The day of the Awakening Ceremony arrived, cloaked in solemnity and grandeur.
The Verian estate seemed to breathe differently. Runes pulsed faintly across its walls, servants whispered in reverence, and the air itself carried the weight of expectation. This was no ordinary ritual—it was the day the clan measured its future.
At the heart of it stood my sister, Selyra Verian.
She was calm, poised beyond her years, her dark hair bound with a golden clasp. Even so young, she radiated the grace of someone born to be admired. Razeal and I stood by her side.
"Good luck, Sister," Razeal said, his voice steady.
"You'll outshine them all," I added, trying to hide the pounding of my chest.
Her smile warmed us both. "Then I'll shine for you too."
And with that, she walked into the chamber, elders following behind in their ceremonial robes.
---
The Awakening Chamber was a sanctum carved from obsidian, its walls alive with inscriptions older than empires. The air was heavy with power, vibrating faintly with the residue of countless awakenings before hers.
At the center rose the Awakening Stone—a crystalline monolith taller than three men, shimmering with inner light. Colors shifted within it like molten stars trapped in glass.
The elders began their chants, each syllable resonating with the pulse of the stone.
Selyra stepped forward. Her hand, delicate yet firm, pressed against the crystal.
For a heartbeat, silence.
Then the stone erupted in light.
---
Flames engulfed the chamber. Golden and crimson fire twisted skyward, filling every corner with unbearable brilliance. From the fire emerged wings—vast, majestic, untouchable.
A phoenix.
Its cry split the air, ringing with eternity. The creature circled Selyra, its every motion carrying the weight of legends. The elders gasped, some falling to their knees in awe.
"The Phoenix Flame…" whispered one.
"A talent thought lost to history," another said, voice trembling.
The phoenix descended, its wings folding around Selyra before vanishing into her chest.
Her body shone with golden light, her hair tinged with embered streaks, her eyes gleaming crimson. The mark of her awakening.
The Phoenix Flame. The power to burn, to heal, and to rise again from destruction.
---
The chamber shook with celebration. Elders raised their voices in praise, servants bowed low. My mother's tears glittered with joy. Even Razeal's lips pressed tight, the mask of composure slipping for once.
But as the cheers rose, a sound cut through them all.
> [Binding Target: Verian Selyra has awakened the Phoenix Flame.]
[Calculating Rewards…]
[10x Amplification applied.]
Congratulations. You have awakened: Eternal Inferno.]
My breath caught. Heat surged inside me, unbearable yet intoxicating. Not gentle warmth, not even searing fire—this was flame without limit, a blaze that devoured all things.
The system's voice filled my mind.
---
Eternal Inferno
Nature: Fire without end. Unlike ordinary flame, Eternal Inferno does not consume fuel alone—it feeds on existence itself. Once it begins to burn, no natural force can extinguish it unless I will it.
Innate Usage: Like all awakened talents, Eternal Inferno is usable from the moment of awakening. But its expression is bound by my current capacity: the flame drains my mana, aura, and stamina at a terrifying rate. Without enough reserves, the fire gutters, unstable.
Applications:
Combat: Pure annihilation. Any enemy designated will burn until erased, their defenses meaningless before its hunger.
Resilience: The fire sustains me, burning away fatigue and closing wounds as long as I have energy to feed it.
Evolution: With time and power, the Inferno may spread into a Domain, overlaying reality with a world of endless fire where only I decide what survives.
Where Selyra's Phoenix Flame promised rebirth and healing, mine was the opposite: destruction eternal.
---
I clenched my fists, trying to steady my breath.
This wasn't just strong—it was monstrous. A talent capable of making me the most feared existence in this world.
But already I could sense the truth of its restriction. My body quivered with exhaustion from merely awakening it. If I unleashed it recklessly, I'd burn myself out before touching my enemies.
Still, even restrained, it was enough. More than enough.
---
The elders were still celebrating Selyra. None saw the faint flicker of black-gold flame that danced in my palm, only to vanish when I clenched my hand.
No one knew.
No one except me, and the system whispering in my ear.
Selyra was hailed as the Verian clan's rising star, her Phoenix Flame a miracle reborn.
But in her shadow, hidden and silent, I now bore something greater.
Not the fire of rebirth—
But the Eternal Inferno.
And unlike her, I didn't need the world's applause.
I only needed time.
---