The morning light spilled through stained-glass windows, painting the quiet streets of Sol Ardent in hues of gold and blue. Bell towers chimed, and white-robed priests moved through the avenues, blessing citizens as faint veins of ether flowered beneath the marble roads.
Caspian Ravenscroft stepped out of his small home at the edge of the district—the poor quarter, where the divine light rarely reached. His mother stood in the doorway, hands trembling slightly as she adjusted his collar.
"Whatever part the Light chooses for you," she said softly, "follow it with pride."
Caspian offered a small smile. "You know I don't believe in the Light—or that God chooses anything, Mother. People do."
She sighed but didn't argue. Behind her, his little sister Emilia peeked out, bright eyes wide, clutching a wooden toy.
"How are you doing, Emily?" Caspian asked.
"Hmph, I don't want to talk to you," she pouted. "You didn't buy the chocolate you promised me."
Caspian chuckled, ruffling her hair. "Don't worry. When I come back after the Blessing, I'll steal some for you, okay?"
He turned and began walking toward the glowing towers before his mother called after him. "Bring me a Radiant Badge when you are chosen!" she said cheerfully.
Caspian laughed and continued toward the towers of the Radiant Academy. His mind was calm and collected. Today was the day of blessings—the ceremony that decided which energy one could control, a rite that shaped every Lunarian's destiny.
The streets were alive with candidates in white robes. Families whispered prayers, and floating banners bore the Dominion's sigil: a sun and half-moon encircled by twelve wings, symbolizing the divine order of twelve blessings.
Caspian walked beside Lio Varen, who wore his usual branded robe instead of the white ceremonial one.
"Think you'll get fire again?" Lio teased.
"Think you'll stop talking long enough to find out?" Caspian replied dryly.
They laughed, but as they neared the cathedral, Caspian slowed, towering silently before the Hall of Ascendance, carved from radiant quartz that shimmered faintly in the morning light.
•••••
Inside the cathedral, the three halls stretched before them like silent sentinels, each bearing a massive sign: Rite of Illumination, Ether Ascension, and Blessing Trial. The air was thick with incense, tinged with faint humming energy that pulsed in time with their hearts. Caspian, Lio, and the remaining students shifted nervously, unsure where to step first.
Before anyone could speak, the massive doors at the end of the cathedral creaked open. A tall figure clad in dark robes stepped in, face hidden beneath a hood. Every whisper and murmur died instantly; the cathedral seemed to hold its breath.
"Students of Radiant Academy," the Inquisitor's voice echoed, deep and calm, yet carrying an authority that demanded attention. "The time of awakening has come. Each of you will enter the hall that your destiny calls you to. Hesitation is folly, and doubt is dangerous. Step forward when you feel the pull of your core, and it shall guide you."
A faint shimmer ran through the air, like threads of light tugging at their instincts. Caspian's chest tightened—a strange warmth radiated from the Rite of Illumination. Lio's eyes flickered toward the Ether Ascension Hall, clarity pulling him forward. Around them, students hesitated, some wide-eyed, some trembling, all listening to the invisible thread the Inquisitor described.
Raising a hand, the Inquisitor parted the air itself, revealing the entrances more clearly. "Choose wisely," he said. "The hall you enter will judge you, and only those who harmonize with their true core shall awaken. The Hall of Blessing Trials is compulsory for all. That is all. May the Light and God be with you."
Caspian's gaze lingered on the Hall of Rite and Hall of Ether Ascension. A rush of excitement pulsed through him, his blood thrumming in his veins. The Inquisitor's voice rang once more: "If you feel a thread with the two halls, there is no problem. You may enter whichever you feel drawn to."
Swallowing hard, Caspian stepped forward toward the Rite of Illumination, hand brushing against the massive quartz door. A spark, a resonance deep inside him stirred, and the cathedral seemed to hum in response. Lio, a few steps away, nodded subtly to himself before moving toward the Ether Ascension Hall, drawn as if by an invisible current.
The remaining students shuffled uncertainly, some stepping back, some hesitating, until the first among them disappeared into the halls. Silence settled over the cathedral once more, heavy with anticipation, broken only by the faint, almost imperceptible hum of awakened energy.
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