Nathan was a neighbour to Elden and had been his friend since he could remember. The House Kolt was a Viscountcy and was one of the more influential Houses of the province.

  While the bulk of the House’s possessions were concentrated in the south of the Phoenician Province, many of the less prominent members or families of the House have since shifted into the city of Carthage which had proven to provide more opportunities for growth than staying at their ancestral estate.

  The boy was clad in their usual House garb, sapphire blue robes billowed in the air as he walked up to the podium.

  He calmly pressed his palm on the orb, tilting his head in curious interest as he watched the golden flames snaking up his arm.

  As soon as the flames vanished into him, a golden light shot up before the ethereal form of his martial soul was revealed.

  It coalesced into his martial soul, only instead of a beast or plant like with the rest, his turned out to be a bow.

  The bow emerged with a twang, its golden body resplendent enough to blind.

  Its appearance caused the holy orb to start to vibrate in resonance with the golden bow shining with a similar brilliance.

  “A rare phenomenon!” The archpriest declares and starts praying.

  “A resonance of the martial soul with the solar energy of the Sun God himself!” He declares quickly causing the rest of the priests to kneel in prayer.

  The reaction caused a chain of commotion among the attendees. The display leaving them in reprehension regarding the consequences of what was unfolding.

  The poor boy looked frightened, looking the commotion caused by the emergence of his martial soul with confusion.

  “That’s my son!” Declares Gabriel Kolt, Nathan’s father. You could see the pride of a successful parent clearly radiating from his face.

  “You did good befriending that boy,” David says to Elden “Now, it is your duty to ensure that your friendship will remain strong. What we witnessed could mean that not only did he get an outstanding martial soul, he would also gain the backing of the Sun Cult due to it.”

  “House Kolt is going to rise under that boy’s leadership, we have to ensure that it doesn’t do so at the cost of our House. Your friendship with him could help cement an alliance with them and ensure that our House would not be a victim of rampant ambitions in their part.” Jason added.

  “But, that it only if they even plan on making him the heir. If I am not wrong he belongs to a cadet branch of House Kolt, they are only distantly related to the main family, and I doubt that the main family would even entertain making him a heir over their own children.” David explains causing them to backtrack on their calculations for the future.

  “Silence!” The Archpriest bellowed, putting an abrupt end to the commotion.

  “Let me ascertain what your martial spirit exactly is.” saying so the Archpriest pulled out a magnifying lens.

  “This lens lets me appraise martial spirits that are not common enough to ascertain” The archpriest explains and peers through the lens at the martial soul.

  “The martial soul is a bow called the Falling Star. It has high compatibility with Solar Divine Energy.” He declared.

  “Nathan, boy, I would like to ask, would you be willing to join the Cult of the Sun God?” The archpriest offers.

  The unexpected proposal caused the boy to descend to anxiety, he turned his head desperate to catch a glimpse of his father.

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  The archpriest catching on to the unease the boy was feeling beckoned his father to the podium.

  When Gabriel reached the podium Nathan ran towards him and hugged him, peeking at the archpriest.

  “Lord Gabriel, I would like to extend an offer to your son.” The archpriest addressed the man.

  “Would you allow your son to join the Cult of the Sun God? I would personally guarantee that he would be given access to the best of the resources and opportunities that the Sun God Cult can offer.”

  “He will also be sent to the Capital in due time to study at the Headquarters of the Sun God Cult”

  “But… but he is still just a kid. How can I allow him to stay away from his family at such a tender age? Also, what about his future?” Gabriel asks.

  “Pardon me in my impudence in saying this, but joining the clergy would cut off many paths that would have been available to him in the future.”

  “With his talent it would benefit him more if he remained independent and take the path that he likes, because I have no doubt that he would succeed in achieving it.”

  “Also, what if he would want to start a family later in life? He wouldn’t be able to do so as a part of the clergy. I can’t take that choice away from him and as young as he is he will not be able to make such a decision at this moment.” Gabriel continues.

  “You misunderstand me.” The archpriest says. “I don’t mean to make him join the clergy.”

  “There are various Orders even within the Cult of the Sun God. The clergy is just one of them. I won’t force him to choose priesthood. He can choose which Order he wants to join in the future. For now what I offer is a sponsorship for his studies till he reaches an age fit to decide for himself.” The archpriest explains.

  “I think it would be better for your son to take up the offer Gabriel,” David says, appearing behind him with stealth of a cat and the abruptness of a falcon.

  “Lord David!” Gabriel exclaims turning to face him.

  “I think it is the best chance your son could get. I would advice that you take it” David advises.

  “The archpriest is offering your son a no strings attached deal, if he can prove himself he can become a paladin, or who knows with his martial soul he might even have the potential of making it as a Saint Candidate. Not to mention that the main family of House Kolt, would likely take such a talent member of a Cadet House as a threat to their authority, thus impeding him.”

  Gabriel hesitates on listening to this.

  “Can I take some time to think this through?” He asks the archpriest who nods in acquiescence.

  Nathan, with remarkable composure for his age starts contemplating the options strewn before him. While he was but a boy, he understood that he stood at a great crossroad in his life, and that the choice he is to take would haunt him for the rest of his life, whether good or bad.

  He turns to look at his best friend Elden who waves his hand cheerfully before nodding his his head in support. This brings a smile back to his face before his father motions for them to leave.

  The father and son duo leave with thoughts of ambition and doubt clouding their head.

  David vanishes from the podium and returns just as abruptly next to Arden as he had left.

  “Alright, now that the situation has been sorted lets get on with the rest of the awakening”

  “Good job with that bit of advice” Arden smiles at David conspiratorially.

  “I was only being a good friend” David insists half to himself.

  “Ofcourse you were, and the fact that such an advice benefits us is joyous indeed.” Arden says.

  “It removes a threat from the board while making them grateful to us for our advice. That is a masterstroke in political maneuvering.” Arden praises David, who looks at him, indignant at the implication.

  “This is why that old man should have chosen you as his heir. You are more cunning than me!” Arden grumbles.

  “Listen here you bastard, I said I did it out of friendship. Yes, the fact that it benefits us I true, but that is only a secondary factor for me. The fact that you only see the benefit tells me that you are more suited to those political games unlike me.” David retorts pissed off.

  “Really? Bastard? Is that how you address your Patriarch and the Lord of House Talon?” Arden teases with a shit eating grin to which David scowls.

  “Ya daft bastards!” Jason interrupts. “I remember you admonishing the kids not to fight, and look at what you are doing. The same shit but worse because you don’t even have the excuse of youth.” He admonishes.

  Arden and David become flustered on hearing that and look at the kids who only stare at them with accusation in their eyes.

  “What are you pipsqueaks looking at?” Arden says shamelessly leaving the kids astounded at the shameless display and causing David to distance himself from Arden.

  Time passed as family shenanigans continued in House Talon.

  Finally it was House Talon’s turn.

  “Talon, Artemis” The archpriest calls.