THE PATH TO SUPREMACY

The days leading up to the ceremony moved in a blur. For Rui, the routine that had once felt steady and predictable now felt like an unbearable waiting game. He woke earlier than usual, unable to remain still, his thoughts racing with anticipation. He spent his mornings wandering the estate grounds, his evenings lost in quiet contemplation beneath the vast sky. The weight of what was to come pressed against him like a hand on his chest.

The other noble children, some familiar, others unfamiliar, had begun to gather at the estate as preparations for the awakening ceremony commenced. With each passing day, Rui saw more carriages arrive—grand things pulled by well-groomed horses, carrying children dressed in pristine attire, accompanied by parents whose gazes carried both pride and expectation. The presence of so many made the estate feel alive in a way it hadn't before, though Rui couldn't shake the sense of unease that came with it.

One afternoon, as Rui stood near the gardens, Liora found him. Her usual playful demeanor was softened, her expression thoughtful as she approached him.

"Everyone's talking about the ceremony, you know," she said, her voice quiet as she plucked a small flower from a nearby bush. "Are you ready?"

Rui turned toward her, his silver eyes reflecting the soft sunlight. "I don't know. How can I be ready for something I don't understand?"

Liora twirled the flower between her fingers. "My brother told me about his awakening a few years ago. He said it feels like… fire and light all at once. Like something inside you finally wakes up and stretches its arms." She paused, glancing at Rui. "That doesn't sound too bad, does it?"

Rui gave a small smile, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "I just hope it works."

"It will," Liora said with certainty, as though she could see his doubts and banish them with a word. "You're Rui. If anyone's ready, it's you."

Rui looked at her, surprised by the confidence in her voice. He didn't respond, but her words stayed with him as he wandered back into the estate, his heart beating just a little slower.

The evening before the ceremony, Soren summoned Rui to his private study. It was a place Rui rarely entered—a room filled with ancient tomes, weapons mounted on the walls, and an aura of quiet authority that seemed to mirror its owner.

Soren stood by the window, his broad frame silhouetted against the deepening twilight. "Tomorrow is an important day," he said without turning around. "Are you afraid?"

Rui hesitated before answering. "A little," he admitted. "What if… what if something goes wrong?"

Soren finally turned to face him, his amber eyes steady and calm. "There is no shame in fear, Rui. It is a part of you, just as strength is. But listen carefully—tomorrow is not a test. It is a beginning. The ceremony does not judge you. It reveals you."

"Reveals me?" Rui echoed, frowning slightly.

Soren nodded. "The awakening does not create your strength. It brings it to the surface. Who you are, what you are capable of—that has always been within you. The ceremony merely shows you the truth."

Rui looked down at his small hands, clenching them unconsciously. "But what if my truth… isn't enough?"

Soren approached him, placing a firm hand on his shoulder. "You are enough, Rui. You always have been. Trust yourself."

Those words echoed in Rui's mind long after he left the study.

The morning of the ceremony arrived with a crisp chill in the air, the first light of dawn painting the sky in shades of gold and violet. Rui stood in his room, dressed in the ceremonial robes Arielle had prepared for him. They were a deep blue, lined with silver threads that shimmered faintly in the light. His reflection in the polished mirror looked… different—older, perhaps, or simply more ready.

Arielle entered the room with her usual grace, a warm smile softening the edges of the day's importance. "You look perfect," she said, her voice filled with pride.

Rui turned to her, his silver eyes steady. "Mother… what happens if I'm not like the others?"

Arielle knelt in front of him, her fingers brushing gently against his cheek. "You are you, Rui. That is enough. No matter what happens today, you will walk forward as yourself—and that will always be more than enough."

Her words settled in his chest like a soft flame. He wasn't worried anymore. The ceremony wasn't something to fear—it was a step forward, a door waiting to open.