"Three! Time to wake up! Today is the biggest day of your life, and you don't want to miss a single second."
A loud bang shook the room as a middle-aged man called out. His silver hair gleamed in the morning light, and the near-absence of facial hair gave him a sharp, composed look that somehow still felt welcoming.
Three groaned, tangled in blankets, dark hair flopping over his eyes. He tried to resist the morning, but the memory of today, the day he'd been waiting for, snapped him fully awake. Sleep fled as if it had never existed.
He scrambled out of bed, straightened it with brisk efficiency, changed, and flung open the door.
"Morning, Father."
"You were almost late," the man said, pride coloring his tone. "I told you to sleep early. Stop worrying about what's coming. You are my son. Nothing bad can happen to you with my genes."
Before Three could respond, his father whisked him along, moving faster than Three's mind could keep up. Moments later, they stopped in front of a well-built brick house.
"Father, Three is here," he called. The door swung open, revealing another silver-haired man, slightly older, draped in pristine white robes.
"Three, Sigil. Nice to meet you," the elder said, embracing them warmly.
"I hope little Three is ready," he added, pinching the boy's cheeks until his face burned red.
"I'm ready, Grandpa! I can't wait to have powers like you and Dad!" Three exclaimed, bouncing with excitement.
Vexer, Sigil's father, was no ordinary man. As clan leader of the Starborn Clan, the most powerful clan on the planet, he held the Sovereign Manifest rank. Generations of Starborns had shaped the world to their will. Their strategy was isolation. The clan lived on a private island, mingling only with allied subclans through intermarriage. The world dared not challenge them, and peace had lasted over a million years.
"Let's get going," Vexer said, waving his hand. A greenish portal shimmered into existence. They stepped through, emerging at the base of a massive mountain in the island's heart.
A cave gaped before them. Crystals and embedded stones glowed, illuminating a simple grotto pool at its center.
Three raised a brow. No grand statues, no golden floors, just a plain, unassuming cave.
Vexer noticed and cleared his throat, chuckling. "I suppose some renovations are in order. People keep complaining about the simplicity."
"No need to justify yourself, Dad. But you might want to fix it, or some won't awaken properly," Sigil teased, patting him on the back. Three laughed, returning his gaze to the pool.
The pool was for awakening. Every twelve-year-old came here to soak, letting their body and cells adapt and unlock innate powers. Similar pools existed worldwide, but this tradition was sacred.
"Strip, boy. Enter the water," Vexer ordered, ignoring his son's protest.
"Aah! Do I have to?" Three groaned.
"How do you expect it to work with clothes on? We're all men here. Nothing to be embarrassed about. I even changed your wet napkins when you were a toddler," Vexer said, tossing Three toward the pool. With a snap of his fingers, Three's clothes vanished.
"Wait!" Three shouted, flailing mid-air.
"Come on, Dad," Sigil barked, diving to catch him. "You need to prepare him mentally. What if he panics?" He handed Three's clothes back, letting the boy regain some dignity.
Three's glare could have swallowed his grandfather a dozen times over.
"Sorry, just a joke. No need to panic." A piece of green candy materialized in Vexer's hand. He offered it to Three.
"I'm not a kid anymore, Grandpa, but you're forgiven just because of this. Dad wouldn't get one yesterday," Three said, devouring it, eyes shining.
"See? Easy. Sigil, treat your son well if you want him to think of you as his favorite. He's never angry with me," Vexer bragged.
"That's because you spoil him too much. I had strict parents, but I learned from the best," Sigil muttered. Both broke into laughter.
"Okay, enough. Attention, both of you," Vexer said, clapping his hands. "Three, you need to understand what's happening before the next step."
"Right now, you're about to undergo a shift of life, one that separates ordinary mortals from those powerful enough to raze mountains," Vexer said. Wooden seats materialized behind them, and they all took their places.
He gestured toward the pool. "This pool is what we call the Awakening Pool. It doesn't have an official name, but everyone uses that. What it does is simulate your cells, stirring the power already ingrained within them." Three nodded, eyes wide.
"Once you enter, two things can happen. Either you awaken your inherent abilities, or you fail. And if failure strikes, it can lead to severe bodily collapse or even death if someone isn't there to help immediately."
Three's jaw dropped. His parents had always dodged questions about awakening, brushing him off with vague answers about being too young to understand. But here, his grandfather explained everything, leaving nothing hidden. Grandpa is the best, he thought, absorbing every word.
"I know I mentioned the possibility of failure," Vexer continued, "but there's no need to worry. Those from strong bloodlines, with solid genetics, have a much higher chance of awakening something extraordinary. So, Three, you will awaken something."