Path Of Dreams

Chapter Two: Dream Voyager

“Wish me luck.”

Sam said with a strained smile as he stood up from his seat and approached the platform. Hundreds of students had already had their chance at awakening on the stone platform, some succeeded but others…..they were not so lucky.

Now it was time for Oberon and his classmates to attempt to awaken on the stone platform. A few of them had attempted to awaken but none had succeeded, the air felt heavy as tension remained at an all time high. 

“Will I fail to awaken? If I fail to awaken, is it all over?”

Oberon muttered to himself as he watched Sam step onto the platform with steady steps. The instructor placed both palms on the surface of the stone platform and as usual, the inscriptions began to glow and white motes of light began to gather from the air before forming a stream that continuously encircled him. 

Oberon and the rest of his classmates watched in anticipation as the stream of light encircled Sam as if searching for something, eventually the stream flowed into him and he grunted. He was lifted off the platform slightly and a subdued white glow permeated him and outlined him like a beacon in the dark. After a while, he was set down and the glow faded.

“Sam Caldwell. Successful awakening. Pathway of Creation. Branch of the Rune Artisans.”

Oberon smiled after seeing that Sam had successfully awakened. Sam himself seemed over the moon, his smile stretched from ear to ear, almost creepy.

“Of course, rune artisan.”

Someone in the crowd said, like the thought of it bored them. 

“The Caldwell's always awaken as rune artisans, and it's a very ordinary branch at that. I sometimes wonder why they're a legacy family.”

Another person added. The Caldwell's were famous for their rune inscription services alongside various shops where they sold and bought items gotten from the void and other realms. 

Although they were a legacy family, most people didn't know why they were one and how they even became one. 

Sam was shown off the platform and he returned to seat beside Oberon.

“I'm so relieved. For a moment I thought I was going to fail.”

He said with a smile. 

“I always knew you could do it. You're Sam Caldwell after all, you people are born for greatness.”

Oberon said as he patted Sam on the shoulder. 

“Thanks. My mother would be so proud.”

Just then Oberon heard his name being called and his heart seemed to jump into his mouth. His palm immediately became sweaty and his breathing slightly strained. 

“Relax, you've got this. Go get them.”

Sam said with a reassuring smile however, Oberon did not seem to share his enthusiasm about a successful awakening, after all he was not from a legacy family. He hadn't been trained for this very moment from birth and he didn't have parents or relatives who were known for being renowned mystics.

He rose up from his seat and began to walk towards the stone platform. As he walked, the path ahead seemed to stretch longer and longer and the students around him seemed to pierce him with their gaze. 

It felt like it was his responsibility to successfully awaken, it felt like if he failed then he would just be another failure.

“I don't want to be ordinary, I want to be a mystic like everyone else. Please, I hope this works out well.”

Oberon muttered as he climbed the steps and stood on the stone platform, before all the students present.

 To his right were the instructors and the head master whose expression said that he had seen people like Oberon a thousand times before and that they all ended up ordinary.

“Calm yourself. I'll start the infusion.”

The instructor kneeling behind him said before closing his eyes. The inscriptions began to glow and dark purple motes of light began to gather from the air. The notes gathered and gathered, lasting longer than usual.

Eventually, they began to form a stream of violent purple light that encircled Oberon like a serpent studying its prey. The stream looped around his hands, legs, waist and neck before lifting him off the platform.

A calm gale blew outward from the platform, ruffling the hair and clothes of the students for a few seconds before calming down.

“What's going on? Is he about to fai?”

A student inquired as she held the edges of her skirt firmly to avoid being exposed by the wind.

“I think what you mean to say is he is about to awaken one of the strongest pathways since the start of the ceremony. That's Oberon, the theoretical genius of class D.”

The student's friend replied whilst looking at the platform in anticipation. On the platform, Oberon's body gave off a faint outline of dark purple as the stream flowed into him. After a while, he slowly descended and opened his eyes.

He turned to look at the instructor, his heart beating wildly. The instructor had a frown on his face, like there was something wrong or something he couldn't quite place his finger on. However he eventually gave out the result. 

“Oberon Faewild. Successful awakening. Pathway of dreams. Branch if the dream voyager.”

