Spirit Awakening

I sensed a warm feeling all around my body. It wasn't bothersome, it was a good feeling like taking a bath of hot water.

Once it invaded all my body, it started focusing on my back. This time it started burning, I could feel like if something was awakening and trying to breakthrough out of my body. I clenched my hand resisting the pain, trying not to cry.

Finally, I sensed something surging from my back and the pain was gone. A flap of wings and all the room was illuminated by light. The light was warm and holy, but it gave me strange feelings. A warm like an embrace and an invigorating strength over all my body, but at the same time a disdain and repulsive feeling, especially over my right-hand that what I thought was spirit power was starting to focus there, and the light at my back produced a scratchy sensation.

When the light disappeared, at my back it could be seen a big bird. Pure white feathers that shined with a heavenly light, long curved graceful neck. It surpassed my heigh being 1,6 meters tall with an over 2 meters wingspan. It was the characteristic spirit of the imperial family of Heaven Dou, the Heavenly Swan, considered one of the strongest bird types.

"Like it was expected, it is the mark of the empire, the Heavenly Swan. For the light and power from it, the innate spirit power should be quite large." The Spirit Sage gave a round crystal marble "Focus on your spirit and make it retract. Then, focus on the feeling of invoking, the spirit power of your body, in this marble."

I did as he said. Focusing on the swan, I withdrew it. It wasn't strange, it was a complete instinctual act that seemed to be an innate knowledge gained at the same time I awakened it. The same could be said for the spirit energy. Taking the marble, a warm feeling, I supposed spirit energy, was easily absorbed by it. Receiving my energy, the marble started shining brightly. I didn't know how to read the marble, but by the surprise of the adults in the room, my father, mother, and uncle, I supposed that it was high.

"Full innate spirit energy, heavens!" the Spirit Sage shouted, "It is a blessing for the empire!"

The adults quickly recovered and congratulated me "You're a genius, son!" mother hugged me. Father congratulated me with a scheming look in his face, I seemed to have listened something about a crown prince from him. And uncle also congratulated, in his case, it was something forced, he had a scheming and careful look in his face, looking wary at me.

To celebrate it, we picked my brother and have a special family lunch. All the family united for lunch was an unusual fact, so it can be considered truly special. However, I supposed that my awakening was already an important date, so the banquet was already prepared.

I don't know if it's in all the Douluo Continent or only between our family and nobles of Heaven Dou Empire, but the birthdays are something that rarely it's celebrated. The only birthdays that are celebrated are at the age of 6 and 12.

At the age of 6, it is celebrated at the same time for the spirit awakening, for commoners that should to wait Spirit Hall's awakenings days, I don't really know how they work. As I noble, you're awakened the same day, a spirit master especially coming for yours. This is a family celebration, similar to a birthday party of Earth, but being closet only for the family.

At the age of 12, the celebration change drastically. For nobles, it became the age of your debut to society, so the party is both your birthday and presentation. It became an interaction with other nobles, putting on a show. In my case, it would be extremely important as a prince and I'm supposed to give a good and noble presence. Moreover, for prince became even more important as the crown prince is usually decided at that age. A little strange in my opinion, choose the future emperor analyzing the first 12 years of someone, against the even fewer years old of his little brothers. So if there are not any unusual circumstances, it's usually the older brother who takes the throne.

Finishing lunch, it was time for the gifts. I was given a lot of different presents, from clothes to books and jewelry. The most spectacular was a necklace given by father, it was a rare spirit artifact. Having the quality of 3 cubic meters of storage. It weight won't increase, but, living things, like animals or plants, couldn't be put inside. It was a great gift that I thanked him sincerely for it. Spirit artifacts are ancient artifacts that used spirit energy to work, having special effects. The methods of creation were long lost, making each of them very rare and unique.

After the party finished, I was informed that tomorrow I will start particular clases about spirit masters and cultivation. My teacher being Ying Shimo, the Spirit Sage that awakened my spirit, as both of us have bird power-oriented spirits, he would be one of the best options. It was also decided that next week I will go hunting for my spirit ring, a group to help me will be prepared for then.

