This is my second story that I am posting on RR. I currently have my own website, and post all of my content there 1st or exclusively. This is my second "long" story that I am starting, and seeing as I originally got my start on RR I will post my chapters on here as well. This story will likely go on a while as I see a long road for it in my head. I will naturally post my chapters on my website (www.9tribulations.com) first, but I will also post the chapters afterwards here.

Comment: This story is (in my opinion) very different from my first (which is on-going) as the main character and feel of the story will be very different. Therefore, those that like one may not necessarily like the other as while some of the themes/genres will be the same, the content, feel and lead characters will be different.

Release schedule: 4-5 Chapters per week. (5 for the a while, as I will post this much as while the ideas are really fresh in my head and it's easy to write).

________________________________________

Chapter 1 – The Seed of Dreams

Eastesp City was a small subset of “Eastern” city. It lay on the outskirts of the border between the city and long fields of space near the wilderness.

Today was one of the busiest days of the city, a long anticipated tradition where young children with starry eyes would come to learn what fate had in store for them. It was the date of the yearly Blood Awakening Exam.

Everyone in the city, whether it be those in power & money or the villagers living day to day with little to show for it had an unbounded excitement. Whether they had children or not, this was a form of free entertainment as everyone was excited to see if a legend would be born from their humble town.

Everyone in the continent would be tested at age 10 to see whether they had a special “Bloodline”. In the Moonlit continent everyone had the possibility of containing a special ability within their blood. A bloodline that could be traced back to ancient times. Strangely enough, it had long been found out that not everyone would be born with the same ability if any at all, even within the same families. Therefore, at age 10 everyone was to be tested.

These bloodlines contained one of two powers. Either the inherent bloodline of some other beast or creature that allowed a person to utilize special abilities and if trained to an extreme, even shape-shift to their bloodline’s form or the utilization of “Sprit Power”. Spirit power was deemed equally as important as a bloodline, and although it seemed to come from a bloodline, it was later determined that anyone could have spirit power, regardless of whether they had a special bloodline or not.

Those with spirit power were considered especially useful, as although their ability and worth may not always come to be as practical or useful as those with bloodlines, researchers were constantly trying to learn and further their understanding of sprit power. Spirit power could allow humans to do extraordinary things! From directly being able to control another living thing to being able to cripple or kill a creature with solely their minds! These were of course only the most basic utilizations of this power too.

The main reason why sprit power was deemed so amazing, is because it was discovered that those with spirit power could later fuse or change the inherent power of their bloodlines if they possessed one. Turning a powerful bloodline even more powerful, a normal one even stronger, and even left for the possibility of turning a useless bloodline into a mighty one!

It was just past dawn but the streets were already filled with lookie-lous and parents impatiently awaiting for the “Soul Tower” to be opened, for their children to be tested. This would be the day that would determine the fates of a lot of these children. A powerful bloodline would allow a child a bright future, spirit power being discovered would mean no more troubles for that family for the rest of their lives and no bloodline at all would mean a child would either be doomed to a mediocre life or an eternal uphill struggle in order to make a name for themselves.

“Hey daddy! Daddy! Daddy!” a young little girl with long lashes and short hair screamed for her father’s attention.

“What is it sweetheart?” her father replied in a gruff voice.

“Do you think Haru’s bloodline is going super-super amazing?” she asked in a tender tone as she glanced over at her brother.

Her father glanced over at her as he held her hand before looking over at his son. His son that he was so proud of. He was quiet and obedient, he constantly received praise from the neighbors on his son’s demeanor and good looks. Standing there beside him without a care in the world, his own concerns seem to ease “I’m sure your brother will give us a wonderful surprise.”

A young 10 year old boy as standing beside them looking as calm as spring air. A languid expression with deep dark eyes that seemed like deep pools containing limitless depth. If one managed to look past his exceptional demeanor, they would notice the pool of water down his back which betrayed his calm demeanor. Inwardly, a panic was seizing him as his heartbeat rang out of control. He couldn’t even hear his sister’s conversation with his father as it was all drowned out by the loud thumping of his heartbeat and his own inner voice screaming “It’s going to be okay! It’s going to be okay!”

