"Get the hell up, idiot!"
Clide sat there, looking back at the boy with a look of confusion, struggling to utter a single word. The boy had had enough and turned away, leaving Clide behind. He stood up, feeling embarrassed and still unsure of what had just happened. Suddenly, a shiver shot down his back, cutting through him like a sharp blade.
"Why?" Clide thought to himself. "Why is everyone staring at me?"
Surrounded by a sea of eyes, Clide felt as though their gazes were eating at his soul. It was as if he were the star of a twisted play, with them as the audience. He could hear their whispers and gossip, unable to respond. He stood there with his head down, trying to avoid eye contact.
Then, a loud voice rang out, diverting the children's attention away from Clide and toward the podium in front of them, where people wearing red robes stood, looking down at them. It was the High Council of Etheria, the ones hosting the Court of Souls ceremony, which had finally begun.
All the children turned to face the podium, standing in line with their hands behind their backs. Of course, Clide was the only one standing out of line. Suddenly, several rows of chairs materialized behind them, accompanied by a burst of golden light that illuminated the space for a brief moment.
As everyone took their seats, quietly waiting for the High Council to begin, Clide awkwardly sat in an empty seat next to him. Immediately, the Council started to speak.
"Welcome, new Maltropes, to the Court of Souls," they began. "In this event, you will be judged based on your performance in the star evaluation. This will take place in pairs, from which your number will be drawn from the Fountain of Averidia. Depending on your performance, you will be granted a star that determines "Your rank as the newly assigned Maltropes."
There was a moment of silence after the council spoke, but eventually the children began talking again—this time even louder. Clide still felt slightly embarrassed and remained quiet, watching them. Suddenly, someone poked him on the shoulder.
This took Clide by surprise since he didn't know anyone there. He turned to see who it was and, to his astonishment, it was a friend he had met about a year ago when he was nine years old.
"Uriel," Clide whispered.
"Yes, Al, it's me", she responded, matching his tone to lighten his mood. It didn't take much to cheer him up; just seeing her there made him smile like a child receiving candy.
Clide: Uri! I haven't seen you in so long! What are you doing here?
Uriel: I haven't seen you either. It's been a while. Oh, ya, about that, I know it's been a while, and we should catch up, but I just noticed that you're pretty lost on what's going on here.
Clide: What gave it away?
Uriel: I don't know, maybe the wandering around or the bumping into people.
Clide: Speaking of—who was that boy? You know the one I bumped into.
Uriel: Oh, him. That was a Royal-blooded Seraphim — Shikimori Yatsui.
He is the 12th heir of the Yatsui family, and I think you pissed him off.
Clide: From what I'm hearing he just sounds like some spoiled rich kid... Wait a sec—how do you even know this?
Uriel: Al.. Are you forgetting? I'm a Royal dummy.
And if you haven't noticed yet, you're kinda sitting in the Royal zone.
Clide: Wait what? Should I leave? I'd like to not get anyone in trouble, especially not you.
Uriel: Aww you're so sweet, but you don't need to go anywhere—it's not like they'd notice that one of their Nobles has switched spots with a commoner.
Clide: I think I should go, I honestly don't know what I'm even doing here.
Uriel: Weren't you listening? They're going to measure your soul energy.
Clide: Hmm. Soul energy—what is it?
Uriel: Wait.. what? ..... Haaaaaaaaaa??
***
Soul Energy. The Energy that powers all living and nonliving organisms.
Everything has Soul Energy, from the rock on the ground of the tree to the birds in the sky; it is in everything— it varies in potency depending on where the Soul Energy is coming from.
For Example:
A dog would have a miniature soul energy storage count compared to a bear.
Bear ——— [060]
Dog ——— [005]
But a Bear compared to the Soul Energy count of the average human Child is significant.
Human Child ———[125]
Bear ———[060]
But of course it isn't as simple as that, having a higher Soul count doesn't mean everything when you can't release, because in truth a bear would mangle the average human child if they were to fight.
Having a 'high' Soul Count is simply the amount of Soul Energy you can store.
