Chapter 13: Bright Purple

Day 26th, 11th month of the Vermilion Empire calendar, year 1010

Leon’s fifth birthday came relatively fast, but unlike the previous years that were coated in gifts and celebrations, today had a whole different thing, as both sons woke to be standing before the crystal to see their core.

It was known in the world of Larek that a core was established from the day a child was born and there was no way to grow it further; it was their fate going forward. What you could control was how much of that core you chose to harness and master.

A council of three mages were brought from the capital for this day. They came with the crystal which would be used to know the cores of both sons. Also, a crystal ball transmitter was set so that their father could watch the entire thing. He had not been able to make it back, but he was surely not going to miss this.

Leon woke up that day with relatively the same mindset that he always had. He did not seem to care all that much about what was happening, but he did understand that today would be changing the entire course of the world.

He walked into the hall of the manor, every maid, butler and worker was gathered inside. As well as a few lower nobles that were under the banner of the count family. The crystal ball for his father was also set up, and his father would soon come on and watch.

His mother was already inside, and so were his sisters and William, who stood in front of his mother with a bright smile.

’Tch, this is a whole lot of fuss about my own future. Tch. I simply want something like green. Not to be too greedy, I doubt I have the talent for anything higher, even green seems too much.’

All he had done since he came to this world was simply take spells and learn them; he never really harnessed the spells from scratch and mastered them. He felt like he was a fraud at times, but he did not allow that to stop him from the growth he was meant to have.

After a while of everyone standing around and having small talk, the orb finally came on, and the count was seated on a chair inside a room, he had both hands pressed onto the table. He looked around and saw everyone, then he nodded to the three officiating mages.

The mages nodded back and then walked to the white crystal that they had placed upon a pedestal.

"Welcome, everyone. Today we find the talent of our two young masters, as they step into the world of magic and more."

The older mage spoke. He then stepped to his side and pointed to the crystal. "Each young master will place their hands on this crystal, and it will immediately read what color their cores are.

We shall start with the first son. Young master William, if you would be so kind, can you step forward."

William smiled as he heard his name and then shot a look at Leon, his eyes said it all. He felt like he was better, greater. Even though Leon had upstaged him all the time when it came to smarts and even magic, he used this opportunity to show that he was still ahead.

He walked forward with clean steps carried by confidence, his eyes locked onto the crystal and a smirk formed on his face. He arrived next to the crystal, looked at the crowd around as if to be sure that everyone was looking only at him. And then he placed his hand on it.

There was a silence that lasted a few seconds, and then

BOOM

The crystal showed a bright purple.

The eyes of everyone widened when they saw this. They could not believe their eyes. William had awakened a purple core. It was a bright purple, which meant it only barely crossed into purple from blue, but no one cared about that.

Anyone with a purple core, even a bright one, was considered a national treasure. Heck, even someone with a bright blue core was extremely important to the empire.

The entire room erupted in cheers and celebrations, the noise filled everywhere. William stood there with a smile of victory on his face. He looked around and saw how everyone was shocked at his greatness. He looked at his mother and saw her approving gaze, and then he looked at his father, who normally had a stoic face, but this time was beaming with pride at the son he had sired.

William walked down beneath the gaze of everyone, they all eagerly wanted to get close to him already and speak to him, but he walked to his mother and stayed with her. She held onto his shoulder with a proud look on her face. In her mind, she had won the battle.

’This little rascal, he had gone and set the bar so high that even a green would be dogshit compared to him. Tch,’ Leon thought. He did not care, though. Whatever anyone said was their business and not his.

He began walking toward the crystal while everyone was still hyped about the purple. When they noticed him walk past, they all turned to see him. Murmurs erupted immediately. Some talked about the fact that he was considered a genius from where he was born, and some talked about the fact that there was no way he could surpass his brother at this point.

Leon pushed all the noise aside and kept walking until he was before the crystal.

He looked around the room. He saw it in their eyes, all of them. Eagerness, desire to see what he would turn out to be and what his future would hold.

Leon smiled as he saw their faces, outsiders, eager to see what his destiny was and if they could place investments on him.

’Yeah, I’m not doing all that,’ he thought and placed his hand on the crystal.