Chapter 4: New Plate

*snap**snap**snap**snap**snap**snap*

“Happy birthday Cas!” “Happy birthday son” Happy birthday Cassy!” “Let’s eat!”

Today’s my 6th birthday! Uncle Robert, his wife Aunt Delilah, and their son Samson came and celebrated with us. They’re our neighbours and we often spend birthdays and other holidays with them. There seems to be some history between my parents and them, but they tell me they're just good friends from their past jobs. We aren't related as far as I can tell, I haven't seen any cousins or uncles in my 6 years of imprisonment. I did wonder if we had any extended family, but whenever I asked my parents they always had a bitter look on their faces so I stopped asking.

I've been allowed to play inside the whole house and sometimes in the backyards. Our backyard is kinda big, almost as big as the house. Mom does gardening there and I've seen some weird fruits and veggies she's planted. There's a yellow eggplant kind of thing and it tastes exactly like tofu. Anyway, that's what I have been doing for the past 5 years, just playing around with Samson, whom I affectionately call Sammy now.

Sammy was born when I was 2 years old, I met him when he turned 1 year old, Uncle Robert and Aunt Delilah invited us to his birthday celebration and I had to babysit him throughout. Sammy's half Sprigg, due to his mom being a Sprigg and his dad being Human, so he's like a half tree or treant in fantasies. He still eats like an omnivore though, I found it weird but then I realize I'm literally eating rocks. He can transform his limbs into vines and trunks when he wants to. It’s a little unfair when we play tag because his reach is way longer, but I’m way faster than him for some reason.

“Happy birthday Cas! Come on open our gift!” Uncle Robert hands me a medium-sized box. I opened it up and there's a brown hoodie inside. It was completely plain apart from a subtle tree bark kind of design.

It looks cool but I’ve been growing faster and faster recently. I almost look like I'm 2 years older… “Thanks, Uncle!”

“Your aunt Del made those and I added my own enhancements here and there. You see those marks?” He points to the bark-like markings. “Those are the enchantments to make it grow with you. It can also use magic to make you more comfortable in most weathers and washing it won't really be an issue. I added a bit more stuff but you can discover them yourself” He laughs and aunt Delilah elbows him.

"You can ask me anytime if you want to know the other enhancements,” She tells me and pats my head affectionately. "Happy Birthday kid"

“But if you ask for help that means you give up! Ghak!-” Uncle Robert grins and aunt Del elbows him again, much harder this time.

Magic Hoodie!!! I stare at the hoodie for a while before hugging them. “Thank you so much!!”

“Happy birthday Cas” Uncle Robert ruffles my hair and smiles warmly. Sammy then comes up to me giving me a jagged piece of black metallic rock. “I found this when we were playing outside! I wanted to keep it but it's your birthday so here you go! Happy Birthday, Cas!”

“Thanks, Sammy!” I hug him and pocketed the rock. Hmmmm midnight snack get! Sorry, Sammy.

Uncle Robert’s family went back home after eating and we went out for my parent's gift. They said it was special this year so I have to wait for a bit. The city hasn’t changed much over the past five years, technological advancements have been mostly towards making the city safer from beasts and monsters. Most people aim to be adventurers or craftsmen, rarely do people go for research so technology really just depends on what people need right now. They have this mentality of “If it works, it’s good enough.”

We get to the centre of the city, where the tallest tower stands. They call it the Tower, for obvious reasons, and it’s like the main headquarters of everyone here. It’s also where the barrier surrounding the whole area of the city originates from. The barrier's mostly invisible unless you look closely you'll notice glass-like hexagons covering the sky. Mom said something about siphoning magic from us to power it? I don’t remember exactly but the more citizens there are and the stronger they are, the more powerful the barrier is.

We go inside towards the reception area, where a row of black people is sitting behind a very long desk. And by black I mean literally, they look like shadow creatures of different races, like those video game characters you haven’t unlocked yet.

Even their clothes are the same colour… wait are those their clothes or is that a part of them? Weird… We go up and the shadowy face looks at us. “Good morning Sir, Ma’am. Can I help you?” it says with a surprisingly normal sounding voice. I was expecting it to sound like a monster or something.

