Elden sat at the corner of the bed that was soon to be his, as soon as the paperwork is done with.

  The house he was staying in was allocated to him and his family after the Awakening was completed and Uncle Arden convinced his parents that moving into the Estate was for the best, because it would provide him with a stream of resources that would otherwise be inaccessible to him.

  Resources that he quite frankly thought he didn’t deserve.

  “The resources are better spent on someone that deserves it,” He says to Avery mournfully.

  “Someone talented like Cain, not a cripple like me.” He says mourning the death of his dreams and aspirations, that were trampled to death under the weight of reality.

  “Don’t say that!” Avery says sternly but tinge of worry and sadness in her tone was hard to miss, even for someone as young as Elden.

  “Just because your martial soul is hard to wield is no measure of your capabilities.” Avery says.

  “Can I let you in on a secret?” Avery asks Elden who nods even while sucking air desperately between sobs.

  “A martial soul is but a crutch to use on the journey to the top. There are many paths to cultivation, not just through the martial soul.” Avery says.

  “Did you know that the legendary Ramos the Mad, the warrior whose fury shook empires and forced emperors on their knees was deemed a cripple at awakening?” Avery asks Elden, who shook his head indicating his ignorance of this uplifying fact.

  “His martial soul was deemed to be defective. It was a slime martial soul that mutated. As a consequence of that mutation, the slime became coreless, meaning that what he had for a martial spirit was but a puddle of slime.”

  “Many people called him useless, that he would amount to nothing because of his defect, that his future was cut off.” Avery says.

  “But you know what? That did nothing but strengthen his resolve. He vowed to become strong enough that even the defect that afflicted him wouldn’t matter in the slightest, and he succeeded.” Avery says with a smile, causing the boy to look at her with awe in his eyes.

  “He chose the path of Sorcery. He mastered the art, and it empowered him to the point that the defect in his martial soul no longer mattered.”

  Elden sat enraptured, his mind replaying what he just heard. His eyes betrayed the hope that sprang into him when he heard that even someone with a defective martial soul could become a true powerhouse of his era.

  “For that however, you would need discipline, an iron will and determination to see it through, to ignore all the mockery and taunts that would surely surround you.”

  “You would need the cunning to see through foes and outwit them, especially so because at the same power level you would be the weaker one.”

  “You would need proper training and knowledge to bridge the gap in power and talent. The more you train, the less you bleed. The more you bleed on the training grounds, the less you bleed on the battlefield.”

  Elden’s eyes hardened. Even at his young age, he understood the wisdom that was being imparted upon him.

  He understood that the ‘he’ from yesterday would no longer exist. From now on he would need to be tougher, sharper and sturdier than ever.

  He could no longer cry, laugh or play wholeheartedly, for doing so would serve nothing more than provide those who discount him with ammunition to bring him down.

  Just as Elden was pondering upon the advice his mother imparted upon him, his father returned.

  The door opened, and in came David, his posture relaxed. He strode into the house and into the room that had acted as a makeshift therapy room for Elden just moments prior.

  Unlike, the disappointment that he expected on David’s face, he saw an excited expression.

  The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

  Elden who took that as a sign that his father didn’t really care about his misfortune, was slightly hurt.

  “Good news!” David exclaimed as he rushed into the room.

  “What?” Avery asks David as bit apprehensive.

  “There might be a solution to Elden’s predicament!” David says.

  “What is it?” Avery asks, excitement clouding her voice. The mere thought that her son’s future might not be as difficult as she thought it would be brought her immense joy.

  “House Talon might have a bloodline that would work well with Elden’s martial soul,” David says just as excited.

  “However, as you know, Elden must show compatibility with that bloodline for it to be of use.” David says, the excitement dimming a little.

  “That is still great news! It means that he still has a chance.” Avery says laughing giddily.

  “Yes he does.” David nods and then turns over to Elden who stands staring transfixed at David, his eyes alight with poisonous hope.

  “But Elden, I would like to remind you that you are being given a unique opportunity here. Your Uncle fought the Council to retain you your rights, and provide you with an opportunity to right the defect in your martial soul.”

  “I hope that you prove yourself, and that you prove that your Uncle was right in supporting you.”

  “No matter if the bloodline would prove compatible or not, you must give your best starting today to benefit House Talon, because most other Houses would have given up on you.” Elden looked ashamed and hurt at that statement, an expression that didn’t slip past David’s experienced eyes.

  “I am not saying this to hurt or insult you. This is a fact. It is better for you to hear it now, because from today onwards you would probably hear the same from those around you. Be they kids or adults, they will continue to accuse you of being useless or a drain on resources. Be strong and prove yourself, and they will be the first to congratulate you.” David encourages Elden.

  Elden nods.

  He understood that he was lucky to have an understanding family who supported him.

  He understood that he was given a chance, a chance that he vowed he would not waste. He vowed that he would prove that his Uncle was right to trust in him, to support him.

  His heart hardened, and taking leave from his parents went to his private cultivation chamber.

  He let his martial soul out. The enormous axe hovered over him like a beacon.

  The martial soul was left semi-ethereal so that it wouldn’t collide with the roof of his cultivation chamber.

  While this would reduce the effectiveness of his cultivation to a large extent, the enormity of the axe would make up for it.

  The axe started to draw in the ambient energy from the air into it.

  Energy started slowly funneling into the martial soul, which it then converted to mana and fed his meridians.

  He had to reach the limit of initiate rank, so that he could absorb the bloodline promised to him. To reach that level as soon as he can he needed ti be diligent in approach, and he planned to do just that.

  POV Cain:

  In a party hall within House Talon, Cain and a small group of his friends were gathered, celebrating the awakening of Cain and the others of the same age.

  “Congrats Cain!” A boy shouts, hugging Cain. The boy was taller than Cain and appeared to be older that him by a year or two.

  “Thank you Richard” Cain says, returning the hug to his oldest friend.

  “So, Rick tells me you are close with that cripple. Is that true?” Artemis asks.

  “Shh.. What did I say about calling Elden that?” Richard admonishes.

  “He is a good friend of mine too. He is a good kid, it is a shame that fate dealt such a bad hand to him.” Richard says wistfully.

  “He is not a cripple!” Cain says coldly, clearly offended by Artemis bad mouthing his cousin.

  “He still has much potential, his martial soul is very powerful, the day he gains control of it, he will be an unstoppable powerhouse.” Cain defends Elden.

  “Yeah, but he can’t can he?” Artemis smugly says. “Atleast not until it is too late.”

  “That… is true.” Richard nods, slightly unsure. “However, I did hear that our clan does have a bloodline that is compatible with his martial soul.”

  “Even if it were, he would need the right bloodline compatibility to be able to absorb it, right? Even if he did, who is to say that it would be of any use? If it were a good bloodline then there is no way we wouldn’t have known we had it in stock before.” Artemis retorts.

  “And letting a cripple gain resources equal to you Cain? That is just blatant favouritism.” Artemis snorts.

  “That is his right! He is only being given what was his by his right.” Cain argued.

  “Yeah, but what about your father calling him his ‘heir’ huh?” Artemis asks.

  The party turns silent at that question, everyone turns towards Cain.

  For the first time since the start of the party, a crack appears on his composed facade. A mark of hesitation covers his face for a brief second.

  “My father just said that to reiterate his rights.” He retorts, half to convince himself.

  “Keep telling yourself that and one day you might find yourself passed in favour of that crippled cousin of yours, because you father clearly favours him.” Artemis says coldly before leaving the party.

  Cain stands in the centre of everyone’s attention, for the first time in his life, feeling insulted.