2 [2] Awakening

Act 1 | Prologue | Awakening

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Having finished his breakfast a while ago, Zack was sitting in the ancestral library, slightly frowning as he read a book on magic theory. The reason was that what he was reading was fairly different from his own understanding of magic so far.

"Wow. This is... surprising. With such a rigid magic system I don't know how the wizards managed to survive untill now." Zack muttered to himself.

"Oh, they managed well I guess." Eve commented with a lazy voice as she sat on the chairs besides him while setting a mug of hot chocolate on the table which Zack received with a silent 'thank you'. "They did survive but due to such system and unnecessary restrictions on different branches of magic they sabotaged their own development. The result.. Decline in progress, decreased quality and quantity of capable wizards, corrupt system infested with racism, bigotry and blood supremacy."

Sipping the tasty hot chocolate, Zack allowed the sweet, comforting taste to ease his frown and release a pleased grunt. He calmly closed the book and set it aside.

"Oh, but the eastern community thrived while we declined. Why so?" Zack asked.

"There's no concrete reason or proof but that maybe because the slight difference in magic system, ranking, freedom to experiment with magic and generally a better society." Eve shrugged, there were many theories and it was up for debate why eastern countries like China, Japan, Russia, India thrived experiencing abundance in talent while their western half deteriorated. "But we will probably never get the official answer since the old coots governing us turn a blind eye to such matters focusing more on blood purity and unnecessary, freedom restricting laws."

"To me it seems that they are just salty and don't want to accept have long lost the battle of supremacy if they are still at it."Zack said. "Anyways, so how did dad's and mom's family became two of the strongest if not the strongest families with strong magic user?"

"Bloodline, Zack Bloodline." Eve said. "The Cairns Clan and the O'Regan Tribe have ancestors who had received blessing from magic itself. We, Cairn are the descendant of Abe-No-Seimei. In 9th century we were one of the first clans who open handedly accepted the idea of inter-country marriages to strengthen bonds between countries. Lady Mabel Dorothy Cairns was married to Abe-No-Seimei as one of his 3 wives who gave birth to Nathaniel Lefwald Cairns who brought the clan to glory during the saxon war."

Zack eye's glowed with suprise and excitement as he digested this new information. Seeing the curious gleam in his eyes Eve laughed.

"Abe-No-Seimei was a great man, shrouded by a thick veil of mystery, but his prowess were known throughout both worlds. An expert in astrology, master and founder of multiple magic arts lost over the time and most of all thought to be born to a Fox spirit by Magic's blessings. A mixed-blood." Eve smiled as Zack was in awe. "We Cairns received one-third of legacy. Superior body and magic quality along with some of his personal magic arts that we still have it preserved in this very library."

"I see... What about Dad's family?" Zack asked as he recovered.

"Your father's family are known to be direct descendants of a legendary figure who appeared in the Legend of King Arthur. The fairy queen, the true ruler of British Isles, Morgan Le Fay." Eve smiled as she passed Zack a book.

"The True Origin and Life of Mother Queen Morgan, by Fairy Princess Adora De'Luné." Zack read the title and he almost passed out due to shock and excitement.

"Queen Morgan was an immense ruler and the only equal of the half-human, half-succubus, High-Wizard, Merlin. King Urther during his adventure had traveled to 'Land of Fairies' where he caught the attention of Fairy Princess Fiona and they both had a beautiful daughter, Morgan Le Fay." She paused and allowed the information to sink in. "She was the true heir to her father's throne not Arthur but instead chose to rule the 'Land of Fairies'. She also was the one responsible to take King Arthur's body to Avalon after his death and returning his legendary sword to Vivian, the 'Lady Of The Lake.' She was the best of everything, a magnificent queen, a formidable warrior maiden and a prodigious witch who eventually surpassed Merlin and became the Mage-Queen for the first time in history after fall of Olympus and Ancient Greece."

"AWESOME!" Zack clapped as the admiration and respect in his eyes increased for both of his ancestors.

"Awesome indeed. O'Regan Family started from Mordred, the first artificial-life form and the clone of King Arthur. Mordred wasn't allowed to inherit the throne by Merlin because of unknown complications after Arthur's death. Heartbroken she traveled to far west, the America, where during one of her skirmish against the natives meet a common shepherd in his late teens, Abiel O'Regan who was actually a beast tamer."

