The door swung open.
"Brother Law! Wake up! Wake up!"
Lily stood in the doorway, fully dressed, hair neatly combed. She had clearly planned to drag him out of bed.
Law was already sitting at the edge of it, fully dressed.
"...You are already awake...," she muttered.
"Were you expecting me to lie here all day?" Law asked, standing and walking past her.
Lily fell into step beside him, mild
disappointment fading quickly. "Maybe a little," she admitted, then returned to her usual chatter as they made their way downstairs.
Aunt Maria waited by the entrance, dressed in her warmest coat. She glanced at the two of them and smiled.
"Good," she said, reaching out to straighten Law's collar. "Eat something before we leave."
"We don't have time—" Lily started.
"You have time," Aunt Maria said firmly. Neither of them argued.
Breakfast was simple: warm bread and thick soup. The younger children filled the hall with their usual morning chaos, stuffing their cheeks with bread while wishing Law and Lily luck.
Lily ate quickly, glancing around with impatient excitement.
Every year, an appraiser from House Borealis traveled across Frostholm to conduct the awakening ceremony, visiting settlements like theirs.
It arrived just as they finished eating. The carriage rolled through the orphanage gates and stopped. A fractured snowflake crossed by a sword was emblazoned on its door, the sigil of House Borealis.
A middle-aged man stepped down.
Broad-shouldered with a short greying beard, dressed in deep blue trimmed with silver, he carried a flat rectangular case under one arm. He glanced around once, then at Aunt Maria.
He gave a short nod and stepped inside, the sound of his boots echoing slightly on the frozen floor.
Aunt Maria led them to the common room.
It was the same room where Law had read to the children the night before. Now it felt quieter, the morning light pale and cold as it filtered through the frosted windows.
The man placed his case on the table and opened it.
Inside were two items: a smooth crystalline orb, clear as still water, and a small bundle of dried herbs tied with a thin cord.
"Just the two of them this year?" he asked.
"Yes," Aunt Maria nodded.
He set both items on the table before finally looking at them.
"Before we begin, I will explain what this ceremony is for."
His voice sounded flat, like someone repeating words he had spoken many times before.
"This process reveals two things. Your Talent and your Affinity."
Law and Lily listened quietly.
"Talent determines how fast you grow and how far you can go. It is graded from F to SS. SS is the highest ever recorded."
He paused briefly.
"Nothing beyond that has ever appeared."
The man continued.
"Affinity determines your elemental attribute. Fire, ice, lightning, wind. Whatever element belongs to you, the orb will reveal it."
Lily tilted her head slightly. "Attribute?"
Instead of answering immediately, the man raised one hand.
The air around his palm suddenly grew colder. A faint mist gathered, and thin frost slowly spread across his fingers. Tiny crystals of ice formed in his palm, shaping into a small shard that glimmered in the pale morning light.
"This," he said calmly, "is Ice affinity."
Lily's purple eyes widened.
"Woah..."
Her eyes sparkled as she leaned forward
slightly, clearly fascinated.
"So cool," she whispered, staring at the ice shard as if she had just witnessed a miracle.
Law remained silent beside her, though his gaze lingered on the frost forming in the man's hand.
A moment later the shard melted, dripping quietly onto the wooden floor.
The man lowered his hand as if nothing unusual had happened.
"The orb will reveal your attribute when you touch it."
He gestured toward the crystal orb.
"It will also determine your path. If the light turns white, you are suited for sorcery. If the light turns dark, you walk the path of a knight. The stronger the glow, the higher your talent."
"Let's hurry up. Who wants to go first?" the man said, looking between the two of them.
Lily's hand shot up immediately.
"Me! Me!"
The man gave a small nod and pushed the bundle of dried herbs toward her across the table.
"Then take this first."
Lily picked it up and looked at the small bundle skeptically. "What is this?"
"It is an awakening herb," the man replied calmly. "Every person is born with a core within their body, but for most people it remains dormant."
Law listened quietly.
