[: Daniel POV :]
Ten months had passed in the blink of an eye.
Even though the season changed along with the sky, pain became my friend, and nothing had changed for me.
Each day felt longer than the last, but I endured it all, holding onto the flickering hope that in two more months, I would turn twelve.
It was only two more months until the Age of Awakening, and I still hold onto the fact somehow or by miracle, I would awaken.
Not because I couldn't, but because of how this seal on my wrist is preventing me from being awakened.
But if somehow I'm able to receive my powers, then the first thing I would do is to do nothing but annihilate every single source of slavery.
Secondly, I would have my revenge against this bastard of a noble.
And that is a promise that is etched and carved into every breath, every scar, every broken bone.
Just like Revan's flames burned into my soul, I would burn deeply every fire he had wounded me.
An eye for an eye and blood for blood.
In this world, once someone reaches twelve, they undergo a sacred rite where their Class, Skill, Trait, Bloodline, Innate Talent, Physique, and Soul Weapon are revealed.
It was a moment that defines destiny itself, and a moment where those results would pre-determine their life onwards.
And it's not just about receiving power.
It's about the rankings of the awakening.
Each of the seven attributes is ranked from E, the weakest, D, C, B, A, S, SS, SSS, Gold, Epic, Legend, and Mythic, a rank whispered only in legends.
Even receiving an A-rank was enough to turn commoners into nobles.
Mythic? That was divine.
It was unheard of and perhaps one wouldn't be able to witness in centuries.
But if one were to awaken, they would be Kings and Queens.
On the other hand, I just discovered the reasons for Revan's daily training.
Revan, the twisted heir of House Alburn, was training with fanatic obsession, sharpening every ounce of his strength to stand out at Apex Academy.
Caelira was the one who explained it to me the most.
"Apex Academy was created by the very first Empress, Diana Valenhardt''
''It was created to nurture youths to prepare them to stand against our ancient enemies from the gates''
''Our ancient enemies that we called Invaders, as we still have no idea till this day why they had come or where they came from''
''Hence, the purpose of the Academy was to prepare the young ones, and even then, it was something that the other Kings and Queens were fond of, that they decided to send their heirs''
''Because of that, the Apex Academy is now a reason that many Nobles attend to build their relationship''
''It's not only a shower of power but also politics''
''Which explains why Revan is so focus on training since he wish to stand out and not be a drag''
''Because of that, there were no longer wars between continents, and all of them now stood together to stand against our ancient enemies''
''Speaking about the first empress, do you know who is the current ruler of the human continent, Daniel?'' Caelira questioned with a smile.
''I...don't know'' I couldn't answer that she's my mother.
After all, no one would believe that a child of an empress had become a slave.
Even if I did tell, then what's the point? It's not like telling would change anything.
''Right, since you have been living without knowing about the outside would make sense that you don't have any idea''
''The Empress for the human continent is known as Empress Melira Valenhardt," she told me one night as she brushed my matted hair with a cloth.
So that's my mother's name?
It kinda makes me happy and smile a little, knowing about my mother, and I wonder if she still misses her son, even though I'm dead in her eyes?
Would she still even remember that she has a son?
"She's the strongest human to ever live, and her overall prowess surpasses even the first Empress. A being the world now calls an Irregular."
I blinked up at her, bleeding from the corners of my lips. "Irregular?"
Caelira nodded, her fingers trembling slightly.
"An existence that's hard to define as a rank. Her power was immeasurable, able to split islands with her fist, tear continents with her will, and bend the very elements to her command.
''There are existences where their powers are illogical and can't be defined through normal mean and the Empress was one of them''
''Yet despite all her power, she was kind and gentle."
Her voice grew quieter, and for some reason, she looked rather sad.
"She was loved, not feared. Humans, demi-humans, elves, dwarvs and even dragons respected her. She smiled often, loved children deeply, and treated rulers of other races not as rivals, but as friends."
"So… what happened?" I asked.
Caelira paused, her silver eyes gazing beyond the candle's light as though she couldn't find the strength to mutter her next words.
''She gave birth to a son. A child who was said to inherit her power. A miracle in flesh. But before the boy could even breathe the world, he was taken."
Rika, sharpening a crude blade beside the wall, growled. "Zeros, it was that cursed group."
Marnok, silent for hours, spoke then, his one eye glinting.
"An order that opposes all thrones. All rulers. They believe power should never rest in a crown. They've killed Emperors, Kings, even Saints."
Caelira's voice cracked.
"They stole him, her son, a newborn. And though no body was found, they left behind a symbol at the area where the Maid who was with the newborn had tried to run away from them''
''It was a symbol of destruction where the area now had become a cursed forest where no life could exist or even coexist with''
Kiel punched the wall. "Bastards."
Rika added, "Ever since that day, she changed that. Empress Melira. She didn't scream nor did she cry. She just… vanished for weeks. And when she returned, she wasn't the same."
Caelira whispered, "She tried to destroy everything."
"The Demon King, Dragon Empress, even the Ruler of Beasts, they all had to stop her," Marnok muttered.
"Not because they wish to kill her… but because the Empress had lose her reason and she was causing destruction everywhere''
''No one was hurt when she tried destroying everything, but in the end, despite the 3 Rulers stopping her, the Empress only stopped when she collapsed under the weight of her grief."
"The entire Human Empire changed that day," Caelira continued. "Her armies hunted the Zeros like vermin''
''Anyone who has even the tiniest relationship with the Zeros for their selfish purpose was killed, and mercy became scarce."
Silence fell between us as the truth soaked into my bones.
I never thought my 'death' had affected her greatly, and I wonder what she would feel if she discovered that I'm still alive?
Kiel broke it with a low voice. "And guess who'll be joining Apex Academy next?"
I looked up.
"The Dragon Empress's youngest daughter," Rika answered. "She awakened all attributes… at Mythic rank."
"One in a billion," Marnok added. "And rumour has it… she was meant to be betrothed to Empress Melira's son, the one who died."
The revelation struck like thunder.
I have a fiancée!?
And it's a dragon princess!?
I couldn't believe my ears when I heard that, but in the end, it's not like I could do anything.