Valrion's feet felt heavy as he walked toward the orb. The crystalline surface pulsed faintly, as though it were alive, waiting for him. His heart pounded faster with each step, his hands trembling despite his best efforts to still them.
What if I'm weak? The thought gnawed at him. What if they all look down on me?
The hum of the lab seemed to grow louder. Shadows bent toward the orb, and every gaze in the room followed his small frame as he approached the pedestal.
Arveth's voice broke the silence. "Go ahead, young lord. A single drop of blood upon the Lens."
Valrion swallowed hard. His knees wobbled, but he shook his head once, forcing his nerves down. With a sharp breath, he picked up the needle and pricked his finger. A sting of pain — brief, almost forgotten — before a bead of crimson welled at his fingertip.
He pressed it against the orb.
The room shook.
A low boom reverberated through the lab, rattling instruments on their shelves. The orb flared to life, light swelling until the chamber glowed brighter than any torch.
Colors rippled through it in sequence:
First a dull green — common density.
Then red — stronger, refined.
Then yellow, blazing brighter — moderate density.
The glow surged into cyan, humming so loud the scientists gasped — high density.
Finally, the orb pulsed with a violent flare, flickering on the edge of white and violet-gold — the mark of an outlier.
It hung there, wavering between high density and outlier. The chamber was utterly silent.
Then Kaelus broke into laughter, his deep voice filling the room. "Ha! Excellent! We haven't had one with this much potential in the family for decades!"
Nymerra smiled, pride softening her obsidian-dark eyes, though sorrow flickered beneath. She knew what this meant: her son was strong — but strength only drew enemies.
Kaelen's jaw tightened. "Impressive," he muttered, his voice controlled, but his eyes burned with jealousy. "Another rival to deal with."
Darian grinned, raising a thumb with a boyish smirk. "Not bad, little brother. You'll give us trouble, that's for sure."
Selendra's gaze lingered on him longest. Calm, calculating, her lips curved in a faint smile. "He may prove useful. Or dangerous."
The scientists erupted in chatter, their laughter and excitement filling the chamber. Head Scientist Arveth's hands trembled as he read the glowing runes.
"Ninety two percent density! If he reaches one hundred, he will have the strongest foundation." His face was alight with joy. "It's rare, but not unheard of — most who stand at the top reached perfect density. Still, to see it in one so young is extraordinary."
Valrion blinked, staring at the numbers etched in light across the orb. He didn't understand why everyone was so shocked. To him, it was just a strange glow, numbers he couldn't quite grasp.
Then Kaelus swept him into his arms. Nymerra pressed close, resting her hand on her son's back. For a moment, Valrion was just a boy again, held tight by the warmth of his parents.
When Kaelus set him down, his voice carried the weight of command.
"Training will begin immediately. We need to build your foundation early. Everyone awakens at a different age — usually between twenty and thirty Common Years, or about one Grand Year. Some awaken earlier. With this potential, we won't waste time."
The head butler bowed deeply. "Lord Kaelus, shall I prepare the training room?"
"Yes," Kaelus replied without hesitation. "Ready the weights and the track. And bring out the sparring constructs."
As everyone filed from the chamber, Valrion lingered by the orb, his stomach flipping between pride and nerves. He didn't yet know what any of this meant — only that the fire in his father's eyes left no doubt.
His childhood had just ended.