed upon entering the structure as if emptied out, nothingness awaiting him.
"Aethercryst…"
He muttered, his voice slow in longing.
The world fell, and chaos ripped.
The great fall—a catastrophe and a blessing.
There are two ways to awaken:
First, the talent measuring Aethercryst, a palm-sized, translucent crystal with a faint inner glow that pulses like a heartbeat. When held, it reacts to the presence of Resonance by shifting colors and emitting hums of different frequencies.
The Aethercryst is the standard tool used in the Awakening Guild to measure an individual's innate Resonance. When a person holds the crystal, it absorbs a trace of their spiritual imprint and "sings" in response, releasing a color and sound combination unique to the strength, clarity, and nature of their Domain potential.
Its classification is as follows:
No reaction – No awakening or dormant potential.
Dull gray – Weak or latent Resonance, possibly unawakened.
Blue-green – Moderate Resonance; stable foundation.
Crimson or Gold – High Resonance; gifted or dangerously high.
Void Flicker – Rare. Unstable, undefined, or unclassifiable Resonance.
The second method to awaken:
Bleed for it.
Like heroes in tales, those who passed their hurdles, defeating the villains after trials and tribulations.
Only by pushing oneself to the limit will the world finally give in and bless you.
…
Kreig stood on a corner, observing deeply the daunting ceiling of the guild, then drifting his eyes to the gnomes handling the aethercryst on the corner.
Not a few have come, nearby, young aspirants lined up, each holding their breath, awaiting their turn.
Some left smiling.
Others are in disbelief.
A few were dumbfounded, stunned by what they'd seen or didn't.
Kreig didn't wait anymore and lined himself up on the corner where a few others were lined up.
After a while, when it's finally his turn, he lends his hand to the gnome assigned, then lets him be guided by an invisible force that seemed to have pulled him.
His eyes closed, and he calmed his stance.
Then…
Bzzt–hum—
The crystal flared, its light uneven. No color or pulse.
"Hm. Strange," the gnome said, breaking the silence. "If that's the reaction, then you must've already awakened."
Kreig blinked, caught off guard. "What do you mean… Eorla?"
Eorla gave a tiny smile, voice calm, even. "As I said, you've awakened. Perhaps… you've already faced a moment when your life depended on nothing but yourself?"
Her eyes softened, knowingly.
"Then that might just be your reason."
Ah—
He swallowed.
Kreig may not have noticed, but his wounds healed faster than the norm. Confused, he asked, "W-what should I do then…?"
"Domains are granted to the blessed. Now that you've passed your hurdle, you may proceed to the next step, which, in actuality, is a crucial one. You may choose a word or two as your calling word, and enter a deep trance where you will be focused. Only then will you truly become one."
Replied the gnome, with a smile on its face.
"T-thank you," replied Kreig softly, before grabbing a silver shard from his pouch to put inside a box, which the gnome replied with a smile.
Afterwards, Kreig immediately started walking outside, his face dumbstruck, and he found it unbelievable.
"If that was enough to have one awakened, then what about the others…? Is it different for every individual…?"
Haaa—
He breathed a sigh of relief, then his face warped into a smile, eyes watery.
"I…did it after all."