Chapter 15: Entrance Ceremony Part 1

"Where am I" exclaimed Damian as he awakened.

Calming down he saw that he was in a bed and his mother was sat on a chair and welcomed his awakening with her usual warm smile.

"Mother have we arrived," he asked excited to enter the Akegria Academy.

"Yes son we have arrived and after you lost conscious you slept for a long time and it is now the morning of the next day," informed him his mother.

[I was wondered why I returned to the mindscape with Utsusu, I must have lost consciousness due to fear] realised Damian.

"Get up and get ready quickly, Akegria Academy has an entrance ceremony every half-year and this half-year's will begin now," she stated.

"If we miss it, we will have to wait another 6 months for the same opportunity" she exclaimed as she drags him out of the bed.

Although he could still enter the academy outside of the Entrance Ceremony, Damian would miss the chance to meet others his age, and would need a recommendation to enter outside the Entrance Ceremony.

They were in an inn of some sort, and they ran down out of their room.

Rushing down the stairs and out of the inn, they immediately were engulfed by a crowd that was swarming the incredibly large Akegria Academy.

Akegria Academy took a large part of Aria city and was rapidly expanding and occupying nearby areas.

It was large enough to rival a small city and had an outer area, inner area and core area.

"All those who are here to join Akegria Academy, please listen to the following instructions. Those who haven't awakened a Soul Spirit please head towards the eastern testing grounds and those who have awakened a Soul Spirit please go towards the western testing grounds," announced a voice that resounded throughout the area.

As Damian heard this, he was excited to finally be able to join Akegria Academy and to begin his journey as one of them.

"Mother I have to go now, will you come and watch me in the Entrance Ceremony and I want to prove myself to the world and show I am not a trash," he said to her ignorantly as he ran off towards the western testing grounds.

"Good Luck son, I will be there to watch and support you" she called out as she saw her son run off in the distance and began to walk in that direction.

She was hesitant to go and watch as although she had given up on her family, to be labelled a traitor would rip her heart.

But at the same time, she didn't want to disappoint her son.

With her bags in hand, she returned to the inn and hired the same room for another day and placed the bags on the ground.

She took a veil, she had previously bought while Damian was unconscious, and put it on to cover her face.

Even though she might not be recognised, as her siblings had suppressed her and didn't allow her to get any authority, she was still an elder of the Maxwell Family and being seen publicly at the watching grounds of the Akegria Academy, would spread like wildfire throughout the country.

Covering her face was the best bet she had at keeping her identity and still being able to support her son as he joined Akegria Academy.

Meanwhile, Damian was following the large crowd towards the western testing grounds and realised just how many people wanted to join Akegria Academy.

It was now evident to Damian why they would obviously be able to gain the power of the country.

{Damian you do realise that your mother isn't comfortable joining or being seen at Akegria Academy despite showing that to you to support you} informed him Utsusu.

Hearing Utsusu, Damian suddenly stopped following the crowd and stood still in a daze.

"Move kid," said a tall and muscular figure that barged past.

Damian was pushed to the side by all the people that were hoping to become powerful and were running towards Akegria Academy.

{Focus on the situation at hand and take the examination, but if you love people you need to understand their side of things and help them, not abuse their love for you} advised Utsusu.

Damian took Utsusu's words to heart and currently put his feeling of guilt on hold as he ran towards the Akegria Academy.

He noticed that as the crowds split there were hundreds of youths who were going to the left, as the people who didn't awaken Soul Spirits, which was a massive disadvantage, and there were only around 50 of them who had awakened Soul Spirits.

Damian could see that all those with Soul Spirits were respected and everybody was wary of them.

Seeing this, he began to realise that arrogance and people being mistreated would occur everywhere and that he needed to be strong to protect his mother and himself.

Standing in the group of youths outside the western training grounds, all of them were analysing and observing each other as opponents and rivals.

Currently, Damian stood as the smallest of them and was receiving looks of ridicule and most of them were underestimating him.

"What's up bro, I am Milo Green, but you can just call me fatty" stated a chubby figure who lay his hand out.

"Hello Milo, I am Damian" replied Damian quite awkwardly, due to being very antisocial, as he shook his hand nervously.

"No need to be so nervous bro, this fatty will look out for you" he reassured as he places hid chubby hand on Damian's shoulder.

Damian felt a nice warm feeling from Milo and it was the first time he had felt a positive feeling towards another young person his age.

"Thank you" he replied awkwardly, still unable to adapt to talking to somebody new.

Seeing Damian's response, Milo had a cheeky smile and could tell that Damian wasn't as simple as he seemed and also noted that he didn't say his surname.

"So how old are you," asked Damian, seeing that Milo was much taller than him and was larger as well.

"Well, I am 10 now but am nearly 11, what about you" he replied.

With the energy in the atmosphere, children would grow at much faster speeds and humans could grow to much larger sizes due to mutation.

Damian gasped in surprise, having thought that Milo would be at least a few years older than him.

Before he could answer the large gate they were stood at creaked open to reveal a handsome man.

"Follow me to be tested and to join our amazing Akegria Academy"