Chapter 5. Not Worthy

From atop the sky, one could see the green forest that covered hundred of kilometers. It was known as the Lotus Forest. Low level beasts of all kinds were found in this forest. It was important to note that Lotus City was a relative weak place. Even the most powerful person, the Mayor was in the early stages of Master Plane.

There were many people headed to the city all ready for the annual awakening ceremony. Even those who did not have children at the age of twelve could not afford to miss this event. Many surprises usually took place and some usually awoke rare elements such as lightning and darkness. These were viewed as the future of Lotus Region and were even rewarded with cultivation materials to help them boost their strength and increase their stages.

The first stage was the Foundation Plane to those who were able to awaken their elements. The plane were divided into stages raging from early stages to middle stages the final stages. Those at the peak were close to breaking through to the next plane. Those who managed to get to the peak of Foundation Plane would then break into the Cryptic Plane. Most people in Lotus Region were in the Cryptic Plane.

The older generation (200 to 500years) were mainly in the middle stages of the Cryptic Plane and few were in the final stages. Some younger generation (0 to 100) years were in the early stages of the Cryptic Plane. These were goated as geniuses as everyone understood how difficult it was to leave the Foundation Plane. Even some of the older generation were in the final stages of Foundation Plane.

In order to start cultivating, you were required to first open your meridians which was done in the Foundation Plane. There were cultivation techniques which helped in meridian formation and opening process. The shortest it took to open ones meridian was average of three years. To open the meridians one had to feel the energy in the atmosphere and use it to open the meridians. To enter the Cryptic Plane, one was required to open at least 63 meridians.

Many people who were able to reach this stage continued to break into the Cryptic Plane but their cultivation was slowed. Those who opened these 63 meridians barely made it past the mid stages of the Master Plane.

To reach the peak of Master Plane it required you to fill your atleast 72 meridians. Those who reached the peak of Master Plane would later break into the Sage Plane which was referred to as Salvia Plane.

After Salvia Plane one required at least 81 meridian to reach its peak where one would break into the Supreme Plane. To reach the peak of Supreme Plane one was required to fill atleast 90 meridians. Supreme Plane was then followed by the Sovereign Plane. The Sovereign Plane was required to fill atleast 99 meridians. Sovereigns were almost at the peak of of cultivation realm. Though it was the peak for some few people, others would get lucky and break into the utmost peak. The God Plane. Gods could be said rival immortals. Though Gods were rare to find. To be a God one was required to fill all the 108 meridians.

The other distinguishing factor was the type of energy one used. Foundation Plane elementalist were required to feel the origin energy to tamper and open their meridians. Cryptic Plane and Master Plane elementalist also used this type of energy for their cultivation.

Once one filled their meridians with Origin Energy and reached the peak of Master Plane, one now stopped using the Origin Energy and their meridians were filled with Essence Energy. Remember unless you opened at least 81 meridians during the Foundation Plane, one would not enter the Salvia Plane. The same for the other stages. In order to be a God one had had to open all 108 meridians during the Foundation Plane.

After one started using the Essence Energy, they would use it to break from Salvia Plane to the Supreme Plane. After one reached the peak of Supreme Plane one would break into Sovereign Plane where one would start to use Transcendent Energy. This was the same energy used by the Gods. Transcendent stones were rarest were worth 100,000,000 black essence stones. To have a Transcendent stone placed you at the peak of richness.

Apart from Alaric who had visited the stadium when he was five years old, those who were going to awaken their elements were visiting it for their first time. The same for everyone. They never visited the stadium until they were twelve years of age. Soon the stadium was going to be filled waiting for the ceremony to start. Also the Lotus Academy would send officials to oversee the ceremony and talents.

Sometimes academies from other regions would send some of their officials to pick up some of the rare talents in these rural areas. Though it was not ocassional. Maybe fir today these officials would come. It had been ten years since they came. The reasons they never came was because most of the times they went back to their regions empty handed. Lotus Region was just a "lack-talent" they would say to their headmasters.

As all these activities were taking place, in the city. One of the houses relative old but did not lack luster. There was a well with a wooden bucket on its stone wall. The lush green grass on its sides probably due to the spluttered water from the well. Smoke came from the kitchen and an aromatic aroma filled the entire compound.

This family seened to be in no hurry. That red tiled roof seemed to have faded slightly. From afar, one could see a boy. His height standing at 5'3. He stretched his hands behind his knees. His back cracked revealing a pleased smile on his face. He rolled his sleeves to the elbows and his pants to his calves. His skinned appeared to have slightly brightned. His happy smile seemed to compete with the rising sun. His face chiseled. His black hair rested softky on his shoulders. He lifted his hand above his head stretching further. He then opened his eyes. They seemed to have gotten greener. He sure had gained some muscles. He jogged to the gate and made the usual twenty laps around the city. He had the least care in the world as he saw people scrambling for the front seats in the stadium. He then went back home and started doing his press ups.

