The family of three spent the coming months in tranquillity, meditating, consolidating their core, sensing the elemental laws of the world, and teaching young Markus about the world.
Young Markus wasn't simply learning; he was observing. His heterochromatic eyes traced the flow of mana in the atmosphere, like a hawk watching the wind.
Colonel Alistair Vance, a family friend of the Blackwells, sent his Granddaughter, a similar age to Markus, to live with them in the Capital.
Rosanne Vance was entrusted to the elderly couple to be raised in the safety of the Blackwells' with their elite tutelage.
In the blink of an eye, the young sprouts turned 5, and the boundaries of common logic began to fall apart.
Children usually undergo their awakening at the age of 10.
Talented kids attuned to nature around them could awaken 1-2 years earlier than usual.
But it is unheard of to awaken at the age of 5.
Young Markus occasionally levitated atop his bed whilst sleeping and even sent toys flying in the air.
Young Rosanne radiated with a soft, eternal glow, A unique light affinity shone from her fingertips, illuminating the room with a gentle light.
Markus's unique energy enhanced Rosanne's immature mana pathways, allowing her to reach into her untapped potential earlier than their peers.
Isolde began bringing Markus into the underground laboratory as a spectator.
Whilst other children played in the streets with sticks and stones, Markus watched the molecular bonding of herbs and monster parts.
By the age of 7, Markus successfully condensed his first alchemical pill.
A solid, hyper-compressed round sphere of 98% purity, shelf-stable and more potent than any potion.
A unique invention unknown to the Aurelians.
Current known alchemical products are liquid-based, potions that replenish health and mana, as well as enhancing attributes.
However, the purest form of an alchemical product is a pill.
Isolde patented the alchemical pill creation process at the Aurelian Embassy, creating a new revenue stream for the Blackwells.
Markus continued with his alchemical experiments, eventually reaching the pinnacle of tier 1 pill refining.
Lightning gathered in dense clouds above the Blackwell estate; it descended in furious strikes, intending to strike with heaven's will.
A perfect pill sat in the alchemy cauldron. Markus willed his spatial energy to form a protective barrier around the pill.
As lightning descended, the perfect spatial bubble isolated the pill from destruction.
As the lightning clouds above dispersed, a pill vein formed, streaking across the perfect pill sitting in the cauldron.
Markus swiftly transferred the pill into a jade bottle, isolating and preserving the pill's medicinal effects.
----------------------------------------------------------
Item: Body refining pill
Tier: 1
Mana Vein: 1
Description: A perfect pill to assist body refinement and cultivation.
----------------------------------------------------------
Isolde and Sloane blasted through the doors of the alchemy lab, checking if Markus was safe from the lightning tribulation.
"Don't worry, Grandpa, Grandma, it's just a lightning tribulation from a perfect alchemy pill."
"What is a lightning tribulation?" Isolde questioned.
"A perfect pill would summon a heavenly tribulation.
The alchemist would have to protect the pill with his powers; if the pill isn't destroyed, it would obtain a pill vein.
This pill vein condenses the heavenly energy and increases the potency of the pill." Markus calmly explained.
"Only the alchemist can protect his pills; external interference would increase the amount of heavenly punishment above the alchemist's capabilities," Markus added.
The elderly Blackwell couple nodded in understanding, "Okay, but don't over-exert yourself, darling. Safety is always your priority," Isolde picked Markus into her embrace.
By the age of 10, Markus and Rosanne consumed numerous perfect body-refining pills, solidifying their foundations to the extreme.
