Chương 35: The First to Awaken

The training ground blurred past as my boots pounded dirt. Lunch hour wasn't usually for running, at least not like this, but today was different. Farid had Awakened last night. I hadn't seen him in the morning; my drills started before dawn, and he'd been pulled straight to headquarters to record his stats and class. By now, he should've been finished with the process. We'd planned to meet before he was posted as a Private.

It wasn't like he was disappearing forever, but the army had a habit of scattering friends across different barracks, and after today Farid would be reporting somewhere new. So instead of eating, the four of us sprinted through the grounds, drawing looks from recruits who must've thought we'd lost our minds. A couple of soldiers leaning on spears turned to watch as we tore past, one muttering, "What the hell's gotten into them?" Leif was out front, of course, eating up the distance with long, powerful strides.

Henry and Erik labored behind him, faces twisted with effort. I matched pace somewhere between them.

"Monsters," Erik gasped, nearly tripping over his own feet.

"Absolute monsters, the both of you. We had long drills this morning, some of us don't have spare legs to throw around!" Henry barked a laugh, almost choking on it.

"Drills, he says! I saw you sneak seconds at breakfast, you're hauling all that extra weight now!" Erik's face flushed red as he spat back, "At least I don't sound like a winded mule when I run. You're the one wheezing loud enough to scare the pigeons off the wall." Leif slowed just enough to throw a grin over his shoulder.

"Quit crying, both of you. At least Ed's keeping up, and he's supposed to be the scholar with his nose in a book all day."

"Yeah," Erik said between ragged breaths, "and that's the real surprise. Henry and I make sense, we're average men, not built like monsters. But you" He jabbed a finger in my direction without breaking stride.

"You're supposed to be the one who collapses after two laps. How are you not face down in the dirt right now?" I smirked, though my lungs were screaming.

"Maybe I read about running techniques in one of those books." Henry snorted.

"What, page one: 'Step with left foot, then step with right foot'?" The group broke into ragged laughter that made it even harder to breathe. Leif finally slowed to let us catch up, still grinning.

"Don't let him fool you. I've seen him out here on break days. He might not match me in strength, but his speed's better than mine. Spends his mornings running circles when the rest of you are snoring."

"Defending him by insulting him," Henry said, shaking his head.

"Classic Leif."

"Fair," Leif admitted with a grin.

"But it's true." We kept running, our laughter carrying across the training field. Behind us, the watching recruits shook their heads and muttered about idiots wasting their lunch. We staggered back toward our tents, sweat dripping, lungs burning. The four of us collapsed against the poles like we'd just finished a drill run instead of skipping lunch on purpose.

"Let's hope he comes here before specialization," I said, wiping my forehead with the back of my sleeve.

"I don't want to be around siege engines half-distracted."

"Yeah," the others groaned in unison. Even Leif bent over, hands on his knees, though he was grinning through the sweat. For a moment we just stood there, gulping air and staring toward headquarters.

"Hey, there he is!" Erik shouted suddenly, pointing. We followed his finger. Farid was crossing the yard, still in standard uniform but walking lighter than I'd ever seen him, like he'd left a burden behind. The four of us surged forward, shouting like fools, meeting him halfway. The impact of our hug nearly bowled him over, all elbows, thumps, and laughter. It must have looked like we were trying to tackle him into the dirt.

"Farid, you sly bastard!" Henry barked, voice cracking with laughter. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

"About damn time!" Leif added, pounding his back hard enough to make him grunt.

"Congrats, brother!" I said, quieter but no less fierce, my arms tight around him. Farid laughed helplessly, trying to push us off.

"Careful! You'll crush all my new power out of me before I even get to use it!"

"Power?" Erik shouted, grinning ear to ear.

"The only power you've got is buying us food! Break day, you're paying!"

"Damn right!" Henry jabbed a finger at him.

"First Awakening in the group, you owe us double!" Leif caught him in a half headlock, ruffling his hair.

"Sir Farid, huh? Newly Awakened, soon-to-be Private, is it? Then Sir Farid can start with meat pies and ale!" Farid puffed out his chest, raising his chin in mock seriousness.

"Exactly. That's Sir Farid to you lot. Show some respect for your betters!" Leif finally clapped him on the shoulder.

"Don't push it, sir. You're still shorter than me."

"Yeah," Farid shot back instantly, grinning wide, "but stronger than you now!" Erik leaned in, practically bouncing with excitement.

