Nearing the reception desk, Aston saw droves of children lining by the registration booth while completing their registration. It was finally Aston’s turn, as the line thinned.

  “Please enter your credentials in the monitor.” The female receptionist pointed at the screen by the booth. Aston entered his full name - Aston Rhyner, his birthday, address, and other required fields before pressing the “send” button. The receptionist then scanned the entry and asked Aston to verify if the entry is correct, to which he assented.

  “Your number is 254, please follow this line for your seat,” said the receptionist while pushing a button. Lights illuminated the floor and traced a line towards an area where children are seated and onto an empty seat.

  Aston found himself near the back of the area. With ten rows per seat, and two columns per row, he was by the thirteenth row, first column. He found himself seated together with another boy his age, with an aura of superiority. His brand new clothes and slicked back hair with excessive amounts of gel gleaming under the radiant sun.

  He gazed at his seatmate's clothes - clean but noticeably worn, the fabric of which in some areas are already thinning and the pant leg folded by the , clearly too tall for the boy. With a tone of condescension, he mused, adjusting his cuff, “They really let anyone in, don’t they?”

  Aston heard it but didn’t react. He knows that after the ceremony and evaluation, current status won’t matter anymore. The boy smirked, “I already know mine. Today is just a formality, an announcement so to speak. How about you? I think red suits you.”

  To people with enough money, they have the option to have their potential tested at an early age. While a child’s potential is still developing at that age, the results are generally reliable, having a little margin of error.

  Aston exhaled through his nose, clearly annoyed, but willed himself not to react. People like him always have the luxury of knowing in advance. Early testing was a privilege. He could feel the boy’s gaze, expectant for a reaction, but Aston did not give any. The boy’s amused face turned to boredom, as he adjusted his cuffs one last time before settling down.

  After a while, the sound of bells chimed through the air. The previously chattering crowd now quieted as their attentions shifted to the platform.

  The large monitors beside the platforms switched on and showed a zoomed up recording of the platform. On the platform, a row of chairs prepared for the city officials and the city lord.

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  People dressed with official clothes started to walk towards the platform and occupied the chairs. A man neared the podium and announced, “The Awakening Ceremony has officially started.”

  The crowd boomed in cheers and the children clapped their hands in joy and anticipation.

  The announcer continued, “It is well known that at a young age, spirit potential starts to coalesce and sets in. While there are ways to elevate one’s potential, most practices are extremely expensive. Also, oftentimes, these are controlled by the royalty and by the sects, so once they reach a certain age, they undergo a Spirit Awakening Ceremony to determine their potential.”

  Aston listened intently, his hands gripping the hem of his shirt. This is it - the moment his future is determined.

  The announcer gestured at the back of the platform, where a large, spherical crystal shone in full view. “As always, our city is honored to use an official awakening crystal provided by the empire.” The city lord, seated at the center of the row, mouthed a thanks to a person on the right, signifying the person’s connection to the empire’s testing center.

  “Each participant will place their hands on the crystal and the results will be recorded on the monitor located on my left hand side.” The left monitor facing the crowd shifted its view to a split screen, with its left view zoomed in to the crystal, and the other the data of the participant.

  The crowd murmured in excitement. Some of the kids straightened their backs, showing confidence, while the others fidgeted, unable to hide their nervousness.

  “The order of the awakening is based on the registration list and number,” the announcer declared. A nearby attendant , also given a microphone, started to announce the names on his tablet.

  The attendant announced to the first participant, “Nathan River, please come to the stage and place your hand on the crystal.”

  A boy with neatly combed hair and well-fitted clothes strode to the platform. An air of confidence and a smile plastered on his face. A hand was placed on the crystal and it hummed to life, shifting its glow to a bright yellow.

  [Nathan River - Potential: Yellow]

  The crowd hummed in approval. Some of the children looked at Nathan with envious looks. Upon seeing his rank, Nathan smiled and bowed to the crowd.

  The attendant smiled at Nathan and proceeded to announce the second name. “Next, Julia Barnes.”

  A girl with a neat ponytail stepped forward. A look of hesitation flashed in her eyes before placing her hands on the crystal.

  [Julia Barnes - Potential: Orange]

  The crowd’s reaction slightly subdued this time, but with acceptance. Julia exhaled in relief, knowing the result and bowed to the crowd.

  “Next, Alicia Thorne,” the attendant continued announcing the names of the children.