In The Aftermath

My mother passed away when she gave birth to me, leaving only my father and my sister, who was only 5 years old at the time. My father was filled with grief over her death, but he continued to care for me and my older sister. 

However, when I turned 9, my father suddenly disappeared, leaving me my sister Elysia as the remaining family I have left.

Since then, Elysia took on the responsibility of protecting and guiding me, and in many ways, she became the mother figure I never had. She had to leave school early to start taking care of me full-time and worked multiple odd jobs to keep us fed, but she never complained. To me, it was like Elysia was a beacon of strength, to keep trying harder like she did.

So when they found my sister's corpse near the river a few months after the coming of age ceremony, I couldn't believe it. 

I demanded answers from the authorities, but they adamantly claimed it was suicide. I knew deep down that it was a load of bullshit. When I asked to see her body, they refused, offering only vague explanations and empty words.

"I need to see her," I insisted, my voice trembling with frustration and desperation. "Let me see her body!"

"It's not possible," he said, his tone as lifeless as the words he spoke. "Her body has been taken for investigation."

"Don't fuck with me!" I roared, my fists clenched at my sides.

The official turned away without a word, his cold, impassive expression giving me nothing. He didn't even glance back as he walked away. On that day, I learned the cold, harsh truth of the world—the strong prey on the weak, for justice is often a luxury reserved for those with power.

My sister voice suddenly snapped me out of my inner thoughts 

"Caelith, look! They're coming," she said excitedly.

I look onto the incoming carriage. As the carriage came to a slow stop, a bulky figure stepped out.it was a man with a round face and dull, lifeless eyes. His features were soft and overly padded, with a pale complexion that seemed to lack any real emotion. He walked with a sluggish, deliberate pace, his every movement oozing with a sense of superiority that only served to heighten his discomforting presence.

I frowned upon seeing him since I recognized that grotesque face—Malrick Voss.

Rumors I heard in my previous life alleged that he was a man who thrived on cruelty—especially towards women. I heard nasty tales of hearts broken and spirits shattered under his malicious gaze. Those who crossed him were consumed by his twisted desires, their cries lost to the darkness as he twisted their lives into nightmares. 

I forced myself to push those thoughts aside, focusing instead on the matter at hand—the ceremony.

The Ascension Rite, as it was officially called, was a monumental event held once every 5 years. It was a tradition where participants, the ages of sixteen and above, were tested for their latent potential as mages. 

However, beneath the grand ceremony and celebratory facade, it was also a method for the Arcane Council to monitor rising talents closely. Any mage who showed extraordinary promise was scrutinized, not for their benefit, but to ensure they posed no threat to the established order. That's the main reason why they despise rogue mages—those who operate outside their control. 

Since I had just awakened my core moments ago, I couldn't afford for them to discover me. It would definitely cause a commotion. Luckily, I already had a way to deal with that—Nine Veils of Obscurity. 

This technique, one I had learned in my previous life while carrying out dirty work for the council, suppresses my mana signature, masking my core's true level and preventing most people from detecting my core unless they are in the Grandmaster realm or above.

Malrick should be somewhere around the lower to mid-tier in the Master Realm, so he definitely won't be able to detect my core.

I took a glance at my sister, who stood with wide eyes, her expression a mix of awe and amazement. The town square was transformed for the occasion, with banners fluttering in the breeze and colorful decorations draping the buildings. The streets were bustling with people, all gathered to witness the spectacle. 

I watched as Malrick propped himself up onto the podium and gave a boring, generic speech. His monotonous tone was so mind-numbing, I found myself on the verge of falling asleep. 

I let out a muffled yawn, only to be swiftly smacked on the back of my head by my sister.

"Don't even think about it," she hissed

"But it is so boring though…" I protested, rubbing the back of my head. 

"Maybe if you actually paid attention, you'd learn something for once," she retorted, crossing her arms and giving me the side eyes. 

A sudden roar of applause erupted from the crowd, pulling both of our attention back to the podium. Malrick had paused, his arms spread wide, seemingly enjoying the attention he was currently getting. 

"And now," he announced, his voice commanding silence almost instantly, "would the participants please step forward onto the stage."

"I guess I'll see you later?" I remarked, offering a faint smirk as I turned to leave.

Elysia's eyes softened, "Just be careful, alright?". 

She nudged me forward with a smile.

"Give them something to talk about." 

As more and more people started to gather towards Malrick, The crowd began to cheer, their voices rising in excitement and anticipation. 

Families and friends shouting words of encouragement.

"I believe in you, my darling!" one mother yelled with unyielding enthusiasm, but her son just shot her a glare of pure embarrassment. His face turned red as he stumbled toward the stage.

I watched the scene with a slight amusement, as I made my way to the front.