Chapter 2: The Power Awakens

Shezu was a very helpful and polite young man, though he did possess a great amount of shyness to the same extent. Very nervous and submissive most of the time, his shuffling footsteps usually betrayed his socially awkward personality. The fact that his abilities didn't seem powerful enough to have much confidence in also didn't help the boy's low self-esteem. Though despite these personality traits, if Shezu found himself in odd situations, overreacting was not exactly out of the question for him. The only time the boy became relaxed and happy in demeanor was with his mother and father, the only people who seemed to bring any peace to his timid heart.

As he made his way to the grimoire tower, was soon joined by dozens of other fifteen year olds, all on their way to the same place. The tower itself was a large cylindrical building of stone, with column upon column stacking up on one another. Past the large wooden doors was a marble floor with a three leaf clover design, and an identical design on the ceiling that let light into the building. But the most notable feature of the tower was the fact that there were thousands, if not millions of grimoire on shelves that stacked upon each other to incredible heights. The grimoire tower was, in essence, a giant library containing a seemingly endless supply of books. It was here where Shezu would receive the key to his future that would unlock the door to his possibilities for it. All the young men and women crowded around the center of the floor. There was more than enough room to allow everyone in, along with any family members who wished to observed the ceremony. As soon as it appeared everyone arrived, a man in robes and a long pointy hat with a grey beard took to the podium, addressing the crowd.

" Good evening ladies and gentleman," spook the old man, his voice amplified by the small floating orb in front of him.

"Today, each of you will take the next step on your life's journey. I wish you all faith, hope, and love. I am the one responsible for this grimoire tower, and as such will be presiding over the ceremony today."

Saying that Shezu had butterflies in his stomach would be an understatement, it was more like he had jumping frogs that were ricocheting off the walls.

"What would his grimoire look like? Would it be fancy? What would happen after he got it?"

These questions race through his mind, and the anticipation was torture at this point.

"Now then," the old man continued, "let us get on with it, shall we?"

Suddenly, random grimoires on the shelves started to glow, mana surrounding them.

"The awarding of the grimoires!"

As the keeper of the tower said the words, the books literally started flying off the shelves. Each book the flew was covered in a different color of mana, from bright blue to vivacious violet, heading straight to their owners. As each person received their grimoire, shouts of joy or disappointment could be here all around.

"Man, look at it!"

"Hah, mines bigger!"

"Yeah, well min thicker!"

"Why is mine so small!"

Each child could hardly contain their excitement, and soon began planning what to do next with their live. Some stated the desire to go to the city, others wanted to inherit the family business, while others simply wanted to enjoy the moment. However, the occasion was brought to a pause when a voice shouted something… quite odd.

"Mine's not coming!"

Everyone, including Shezu, looked over to see who the voice belonged to. This voice belonged to a short, muscular boy with green eyes and silver hair. He was kneeling down on one knee, looking up with arms wide open, as if expecting an angel to come down from heaven itself. However, it never did. No grimoire was coming to claim the green-eyed boy as its own. He just kneeled their, waiting for something that would never come.

Everyone had a moment of silence. Things like this never happened. As such, everyone looked to the the master of the tower, hoping his age beget some insight. His response was, however, equally surprising.

"Urm...try again next year?"

"WHAAAAT!" shouted the boy in full confusion.

Whether it was the response of the old man, or the reaction of the young boy, the group inside the tower proceeded to burst out into laughter at the spectacle. However, there was one among the group of fifteen year olds that wasn't laughing, That, was Shezu. Shezu wasn't inherently the kind of person to laugh at other people's misfortune. He could enjoy a practical joke as much as anyone else, but he could never bring himself to laugh at something like this. After all, he was in the same boat. His grimoire hadn't come either. This worried him, and as such, that worry led him into a full panic attack.

"What had happened? Was his power really that weak? What was he going to do?"

This only increased as as soon as the green-eyed boy admitted he had not received a grimoire, a bright light soon enveloped the entire chamber. This light belonged to a grimoire that floated in front of a black-haired, brown-eyed boy of slender build. The grimoire had four clovers on it, and the only other time a grimoire of that nature had been given to someone, it had been given to the first wizard king himself. The crowd started, and gasped at amazement that the boy received such a gift.

"What a minute, isn't he the orphan boy from the church?"

"Yeah, he is! That's also the church where that guy with no grimoire comes from too right?"

"Yeah, you're right!"

The fact that such a sign of greatness presented itself to a peasant orphan made the situation even more unbelievable. The words the boy said next, only added to it.

"I...will be the next wizard king."

This sent the crowd into a frenzy. The only people who ever became the wizard king were royals who were bred for such a position. A peasant claiming such a title, could flip the rules of society upside down, and give a ray of hope for those on the bottom who dreamed of something more. The crowd cheered that such a ray presented itself. But once again Shezu didn't join in the revelry. He was shocked, to be sure, but his fear of not receiving a grimoire was greater than his surprise. It still hadn't presented itself to him, and thus made the boy fear for the worse. However, all was not lost. Shezu looked up one last time in desperation to see if there was any chance that his own grimoire was there. Thankfully, it was. Straining his eyes he could see a book covered in bright red mana slowly making its way across the room, the people were so busy with the reveal of the four-leafed clover grimoire that no one noticed. No one, that is, except for Shezu. Looking around to see if it was fate itself trying to play a prank on him, he tried to see if the grimoire was heading to anyone else but him. But no, it made a beeline for its true owner. His name, was Shezu Ichor. Floating towards him, the young man reached out and grabbed, taking measure of what was in front of him. It was a medium sized book of average thickness, but what was notable about it was the design. The cover was black velvet, that had red silk laced throughout it, The designs were intricate and graceful, and at the center of it all, was a red three-leafed clover. Shezu held the book to his chest, almost crying tears of joy. His dream seemed one step closer to reality.

NOTES:

Well, second chapter done. Sorry if things seem to be progressing slowly, but trust me, the payoff will be...interesting.