Awakening Ceremony (2/2)

( thank you for reading, in this chapters I tried mixing varios POVs as I felt that the previous chapter were a bit too bland comment plz if you liked the change and let me remind you that from the starting to end of the novel Willow/Gabriel is the protagonist the POVs are just to give more life and better understand; correct me if you see any mistakes )

_____________________________

Awakening Ceremony Room

----------------------------------------------

Four men stood on top of a brightly illuminated magic circle in a locked chambe. A male child with long dull green hair was lifted in the air, tied by glowing energy vines emanating from the magic circle, while a blonde boy with green eyes and an indifferent face was accumulating an ominous black hue in his hand

<Willow POV >

"How?...."

That was all I could ask as James gathered dark elemental mana in his hands.

An element which no one in the ophelia family has, an element which requires atleast one of the parent to possess it so that their children can have it.

Darkness element.

Unlike other elements which occur in the nature and co-exist the darkness is an element which affects all other elements.

The only way a person can possess darkness element is to either be blessed by a crest of a darkness God which later on causes your offsprings to possess the element or get blessed by a higher spirit of darkness have it convert your innate element to darkness element.

____________________________________________

<James POV>

As I look at Willow's suprised face I couldn't help but make a wry smile, as when I awakened with this element my face was the same, I was confused, enrage and anxious.

I knew my father Count Ronald had the light element and incompatible element with darkness and my mother was a fire element user.

As I continued thinking about it, my rage and anxiousness turned into fear and then despair as I realised how bad of a mess I was in.

Soon my confusion also turned into clarity, as even if I tried my best to deny the truth, the truth was simple:-my mother was unfaithful.

That was the only thing that could make sense of the dilemma I was in.

I was then stuck in another cycle of denial and rage.

I was angry at my mother for being unfaithful, at myself for being unlucky enough to awaken the dark element and at this world for putting me in such a situation.

I couldn't stay angry at my mother she was the only one for me in this cold house whom I could truly call family my father was never present and even when he was there the only thing he would give us would be a cold look, a face which would look at a stone and a human the same way, someone who stopped differencing between life and death with such a man as a husband I didn't blame her, for even I hated him.

To find a way out of my situation I started searching for artifacts and tools to hide mana. in the black market.

It was then that I was approached by them a heinous organisation, they offered me an information that I couldn't refuse, a way to change my elemental affinity, but alas nothing was free what they wanted was the legacy of Ophelia family the resurrection crystal a pure red gem said to be from the ancient era possessing the power to resurrect the dead, it so was what was commonly known as true information about it was only available to the head of the family and the direct hier.

They said they would help me become the head of the family and all I need to do was hand over the crystal to them. I accepted their offer I had no greed for the head position but I accepted cause I had no choice I was not afraid to be found out cause even if I was, I would be just kicked out after all having darkness element is not a crime it's just quite frowned upon, but what about my mother she was a noble and an official wife she could be charge with infidelity and would be imprisoned, I doubt that count would even shy at the thought of killing her for honour.

I formed my core under their guidance and support and grew, even they were shocked by my rapid progress, they called me a genius but I couldn't care any less.

One day they brought out something which suprised me greatly ' An Angel's Quill' made out of a feather of the angels the proxy of gods and the only other race who can harness divine energy innately.

They said to change my affinity I must atleast be at the fourth ascension, and even with all my training I had only reached the peak of first, the alternate to that was to get a crest of the magic god, but those seldom gave any blessing so they decided to create a false one which though less affective would do the job.

The inscription process was painful and agony fill even after the process I would still regularly feel the pain and burden of a divine crest of God created with the meager divine energy present in the quill, but I endured it and soon came the day of awakening Willow had been staying in the mansion for a month I couldn't help but feel guilty but I had no choice as the chances of success increased when the element is taken from a newly awaken, but in case of Willow's failure in getting a healing element there was Joe who was also a water element mage with Healing attribute, he and Zorc both were sent by the organisation to help me in getting the new affinity, both were prepared to die this further made me aware of the power of the organisation as they could sneak high mages into the Magus Tower and also use them sacrificial Pawn.

As the magic circle started gathering mana I could feel no pressure as I was already used to mana then I saw Willow limp towards the center of the circle I followed him trying to move the same way he did, so as to not bud doubts in anyone's mind.

The ceremony began I jus sat there in meditating position waiting for Willow to awaken, and when he awakened and told me about his affinity o couldn't help but laugh as I felt relief wash over me. I was still feeling guilty bit I didn't let it stop me.

To his question I replied gathering darkness mana in my hand, I started utilising the power of crest unbearable pain spread through my body but even that couldn't stop me from doing what I must.

"What I want is your element"

______________________________________

<Willow POV>

As I heard what James said my mind went into a n overdrive trying to find out more so I could escape but I couldn't continue doing so for as soon as James hand touch my chest where my heart is I screamed out in pain.

"AAAAAARGHYAAFUCGRAAH"

The pain was so great i couldn't form words anymore my mind was screaming, begging and hoping for all of this to just end but I could do nothing but scream as I felt an hours pass by, and then the pain intensified as I felt all my internal organs being gouged out while they tried their best to cling to my body.

I couldn't even pass out as I felt my entire body forcing me to stay awake, and then out of the corner of my eye I saw James chest near his heart there was a crest of four eerie eyes on top of a wooden club like wand but the thing about them was that they were bleeding I then heard some muffled voice that I couldn't quite concentrate on and then the pain started getting less and when I looked at James I saw clutching his chest.

Before I could make any sense of what was happening the pressure in the room increased by hundreds of thousands of times and then a deafening explosion rang out.

________________________________________

<James POV>

As I heard Willow scream trying to curse and failed my heart grew heavy but I didn't stop.

I started feeling willows mana and it's affinity and started pulling it towards myself and just when I was about to succeed I lost all feeling inside my body and then the pain in my chest intensified leaving me breathless clutching it.

"Young Master James"

"Stop Drawing Mana"

I head Joe and Zorc telling me to stop drawing mana but I couldn't quite get what they were talking about and then the pressure hit me I felt my bones all get crush and my muscles tear and screamed and then a bright light replaced everything, and I lost consciousness.

_________________________________________

Outside The Awakening Ceremony Room

_________________________________________

<Primrose POV>

It had nearly been two hour since the ceremony began. Everything was going fine then suddenly I was hit by a pressure so heavy that i fell on my knees.

I saw mother( Countess Elaine) and the Grand Mage from Magus Tower rush towards the door of the awakening ceremony but then they were blasted back by an huge explosion but I saw that they had skillfully casted a barrier and were unharmed but then I was affected by the explosion and lost consciousness.

_________________________________________