Storage capacity is important, of course, but there's something more important: " The Intensity release", it's basically the amount that can be released at the moment.
These are all determined by the rank of the casters, but that's not impressive right.
***
Uriel: "Seriously? Are they actually that uneducated?
Your parents really didn't teach you anything did they?"
Clide: "Hey! Don't blame it on my parents, I just never bothered to learn."
Uriel: Well, it's not like I can teach you anyway, you learn eventually, so you should just....
Oh, they're starting now!
The Robed figure began the ceremony by lighting carefully placed fire stands surrounding a podium.
"Stand Maltropes!" The Robed spoked
Sundenly a missive shockwave was sent throughout the area.
This shockwave knocked down a large number of Maltropes, but the majority were still standing.
Clide was one them—the standing.
"Now! All Maltropes still standing! Congratulations."
"You have paced the first test, and are now allowed to enter your doors." "For all the rest, please go home."
Menny were taken by surprise but none dared to rebel, for the ones who fell, they all erupted in a bright golden light before disappearing.
Clide stood still, paying attention to all those That were standing, beside him Uriel stood firmly.
Clide smiled softly—glad that she passed the first test with him, he also glanced five rows in front of him at someone else, it was the same white haired kid that he had bumped into earlier, "Shikimori Yatsui".
Clide took his eyes of Shiki to focus on what had just appeared in front of him.
"A door"? Clide asked Uri.
"And you have one too".
"Yes." Uri replied, "it's a resenence door."
"What's a resenence door?" Clide Asked.
***
The Resenence Doors
These Doors are one of the most important Artifacts in the world of Etheria, their origins are shrouded in mystery but they're believed to have been created by the God of eternity "Averidia" herself.
Resenence Doors serve the single purpose of bringing young Maltropes to place that are men to be tested, it measures there Soul and assigns a door based on what has been observed.
There are multiple Doors, of which coincide with the opener:
The Bronz door (The most common)
The Silver door(The average door)
The Golden door (The door of high potential)
The Diamond door (The door ment for the above high potential)
And The "special" case door ( These doors are extremely rare and extremely special, they're said to only appear when the soul of the opener has reached the level of the heroes of the past, these Doors have actually only ever been opened by the heroes of Etheria.)
***
"Soo, dose that mean I'm some lame bronz?" Clide asked Uri while looking at the Bronz door infront of him.
"Yep. Looks like it" Uri responded.
Clide looked at his door disappointed but understood that it didn't matter.
Suddenly a loud thud could be hered from the front row, it was Shikimori.
"Why the hell is my door Bronz??!!" "This has to be a mistake?!" He shouted loudly.
The other Royal around him laughed which annoyed Shiki so much that he summoned his sword "the Golden toothpick" and pointed it at the kid. "Shut your stupid mouth!"
" Shikimori Yatsui!!"
The Robed people shouted in synchrony.
"Put your weapon away or you will be disqualified!"
Shiki: 'But this stupid door was a mistake! I'm at least a Gold door, I might even be diamond! I'm not a stupid low level bronz!"
The Robed: "We can ashore you." "The Doors are never wrong." "Shikimori Yatsui.. you are a Bronz."
Shiki gritted his teeth, unable to come to terms with this, he was so angry that he even considered leaving entirely but he couldn't do that or he would disgrace his family. So he decided that if he was bronz then he would be the best Bronz to ever exist.
Clide stayed in the background observing from were he stood, also being a Bronz made him feel a little bit better.
"Serve that arrogant asshole right." Uriel whispered to Clide.
"Uri." "Language." Clide said back, Uriel looked away laughing—Clide finally noticed Uriel's door.
"Uriel. You have a Diamond door!" Clide shouted in shock.
"Keep it down dummy! Uriel quickly replied before grabbing Clide's left ear, "I don't want everyone to know ok?"
"Oh right." Clide said.
Alright Maltropes! No more delays.. please enter your doors. The Robed people Announced.
With much anxiety and anticipation, Clide gripped the handle of his Bronz door and pulling it open, he has ready to see what awaited him on the other side, with on last look a Uriel—Clide took a step into his door, before it closed behind him.