Chapter 25: The Keys to Awakening

The sun was already at the center of the sky, shining down on the city below as light snow fell from District 2. The wind blew through the backyard as Orson lay on the ground, looking at the sky that was cloudy but still bright, with the sun shining through the snow. Orson was lost in thought, but he still enjoyed the moment of silence and the warmth of the sun.

Just then, a memory flashed in his mind. It was his wife—his first wife—looking at him with a smile on her face. It was beautiful.

Just then, a loud bang broke the memory as Orson looked back and saw his wife Lenora in her wheelchair, rolling herself out. She was dressed in a white crop top and long, skinny black joggers that showed her every curve. She rolled herself outside and saw Orson looking up at the sky before rolling to his back.

Lenora would not call what she and Orson were doing close, but when he just rested there looking at the cloudy sky, he felt peaceful, and the scene was just beautiful, so she also wanted to join. So she used her hands to lift herself up to sit on the grass near the tree where Orson was.

"So what are you doing?"

"Nothing really. Just enjoying the afternoon breeze. And you?"

Lenora thought for a moment before saying, "Couldn’t sleep, I guess."

With that, they were silent again as the warm breeze blew Lenora’s hair all around. The place was calm as Lenora looked up. Orson looked at her from where he sat. She looked beautiful as always as she looked up at the suns, although the clouds were blocking the sun a bit. The cloudy sky was still beautiful to look at as small white particles fell from the sky.

Orson finally spoke, his voice nonchalant, but what he said made the warm breeze feel a bit cold against Lenora’s skin.

"So, Lenora."

Lenora, who was lost in the sky, looked at him. "What?"

"I was able to open my life gate."

Lenora, who wanted to look back at the sky, froze. For a second, she had nothing to say before just smiling and asking, "Let me guess—you’re planning to enter the first trial to become an Awakened?"

Lenora did not know why she had asked that question, but she just kept looking at the sky.

Orson sighed. "I am not sure yet. But let’s say I do. What do I have to do to become an Awakened?"

Lenora let out a long breath that ghosted her face before saying, "Have you ever wondered why Awakened fight and try to challenge the breaches?"

The backyard fell silent as Lenora continued.

"You may think it’s because before long, the beasts known as the Dark Ones will come out and unleash unspeakable horror on humanity and its cities. And you’re right, in a way."

Lenora looked down at her legs before sighing and saying, "But not everyone is a saint in this world. Even me."

Orson did not say anything and just let Lenora talk.

"After getting your life gate, you need a key that will let you enter the Astral Realm where you can awaken. But the keys vary. Eternal breaches are the only ones with the keys to awakening."

Orson was a bit shocked. "Wait, but there are many Awakened humans."

"Hmm, that’s because one key can make thousands of Awakened. And when the world was almost ruined by the Dark Ones, they did almost make everyone an Awakened. But to become an Awakened is not that simple. And thousands died in the process. But now, if you want to be an Awakened, you have to pledge to one of the great powers or guilds to become one of them before they will allow you to become one."

Orson looked away, lost in thought. "So I have to join a guild or something before I can awaken."

Lenora said, "Yeah."

"But why? I mean, even if it fails, shouldn’t they just keep using it for everyone?"

Lenora smiled. "Nothing works when you enter the trial. And almost most people choose to challenge an Eternal Breach rather than be a dog to the great powers."

Orson just sighed. This explains why it’s hard to take out the power at the top.

Lenora looked down before resting her back on the floor. "You know, those keys—I always thought I was going to reach the fifth rank on my own. Since the family forbade me from challenging the fifth trial, I challenged an eternal breach for the key of the fifth."

She looked down at her legs. "And this is the price for that pride."

Orson looked at her as she looked back at her legs with a sigh.

Orson did not say anything as something about the Golden Sun Realm clicked. First, someone forced all the Awakened into the breach because they had found a way to conquer the breach. So they used bait like the weapon to draw everyone out. But what was weird about the bait was that everyone could see it was bait, but the person who planned all this knew that and still did it anyway. That says he knew something about the realm no one has been able to conquer.

Weirdly, the person who leaked the news was smart. Everyone would be too careful and cautious, knowing it was a trap. And he could use that to his advantage.

Orson just sighed. No matter the era, people will do anything for power, he thought as he looked back at Lenora, who looked to have passed out and was asleep. Her hair was all over the place, giving her a strange, otherworldly beauty.

Orson looked back at the sky, lost in thought about everything so far. Lenora, Sen, his friend, and the breach in District 12 as well.

With that, some plans started to form in Orson’s mind. He knew he was going to go back to the realm soon. But not now. He needed to cultivate and uncover the mystery about the island itself. It felt like something he did not want to miss.

Having set his mind to it, Orson smiled at the sky as the clouds parted a bit to let the sunlight shine down.

But unknown to Orson, he would wish he had not gone to the breach that was about to release a horror onto the world.