"This herb stimulates that core and forces it to open for the first time. Once the core awakens, the orb will be able to reveal your talent and affinity."
Lily turned the bundle over in her fingers, curiosity clear in her eyes.
She popped the herb into her mouth and chewed quickly, her eyes narrowing in concentration.
For a moment, she felt… nothing. Her face scrunched in confusion. "Huh? That's it?"
The man nodded calmly. "Now touch the orb."
Lily placed her hand on the smooth crystal. Immediately, a sharp crack split the air.
Lightning arced across the orb, twisting and sparking like a storm contained in glass.
Law's eyes widened. The pale morning light reflected in the dancing bolts, illuminating the room in a flash of blue-white.
The orb glowed bright white, almost blinding, and a soft hum filled the air.
"Your elemental affinity is… Thunder," the man announced.
Lily's jaw dropped, and her purple eyes sparkled in awe. She could feel the electricity tingling across her skin, as if the storm itself had taken residence in her body.
"And your Talent is… A rank," the man continued, his voice carrying a hint of surprise. "A rare talent for someone from this place. You have great potential."
Lily's eyes widened even more. "A… A rank?" She jumped slightly, staring at her hand still on the orb.
Lily looked at Law, her purple eyes sparkling with proud. "Brother Law, it's fine if you don't awaken something strong. This big sis of yours will take good care of you," she said, a mix of smugness and childish pride in her tone.
Law just stared at her. No words came out. He was completely speechless.
"Wow! So amazing!" He plays along with her.
Lily grinned and bounced on her heels. "Of course! I'm amazing, right? You just wait, Brother Law. I'll make sure to take good care of you!"
The man clapped his hands once. "Let's not waste time. You, next." He point at Law.
Law glanced at Lily. "Alright. Let's see whether you'll really need to take care of me or not."
He popped the herb into his mouth and chewed. A faint warmth spread through his chest, then
settled deep inside him, quiet but insistent.
Placing his hand on the orb, he felt it pulse differently than Lily's. Instead of black or white, it shimmered grey, a soft, unfamiliar light.
Golden symbols spiraled across the orb's surface, dancing elegantly like an ancient language. They glimmered majestically, twisting and flowing in patterns that felt alive.
Law blinked. His breath caught. The symbols… he had seen them before, from the dream he had last night.
The man frowned slightly. "The orb… appears to be malfunction. We will assign your path… Knight."
"As your your affinity, the golden colour is similar to Earth affinity. Then it's decided you awakened Earth affinity," He continue.
Law nodded slowly, uncertain, feeling the strange energy ripple through his body. All he knew was that something had awakened.
The man's eyes widened in surprise. "Both of you… A rank. Truly exceptional."
Lily grinned as she hop around the place "See, Brother Law? I told you we'd be strong!"
Law only rolled his eyes, speechless, though inside he felt the golden symbols resonate, echoing the visions of his dream.
The man straightened. "With results like these, you are both invited to enroll at Borealis Academy. It is a first-rate school for awakened prodigies across the Northern Continent. You will gain training, resources, mentors—everything needed to surpass others."
He added quickly, "Other academies exist, but none can match what Borealis offers."
Law rubbed the back of his neck and looked at the man. "I should ask Aunt Maria first."
Aunt Maria was already standing nearby, having watched the entire ceremony in silence. She gave them a gentle, warm smile. "Good kids," she said softly, her eyes twinkling. "This orphanage… it has nothing more to offer you. You should agree."
Law took a deep breath and looked at the man. "I will go to the Borealis Academy."
The man's eyes brightened. "Excellent. And what about you?" he asked, glancing at Lily.
Lily puffed out her small chest, her purple eyes sparkling. "I'll follow Brother Law!" she declared.
The man reached into his case and pulled out two neatly folded sheets of parchment. He handed one to Law, the other to Lily.
"These are your official admission notices," he said. "Keep them safe. It confirm your place at the Borealis Academy."
"We will come to get you in a week." Be prepared by then.
With that the man left after boarding the carriage.