I was finally able to excuse myself to my room. Entering room for the last 6 years, the room was truly worthy of a prince. All the furniture looked expensive with refined details, most of them being made from wood by skillfully artisan, gold and gems adorning everywhere. The truth was that it was too much. Used to my last medium-class life, all these extravagances weren't needed and I wasn't glad about them, even preferring a more normal room. The only exception was the bed. The bed was a big square bed of 2,3 of side and was extremely comfy and warm, made from some feathers of a spirit beast. It was the best, like laying over a cloud.

Once inside, I ordered the servant to go, leaving me alone before bowing towards me. 'Somehow the bow seemed more respectfully and lower today, I don't know if it was my imagination' I thought.

Now that I was alone, I could finally try what I thought it should be my second spirit. As with my Swan, I focused spirit energy over my right hand, a red emblem of a skull appeared over it. A substance similar to blood surged from my right hand, quickly starting taking form.

It was a long pole weapon, it surpassed a little my 1,15 m tall, being 1,3 m tall, most of it due to his long, 5 cm wide, handle. At one extreme, there were 6 sharp black little spikes. On the other, a sharp cutting blade over 30 cm wide topped at the side of the handle, resembling a big battleax, with a hook on the backside. It had a sharp spear's spike over 10 cm long at the extreme of the handle. It was a halberd.

All the halberd was mostly red in color, it had a strange pattern around, forming a red skull over the battleax's blade. 6 straight black lines traveled along the halberd's handle, from the 6 spikes to the skull's eye height.

I instantly felt its weight, needing both hands to hold it properly, I almost dropped to the ground. It was made from a strange material that didn't seem to be metal nor wood. And somehow I could feel a beating from it, an intermittent pulse crossing across the handle, making it seem to be able to breathe.

I could feel it absorbing my spirit energy, making me feel a little tired. Trying to make some experiments, I tried to put more spirit energy. It angrily started devouring it, the pulses becoming more frequent and I could feel its weight lowering, but somehow I need that it was only for me, the weapon keeping his strength. 'Interesting'.

I didn't know why but I have a feeling that it had more in it. Somehow, his true form blocked and at the same time, a voice making me not name it yet. 'Strange.'

I also wanted to try to use my Heavenly Swan. I withdrew the halberd and focused on my back, a specter of a swan appearing over me. Focusing more spirit energy on it, a pair of wings appeared at my back with 2 meters of wingspan, and at the same time my body started glowing a little. I could feel my body stronger and faster. The wings didn't feel strange and I easily move them.

I flapped my wings strongly, a bust of air was created pushing me up, unfortunately crashing to the 4 meters tall ceiling and falling with my butt to the ground. "I'll need more practice" I rubbed my pained butt.

Lastly, I wanted to try one thing, the use of both spirits at the same time. In the novel, most twin spirit users are only able to use one of the spirits at the same time. I supposed that it must be about the flow of spirit energy or the simple impossibility of manifesting both. I wanted to see what was the case and if I was lucky to be one of the exemptions like Xiao Xiao.

Without withdrawing my Heavenly Swan, I tried to focus spirit energy on my right hand. It wasn't easy, something was blocking it and making it difficult. Focusing, even more, I could feel my blood boiling, but just as I was to stop, new energy started revolving around my right hand 'Even more interesting!'.

It was a different revolution and didn't seem to affect the one at my back at all. As before, the red halberd manifested at my hands. However, something was different, it was beating madly, seeming to shout. At the same time, the Heavenly Swan started trumpeting furiously.

I had both activated at the same time, but they seemed to not get along. A had a big headache that made my head seemed going to explode, my stomach growled and I almost puked. Both spirits disappeared and I fell to the ground.

I was exhausted, even if I could use both at the same time, there seemed to be some problem, like fighting between both, making impossible to, at least now, use them. At the same time, the expending of spirit energy was enormous, a lot more than the sum of both separately, my spirit energy running out. "I'll need more time, maybe in the future," I said panting.

With my sore body and my last strength, I finally was able to drag my body and climb onto my bed. Instantly falling asleep.