----------------------------------------------------------
Name: Markus Blackwell
Age: 10
Class: Void Apprentice (Tier 1)
Affinities: Space (L), Time (L)(Sealed), Fate (EX)
Level: 1
Strength: 50
Agility: 50
Constitution: 50
Intelligence: 200
Available free attributes: 0
Active Skills:
Spatial Slash
Spatial Bubble
Passive Skills:
Body refinement (Tier 3)
Void Perception
Infinite Dimensional Inventory
Fate's Eye
Equipment:
Aurelian Royal Family Crest
Dimensional Storage Ring (Tier 3)
----------------------------------------------------------
Name: Rosanne Vance
Age: 10
Class: Priestess of Light (Tier 1)
Affinities: Light (SS)
Level: 1
Strength: 40
Agility: 40
Constitution: 40
Intelligence: 100
Available free attributes: 0
Active Skills:
Healing Light
Blinding Light
Passive Skills:
Body refinement (Tier 3)
Equipment:
Vance Family Crest
Dimensional Storage Ring (Tier 2)
----------------------------------------------------------
**
The streets of the Valerian Royal Capital awoke early, today, the year 2172 of the Earthen Calendar, on August the First, children of age gathered for their awakening ceremony.
The awakening ceremony is a 2-step process.
Firstly, every child places their hands on an elemental orb.
This elemental orb is extremely mana conducive; it will absorb the ambient mana during contact and display its mana characteristic and tier.
4 main elements can be awakened:
Earth
Fire
Wind
Water
However, there are unique elements that can also be awakened:
Lightning
Ice
Metal
Light
Darkness
Shadow
Poison
Blood
Sound
And lastly, the tier of awakened element can be shown through the intensity of the reaction from the elemental orb; the stronger the mana reaction, the higher the tier.
The second step of awakening is to step through the portal to awaken their status panels.
Usually, kids would step into a portal that has been declared safe for low-level entry.
These portals have been scouted and cleared by adventurers or military personnel.
They usually occupy the portal region and establish a forward zone, which prevents any portal natives or beasts from attacking or camping the portal.
Whatever or whoever created the portal only allows Earth natives to cross and return from the portals.
Native inhabitants within the portal are unable to cross over into Earth.
On this occasion, Commander Vance applied for a week's of leave to spectate his beloved granddaughter's awakening ceremony.
**
Soon, names were being called out as they stepped onto the podium in the Valerian Capital's town square.
"Saylor Vane"
A young boy with green hair and green eyes stepped forward. He placed his hands on the elemental orb.
"Poison Element, S Tier"
Saylor pumped his fist in the air, "YEAH, I'M GOING TO BE THE STRONGEST IN VALERIA."
"Get off the podium once you have checked your element," The inspector said.
"Hmph," Saylor grunted and stepped off the podium.
"Louise Litt"
"Fire Element, SS Tier"
"Mika Ross"
"Ice Element, A Tier"
"Richard Zane"
"Water Element, S Tier"
"Harvey Lecter"
"Fire Element, S Tier"
"Jessica Johnson"
"Lightning Element, A Tier"
"Donna Michealson"
"Wind Element, SSS Tier"
"Shiela Cahill"
"Blood Element, B Tier"
"Rosanne Vance"
"Light Element, SS Tier"
Kids kept ascending the podium; some ended up crying, awakening between tiers B-D, knowing that they would peak at tiers 3-4, which would send many into depression.
Their highest potential in society would usually be in the military, as adventurers, or in the public sector as law enforcement officers.
"Lastly, Markus Blackwell"
Markus grabbed both Sloane's and Isolde's hands tightly, he gave them a warm look, and ascended the podium.
He placed his small palms on the elemental orb and focused his energies into it.
"Unknown Element, SSS Tier"
Markus smiled at the inspector and descended down the podium, leaping back to Isolde and Sloane in joy.
(I'm glad they can't detect Fate, the combination of space and time)
Markus thought to himself.
"Alright, kids, we have a secured portal thanks to the Adventurer's Guild, and the military has an outpost built around the portal entrance." The inspector led the batch of to-be-awakeners to the portal entrance.
A light blue hue glowed; the portal was a stable mana channel anchored in space.
Similar to the first process, the kids entered the portal in order by their names.
Right before Markus entered the portal, an anomaly occurred; the portal turned white and black as he stepped through.