Asher stretched out his arms, the crisp morning air nibbling at his skin. He''d spent the entire night standing guard at the village gates, his eyes peeled for any sign of trouble. The moon had dipped below the horizon hours ago, leaving only the faintest trace of silver on the tips of the tall grass.


    The quiet had been his only companion, the occasional hoot of an owl piercing the stillness like a needle through velvet. As the first blush of dawn kissed the sky, he spotted the distant silhouettes of two carriages barreling towards the village, their wheels churning up dust clouds in their wake.


    He looked with his eyes squinting; as the first carriage stopped, coming out, he saw Liber, their ever-reliable team leader. Following behind him, the young chief Tyson also emerged. Two more came out soon after.


    ''Isn''t it Sam and Sophia? Why are they here?''


    Thinking to himself, Asher looked around at the unusual group of people.


    "Was the village attacked?"


    Liber asked, looking worried.


    "Fortunately, no."


    Ash replied with a shake of his head.


    "That''s good to hear."


    With a sigh of relief, Tyson interjected, only to get a strong glare from Liber.


    ''He is still angry.''


    Asher thought as he gave a look of pity to Tyson.


    The second carriage finally jolted to a stop, the sound of horses'' hooves muffled by the dust that had settled around the wheels. The door swung open with a groan, revealing a group of figures clad in armor that gleamed in the early light. The design was unfamiliar, a meld of steel and leather with an insignia that looked almost... regal. They moved with a synchronized grace that spoke of extensive training.


    Asher''s gaze fell upon the two that stood out from the rest: a young man with piercing blue eyes and a commanding presence, and beside him, a warrior with a stoic gaze, his arms folded over his broad chest. The young man stepped down, the early morning light reflecting off the intricate gold patterns woven into his cape. It was Awakened Seth, the famed fighter of the House of Orgus, and his young lord, Kena.


    "House of Orgus will lead the raid starting tomorrow."


    Liber bent a little near Asher''s ears and whispered.


    "What could this mean?"


    Liber shook his head; he himself didn''t know.


    "For better or worse, we will need all the help we can get."


    Liber commented as he looked at the group away from them.


    "...Right." After a bit of contemplation, Asher also agreed.


    "Let''s rest for today; they have offered to fight and watch the village today."


    Liber told him as he walked past him; Asher looked at his back before following his lead.


    ******


    Inside the house, Anny and Gian could be seen sound asleep with a peaceful look.


    Liber sat beside the wall of the room, listening to the loud snores of Gian echoing through the room. He couldn''t help but chuckle at the sheer volume of sound the man produced. Despite the seriousness of the situation, there was something oddly comforting about the rhythmic rumble that filled the otherwise silent space. It was like a lullaby from a bear, a reminder of the strength and protection that lay within their walls.


    The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    "Sorry to disturb your rest, but can I ask something?"


    Asher, who had also returned, asked with a sorry look as he sat opposite to Liber.


    "Is it about the newcomers?"


    "Actually, no, I can think of some reasons for why they came, but that''s not what I wish to talk about."


    Asher took a deep breath, his gaze drifting to the floor as he collected his thoughts.


    "What''s on your mind?" Liber leaned forward, the soft light from the candle flickering across his concerned features.


    "Nothing special; I actually wanted to ask about some topics. About old civilizations, I am not aware of such things called ruins. Anny said you were most knowledgeable regarding this."


    Liber nodded thoughtfully.


    "My father in capital is actually a history professor and researcher."


    Liber spoke up, his eyes glinted with pride.


    Asher looked at him in surprise.


    "Your father is a historian?"


    Liber nodded, a small smile playing on his lips.


    "I see, so I hope you can tell me a bit."


    Liber leaned back, his eyes drifting to the ceiling as he began to recount tales of ancient civilizations and their mysterious ruins. His voice was low and soothing, carrying the weight of knowledge that had been passed down through generations.


    "Long, long ago, there were many empires and countries. Many speculated at least four empires were strongest in them."


    Liber spoke with a solemn tone, his eyes glazed over as he delved into the past.


    "I don''t know their name, but the past civilization, also known as the old world, was much more advanced than ours by a big margin. But a cataclysm happened that destroyed all beings; no one knows what happened as no records remain."


    "No records. How can an advanced civilization suddenly vanish?"


    Asher asked in doubt.


    ''If the old world was much more advanced and stronger than us now. How can they all perish, leaving no records as well? Asher''s voice was filled with curiosity.


    Liber leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a whisper as he spoke of the ancient whispers that had traveled through the generations.


    "We don''t know,  what remained of humanity was later helped by Goddess Celestia, who saved humanity from extinction according to later records that were created."


    Liber''s voice was filled with reverence as he spoke of the deity that most prayed to.


    "So, how ancient is this old world you speak of?"


