Chapter - 2 The Misunderstood Awakening
šļø The Awakening Hall ā Windmere Central Plaza
In the morning, the city buzzed. Flags flew high. Children and their families gathered in the plaza near the Awakening Hall, a domed structure inscribed with glowing runes and lined with silverstone pillars.
One by one, fifteen-year-olds stepped onto the Awakening Platform ā a circular stage made of transparent crystal and etched with celestial sigils.
The Awakening Hall buzzed with energy.
Parents, nobles, elders, and children gathered beneath the high crystal dome that shimmered with threads of mana. It was a sacred place ā the site where every child born in Windmere came to receive their fate at the age of fifteen.
For most, this moment defined their entire life.
Some awakened combat skills and joined guilds.
Others received support-type abilities and became alchemists, blacksmiths, or merchants.
A fewā¦ awakened nothing at all.
Arin stood quietly at the edge of the raised platform, among dozens of other fifteen-year-olds. Despite the buzz around him, he felt strangely calm.
This is it, he thought. The moment everything changes.
An elder in a deep indigo robe stepped forward. His beard was long, nearly reaching his belt, and a staff of silverwood hummed gently in his hand. His name was Elder Kairon, the one responsible for channeling the Orb of Fate.
"All young candidates," he began, his voice echoing across the hall, "prepare your minds. When your name is called, step forward to receive your destiny. The Orb will reveal your skill ā and through it, your purpose."
The crowd hushed as the first name was called.
One by one, teenagers stepped forward.
"Leira Vanthell!"
The girl approached with grace. The orb lit up.
Skill Awakened: Flame Threads
A murmur of approval swept through the crowd. A noble fire-weaving skill. Useful in both combat and tailoring enchanted clothes.
"Merren Fail!"
Skill Awakened: Iron Hide
A defensive tank skill. More applause.
Thenā
"Arinā¦" the elder paused, squinting at the parchment, "ā¦no last name?"
A few chuckles rose in the audience.
Arin stepped forward, feeling the weight of hundreds of eyes.
He stepped into the center of the Awakening Platform. The orb pulsed.
Nothing happened for a moment.
Thenāa soft blue light.
The orb trembled faintly before shimmering with glowing letters in the air:
Skill Awakened: Legendary Card Draw
A long silence followed.
The name floated in elegant golden script. No explanation. No flare. No visual effect.
Justā¦ the name.
Elder Kairon tilted his head. He raised an eyebrow, clearly puzzled.
"'Legendary Card Draw'ā¦?" He rubbed his chin. "Strange. Must be some kind of gambling or luck-based merchant skill. Perhaps related to strategy games. Not uncommon among lower-tier traders who deal with odds and chance-based tools."
He turned toward Arin with a faint, polite smile ā the kind used when addressing a child of no importance.
"Well, young man. It may not be a combat skill, but fret not. With a skill like this, you can become a decent street performer or gambler. Cards are popular entertainment among travelers. You might earn coin in taverns."
The crowd chuckled ā louder this time.
Some laughed outright.
"Legendary what? Is he gonna summon a deck of cards?"
"Hope he draws something better than that outfit."
"Must be a joke from the orb."
Arin's shoulders tensed, but he said nothing.
The orb dimmed. His turn was over.
No lights. No floating cards. No divine voice or dramatic power surge.
Just a name. Misunderstood.
He walked back silently.
But inside, his mind was spinning.
Because the moment the orb displayed the words "Legendary Card Draw," he felt something awaken inside him. Not just in his mind, but deep in his soul ā like a new circuit had activated.
A mechanical chime echoed faintly in his head.
[Skill Activated: Legendary Card Draw]
You may draw 5 random cards per day.
Cards may contain: Weapons, Skills, Beasts, Artifacts, or ???
Draw now?
He almost tripped on the last step down.
Did anyone else hear that? he thought, but no one reacted.
He quickly shook his head. No. It's only me. This is my system.
Arin sat among the others, his mind racing.
The other kids were still going up. Still receiving their fates.
"Don't draw yet," he whispered to himself. "Not here."
But deep inside, a spark had been lit.
š That Evening ā Hearthlight Orphanage
The mood at dinner was light. The other orphans chatted about their skills.
One boy had awakened Barkskin, perfect for becoming a forest scout.
Another got Lightstep, useful for rogues or messengers.
No one mentioned Arin's skill.
Except, of course, for Jorven, the biggest loudmouth in the orphanage.
"So, Card Boy," Jorven called out from across the table, "how many silver can you win me at the tavern tonight?"
The others laughed.
Arin ignored them and kept eating. He wasn't angry ā just thoughtful.
Because he could still hear the chime in his mind.
[Cards Available: 5/5 Today]
Would you like to draw your cards?
Later that night, when everyone else had fallen asleep, Arin sat on the edge of his bed, the moonlight filtering through the window.
He took a deep breath.
"Let's see what you really are."
He focused on the voice in his head.
[Initiating Drawā¦]
Five glowing cards appeared in front of him. Floating midair. Transparent. Glimmering.
He reached out instinctively toward the first.
š”ļø Weapon Card Drawn: Ironfang Dagger
Grade: Rare
A curved dagger forged from beastbone. Bonus: +3 Agility.
The card flashed, and suddenly, a real dagger lay in his palm.
His eyes widened.
"This is realā¦"
He touched the blade. It was cold, sharp, perfectly balanced.
He reached for the next card.
š Creature Card Drawn: Ember Lizard Hatchling
Grade: Common
A small fire-elemental lizard. Loyal and adorable.
A red glow formed beside his bed. A tiny lizard with glowing orange scales blinked at him, curling up on his blanket with a soft chirp.
The next card shimmered.
āØ Skill Card Drawn: Shadowstep
Grade: Epic
Allows instant short-range teleportation to a location within 10 meters.
Arin's breath caught. "That'sā¦ insane."
The fourth card:
š”ļø Artifact Card Drawn: Minor Guardian Emblem
Grade: Rare
Summons a temporary shield barrier when the user is fatally wounded.
And finallyā
ā Mystery Card Drawn: ???
Grade: Unknown
Cannot be identified until certain conditions are met.
The card flickered ā and disappeared.
Arin stared at the remaining items around him. A rare weapon. A pet. A mobility skill. A protective artifact. And a mystery.
He wasn't laughing.
He wasn't confused.
He was in awe.
Because this wasn't just a skill ā it was a system.
A tool that could make him powerful in ways no one could imagine.
And everyoneā¦ had underestimated him.
š Author's POV:
That night, while Windmere slept, a boy no one cared about drew five cards from fate's deck.
Not one soul saw it.
No one heard the soft growl of the Ember Lizard, or saw the dagger flash in moonlight.
But the world had shifted.
The first ripple had begun.
The Cardmaster was born
End of Chapter 2