Chapter 7. Failure

Everyone looked at the boy dressed in commoner clothes. Where did he get the guts to speak his mind infront of everyone. Did he not recognize his status? Was he too stupid or just truly arrogant? Maybe he was just naive. The commentator was the first to get back to his senses.

"Young man, may I ask what your name is and what business you have standing in front of so many people?" It was like he asked the question in everyone's mind as they all nodded in unison. The young man he was referring to stared at him as if he was a fool.

"My name Alaric, hope that explains everything," he said and dropped everything ready to awaken his elements.

The commentator gasped. Even the crowd was taken aback. Arrogance came with a price. Just who did he think he was to be arrogant in front of even first grade talents. To think they waited for fifteen minutes for an arrogant little bastard. Some scoffed and cursed. Other were just silent as they waited for the events to unfold.

" Place your right hand on the crystal and relax your body. Feel the energy enter and leave your body," the commentator said. It was better to end things quickly before they got worse.

Every word from the small boy appeared to bring downfall. The main mistake these people made was thinking of hime as a small boy. This was a small boy who had started life at the age of five. He had been doing what even the older generation never thought of or were ready to do. He matured fast and his brain developed. At the moment he had the faces and position of every person edged in his mind. He followed the commentator's instructions and placed his hand on the crystal.

He felt the energy from the crystal entering his body through the hand. Its warm feeling like a spark of coal through his entire body. The crystal found its way to his seal and tried to find way through it. At that moment everyone who was talking stopped. They had expected to jeer him the teach him a lesson.

The most expensive thing in Lotus city was the crystal. The whole day no one had failed to awaken an element but now... Even the heavens turned. Alaric removed his hand from the crystal to reveal the crystal which had been turned to dust. One has to understand that the crystal was made of the hardest element in existence. Even a sovereign would find it difficult to crush it by just a single touch. A cold shiver ran down each and every spine in the stadium. Something that was unexpected had happened and no one was going to realize about it until later.

The officials from the top three academies shifted in their seats. Was it that the little boy's power was immeasurable that he ended up overriding the crystal and crushing it? This feat was unheard of. Even they could not break it. Let alone the little boy who did not even attempt break it but ended up doing it. Breaking was not the word. The crystal was crushed to dust and any remnant of its power vanished in the thin air. The mayor shivered. That was the only crystal in Lotus Region. They found it there and it was passed down by their ancestors. No one actually knew how much it cost but one thing rang in their mind. "So expensive" after that the next thought that caused many to shudder at the thought was "too powerful"

The affinity crystal was almost worth one black essence stone. The people were stuck on either appreciating the newborn talent or just make him pay. Everyone was in deep thoughts but some coughed blood upon hearing his next word.

"Failure!" He scoffed, "Still not worthy to even measure my power." Some fell on their backs. Some clenched their fists so hard that blood seeped. Others clenched their jaws so hard that their teeth would drop off. Some gum's were you breeding.

The talents who had thought they had made an impact felt like they were on earth while he was in heaven. The commentator was the most shocked. Since start he had showed no emotion but now his jaw had dropped and his eyes threatening to pop out. Joyce who was in the crowd was not sure whether to laugh or cry. Was it that a God lost their son. Those who still had their senses intact now felt their minds fried as the little boy spoke again. No! Calling him little boy was not the word. Little monster.

"Mr. Commentator, what grade am I and what element do I have?" Some people stood up. If they were not held by their friends they would have made their way to the stage and stomped their feet on him. How could they take it standing. The little bastard needed to be taught a lesson. They were all arrogant in their own way as geniuses but that twelve year old could not be classified in the same level as them. Or let's phrase it this way, if this was arrogance, then they had been played their entire lives. Who could take that laying? The commentator was in a worse position. How could he know when even there was no sign of what happened. He could only sigh and lower his head in defeat. At that moment, something even Alaric didn't understand happened.

Inside his body. The crystal had accepted the challenge open handedly but the seal was too much for it. These seals appeared like chains of steel which let an emerald glow. The crystal knew what it had to do. With its power, it could allow his power to free reign for ten seconds. That was all it could do in thank to its master or say creater.

A purple glow appeared to emanate from Alaric's body. It was then followed by a red glow. People around could not unerstand. Three seconds passed. The skies accumulated dark clouds in an instant. The skies trembled in agitation. Then a bright light that appeared like a purple crack in the sky sounded. Five seconds passed. A rare breed of lightning appeared striking next to Alaric.

