He didn't awaken?.
Arthur looked at the crystal.
He clenched his fist.
What the hell is happening.
But Arthur was a noble blood, and they were usually the ones with blessed mana and likely to awaken an ability.
And he did not.
Is he a bastard?
He knew that Alice, Arthur mom was a concubine of the noble family which had them cast out..
He had expected awakening to be a piece of cake, but….
He had also failed.
He's a Gouler now.
The realization hit him.
He had failed again.
Again, he is inferior; he has not accomplished anything.
Unwanted.
Around him whispers turned to laughter.
"He is doomed now. The life of a Gouler awaits him." Some of them laughed.
"He should've backed out. His fate would have been better than this.
I bet the knight would dump him in the Gorgory sect.
The worst team," another said among the noble kids.
Arthur gripped his cane and slowly stepped down from the platform.
Dragging his crippled leg as he limped toward the line of other failed awakeners. Other future Goulers.
Among those that awakened and were put on a special lane is Razel.
He was watching Arthur closely; his green eyes looked dulled.
He wanted to call Arthur but stopped. He knew the pain. He knew that kind of future. A Gouler future.
Arthur kept his head low.
He did not want to witness any more awakening.
He didn't deserve to see it. Like anything could change now. He stared at the dirt. Not again, why me?. Why me?.
A tear slipped down his eyes.
He wiped it away quickly.
He shouldn't cry.
Not here.
The knight's voice boomed out so that all the kids surrounding the platform could hear.
"I am happy to announce that the awakening ceremony has concluded.
Thank you all for participating. Good luck to those who awakened and to those that did not. Please do not be discouraged.
Your future can still be bright." He waved his hand, and a pen shimmered into the knight's hands.
"For those that have awakened, please fill in these forms before leaving. The rest may return home. Thank you."
That was it.
Arthur turned and walked from the platform.
But a firm hand gripped him. "Well, well, if it isn't the fresh gowler," John said, stepping in front of Arthur.
Arthur shifted awkwardly. John smirks and chuckles.
Especially after he is awakened.
"I told you. But it seems you are just a disgrace to our bloodline," he sneered.
"Father was right to cast you and your pathetic mother out."
Before Arthur could respond, John first drove into his stomach. Arthur gasped, stumbling back and doubling over in pain.
He hadn't seen that coming; it was fast. "You are not worthy of the noble name," John said coldly.
Arthur quickly straightened up and limped away, feeling a few kids' eyes on him.
Some of them laughed, but he didn't pay attention and just kept going. Soon, he found himself in the middle of the street.
Houses lined both sides, and vendors called out as they sold artifact.
Arthur walked on, moving fast; he just had to reach that alley past where his mom worked and dive in there to reach a small way home.
But the crowd on the street didn't let him see the way.
Finally he found the alley and turned in.
It was a narrow way—he had presumed it would lead into the forest.
But instead he came out into another street.
"What?" He thought.
But this was the street I had passed.
He cursed; that's when he saw the pale, familiar face, long and beautiful, staring at him. Arthur's mom, Alice.
She wore an old apron and carried a jug of wine.
"Arthur," she called, rushing towards him.
"What happened? I thought you went to the awakening ceremony; why are you here?" She questioned her concerned eyes as she looked at the boy up and down.
Arthur struggled to find words.
He couldn't tell her;
why couldn't he say he was a failure?
He was just about to answer when the air around them changed.
The heat vanished in an instant, replaced by a chilling cold.
Arthur gasped as a shimmering grey wave out of nowhere opened behind his mom.
It formed a glowing circle.
"A gate," someone called behind them.
A scream echoed to the street as a giant claw slammed into the earth shaking the earth. Its scaled body emerges through the portal, five times tall, the size of the buildings around them.
Its flesh was rough, its massive head lowered towards Arthur and his mother.
A single twisted horn of its foreheads. its multicolored eyes gleamed hungrily. It roared.
The sound of buildings trampled from the sheer force.
"Run." Arthur's mother yelled, dragging Arthur with her.
But Arthur lipped and fell.
The beast closed in on Arthur.
"No," Alice screamed.
Without hesitation, she ran back and threw herself between Arthur and the Beast.
"Leave my son alone and take me," she shouted, staring up defiantly at the creature.
But the beast didn't hesitate.
It swatted her aside with one massive claw.
Her body slammed into a brick wall.
Her head cracked against the stone, splitting a small wound, and blood poured out.
Arthur's eyes widened in horror.
The beast dug a claw on Alice's shoulder, pinning her down.
She screamed.
The word echoed through Arthur's mind. He couldn't watch her die.
This was Arthur's mom, before him.
She had suffered enough.
Suddenly, images flashed through his mind—a memory.
His helplessness, being pushed to the road, and he couldn't run.
He then remembers his mom's voice crying out trying to save him. It was happening again.
"Run, escape, Arthur," Alice urged him.
He pushed himself up but didn't run. He can't leave her, he can't let her die.
Not now, not ever.
If I hadn't been crippled, if I had just run, we might have escaped at least. But i…
He clenched his cane tightly.
I can't let that happen. I won't run anymore.
He grabbed his cane, and faced the beast.
Dragging his leg behind him, he charged.
"If I had not been crippled," Arthur shouted, tears streaming down his face.
If I was born healthy, then all would have never happened.
I can't just sit down and let it happen again. I can't just let my disability make the best of me. I got to protect her, even if it is the last thing I do.
"Arthur, no!" Alice screamed.
But Arthur struck the beast's leg with the cane. The beast reared its head at Arthur and dropped Alice.
"No, Arthur, please run," she pleaded as she watched Arthur hit the cane repeatedly.
The cane crashed against the beast, his hand ached, but he didn't care.
The beast slashed at Arthur, and it sent him flying.
It caught him and hit him to the ground and struck him in his heart.
"No, Arthur, no." Alice wept, but she couldn't move.
She couldn't do anything.
The beast dropped Arthur on the ground and turned towards her again.
But before it could take a step, a blast of blue light slammed into it, sending it flying backwards.
"The Knights are here." Arthur heard voices swamp around him.
He lay there bleeding, his breath slowing, his heart struggling.
He looked at where Alice was, someone had carried her away. He smiled.
At least he saved her.
He had no regrets.
If only I had done this before, maybe I wouldn't have died back then either. He thought.
He looked up towards the sky. "I saved her," he whispered.
If I had a second chance, I would prove them all wrong.
I will become stronger, I will protect her more. But it is too late, he thought.
He felt a sting in his head.
A slight headache and then a screen appeared in his fading vision.
{System awaken}
{Welcome, player, you have unlocked the path system.}
He didn't understand what it meant.
But now it was too late.
He didn't know if he came to life again.
I hope you are safe, Alice, he thought.
At least he was finally free.
He smiled as the darkness embraced him.