The Basilica did not empty when the bells fell silent.
It shifted.
Nobles drifted toward the front rows without being told. Merchants clustered behind them. The orphan halls were guided quietly to the sides.
No one announced the order.
It simply formed.
Alaric stood beside his father and tried not to stare.
He failed.
The Duke of Valemont had arrived with full ceremony. Blue-liveried guards lined the aisle. The Duke himself stood composed, hands folded behind his back.
But Alaric's eyes settled on the boy beside him.
Cedric Valemont.
Same age.
Same testing day.
Cedric did not look nervous.
He stood as if this moment had always belonged to him.
Alaric had seen him before twice at court dinners, once at their estate during border negotiations.
Cedric hadn't spoken much then.
He had only watched.
Alaric remembered disliking that.
Next to the Duke stood Chancellor Corvin, thin and sharp-eyed. His daughter Seraphine stood at his side, posture perfect.
Alaric had seen her once before as well.
The adults had gathered in his father's study to argue supply routes and tax levies. The children had been sent outside.
"Keep each other occupied," Darian had said.
Cedric had leaned against the courtyard rail like it belonged to him.
Seraphine had not played.
She had asked questions.
"Why reinforce the western road instead of the southern pass?"
Alaric had blinked. "I don't know."
"The southern pass is narrower," she had said. "Harder to defend."
Cedric had smirked.
Alaric had felt heat rise to his face.
They were the same age.
But she spoke like someone already preparing to sit at the council table.
Confident.
Too confident.
"She'll awaken rare," someone whispered nearby.
Alaric pretended not to hear.
If Cedric awakened common, no one would mock him.
But no one would forget.
If Seraphine awakened rare, influence would tilt overnight.
Testing day wasn't just about gods.
It was about balance.
Behind them, the orphans stood in grey coats.
Alaric glanced back.
He found the thin boy again Cassien.
No crest.
No family.
No expectation.
Cassien stood very still, but his fingers were clenched.
Alaric wondered if anyone had trained him for this.
He had trained every dawn.
Running.
Sparring.
Breathing until his lungs burned.
His father said discipline steadied the mind.
Did orphans receive discipline?
He doubted it.
"Watch carefully," Darian said quietly.
Alaric nodded.
"Not the circles," Darian added. "The reactions."
Alaric understood.
Power shifted long before it was announced.
High Inquisitor Pryde stepped forward.
The murmuring stopped at once.
"You stand beneath the Three Gods," Pryde said calmly.
Above them, stained glass caught the light.
Gold.
Red.
Smoke-dark.
"The God of Authority governs order. Command. Oath. Judgment. Edict. Those marked by Authority build structure and define law."
"The God of Transformation governs strength and change. Flesh. Flame. Matter. Blood. Those marked by Transformation reshape the world through force."
"The God of Interference governs disruption and balance. Dampening. Resistance. Stabilization. Those marked by Interference weaken, steady, and preserve."
He paused.
"When you awaken, you receive one Domain a specific expression of your god."
"Some Domains are common."
"Some are rare."
A priest stepped forward.
"All begin as Initiates. Low, Mid, or High. Through discipline and Church-recognized trial, you may rise further."
The word recognized lingered.
"Most awaken as Low Initiates," Pryde finished. "Some do not awaken at all."
The first names were called.
Common domains.
Low ranks.
Murmured approval.
Then a noble girl stepped into the golden circle.
Nothing happened.
The invocation was repeated.
Silence.
"No awakening."
Her father's face did not move.
She was guided aside.
Testing continued.
Another child failed.
Then another.
"Lord Cedric Valemont."
Cedric stepped forward.
No hesitation.
He entered the golden circle.
The chalk brightened at once.
Not flickering.
Not uncertain.
Bright.
The air tightened.
A thin ring of pale light formed briefly at his shoulders.
The priest's voice carried.
"Authority."
A pause.
"Decree Domain."
A murmur rolled through the hall
Rare
"High Initiate"
The word struck hard
Applause broke controlled, but undeniable
The Duke inclined his head slightly
Alaric felt something tighten in his chest
High
Rare
Cedric stepped out of the circle without looking around.
But Alaric knew he didn't need to.
---
"Lady Seraphine Corvin"
She entered the red circle
Ash flared bright beneath her feet
"Transformation"
A pause
"Blood Domain"
Another murmur
Rare again.
"Mid Initiate"
The Chancellor's lips curved faintly.
The balance had shifted but not entirely.
---
"Alaric Vaelor."
The golden circle felt colder now.
The priest's hand pressed to his forehead.
"Be still."
The invocation began.
For a moment, nothing happened.
Then
Clarity.
Sharp.
Cutting.
Alaric felt every breath in the hall.
The weight of Cedric's presence.
The careful stillness of his father.
The faint tremor in a merchant boy's hands.
The golden circle brightened precise, not wild.
"Authority."
A pause.
"Judgment Domain."
Whispers again.
Rare.
"Mid Initiate."
Comparison spread through the crowd like quiet fire.
Not High.
But rare.
Alaric stepped out.
He didn't look at Cedric.
He didn't need to.
---
More awakenings followed.
Mostly common.
Mostly Low.
Then
"Cassien."
The orphan stepped forward.
He entered the dark circle.
The powder remained still.
The priest placed his hand on Cassien's forehead.
The invocation began.
A slightly longer pause.
Then
"Interference."
A few nobles shifted.
"Dampening Domain. Low Initiate."
The record was written.
No applause.
No disappointment.
Just dismissal.
Cassien stepped out quietly.
Nothing unusual had happened.
Except
Pryde's gaze lingered.
There had been no flicker.
No minor turbulence.
No instability.
Interference awakenings usually carried a ripple.
This one had not.
Too clean.
Pryde's expression did not change.
"Next."
---
When the final name was called, Pryde addressed them once more.
"Authority builds. Transformation reshapes. Interference preserves."
Balanced words.
Unequal weight.
"Your rank today defines your path."
His gaze passed over Cedric.
Then Alaric.
Then, briefly, Cassien.
"From this day forward," From this day forward, your names are entered into the Church's keeping."