Six seconds passed. A growl resounded in the sky and a rumbling never heard before resounded the entire mortal realm. At the moment Alaric was already floating in the air. Purple lightning coursing through his skin. Seven seconds passed. A cracking sound appeared from the sky. The whole sky lit red so did the stadium. Another rumbling sounded through the entire martial realm once again. Eight seconds passed. The next instance caught everyone unprepared. The dark clouds grew darker and two breeds of lightning struck at the same time. Black lightning with its center silver. Nine seconds passed. Thunder shook the entire foundation of the stadium.

Beasts in the Lotus forest ran in panick unsure of where to hide. This was not just normal thunder. It had something alongside it that was enough to send everyone at the edge. The oceans also felt the shock sending wave to the shore. The mountains trembled and the barrier of immortal realm was torn. In these ten seconds the fates of thousands were altered. As the commotion died down blue lightning drew the head of the God of war in the sky.

Looking down on every existence in disdain. After these ten seconds, the seal regained its strength resealing Alaric's bloodline once again. After that incident, the crystal was able to unseal a two percent. This left an entire ninety five percent sealed. "You will have to cultivate, master, so that you can unseal the seals on your own. The only way to do so is by becoming a Sovereign." These words were hidden in his mind. One day when he left the foundation plane he would find them.

The people almost cried. If the heaven were unfair giving Sheila to elements both at first grade. There was only one way to describe this; biased. How could one be so talented? How could he wield five breeds of the same element! Did the heavens see them as a joke? They too were humans! To make matters worse it was the best combat element. Combined with with speed, one was invisible.

The black lightning was known as the most destructive and purple element for speed. Only light element could maybe beat lightning in terms of speed. The commentator spoke. Everyone had raging feelings of shock and shame. And here they thought they would not be shocked by the boy. They just couldn't stop calling him a boy. The sooner they realized he was a young monster the better.

"Alaric, Origin source: War God lightning, elemental affinity: lightning. God Grade. You may choose to join any of the academies. "

The Academies officials could not help their palpitating blood and throbbing chests. Alaric was a talent worth promoting them to deans of various departments.

Alaric fell into deep thoughts. He had been planning on joining Lotus Academy for one year and then let the Falcon Academy official to get him during the next event. But after seeing his impact, he changed bis mind. He was going to join Origin Academy. He was going to use it as the first stepping stone. He needed to tap into that power as soon as possible. His reason appeared kind of blurry in his mind but he knew that his instinct wanted him to get stronger for a reason. His eyes landed on the official of Falcon Academy. His eyes trying to say sorry.

"I choose to join Origin Academy," Alaric said. " But i have to stay for a day here and wrap things up with my mom. I was actually not planning to join any academy yet but I think its time I change," the official happily obliged. People could only shake their heads. Was he not in a hurry to take Seth once the ceremony was over?

Alaric bent to pick the fishing rod and picked the wooden bucket. He then left the astounded crowd. At the gate of the stadium was Joyce. She had the happiest smile on her face but she felt sad. She was about to lose her lifelong coompanion. Though she always prepared hesrself for the day he would leave, it no doubt to say one is never ready.

The walked in the streets in silence. Alaric was at loss. He was going to be leaving his mother alone. Joyce saw the complicated look onhis face

" What is it that bothers you, son?" She asked sweetly. Alaric looked at her and then focused on the path forward.

"I feel bad leaving a lady to live all by herself." He replied. Joyce was at loss. Was she not the one who was supposed to say those words to him?

"You know am worried you will refuse to eat because am not around," Joyce said her eyes filled with pity and concern.

"I will just be fine, I just need you recipe and replicate you food. No need to worry too much. The only thing am going to miss is eating fish, probably," Alaric said. Joyce was again at loss.

"Are you not going to miss you mom? Now that you are going out to seek out strength you will forget your loved ones?" She asked jokingly. His reply caused her to stop and feel like burrying her head into the soil. He alway had a reply.

"Are you a thing?" He asked nonchalantly not pausing to see his mother who had stopped. She hurried her footsteps and caught up with him. To stay with Alaric one had to be selective of their words or they would backfire on them. Just like Joyce. She chose silence until they reached home. Alaric took the fish rod to the store and went to draw water from the well. He needed to get ready for his departure the following day.

Alaric and Joyce spoke on variuos topics like girls like the two were of the same age. At the moment, Alaric was taking the seventh bowl and there was still no sign of his backing down. He stopped at the tenth and belched loudly. It was night and a

He had prepared his everything. They were supposed to leave early after sunrise...