Oberon instinctively breathed a sigh of relief, and a bright smile appeared on his face. 

“I did it! I awakened successfully.”

He said as he clenched his hands and gritted his teeth. 

However……

“Pathway of dreams? Branch of the dream voyager? I haven't heard of those before, it isn't even in the general encyclopedia.”

A student said, his voice laced with confusion. Another held his chin in contemplation and replied. 

“I think it's a new pathway and branch or perhaps an already existing but extremely rare one.”

“Really? But that's so unlucky right? If his pathway and branch are new or extremely rare then resources for ascension would be next to impossible to acquire.”

The first student said back. 

“His growth is going to be very slow and from the sound of it, his pathway doesn't sound offensive, neither does it seem like a support type. He would be useless on the field.”

A girl chipped in.

Oberon's expression grew deathly pale as he heard this. 

“What? Useless on the field? But I successfully awakened. I succeeded. This can't be.”

He muttered as he was shown off the platform and back to his seat. He slumped into his seat like a heavy sack of potatoes.

“Don't worry about it Oberon, I'm sure your pathway and branch are better than they say they are. What do they know about the field anyway?”

Sam said to encourage his friend who now seemed utterly defeated without even trying to put up a fight.

Just then, someone stopped before the duo of friends with a smug look on his face. 

“A new pathway? What a shame, and I thought we could be rivals for a little while longer. It seems this is the end of the line for Oberon the theoretical genius of class-D. Watch me, I'll show you what a real awakening looks like.”

A tall, black haired, broad backed boy said as he stood before the duo.

“Edmund, why don't you walk away, no one wants you here.”

Sam said with an unpleasant look directed at Edmund. Edmund however fixed his gaze upon Sam like he hadn't even noticed his existence before.

“Caldwell, why don't you stay out of this? It has nothing to do with you.”

With that Edmund scoffed and turned around, hands in his pocket as he walked towards the platform. The crowd of students quickly became excited as they began to discuss Edmund, his background and potential pathway. 

The usual process began and after a while the instructor announced Edmund's results.

“Edmund Ellington. Successful awakening. Warrior pathway. Branch of the weapon saint.”

“That's a legacy for you, they always meet up to expectations.”

Someone said happily. The rest of the students agreed to it, adding pieces of thoughts and praises. However through it all, Oberon remained quiet, dazed and unresponsive.

                 ****************

The ceremony ended shortly after that and the headmaster walked forward to address the students once again. 

“My congratulations to each of you who awakened today. Whether your Path is renowned or rarely spoken of, remember that today is not the end of your journey…..it is only its first step.”

“Some of you leave this hall filled with confidence. Others may carry doubt or disappointment. Know this: a Path alone does not create greatness. It is your discipline, your courage, and your choices that will determine the Mystic you become.”

“From this day forward, you are no longer merely students of this academy. You are initiates walking the road that countless heroes and countless fools have walked before you. The Void will test your strength, your resolve, and your very souls.”

“Stand by one another. Honor your Paths. Never cease learning. And above all, never forget why Mystics exist—not for glory, nor for power, but to protect those who cannot protect themselves.

May your first steps lead to greatness.

The ceremony is hereby concluded.”

The students rose up from their seats and gave a deafening round of applause as the head master snapped his finger and vanished without a trace. After that the crowd erupted in cheers and discussion began to take place. 

Most of them gathered into groups to congratulate one another while others made their way home. Oberon alongside Sam made their way towards the doors that led outside the hall, as they talked among themselves.

“I can't believe we really made it, we're no longer regular people but mystics. Isn't that exciting?”

Sam asked, bubbling with visible excitement like a volcano ready to erupt. Oberon didn't share his friend's enthusiasm and excitement and instead kept to himself. Seeing his mood Sam immediately calmed down and tried to console him. 

“Hey you know if it isn't really bad right? Like the head master said, your pathway and branch are not what determine if you become great or not. They are just tools granted to us to achieve greatness, we just have to use these tools the right way.”

“Yeah right. You'll never understand. You're a legacy after all.”

Oberon replied with a dark expression before walking out of the hall.