The Golem Mage Chapter 2: Day Of Awakening

The Gordon clan once again reaches the momentous day of Awakening. Each year, youths who have reached 15 years or older gain permission to touch the Orb of Awakening and unlock their innate magical abilities.

It is solely through this awakening that the mana joints within one's body can link up, guided by the Orb of Awakening, opening the path for all to pursue the dream of becoming a true mage.

Fortune smiles on Alec, who celebrated his 15th birthday just days prior to the Gordon family's annual Awakening ceremony. Had he missed this timing, he would face a full year's delay before accessing the chance to activate his body's mana joints.

Abruptly, a burst of clamor erupted from the crowd's forefront, so loud that even Alec, tucked away in the shadows of a distant corner, found himself drawn to the disturbance.

Turning his gaze, he spotted his grandfather—the revered patriarch of the Gordon family—and his uncle, the family's grand elder, descending from their elevated positions.

Their expressions brimmed with thrill and astonishment as they hurried toward the pedestal holding the Orb of Awakening.

"Did you catch that earlier? The Awakening's glow blazed so fiercely in yellow, mixed with a faint blue hue," remarked one of the younger clan members.

"Yeah, I did. Definitely, someone unlocked the Earth element, along with Water elements," responded another.

"That was the first elder's daughter who gained the Earth element power. And her affinity level is exceptionally high. No doubt, we'll soon boast another tier 1 mage among our ranks." They dismissed the water element affinity, deeming it far inferior to the earth one.

Alec caught snippets of the younger generation's chatter speculating on what sparked such a stir that it pulled his grandfather and uncle from their lofty seats.

Yet upon learning it involved the first elder's daughter, his usual lethargy vanished, replaced by a frustrated grunt.

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The girl at the center of it all was named Agnes, the second daughter of the First Elder, raised amid boundless affection. With no son to his name, the first elder poured every ounce of care and resources into nurturing his girls.

Agnes had long been a thorn in Alec's side, forever measuring herself against him whenever possible. She numbered among those in the Gordon family's youth who insisted he was unfit to lead them.

Her opposition stemmed from her conviction that she outshone him, citing his constant shielding by the patriarch and his absence from the younger generation's rigorous training sessions.

Some opposed his leadership by labeling him a "blaze family bastard" in whispers from outsiders, pointing to his hybrid heritage—fiery red hair from the Blaze Clan and yellow irises from the Gordon Clan.

Numerous clan members thought that without him in the picture, another youth might claim the role of next family head for the Gordons.

As Agnes pivoted, her gaze locked onto Alec, and she flashed him a triumphant smirk, as if declaring, "Now I'm superior to you."

Alec understood well that the family would pour all efforts into cultivating anyone displaying strong affinity for an element.

Though the Gordons focused primarily on Earth element talents, they spared no expense to supply top resources for those with superior affinities in alternative elements.

The Gordon lineage had long been favored by the Earth element, making Agnes's strong Earth awakening anything but shocking.

Indeed, rare were the instances where Gordon Clan members missed out on Earth and instead manifested other elements; usually, this occurred in dual-element awakenings, where a secondary element paired with Earth.

Before long, the uproar settled, and the Awakening grounds buzzed with activity as participants lined up to test their own affinities.

Amid the buzz, no further high affinities emerged this round, although dual-element cases did appear—like a young man who roused both Earth and Metal elements.

His Earth affinity sat at mid-level, while Metal lagged lower, yet this sparked fresh excitement upon recognition that Metal branched from Earth.

Should he master blending those elements someday, his power could rival that of a high-affinity specialist.

Shortly after the boy, yet another dual-element awakening occurred, igniting the grounds in renewed frenzy—a girl who called forth both Earth and Water elements, mirroring Agnes with her notably strong water affinity.

Once more, the Patriarch and Grand Elder descended to guide the newcomers away and quell the chaos for the second instance that day.

Clearly, this batch of Gordon youth overflowed with promise, painting smiles across the elders' and patriarch's faces.

"Looks like this generation will yield twice as many young mages as those before. As the saying goes, the youth rise to replace the elders," the first elder remarked with a contented sigh from his seat.

"This time around, our family will see double the young mages compared to past generations," the first elder observed, his tone laced with awe and expectation. From their places at the high table alongside other elders, they buzzed with talk of the clan's promising path ahead.

As a Tier 3 Clan, the Gordons stood famed for their mastery in Golem arts. Yet this surge of gifted youths hinted at an ascent to loftier peaks.

Their patriarch's fresh breakthrough to the tier 7 mage level earned the Gordons widespread esteem from city rivals.

"The youth deliver not just more in quantity, but remarkable skill too," added another elder, their features bright with pride. "Our clan's might will surge thanks to them. It's like the Gordons are fated for glory."

In the midst of the courtyard's electric vibe, attention swung to Alec as his turn for awakening arrived. All eyes fixed on him, brimming with intrigue and keen interest.

This instant mattered deeply not only to Alec, heir to the Patriarch, but to the whole clan as well. It embodied hope and potential, casting the Gordon family's tomorrow in an even more radiant light, leaving everyone dying to discover his awakened element.