11 Ch 11: The start of the trial
The old man continued, "I'm sure many of you are well aware that this ceremony's sole purpose is to awaken one's spirit veins. But can anyone tell me what spirit veins actually are? Only those people participating in the ceremony are allowed to answer."
A hush fell over the scene.
While everyone knew the purpose of spirit veins — that all eight of them must be wide open and functioning for an unawakened wizard to force open the entrance to their arcane heart — their actual understanding of it was superficial. As for what they did know, they lacked the confidence to articulate in a way that would sound intelligible, hence they didn't dare speak up to avoid potential embarrassment before the crowd.
Suddenly, a hand shot up from the crowd.
"He did not just..."
Everyone's eyes quickly turned to see who it was. What they saw took them by surprise.
"He did?!"
In fact, it was so unexpected and shocking that many of the onlookers believed they were seeing things. They rubbed their eyes in disbelief and looked again, but the reality remained unbroken - it was indeed Valerius who had raised his hand to showcase his intention to answer the old man's question.
"He must be bluffing. We don't even know the answer to the old man's question. How could he possibly know?" Lysandra remarked.
"Just wait, he's going to end up embarrassing himself," Elrik said with certainty.
Benjamin turned to Elrik and asked, "What makes you so confident?"
"Well, based on past experiences, he has never displayed any ounce of profound wisdom or knowledge. Why would now be any different?" Elrik replied with a smirk. "After all, it's not as if anyone can change overnight, right?"
Among the many eyes that were on Valerius, one pair belonged to old man Kendrick.
"You wish to answer?"
The crowd watched as the old man asked Valerius a question.
Valerius nodded.
"May I?"
"Valerius of house Khaleji, you may," the old man uttered with a nod of approval.
Valerius cleared his throat before speaking, "Spirit veins are conduits of soul power found within the majority of us Serphians. They're considered to be a byproduct of a mutation. This mutation is believed to result from continuous exposure to soul power. This theory is further supported by the fact that Serph, dense with soul power, has the highest percentage of people with spirit veins.
"And while spirit veins have the remarkable ability to harness the energy of the world, allowing even those who aren't fully-fledged wizards to engage with soul power, their capabilities are, however, limited. One can only accumulate and expel soul power in their spirit veins. And, as these veins are dormant, they require a specific condition to awaken."
Kendrick raised an eyebrow, "Which is?"
"External pressure," Valerius replied confidently.
"Anything else you might want to add to that?" Kendrick said.
Valerius nodded, adding, "The pressure that has proven most effective in opening spirit veins is one derived from soul power."
"Impressive! Your answer is better than what I've heard from some professors at the Central Wizard Academy," Kendrick praised.
'Well, it's mainly because I have read the novel this world is based on,' Valerius thought.
Murmurs of surprise rippled through the crowd.
Nobody had expected Valerius, who was often overlooked and underestimated, to have such a profound understanding of the topic. What surprised them even more was that he was being acknowledged and praised by the old man.
Lysandra stood visibly shocked, her eyes wide and mouth agape.
"This shouldn't have happened."
Valerius was gaining recognition, and she didn't like it one bit. It just made it harder for her to coerce him into becoming her male concubine!
In the midst of this Benjamin turned his gaze to Elrik. Sensing the intense stare, Elrik turned to face Benjamin. What met his eyes was a mocking smile that was clearly meant to rile him up.
Elrik felt annoyed. His eyebrows furrowing in irritation, he glared and snapped at Benjamin, "What are you staring at?"
Without missing a beat and with a tone dripping in sarcasm, Benjamin replied, "A monkey who was proven wrong. You can see him too if you stand before a mirror."
Elrik's face reddened with a mixture of anger and resentment as he locked eyes with Benjamin. The taunting gleam in Benjamin's eyes made Elrik's blood boil even hotter. He felt furious, the desire to beat Benjamin to a pulp budding in his heart. His fingers twitched, eager to clench into a fist and strike out.
