After some time, a handsome man and two graceful women entered the grand hall.
He was Cassian Aethercrest, head of the clan, and beside him walked his wives—Elyndra Aethercrest and Saelis Dawnforge Aethercrest.
Cassian was tall and commanding, his silver-white hair and piercing silver eyes giving him an aura of calm authority. He was the father of Lucian and the pillar of the Aethercrest Clan.
Elyndra, Lucian's biological mother, had glacier-blue hair that fell like flowing ice and gentle, elegant eyes that held endless warmth.
Saelis, his stepmother, stood proudly with long auburn-gold hair and the posture of a seasoned warrior—beautiful, fierce, and noble.
The moment the three entered, the hall fell silent. Even the air seemed to straighten itself.
With a deep, authoritative voice, Cassian declared,
"Begin the awakening ceremony."
The process officially began.
One by one, the youths stepped forward to touch the awakening crystal. Sparks of light, faint glows, and mild reactions marked their results. Soon, only Lucian Aethercrest remained.
In the world, most youths awakened only one or two elements—the mark of ordinary talent.
Those considered geniuses awakened three elements.
The Awakening Hall buzzed with quiet whispers as the sixteen-year-old Lucian walked toward the altar. Everyone else in his age group had awakened last year at fifteen. He alone was late.
"He's a whole year behind… probably a weakling."
"His future is already finished."
Lucian ignored the voices.
His father's steady hand on his shoulder…
His mother's warm, encouraging smile…
Saelis' calm, warrior-like nod…
—these were enough. They believed in him when no one else did.
He placed his palms on the awakening stone.
For a heartbeat, nothing.
Then—
CRACK!
A sharp spear of pure lightning tore through the silence.
A violent surge of power rushed through his body. His dantian opened like a bursting dam, and his meridians hummed with new life. Suddenly, four lights erupted at once:
—Silver lightning crackled along his arms
—Cold ice mist swirled around his feet
—A shadowy pulse rippled behind him
—And the air itself bent, space twisting for an instant
When all four lights appeared together, the elders froze.
"Four… elements?"
"Impossible— even the greatest prodigies only awaken three!"
Gasps filled the hall.
Lucian hadn't just caught up to his peers—
He had surpassed the very concept of genius.
Before the elders could recover, another change began.
Golden lines bloomed beneath his skin, glowing like divine pathways. They spread through his veins, his bones vibrated, and his muscles tightened. An overwhelming force exploded outward—sending dust and loose leaves skittering across the floor.
His physique awakened.
It was unfamiliar.
Unrecorded in any ancient scroll.
Outside the hall, the clouds above the estate trembled, forming a single soft, golden ring. Not enough to shake the world, but enough to mark a rare and extraordinary awakening.
Slowly, the light faded.
Lucian stood straight, his aura calm yet powerful, his eyes shining with clarity.
Elyndra covered her mouth, tears filling her eyes.
Saelis stood frozen in stunned disbelief.
Cassian exhaled deeply, pride swelling in his gaze.
"You did it," he whispered. "You awakened… far stronger than anyone imagined."
The hall was silent.
The boy they mocked for awakening late now stood with four elements—and a physique the world had never seen.
From that day forward…
no one dared call Lucian Aethercrest weak ever again.