"His love for animal and longing for peace and freedom attracted her and she fell in love with his innocence. They got married and the O'Regan family then was born gifted in strange mystic arts being more attuned to nature and having a branch of divinity, beast empathy. Which made them very, very formidable." Eve smiled as she looked at Zack with a loving gaze and let her thoughts wander. 'And now there's you, the product of Cairns and O'Regan clan being united, two precious bloodline, two incomprehensible legacies. I believe-no, I know you will be the best of both.'

Zack looked down at the book and looked at Morgan's portrait and was entranced as the portrait smiled at him. 'Wow... So pretty.'

"Alright, I think I'll just ignore this book of modern magic theory and instead learn about magic from ancient texts." Zack said as he put aside the first book he was reading with undisguised distaste.

"Yep, wait I'll recommend you some books you should read first. Make sure to understand them and if you don't understand anything, ask me okay?" Eve asked as he nodded. "Good, tonight we will carry out the familial ritual to awaken your magic potential."

Zack nodded in excitement. This Awakening Ritual was first theorised by Abe-No-Seimei who believed that it will unlock the hidden and true magic potential of a individual giving him greater magic reserves, control and understanding towards magic which will allow them if fate wills to understand the essence of Magic itself. But sadly he died before he could finish his formula which was passed to Lord Nathaniel Lefwald Cairns who completed it and it became their secret family ritual.

Handing few books and tomes to Zack, Eve smiled and went to sit on the armchair to read a book about the adventures of an adorable silver-haired and golden eyed kid by author, Poison.

"What a suspicious title..." Zack muttered to himself before shaking his thought in favour of concentrating the ancient text on magic before him with newfound resolution and excitement.

Time tickes off quickly as Zack found himself in the backyard of the comfy, three-storey mansion. Zack was sitting shirtless in the middle of a ritual circle. Eve had made several markings on his body with the blood of Egyptian Bonecrown Dragon. One of the most mysterious dragons who live under the ancient tombs and their blood is highly magical and is used as a catalyst to aggravate the magic core to release and thrash its limitation and unleash it's fullest potential.

The ritual circle was intricate with geometric patterns drawn with great balance and symmetry.

"While I'm not the best with these sort of things, this will be enough. I did the best I could." Eve said dusting her hands as she finished giving the circle a final touches. "Alright before we begin, I want to warn you about a few things. Firstly, as we begin you will feel the magic bubbling inside of you and it might out of your control, Do NOT try to forcibly tug the magic in anyway or attempt anything. If it's too much the magic circle will absorb magic if it becomes too volatile. Clear?"

Zack nodded as he listened carefully.

"Secondly, you might experience a particular phenomenon during the awakening, it can be anything, a vision, an epiphany or something else. Pay close attention and try to comprehend the reason and the motive of the phenomenon. The more you learn about the phenomenon the better understanding you will have of your own magic." Eve said. "Like during my awakening, I found myself on a lake of ice surroundes by five gigantic mountain and a full moon. Which gave me an understanding of my magic and my natural affinity towards ice and magic related to moon."

Zack nooded rubbing his chin in wonder.

"And lastly I want you to relax yourself as much as you can. The more tense you will be the more hard and possibly hurtful the awakening will be." Eve said and smiled. "All the best."

"Thank you." Zack flashed back a smile and closed his eyes and regulated his breathing begining to enter a meditative state he was practicing for past year.

Eve raised an eyebrow but shook her head. 'Let it be. I don't know how many tricks this little genius could be hiding. Atleast this will be helpful to him in the ritual.'

Eve became serious as she began to power up the circle. The patters and the runes lit up one in a brilliant show of lights as a light veil of magic surrounded the rune circle.

Eve's eyes widened as she fell immense magic pouring out of Zack as his chest glowed dimly.

The winds picked up, brushing against Eve as she raised as she used her forearms to protect her eyes. 'Even with the shield his magic... It's terrifying.'

Her shock only grew more as wisps of azure-blue and black energy appeared from thin air and begin seeping into his chest from where it was growing

'What the... It's like they are trying to enter and have a place in his core. There are no records of such a thing.' Eve thought, sweating now before smirking. "What a monster..."

While Zack's awakening caused chaos in the physical plane Zack was experiencing an epiphany right now. He had been secretly practising meditation when Esther briefly told him about mind arts legilimency and occlumency. Every time he would meditate he would feel as if he had reached a blockade of some sorts and wasn't able to move forward.

He kept his mind relaxed and just thought about magic. His fascination for it, his adoration for it. Magic brought colour to his life. He was utterly in love with it.

