Bloodline Awakening - Part 1

"You remind me of him, but it seems time is not on our side, so whenever you're free do come by my office," Adam said as he took his wife's hand and walked inside as the car suddenly vanished from its position and swiftly entered a hidden garage.

Vroom. Swoosh.

At the same time, the elders of the Kurama Clan could be seen walking toward them as if they just got word of their arrival, with Crystal's father, Kane, and his newlywed wife, Stephany being the first to greet them.

"So how was it? You didn't have any mishaps along the way, right Crystal?" Stephany asked as she glanced at our sleeping prince with curiosity and amazement, 'Hmm, for a half-bred he's quite adorable; hopefully, he doesn't end up like his grandmother… dead and forgotten.'

"Fortunately, everything was smoothly sailing; but if you don't mind me asking, how's Melody doing after her recent surgery and everything?" Crystal wondered as she sensed Stephany had a hand somehow in the incident that occurred over an hour ago in Japan.

"I heard a black hole appeared above the skies of Japan was that true?" Kane whispered to Adam as he pulled him to the side while their wives talked amongst themselves.

"Sadly, it is… however, miraculously, it was there one moment then gone the next," Adam stated as he shrugged his shoulders as if it was a minor matter.

"Hmm… well then, at least you, Crystal, and the baby are alright as that's honestly all that matters in the end. So, how's Brotherhood been treating you, surely, you'll be able to spend more time with your son and wife moving forward since you've been promoted?"

"… sigh, so when did you find out?" Adam asked, a bit shocked to know the news had already spread not even after a day it had occurred.

"Just a few hours ago, surprisingly, but considering how you're acting I guess you didn't yet tell Crystal the news, huh?" Kane concluded the moment he saw Adam's reaction to his question and the shock that appeared in his eyes.

Yet, before Kane could probe for more information, Adam's father arrived and began to inspect the child.

"So, this is my grandson, huh? The fabled chosen one our progenitor claimed, '1300 years ago will bless our Clan with untold prosperity,' if we dare to accept him." Adam's father, Jack commented as he examined his grandson.

"That would be him or so we hope, however, I thought you were still exploring the new mystic realm, which appeared in Canada?" Adam asked with curiosity as he did not think his father would have time to attend Rin's Blood Awakening Ceremony.

"Tsk… so, Kane could be here, but I can't now, Adam!" His father shouted with ire as he couldn't believe his son thought he'd miss the Bloodline Awakening of his grandson.

A special ceremony that typically occurs once a child has reached the tender age of ten, however, due to the Kurama Clan's bloodline being a bit special. Most of their descendants undertake the ceremony just after they've been born. 

Considering, that once a child awakens their bloodline, the stronger it will be once they reach the age of ten and gain their first bloodline ability, the Flames of Life & Death. Now during this process, an apostle from the Church of Saint Mary, one of the Nine Churches governed under the God of Light & Sunshine.

Comes to the Kurama Clan to preside over the awakening, during which they use various holy relics, items, or even their energy to provide the child with enough nutrients needed to awaken their bloodline. 

"Dad, I didn't mean~"

"Forget it… you've already done enough damage as it is, Adam! So just shut up and follow me to the Ancestral Temple as the Grand Priest of Saint Mary has already arrived." Jack said as he shook his head and began making his way toward the Ancestral Temple.

Which was in the center of the mountain range located behind the family grounds.

***

A couple of minutes later…

After what seemed like an eternity, they finally reached the entrance of a dilapidated temple, located in the center of a mountain range, where a woman could be seen waiting for them as she leaned on her walking cane. With her eyes closed as if she had dozed off as she wore a white and black kimono decorated with rose petals. 

'Hmm, so it seems the Kurama family has gained a successor worthy of your mantle, at last, old friend,' The Grand Priest of Saint Mary, Penelope thought as she opened her eyes and gazed at Rin tenderly.

Whose fate was hard to read as a mist protected it from her preying eyes, yet that couldn't hide the golden specks that desperately sought to break free from its hold. Closely resembling the struggle of the deceased Ancestor of the Kurama family, Chishio Kawa just before his death on the battlefield eons ago.

"Sigh, truly a bloodline awakening couldn't warrant this much security, now Jake?" Penelope asked upon noticing the heightened security that surrounded the temple.

"Usually, it wouldn't be like this, however, it's better to be safe than sorry, Miss Penelope!" Jack smiled as he signaled for Adam and Crystal to go toward Miss Penelope.

"I guess… so is this the handsome cutie, whose bloodline I'll be awakening?" Penelope squealed the moment she got a closer look at Rin, startling him as he awoke to an old lady gazing at him weirdly with adoration.

Before shortly returning to sleep, as Luke's soul was a bit too much for poor baby Rin's body to manage. Which led to him having to sleep so much as his body gradually merged with Luke's soul, causing it to grow stronger and more resilient as time passed.

"Yes, Miss Penelope, and thanks for agreeing to preside over the awakening on such short notice, truly we cannot thank you enough," Crystal said with gratitude as both she and Adam half bowed.

"It's my pleasure, however, with nightfall approaching we don't have much time, so why don't we head inside and get everything sorted?" Penelope said as she began to walk into the temple before briefly stopping and tapping her cane on the stone floor.

Causing a formless wave of energy to pass throughout the land without notice as a faint fog coated the entire Kurama estate. Without their knowing that prevented anyone below Godking from spying on the ceremony as the temple walls regained their former bronze luster. 

Surprising everyone beside Penelope who was humming a subtle tone as they marveled at the change the ancestral temple underwent. While Adam and Crystal just kept silent and meekly followed behind her. 

Yet it was not only the exterior that changed, but the interior as well as the temple seemed to have returned to its former glory as the inner walls began to glow with mysterious runes.

That flashed across the walls depicting tales of various races as they lived through the Dark Ages, a time of triumph and defeat where life was but a rare commodity and something cherished beyond meaning.

However, without notice the sky began to darken as the branch of an ordinary tree quietly appeared above the ancestral temple. Shrouding the temple in an added layer of protection but this time from Heaven's Gaze. 

"So, my dear may you please place the child in the middle of the altar? Right under the light of the moon," Penelope asked after taking out three canisters of purified holy water and an orb of condensed Holy light in case, Rin's bloodline was more powerful than she could ever manage, and she was drained of her power.