    Asher''s question hung in the air like a drop of dew before it fell to the ground. Liber took a moment to consider his response, his eyes distant as he mentally sifted through the annals of history.


    "More than ten thousand years," he finally said, his voice solemn and measured. "That''s the least estimated. Some scholars argue it could be much, much longer."


    Asher''s eyes widened with astonishment, trying to fathom the immensity of such a span of time.


    "That''s! That''s an insane amount of time, so according to this, the Temple of Stars is also almost ten millennia old."


    Asher said, his voice filled with amazement.


    "Ten millennia, that''s... that''s unbelievable," Asher murmured, his mind racing with the implications. The thought of a world so ancient and so advanced it had left nothing but ruins was both humbling and thrilling. It was like staring into the abyss of time and seeing the reflection of giants who had once ruled the earth.


    Liber''s chuckle brought him back to the present, the warmth of the candlelight playing across his amused expression. "It is, indeed. For us humans, that''s truly an astounding amount of time. It''s a reminder of how fleeting our existence is in the grand tapestry of history."


    Asher looked at him with a bit of admiration and then asked about the question he most wanted the answers to.


    "How can I rank up to become an awakened? How does it work?"


    Asher asked eagerly, his eyes reflecting the flame of curiosity.


    Liber''s smile grew as he saw the passion in Asher''s gaze. He leaned back, crossing his arms over his chest, and began to explain the complex process of awakening.


    "The process of ranking up is called Enlightenment; it is mostly dependent upon three major factors. No, maybe four actually. Everyone has different opinions about it. But two remain common nonetheless."


    Liber''s expression grew serious as he listed the factors on his fingers.


    "Time, fulfillment, or you can say understanding the use of your ability. These two are common factors; the other factors are potential and luck or, should we call it fate?


    Asher leaned in eagerly, his curiosity piqued.


    "A similarity has been noticed in all awakeners who ranked up to become awakened, a rank 2. That all of them at least took a minimum of one and a half years of time. This is the absolute law that time is needed. The second common factor should be understandable, I guess."


    Liber paused and took a deep breath, his gaze drifting to the sleeping form of Anny.


    "Everyone has a limit, or what we call potential, on how far they can reach. You will understand it yourself on how far you can rank up. For example, Anny has been an awakener for almost four years, yet she has not been able to rank up yet."


    Liber paused for a moment and then continued.


    "It doesn''t mean that she can''t but simply that her time has yet to come. Similarly, it took me 2 years to get enlightenment myself."


    Liber spoke with a hint of pride in his voice.


    "So what is this Enlightenment you speak of?"


    Liber thought for a moment before answering and told.


    "Just like in our minds, we know what our skills or source element is; similarly, we find out what kind of action or conditions we need to fulfill to rank up."


    Liber spoke as he gave Asher a smile; he had understood that Asher was desperately trying to get stronger; asking such questions was not weird for a boy of his age.


    "But the thing is, it''s not just about the time or understanding; it''s about the conditions that your soul needs to fulfill. Sometimes it''s a quest, a trial, a revelation, or maybe something that you need to overcome internally."


    "Also, not many know about this, but. As we awakeners level up, we can change internally without ourselves knowing."


    Liber said in a serious tone. which piqued Asher''s interest even more.


    "Change? In what sense?"


    "People can lose their emotions or get it enhanced or both at the same time. Maybe a person will lose his empathy but gain an overdose of happiness or maybe lose his happiness but gain a big sense of ego or rage."


    Liber''s words hung heavily in the air, a sobering reminder of the mysterious nature of the awakening process.


    "Like all of us will go through it"


    Asher gulped ashe looked at Liber''s serious face.


    "No, not us; we are low-ranked; only those of higher rank go through this. According to my father, people are calling it drowning or getting drunk in a way. There is also maybe a change in emotion during intense moments of high-rank awakeners."


    Liber shook his head with a soft smile.


    "Asher, have patience; you are a strong kid. You have your whole life to achieve many things. If you try to get everything in a few moments, death will find you. That''s something none of us want for you to happen."


    Liber''s words were a gentle warning, a reminder of the dangers that lay ahead.


    "Yes, thank you for your help, Liber. I am truly grateful towards all of you."


    Asher replied with a smile of his own.


    "Hmm, I am happy that you understand. Let me sleep now; I am truly tired from all the travels I did."


    Taking a deep breath, Liber lay beside Gian.


    "You should also rest; we will begin the ruin raid tomorrow."


    "Yes, I should."


    Asher, who had leaned against the wall, thought.


    Cryptic knowledge embedded in him appeared but he was unable to understand  what it truly means.


    ''Liber, according to you, time is the factor needed for ascension. But I have already got my Enlightenment.''


    Why? if time is an absolute law that also depends upon a person''s potential and luck. Why did he, who had awakened not long ago, get his enlightenment?