It’s time to get awakened

Tabatha and Raveer had already prepared their parts to make it a joyous day for Vasir.

"Happy birthday, my sweet boy!"

Tabatha and Raveer entered Vasir's room with a fluffy cake that looked light and delicious.

"Aww, Ammi, thank you so much."

Swoosh

Vasir conjured a slight breeze to blow the candles.

The trio spent a blissful morning celebrating the birthday as they chuckled at Raveer who got cake all over his face.

After the cake, the family got ready to visit the church, which was located in the nearby town that required a two-hour cart ride.

Not everyone could get officially awakened at the church, as it costed quite a lot of money. The current price was five silver coins each. One silver coin was equivalent to 100 bronze coins, and a hundred silver coins made one gold coin.

Five silver coins could easily keep a family of four, fed for a couple of months.

This was why Raveer couldn't afford to get awakened when he turned eight, two months earlier, not that he cared much about getting awakened as his magic skills weren't extraordinary.

Nonetheless, Raveer decided to accompany Vasir and Tabatha to Vasir's awakening ceremony. Their friendship was truly remarkable at such a young age.

After having breakfast, the trio boarded the cart, which Tabatha had booked a day earlier for the ride to the town of Darwin.

This was practically the first time that Vasir and Raveer were stepping out of the village. As soon as the cart crossed the main wooden gate of Schwarzwald, Raveer and Vasir stuck their heads outside, eager to witness everything along the way and take it all in, doubting they would have another chance anytime soon.

The road from Schwarzwald to the town of Darwin wasn't well laid out. It was bumpy, with irregularly sized rocks and potholes found often. However, the carter skillfully navigated through them, making the ride as smooth as possible. The boys saw a dense forest that exuded a creepy aura throughout most of their journey.

"I understand why Ammi insists so much on not leaving the village borders," Raveer said as he gazed at the forest next to Vasir.

"It's not like you to say something like that, Raveer. Scared, are we?" Vasir took the chance to tease him.

"Scared? No way. I can face and take on anything that comes out of the forest," said Raveer, his beaming face only confirming the veracity of his statement.

"Ignorant as ever, I see," Vasir sighed.

Much like Raveer, Vasir didn't feel the need to be frightened. Maybe it was because they had never experienced such situations that made them fear getting hurt or losing their lives, or perhaps it was just the feeling that their Ammi would eventually take care of it.

"I bet there are stronger people all around the kingdom practicing different types of magic, especially trained for combat," Vasir wondered aloud.

"Ohh, I can't wait for us to grow up and see it for ourselves. Just thinking about the chance to fight with a lot of people gets me going," Raveer added enthusiastically to Vasir's thoughts.

"There's more to the world than just fighting, you meathead," Vasir countered.

"I know, but combat seems to be the most interesting of them all,"

said Raveer, his eyes sparkling and his bright red hair waving against the wind.

"Yeah, I do agree with that." Vasir expressed.

Tabatha looked at Vasir and Raveer, engrossed in their curious conversation about the outside world, and admired how adorable they were. She herself began to zone out, admiring the calmness of the forest with a sweet grin on her face.

As they all kept admiring the forest from their unique perspectives, the trees began to thin out, gradually giving way to a sprawling meadow. This change signaled that they were nearing the town of Darwin. The grassy lands gleamed under the sunlight, with the grass swaying rhythmically in the breeze, painting a serene picture. Birds were seen migrating across the sky, adding to the beauty of the scene.

In the distance, they could see the tall walls surrounding the town, acting as a formidable barrier. Farmlands came into view, with many of them situated outside the town due to limited space within the walls. Slowly, the cart carrying them approached the gates of the city.

"Here, boys, be sure to wear these," Tabatha said, handing out dark grey robes to both Vasir and Raveer. The robes were designed to conceal most of their bodies and faces while still allowing them to see ahead.

"Why do we have to wear this, Ammi?" Vasir questioned.

"We don't want any bandits following us back to our village," Tabatha answered.

There were stories about merchants and people traveling to Darwin for awakening ceremonies and being attacked on their way back. Bandits assumed that such travelers had money, as they could afford activities like the awakening ceremony.

The cart went through a security check after Tabatha presented the valid documents she carried with her. The wooden gates, reinforced with iron, opened, paving the way for the cart to move ahead. They proceeded toward the town center where the market was located. Buildings of more than two stories lined the road, presenting a bustling city life. Vendors filled the buzzing streets, people flowed in and out of shops, and carts like theirs moved in and out of the city.

"Woah, look at all those people. There's not a lot of space in this town," Raveer gasped as he looked out of the cart, taking in the view of a functioning town for the first time.

"I bet they have shops that sell all kinds of books, especially on magic," Vasir wondered aloud, his eyes wide with curiosity.

The group reached the town market as planned. As they got down, Raveer took a deep breath, savoring the aroma of sizzling street food that was too good to ignore.

Growl*

A rolling sound came from Raveer's tummy, causing Vasir and Tabatha to chuckle.

"Looks like Raveer's tummy is letting us all know that it needs to be fed immediately." Tabatha remarked.

"To the street vendors then!" Vasir declared, marching ahead with enthusiasm.

They made their way through the bustling market, weaving between stalls selling everything from fresh produce to handcrafted goods, until they reached a vendor selling delicious-smelling grilled meat.