Power Awakening

Raphael, or rather Asha, woke to the sound of soft whispers and footsteps outside the nursery. His eyes fluttered open, and he stared at the ceiling of his modest room. Though his body was tiny and weak, his mind was as sharp as ever. The events of the previous days weighed heavily on him—the funeral, his father's disdain, and the revelation of his new identity as a girl named Asha.

But today felt different. As the soft morning light filtered through the window, Raphael noticed something odd in his vision. A faint glow, like a flicker of light, hovered in the corner of his sight. Squinting, he focused on it, and suddenly a small translucent box appeared.

[System Activated]

Status: Locked

His heart raced. This was the system the god had promised him. Finally, something tangible in this confusing new world. But it was locked, inaccessible for now. He wondered what triggered its activation—his age, a certain moment, or something else entirely?

As he focused on the system, another notification appeared briefly before vanishing just as quickly:

[Gift Limitations: Active]

"Of course," Raphael thought with frustration. The limitations the god had mentioned were already at play. He sighed internally. There would be no easy road in this world.

The door creaked open, and the maid who had cared for him in the previous days entered the room. Her name, Raphael had learned, was Sera. She approached his cradle with a soft smile, lifting him into her arms with practiced ease.

"Good morning, little Asha," Sera cooed, rocking him gently. Raphael found the tenderness strange, as his previous life had been devoid of such affection. But there was no time to dwell on that.

As Sera carried him into the hall, Raphael caught sight of his father, the Duke. He was in deep conversation with a group of men, all dressed in fine clothing, and they appeared to be discussing matters of estate and politics. The Duke's face was stern, emotionless. Raphael expected no more acknowledgment from him than the usual cold glances. But today, something different happened.

The Duke's eyes briefly landed on Raphael, narrowing slightly as if trying to suppress whatever emotion he was feeling. Without a word, he turned back to his discussion. The brief exchange left Raphael on edge. His father's disdain hadn't lessened. In fact, it seemed to have deepened.

As Sera passed through the hall and carried Raphael outside, the city began to stir with life. The streets were busy, lined with stone buildings that gave off an industrial, mechanical feel. Smoke billowed from factories, and carts clattered along cobblestone roads. Yet, amidst the industrial revolution atmosphere, there was magic—woven seamlessly into everyday life.

Raphael's sharp eyes caught sight of it everywhere: a man levitating barrels onto a cart with a simple wave of his hand, a woman conjuring water to fill her pail, children playing with enchanted toys that floated and glowed. Magic and technology coexisted in a fascinating way, and Raphael couldn't help but feel a twinge of excitement. His system, still locked, would surely be crucial in a world like this.

As they ventured deeper into the city, Raphael saw a crowd gathered around a street performer. The man's hands moved with practiced skill, conjuring fire from thin air and shaping it into dancing figures. The crowd cheered, clearly entertained. But Raphael's mind was elsewhere.

"Magic here is so common. Yet I'm bound by restrictions... I wonder how long before my gift truly awakens," he thought.

After hours of traveling through the bustling city, Sera brought Raphael back to the Duke's estate. The grand entrance doors creaked open, and they stepped into the house. Sera, with a sigh of exhaustion, gently placed Raphael back into his cradle. As she tucked him in, another maid entered the room—Lina, one of the more talkative servants.

"I heard the Duke still refuses to hold the child," Lina whispered, glancing at Raphael as though he couldn't understand her.

Sera sighed, brushing a stray strand of hair from her face. "It's not just that. He barely speaks of the girl, like she's some curse upon the household."

Lina frowned, her voice dropping lower. "Do you think it's true? That the child caused the duchess's death?"

Sera shook her head. "I doubt a newborn could cause such a thing. But... there's something strange about her. She doesn't cry often, barely makes a sound, really. It's almost unnatural."

Lina glanced at Raphael again, her eyes narrowing. "Well, the Duke certainly thinks so. I overheard him speaking with Lord Veritas. They're already planning to send her away when she's old enough."

A sinking feeling settled in Raphael's stomach. So his father really was planning to discard him. He wasn't sure whether to be angry or relieved. After all, he had no intention of staying under this man's roof forever. But hearing the confirmation that his father believed he had something to do with his mother's death stung.

"Asha," Sera finally said, her voice soft. "That's what the duchess named her. It's a foreign name, isn't it? Perhaps it was a gift from the duchess's homeland."

Lina shrugged. "Foreign or not, it'll be a name to remember. That child is going to grow up in a difficult place."

That evening, Raphael lay in his cradle, staring up at the ceiling. The conversations he had overheard echoed in his mind. His mother—this world's mother—was gone, and his father saw him as a curse. His new name, Asha, would be a constant reminder of that.

His thoughts turned back to his system. He had to figure it out. If he was going to survive in this world—if he was going to stop his friend from destroying it—he needed power. And soon.

As the moon rose in the sky, Raphael once again noticed the flickering light in the corner of his vision. This time, when he focused, the system window appeared again.

[System Unlocked - Beginner Stage]

Power Analysis: In Progress

Time Remaining: Unknown

A small smile crossed Raphael's lips. The system was waking up, slowly but surely. This was his first step toward unraveling the mysteries of his new life, his powers, and, ultimately, his mission.

He closed his eyes, feeling the weight of his new reality settle over him. It wouldn't be easy, but then again, it never was. He had a world to navigate, a friend to find, and a future to protect.