While Ash buried himself in dusty scrolls and ancient glyphs, the world outside refused to pause.
Far from the serenity of Neyru, the three princesses—Ary, Selvira, and Nyssari—gathered in a war room aboard a galactic battlefield station. Despite the warlike setting, the atmosphere felt softer than expected.
Ary, seated at the head of the table, idly thumbed through a photo-album artifact, its pages glowing faintly with memories of her brother.
"Gosh… how's little Ash doing? We haven't seen him in almost four years."
Selvira leaned against the window, her sword sheathed at her hip. She exhaled, eyes hardening.
"Father sent us here… and the Ilyrons still haven't made a move."
Nyssari lounged back, feet on the table, her sword resting across her lap.
"Exactly. If they were going to strike, generals could have handled it."
They shared a moment of shared homesickness—missing Ash, forgetting the other four princes for a heartbeat.
Ary straightened. "We've got one more year here. We won't miss his Awakening for anything."
A world slightly larger than Earth lay beneath the four princes, who had spent the past eight years hovering in orbit, its destiny quietly unfolding.
Kaelith, the Crown Prince, broke the long silence.
"Finally—home soon."
Thaeon—the fourth prince—yawned.
"How soon, though? This has been dull. We were too strong for this world from the start."
Kaelith nodded, gazing at floating scrolls of prophecy.
"Two to three years at most. Genuses are beginning to sprout. And we must watch for the one… 'The one scorned by all will rise.'"
Velric chimed in softly.
"How do you all think our little brother doing?"
Rhazien shrugged.
"He's a Neyru. Knowing Father, his training—and Master Selene—are keeping him busy as ever."
They shared quiet camaraderie for a moment before framing the mission again.
"Focus." Kaelith voice cut through the camaraderie.
Each prince then drifted to his own post—guardians of fate.
----
One year passed—and today was the Cosmic Awakening Ceremony.
Across the galaxy, every being turning ten would step onto the path of cultivation. On Neyru, the Awakening was always public: a celebration of life and lineage.
In the grand capital's Plaza of Echoes, hundreds of thousands gathered. Children lined up, eager or fearful, under glittering skies.
High above, the Imperial family watched. Selyra, regal. Vaerion, composed. Behind them, Ary, Selvira, and Nyssari stood in flowing silks engraved with the Neyru sigil—beauty and power in stillness.
Nyssari peered into the crowd.
"Father, Mother—where's Ash? I don't see him yet."
Selyra offered a gentle smile.
"He's on his way. He's been buried in the library all year. Needed to prepare himself."
Brows around the hall rose in surprise—nobles, guests, even Ary.
"The library?" Ary asked. "Shouldn't he have been training instead?"
The air crackled with mild scandal.
Vaerion raised a hand to still the murmurs. Then he turned to a middle-aged man at his side: Einar, the ceremonial master of rites. A dependable name—simple, strong, a foundation amidst rising buzz.
"Begin the ceremony. The Fifth Prince will join us when he arrives."
A hush fell, and the plaza awaited the arrival of its most anticipated participant.
Einar stood firm atop the obsidian platform, the Awakening Tablet pulsing faintly beneath his feet. He raised his voice, echoing across the grand plaza:
"The time has come. Each child will step forward and place their hand upon the tablet. This sacred stone will evaluate both their Talent Grade and Foundation Grade and then trigger their Innate Ability. The process will be painful but brief—and what awaits on the other side is the first step toward true cultivation."
A silence swept the crowd. Thousands of parents and nobles looked on from their elevated platforms. The skies were clear. The world was watching.
Talent Grades:
Basic → Skilled → Adept → Elite → Master → Supreme → Transcendent
Foundation Grades Based on Pre-Awakening Body & Mind Tempering
Shaky → Stable → Reinforced → Fortified → Perfect
The children began stepping forward one by one. Most received Skilled or Adept talent grades, with Stable or Reinforced foundations. Excitement stirred—but nothing yet groundbreaking.
Until the platform lit with golden energy.
A pale-haired girl with blue robes stepped up, her hand trembling slightly.
As soon as her palm met the tablet—BOOM!
A swirl of white wind erupted from the stone, sending her robes fluttering.
"AAAAH!" she cried out as the energy coursed through her. She stumbled backward, panting.
Einar stepped forward. "Name!"
"Lina Velshore!"
The tablet pulsed.
Talent Grade: Supreme
Foundation Grade: Fortified
Innate Ability: Gale Note — wind magic fused with harmonic control.
Lina looked up, stunned. "I… I can feel the air singing to me…"
The crowd roared.
A stoic girl with tightly braided hair and steel-grey eyes stepped up next.
Hand placed. Flash of brown-gold energy.
CRACK! — the platform cracked slightly beneath her as a heavy pressure burst out.
"Urgh—!" she gritted her teeth, standing firm through the pain.
Talent Grade: Supreme
Foundation Grade: Perfect
Innate Ability: Stone Heart — body can transmute to solid rock for defense and power.
Mara flexed her arms. "...I feel unbreakable."
The next impressive talent was Joren. Joren's dark green eyes narrowed as he stepped forward.
The moment his hand hit the tablet, shadows swirled unnaturally around him.
WHOOSH.
He vanished—then reappeared beside Einar a heartbeat later.
Talent Grade: Supreme
Foundation Grade: Fortified
Innate Ability: Moonshadow Cloak — become one with shadows and vanish from perception.
"Did… did I teleport?" Joren asked, blinking.
"Yes," Einar said, impressed. "And much more than that."
A girl with flame-colored hair and gold jewelry strode confidently forward.
She slapped her hand on the tablet and smiled even through the pain.
FWOOOOOM! — flames erupted in an arc around her, dancing with vibrant illusions.
Talent Grade: Supreme
Foundation Grade: Fortified
Innate Ability: Blazing Mirage — conjure fire illusions that damage and distract.
Ria's eyes shimmered. "Now this is more like it."
Next was a young boy. He was quiet. Unassuming. Eyes too old for his ten years.
The moment he placed his hand, the entire tablet turned black — then shattered into stardust.
Gasps echoed.
A sigil in the air revealed:
Talent Grade: Transcendent
Foundation Grade: Perfect
Innate Ability: Aether Echo — bend perception and movement through the manipulation of space's residual imprint.
Kail turned to Einar.
"Is… this normal?"
"No," Einar whispered. "This is amazing!"
The plaza was in uproar. Murmurs of fate, of the prophecy's truth, rippled through the nobles.
But above it all, the Imperial Family sat in silence.
Waiting.
Because Ash Neyru, the Fifth Prince, had yet to arrive.