However, years of training and discipline under the strict code of the Khaleji family weighed him down. In the end, relying on every fiber of his being, he held himself back from acting on his intrusive and irrational thoughts.
The House Khaleji prioritized establishing relationships with prominent individuals and was deeply concerned about their public image. A branch family member of the Khaleji openly confronting a descendant of the Dicken family here, in front of the entire gathering, would surely tarnish that image, meaning he'd have to face the wrath of his family elders if he allowed his emotions to rule over his actions!
'I can verbally abuse Valerius and get away with it scot-free since he is an outcast looked down upon by the entire community with no one on his side. But I can't do the same to Benjamin. This time, I must retreat. However, if given a chance, I will get back at him.'
Elrik couldn't confront Benjamin without tarnishing his family's reputation and facing punishment for it. Thus, he reined in his frustration and began backpedaling, never taking his gaze off Benjamin as he retorted, "What's the use of being knowledgeable when he's so weak? Valerius may know a thing or two, but in this world, where strength is revered and holds utmost importance, he will always remain insignificant."
Elrik was gravely mistaken.
In this world, not everyone held the same beliefs as the Khalejis. The Dickens, in particular, didn't discriminate against non-wizards as they themselves came from humble origins. Racism didn't run in their blood!
"Woof, woof!"
Upon hearing Elrik's retort, Benjamin couldn't help but respond in a teasing manner. With his hands raised to the side of his face, he barked out twice like a dog, implying that Elrik's comments about Valerius were similar to a dog's bark. They were just loud, but made no sense!
Benjamin's actions were like a hard slap to Elrik's face as he had insulted him in public.
Soft chuckles raised from the crowd.
Elrik felt more embarrassed and enraged than he already was, his face turning a deeper shade of red.
'Keep calm. Don't make an impulsive decision that you'll regret.'
Taking another deep breath, he forced himself to turn away from Benjamin. He knew that if he continued to engage or even look at Benjamin, he might lose control.
Benjamin, on the other hand, was grinning from ear to ear, thoroughly enjoying the situation. He watched Elrik's retreating figure with amusement dancing in his eyes. Making fun of Elrik, especially in such a public setting, had been immensely satisfying for him!
"Do you see the circles around the grand ancestral tree?" the old man asked.
Two circles were etched into the ground at varying distances from the tree. One circle was a hundred feet away from the tree, and the other was precisely fifty feet away from the grand ancestral tree.
After drawing the circles into the focus of the crowd, the old man continued, "When the ceremony starts, you just need to reach these circles to awaken the dormant spirit veins within you. If you reach the outer circle, your level 1 spirit vein will awaken. And if you can get to the inner circle after that, you will also awaken your level 2 spirit veins."
"It's so simple?" Lysandra, unable to contain her surprise, blurted out, voicing what many were thinking.
Valerius wasn't among them as he knew the secrets of the ceremony that were kept confidential from the general public for security purposes.
The old man warned, "Do not let yourself be deceived by the trial's apparent simplicity. The journey to these circles won't be easy. The ceremony will commence shortly. If you have any questions or doubts, voice them now. Later, you won't get the opportunity."
"Can we only awaken two spirit veins in this ceremony?" Elrik inquired.
"No, it's possible to awaken a third-level spirit vein during the ceremony. However, discovering how to do so will be a challenge you'll need to navigate on your own," the old man replied.
"How challenging will the journey towards the circles be when the ceremony starts? Will there be any risks involved?" Benjamin asked.
"It will be painful." The old man replied, "You might lose your consciousness, but I can guarantee that no life will be lost during the ceremony."
After some more questions and answers, it was finally time for the ceremony to start.
The old man spoke up,
"Everyone, stand 100 feet away from the outer circle."
People quickly moved to where he pointed.
Once they were all there, the old man announced, "Let the ceremony commence!"