A woman came from the door and stared at the boy doing press ups. Her brown eyes complementing her blonde hair.

"Alaric," she called. She couldn't beleive his nonchalant attitude as if he was not already twelve this year. He did the 200 press ups and started doing sit ups. "Dont tell me that you will also go fishing," Joyce asked. An ominous foreboding lingering in the air. What if he said yes?

"Of course mother," he said looking at his mother as he continued with the sit-ups. "What will we eat if we go waste all time watching irrelevant people awakening their origin sources. I will have to go fishing then come back at noon when they are almost finished. You might go as well and wait. I will definitely make it as the last person today. Don't worry, I will shock everyone," Alaric said and proceeded to the living room after he finished the 200 sit-ups. He walked past his mother who had jaw dropped. He sat at his usual spot holding a spoon.

"Mom am getting late for fishing, lets have breakfast," Alaric said to his mom pulling her from her stupor.

Alaric, never in his life did he ever have a meal without his mom around. She poured him the first bowl of rice and fish soup. He downed it quickly and went for the second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth take. It really was difficult to fill his immortal body with normal food. Joyce who had gotten used to his growing appetite could only smile as she watched him eat a meal worth six people. He went to the store and picked the fishing rod and the wooden bucket. Joyce watched his broadening back as he left the compound.

Joyce then went to take a bath and readied herself to get ready for the ceremony. Even she was not sure if Alaric would awaken any element. She just loved his nonchalant attitude. Maybe he would make fun of his failure to awaken any element. She locked the door and went to the stadium. She just could not understand why Alaric looked down on everything about this place. It was usually fun to watch students fight each other.

She recalled when she one day asked him why he did not like watching and pick some skills but his words caused her heart to move to the right side.

"They are just not worthy of my presence!" He had replied offhandedly. She found her seat amidst the rest. A few minutes the ceremony would begin.

***

A man dressed like a lawyer of present day stood at the center. His hair shaped like the cap laywers wear. The difference was that it was just red in colour. Only few part of his body were visible. His face showed that of a middle aged man. His face showed forming wrinkles. One might think he was 47 years old but he was almost 800 years. There was a speaking platform usually raised for days like these.

There was also another raised pillar around four foot tall. On it was a shining crystal which glowed a white light. This crystal was the one used to measure the colour of of their origin source. The brightness showed the ability of one's power to grow. The man then spoke. His voice calm and slightly hoarse. He did not project it but his voice reached every person in the stadium.

"I wont speak much but I will just welcome the few guests we have. We start with our mayor, then we have the principal of Lotus Academy who came personally. We have three officials from the top 3 academies. We have not had them in the past ten years. Its our hope that this new collection won't disappoint. With that lets start quickly and finish early. We have about 500 juniors who will be awakening their talents. Hope all those are registered. We start now, our first individual will be Seth Mathis," he said.

People waited patiently for a few seconds. Then a boy with green hair stood up. He walked nervously to the front. Those experts from the other academies sent to recruit talents could see his shaking knees.

" Place your right hand on the white orb crystal and relax your body," the man said as the youth followed the instructions. After a while the crystal glowed dark reddish.

People shifted. The first grade experts had their elemental grade very red that it would shining brighter lighting even the skies. This was the same activity taking place. The skies shifted from blue to red. All people were shocked. Having a first grade element was the dream of every being. Every academy would definitely accept these first grade experts. The three academies in attendance were the top three in the continent. Their presence alone made the lower academies lose all first grade geniuses as they would choose to follow these top three academies.

These academies were; Origin Academy which was usually ranked first, the Blue Eagle Academy and Falcon Academy which always fought for the second place. The speaker was dumbfounded but he had to find his voice and bring back everyone. He cleared his throat and spoke.

"What a beautiful start we have today. It is good that the officials from the top three academies will not go back empty handed today. Seth, origin source: sovereign flames, affinity: fire element. First Grade Genius. The first we have had in years. You are allowed to choose any academy you would like to attend. They will definitely accept you, Seth, what is your choice? You can also choose to remain in Lotus Academy," the speaker said sarcastically.

The people in the stadium giggled. The experts giggled as the felt their heart beat increase. If Seth chose their Academy they would get promoted and if they failed... They would get scolded for losing a talent. The official from Origin Academy was calm. No genius in their right mind would fail to choose the first ranked academy, especially if they came from a lowly place like Lotus Region. They waited as Seth opened his mouth to speak...