The young boy had a head of medium length wavy black hair, some of which came down past his forehead to his eyes. He was the same height as other boys his age, and he didn’t seem fat or skinny, but his face was held features that even some women would be a little jealous of. He was pretty with soft skin, but you could tell it was only due to youth. He seemed like a spitting image of his father, except time would soon mold these pretty features into handsome ones.

His common clothing did nothing to detract from his looks, and with his easy going demeanor despite the occasion it made others who were around him not help but take notice.

“Will big brother have spirit power?” the little girl asked.

Her father couldn’t help but glance over at his son again. He knew it was questions like these that could put an exceptional burden on a child his age, but looking at his calm look he couldn’t help but be ease up. His son looked unflustered and didn’t seem to need his protection “He’ll do wonderfully. Whether he was has spirit power or not. Your brother is going to become an amazing man.”

There was no line, all children were recorded at birth. All those who had already turned ten this year would soon be called up. It was near the end of the year so all children who turned 10 this year would be called.

“Haru Seishin!” A teacher yelled from the front door as a student walked out with a heartbroken expression.

“It’s your turn now Haru! Go on up, and just do your best!” His father said while pushing his back a bit.

“He’s here!” Lily the little sister yelled out for Haru.

The instructor heard Lily and turned to look at them, his stern and cold demeanor momentarily melted when he saw Lily's adorable smiling face. It took him a moment to recompose himself before finding it a bit odd he would be moved by a child. He was far too used to this job, whether joy or sorrow he'd seen it all from every child that walked through these doors.

Haru moved forward step by step. There was a calm to his step which gave him the appearance that nothing now or around him was pressuring him. As if he was taking a leisurely stroll through a garden when secretly he was forcing his legs forward one step at a time.

“Follow me.” The teacher gave Haru a quick once over but due to the number of children to already come through the doors and the number left to be examined, there was little sympathy or expectation in his gaze. He merely wanted to get through this exceptionally long day ahead of him.

Walking through the small path inside of the first floor of Soul Tower Haru anxiously contained all of his trepidation and focused on moving his legs one step at a time. Focusing on the most minute of things was the only thing keeping him together. Soul Tower was the one building in each city or sub-city designated for those with spirit power who aimed to become Magicians and for those with bloodlines who aimed to become Bloodline Warriors. It was a special place all yearned to enter due to its splendor both in name and what quality of the items and people inside, but only those qualified or a child on the blood awakening exam could ever enter.

The teacher briskly led the both of them to a small room on the first blood with a small chair. The chair was purely black with not a hint of light reflecting off of it. “Take a seat”

Haru followed the instruction and sat down keeping his eyes on the teacher who wrote something down and then left the room. Only moments after leaving the room a middle aged man wearing a green robe that featured a crescent moon emblem on his heart entered.

Haru had received most of his education from home, except for the one year of public education all children received from ages 9-10. He always paid attention in class and was fairly bright, without a moment passing Haru knew this emblem meant this man was a Magician. Magicians were highly regarded wherever they went, their abilities incredible and mystical and they were a rare breed. The man didn’t even need to speak for Haru to already hold him in high regard.

This was the reason that Haru pushed past his anxiety and spoke up first “Good morning sir.”

The magician cracked a small smile “Stay seated. This’ll only hurt for a moment. Understood?”

Haru nodded while his anxiety was only building. He wasn’t scared of the possible pain, his anxiety was purely there due to his overwhelming desire to help his family. He loved his father and mother very much. They were hard workers with little to fall back on, and Haru wanted nothing more than to one day be able to give them a better life. He instinctively knew without needing to hear what everyone around him was saying, that this was a crucial moment in his life. It would determine how much value he would have to his parents, how much help he could give them.

“Okay. I’m going to begin.”