Unawakened: Rise of the Divine Archmage

Chapter 3: Awakening

Ezra looked down at his rough hands. Magic did not just appear out of nowhere.

"That makes no sense," Ezra said, shaking his head. "Neither of my parents were mages. How could I possibly have an affinity?"

"It doesn't necessarily work like that," the First Mage countered smoothly.

The old mage sighed softly. He rose from his floating chair and stepped closer. His golden gaze bore down on Ezra with immense weight, making the boy tremble where he stood.

"It is not a requirement that your parents must be active mages before you can become one," the elder explained. "Yet, you are also correct about the nature of power. To become a mage, the spark must run in your blood."

"So am I a mage or not?" Ezra asked, his frustration boiling over.

"Did I say you were a mage yet?" the elder asked with a calm smile. "I only asked a question. What if you possessed an affinity?"

Ezra felt as if his head were about to burst. A thick vein throbbed on the side of his temple. He clenched his fists, grinding his teeth in silent irritation.

"Fine," the mage relented, seeing the boy's anger. "You have magical blood in your veins."

Ezra stood frozen. His thoughts spun wildly out of control.

"I can usually see through anyone," the First Mage continued, breaking the silence. "I can perceive every person's elemental affinities and inner mana reserves with a single glance. Yet, for some reason, I cannot clearly read yours."

Ezra's hope faltered. "Does that mean I do not have one after all?"

"No," the mage said firmly. "I can feel the power sleeping inside your soul. You definitely possess an affinity. However, its exact nature remains unknown. Luckily, there is a way to find out."

A bright smile broke across Ezra's face. His dark mood vanished instantly.

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Ezra said eagerly.

The mage chuckled, shaking his head at the boy's sudden shift in attitude. "Look at how fast your mood changed. Just moments ago, you were kneeling on the floor in reverence."

The elder flicked his wrist.

A solid stone table materialized out of thin air between them. Resting on top of the stone was a massive glass orb. The sphere glowed with a faint, crystalline light.

"Come forward," the mage instructed. "Place both of your hands upon the orb."

Ezra stepped forward and pressed his palms against the cool glass.

The moment his skin touched the sphere, a bizarre pulling force grabbed his chest.

Panic flared in Ezra's mind. He instinctively tried to yank his hands away.

"Keep your hands still!" the mage commanded sharply. "It will only take a moment."

Ezra gritted his teeth and held his palms firmly against the glass. The pulling sensation grew stronger, sending tingling vibrations across his skin. Deep inside the orb, swirling colors began to churn like a tiny storm.

"Alright," the mage said after a few tense seconds. "You can step back now."

Ezra quickly pulled his hands away, rubbing his numb fingers.

The mage leaned over the glowing orb, squinting as he studied the colors swirling within the crystal. He tapped the surface with one finger, muttering quiet words under his breath.

Suddenly, the old man went completely silent.

A cold knot of fear tightened in Ezra's stomach.

"Is something wrong?" Ezra whispered nervously. "Are the results bad?"

The mage did not answer immediately. He remained frozen, staring at the sphere as if he were looking at a ghost.

"Great one?" Ezra called out again, his voice trembling. "Is everything okay?"

The sound of Ezra's voice finally broke the elder's trance.

The mage slowly lifted his gaze. His jaw was set tight, and the playful smirk he wore had vanished completely.

"Put your hands back on the orb," the mage said. His tone was dead serious.

"Did it not work?" Ezra asked, growing more worried by the second.

"Just do it," the mage insisted. "Place your hands on the glass again."

Ezra swallowed hard and stepped back up to the stone table. He placed his palms flat against the sphere for the second time.

Once again, the strange pull seized his body. Warm energy flowed down his arms, pouring into the orb. The colors inside the glass began to flash and swirl with even greater intensity, casting bright reflections across the white domain.

After several seconds, the mage held up a hand. "That is enough. Pull away."

Ezra stepped back, watching the elder closely.

The mage leaned over the sphere once more, examining every inch of the light. He traced the glowing runes along the base, checking for any cracks or defects.

"Unbelievable," the mage muttered under his breath. "The testing orb is working perfectly. But how is this possible?"

"Please tell me what's happening," Ezra begged, his anxiety reaching its peak. "You're really scaring me now."

The mage exhaled slowly, regaining his composure.

With a swift sweep of his hand, the stone table and the glowing orb vanished into nothingness. In their place, a simple wooden chair appeared right behind Ezra.

"Sit down, boy," the mage said, taking his own seat opposite Ezra.

Ezra dropped into the chair, his heart thumping loudly against his ribs.

"I am completely at a loss for words."

Ezra's heart sank into his boots. "Does that mean I do not have magic? Am I truly magicless?"

"Who said you were magicless?" The mage narrowed his eyes. "With the power sleeping inside you, you could easily become the strongest mage this world has ever seen."

Ezra shot up from his seat, a wide grin spreading across his face.

"So I really have an affinity!" Ezra cheered, pumping his fist in the air.

He did not care about glory, titles, or fame. All he cared about was that he had power. He could finally earn money, protect his home, and give his mother Elise the comfortable life she deserved.

"Sit back down and let me finish!" the mage barked, glaring at the boy.

Ezra quickly sat back down, though he could not stop the joyful smile on his lips.

"Tell me," the mage said, crossing his arms. "What exactly do you know about mages?"

"Not much," Ezra admitted, giving a casual shrug. "I know they have amazing powers, and people in Valeria treat them with high respect."

"And you wanted to be a mage without knowing the first thing about them?" The elder shook his head in disbelief. "I will give you the basics so you can understand what you are dealing with."

Ezra leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. His pulse raced with intense anticipation.

The First Mage leaned in close, his voice dropping to a heavy, grave whisper.

"Ezra, your affinity isn't just rare—it's something never seen before."