“Yes, we’d like to register our son for his first awakening.” First awakening? Is that this year's gift? Will I get magic?!

“Oh! In that case please fill out this form first then proceed towards the door on my left.” She hands a form to my mom and it’s just a bunch of normal questions like my name, date of birth, race, etc. After answering everything we proceed towards the left door and pass the form to the person standing in front of it.

“Everything seems to be in order, welcome to the Tower young man.” He smiles at me and makes way and opens the door then gives the form back to my mom.

“Woooooooooaaaahhhhhhh!” The doors open and I'm presented with a scene that looks like the centre of a mall where all the floors can be seen. There’s a giant multicoloured crystal embedded in the middle of the floor that goes about halfway up the Tower. It looks like a jagged pillar and it’s sending pulses of light upwards in random intervals.

Is this how they power the barrier? Awesome!

“That’s the Obelysk Cas, that’s what makes it possible for us to live here without fear of ever being invaded or overrun by monsters,” Dad says to me, seemingly enjoying my awe towards that gigantic structure.

“It’s so big!” I exclaim then mom smiles at me. “That’s just the tip of it Cas, there’s more of it underground! Come on, let’s go to the first awakener’s plaza below”

“Mom, what’s awakening?” I ask as we walk towards the elevator. The elevator looks like a circular platform and it projects a small barrier to keep the occupants safe.

“You’ll know when we get there sweetie.” Mom answers me with a mischievous glint in her eyes. It looks like I have to endure till we get there ughhh

“Is this my birthday gift?”

“No son, this is something everyone needs to go through. It's like telling the city that you are a citizen of it. We’ll get your gift after this.” Oh? Is it just a citizenship thing? Noooo my magic...

*ding* Oh so elevators ding here too.

The barrier dissolves and it looks like an indoor plaza with shops on the sides. I can see a plethora of books, weapons, robes, armour, gadgets, and all kinds of random things in the stores. Teenagers are just milling about hanging out with their friends, it really looks like a proper park. The Obelysk is sticking out in the middle of the area seemingly piercing through to the upper floor and it looks like it continues further underground.

How big is this thing?? No wonder people feel safe, there’s a battery the size of a cruise ship powering the barrier. Maybe even bigger. Is powering a barrier the only thing it can do?

We walk towards the middle and there’s a building that’s surrounding the base of the crystal. It has glass walls so I can see that there are a lot of kids inside, about as old as me probably. Mom passes the form to the guard in front who then nods and gives the form to me. “Go inside and wait in line.”

D#mn there are queues here too? I guess there are some things magic can’t do.

[around half an hour later]

F$#@ing finally jeez!! Quick my a#s!

“Form please.”

I pass the form to this stone golem-like man… or woman I don’t know. It reads the form and gets out this thin blue wooden plate and passes it to me. Don't think about eating the golem don't think about eating the golem don-

“Next”

“Uhhh what do I do with this?” I ask while raising the rectangle wooden plate. It's about the size of an ID in the previous world and it has nothing it. It's literally just a piece of wood with rounded edges.

It grumbles and points towards an elf-like woman standing near the crystal. I walk over there and the woman smiles at me. “Put your hand on the crystal and don’t panic. It might make you feel bloated for a bit but just relax it won’t hurt. Make sure you’re holding your plate okay?”

I nod and put my hand on the crystal and it pulses around my hand.

Wooahhh whaaaat isss thiiissss??? The world got blurrier and brighter asI put both hands on the crystal to balance myself. I can feel something coming inside me like a current. There’s a sting inside my eyes. I stay like that for what feels like hours before collapsing on my knee.

“You’re okay, you’re alright don’t worry.” The woman helps me up and pats my back.

“Look at me, is there anything different? Do I smell different? Can you hear something new?”

I opened my eyes I see a blue screen in front of me.

“We’ll wait for you here Cas. It’ll be quick don’t worry.” Mom hugs me and dad pats my back. I go inside and see a huge line of kids awkwardly waiting there. Few are engaging in conversation but it looks like a lot of kids are not used to being away from parents. Kinda like me, I suppose.

Name: Unknown

Race: Unknown

Title: Unknown

Classes: Unknown

INSTANT DEATH DO NOT ENGAGE

WHAT?