After the huge rise in his magic power and potential the bounds broke and now he found himself in a simulation of the universe. Everywhere he looked he could see beautiful clusters of stars forming constellations and groups. Cosmic sea of various energy and planets he has never seen before.

"Wow... Beautiful." Zack muttered entranced by the scenery.

"Beautiful indeed." Zack shivered in a mix of suprise and pleasure as a melodious whisper of a women reached his ears. His eyes widened as he quickly distanced himself. Turning around he was once more shocked to see the most beautiful woman he has ever seen in his short life.

She was beautiful and tall. Her pearless face was framed with shoulder-length, wavy raven hair with blue-berry highlights. She has same coloured makeup around her eyes and her luscious lips were covered in black-lipstick which formed an amused smile. On her head was a blue-black crown of flowers. Her beautiful and very much voluptuous was covered my a black dress which didn't leave much to imagination.

"Such a beautiful soul you are, little Zachy. So young, so powerful, so pure and so, so interesting." The beautiful lady smiled as she bit her lips in a seductive manner. "You have my attention."

"Umm... Who are you pretty lady?" Zack asked innocently though he had a slight blush on his face. The lady giggled at his cuteness before walking towards him and picking him into her arms and cooed at him in a motherly manner.

"Aww... Such a cute thing." She said rubbing her cheek against his. "Well to your answer, I am Hecate, a primordial entity who represents magic, you can say that I'm the essence of magic itself."

Zack's eyes widened in shock before they glowed with intense awe and admiration which slightly flustered her. Zack was the first human in many, many years who managed to reach her and she could feel his adoration and love for magic.

"You are magic?" Zack asked to which Hecate smiled and nodded. "You are awesome!"

"Hehe... Thankyou, child. Now, tell me what do you seek from me?" She asked.

"Huh?" Zack was confused and thought for a while but in the end he just shook his head. "Nothing. I just want to use magic and understand it. That's enough for me."

Hecate felt her heart melting due to Zack's sincere smile. "Really?

"Yep! And meeting you today, this is the best! To meet and talk with magic herself! Uwaha!" It was one of the rare moments were Zack actually acted like his age and this childish innocence and sincerity meant everything to Hecate.

"Well, I have decided. You will be mine." Hecate smiled.

"Yours? Like your friend?" Zack tilted his head which prompted a giggle from Hecate.

"Not quite. But you will understand when you grow up. So will you be mine? I promise to take care of you very well. Please?"

"Oh! Okay!"

"Hehe! Great!" Hecate smiled kissing Zack's cheeks. "Sadly it's time for you to go. But before that let me give you a few blessings."

"Okay!"

Setting Zack down Hecate gently tapped his forehead, then his eyes and then his chest.

"Your mind is your greatest tool, your strongest blade, with my blessings sharpen it into a peerless sword that grows sharper as it ages"

"Lost to everyone but not to your own. Light in the darkness, eyes seeing the unseen. Nothing is a closed secret to your clairvoyance."

"There will be no greater heart than yours, from dusk till dawn. Raising mountain of ashes, the rise of an ancient beast that will scare the fake gods. Unmatched, untamed and unchained will be the traits of yours. When the world would abandon you, you will be mine and I shall be yours."

Zack felt foreign influence in his being for a second before he was engulfed in warmth. He felt his conscience returning as Hecate crouched to his level and gave him a last warm hug before pulling away.

"Untill we meet next time, My dear." She said and smiled. Zack smiled back at Hecate as his vision turned dark.

Eve nearly panicked when she saw his entire body being engulfed in bright azure-blue flames but calmed as she saw his body was unharmed half and hour later the shield cracked and broke down as his magic energy created a shockwave but luckily no one was harmed.

As the wind died down, Eve stilled her breathing as glow dimmed down. Zack's eye lids fluttered open revealing his Golden eyes which were glowing due to enormous amount of magic bubbling under his skin.

He breathed out loudly for the first time, breathing out a mist of sorts as his entire being shined as if cleansed of every impurity. Eve walking towards him as Zack got up, now close to him Eve raised her eyebrows at the change in her nephew.

His eyes had an almost draconic slit to them instead of a rounded pupil. And when he smiled at her she noticed his canines were noticeably longer and sharper but not quite to the point of being called fangs.

Zack beamed at his aunt and smiled grinned widely before announcing..

"I have awakened."

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A/N: Edited :D