"So? Come on, don't keep us waiting! What class did you get?" Farid hesitated just long enough to make us groan and shove at him, then grinned even wider, eyes shining.

"Scout-class, finally. Looks like the roads are calling me." A cheer went up from all of us at once. Henry pumped a fist in the air.

"Knew it! You've been itching to get outside the walls since the day we got here!"

"So you're really Scout Division?" I asked, the words catching a little in my throat. He nodded, grin softening, but it didn't dim the pride in his eyes.

"Yeah. It's official. I'll be posted tomorrow. Same city, maybe not the same barracks. Depends on where they slot me." For a moment we stood there, grins wide but eyes damp, the weight of change creeping in at the edges. Then Erik elbowed him hard enough to make him stumble.

"Break day!" he shouted.

"We're celebrating your Awakening, and you're paying for everything." Farid laughed until his shoulders shook, shaking his head.

"Fine, fine. But you'd better call me Sir while I'm paying!" The laughter slowly ebbed, and we finally pulled back, still catching our breath. Henry patted his stomach with a groan.

"All this running and hugging, and we skipped half our lunch for it. Farid, if you don't buy us something on break day, I might starve out of spite."

"Don't act like you wouldn't eat twice your share at dinner anyway," Erik shot back, rolling his eyes as we turned toward the mess hall.

"Come on, there's still time to grab whatever's left before specialization." The banter carried us through the yard and into the mess. The place was still crowded, noisy, the smell of stew and bread clinging to the air. We each grabbed a bowl and claimed a corner of one of the long benches. I chuckled, watching the back-and-forth continue.

"Well, if we can eat and talk, then we can at least squeeze Farid for answers before he runs off to his shiny new division." That drew a collective snicker. Farid raised his brows like he'd smelled trouble.

"So, can you tell us more about Awakening? How does it actually happen on the day? How do your stats look? Is it different from non-combat Awakening? Did you get any significant affinity? And what's the process in the army after it happens?" Farid groaned theatrically and threw his hands up.

"Oh, great. Here we go, the scholar's interrogation. You're worse than the officers." The others chuckled, but he answered anyway.

"Honestly, it's not that different from non-combat Awakening. About a week before, I started feeling this constant pressure in my chest and skull, like a weight I couldn't shake. Then on Awakening day, "he snapped his fingers", it just breaks. All at once. The pressure's gone, and you feel… clearer. Stronger. You get your class, and your spiritual attributes settle. Same for everyone." He jerked a thumb at Erik.

"Which means it's coming for him soon." Erik groaned loud enough to draw a grin from Henry.

"Yeah, I know. It already started yesterday, feels like I'm walking around with two helmets strapped to my head all the time. I can't wait for it to be over." Farid leaned back, eyes still bright.

"Don't expect me to hand over all my numbers, though. Some things stay private." He smirked.

"But I will say this, my agility hit the requirement for Scout Division. Thirteen's the minimum, and I made it." Leif whistled.

"Figures. You've always been quick on your feet." Farid nodded.

"As for affinity… I got Lesser Wind, about fifty percent. Nothing legendary, but it suits the division. Scouts need speed, balance, and endurance. Wind helps." I tilted my head.

"So what happens in the army after Awakening? The actual process?"

"That part's simple," Farid said.

"You go to the quartermaster, report your class, skills, and which division you want to apply for. They put you through a qualification test. If you meet the requirements, and if a slot's open, you get assigned." He grinned again, softer this time.

"And if you don't… well, you wait or get shuffled where they need bodies most." The noise of the mess hall faded behind us as we stepped back into the yard, bellies half-full, the afternoon sun slanting low across the barracks. For a while, none of us spoke, the quiet strangely comfortable after all the laughter. But inside me, thoughts churned. One of us had Awakened.

Farid wasn't just a recruit anymore, by tomorrow he'd wear the insignia of the Royal Army, walking out beyond the walls to face the beasts we only drilled against in theory. He looked the same, grinning and joking like always, but I couldn't shake the weight of what it meant. Erik was next. You could see it in the way he rubbed his temples, hear it in his groans about helmets stacked on his skull. His time was coming soon, maybe within the week. And me? My turn was still a little ways off.

Just over a month until my Awakening, if the pressure came as expected. In seven days I'd begin my last specialization, another step toward whatever future waited past the barracks walls. Excitement and nerves tangled in my chest, impossible to separate. Farid had taken the first step, and Erik would follow. Soon it would be my turn. And when it came, there would be no turning back.