HIGH FROST SPIRIT

The golden rays of the morning sun bathed the bustling city like a translucent golden sheet covering its entirety.

Skyscrapers cast giant shadows on the streets, as well as less tall buildings, seemingly looking down on the rest of the world.

Most, if not all, of the residents of the city—a bustling city—were out, all facing the east, basking in the warmth of the newborn sun's rays, their hands clasped together as they recited a prayer.

"Oh great Ra, you bathe us in your glow, blessing us with your luminance, with your warmth... Take our offering, take what you have already given, as thanks for your being."

As they all prayed, transparent glowing particles, as tiny as fine dust, emanated from their pores, dispersing into the air after moving a few meters from their bodies. A mana tribute to the Fire Spirit King, the fire god, Ra.

After their routine prayer, they felt energized, ready to go about their usual day.

...

"Done with your morning prayer?" A familiar voice interrupted the morning prayer of a young girl, about the age of thirteen, her back turned to the owner as she faced the sun, her straight black hair falling to her shoulders.

She turned towards the voice, well aware of who it was—the only person she knew who would not give a morning prayer and would be bold enough to interfere with the prayer of another.

"No, you interrupted me... I have to start all over again," she grunted, turning to the owner of the voice with a pout on her cute face, visibly annoyed, yet her cuteness made the intimidation naught, causing a chuckle to escape Luke's lips—the one who had interfered with her prayer.

Her face was petite, with baby fat in her cheeks giving her a rather adorable appearance rather than the beauty of a teenage girl. Her hazel eyes glared at him before she turned back to face the sun, offering her prayer.

The prayer, being more or less a statement, was finished in a minute. She now turned to Luke, who looked at her with love in his gaze.

"You came here for breakfast, right?! The rest are indoors," she said as she approached Luke, both of them standing in the flower field outside a large school-like building.

"No, not today," Luke replied.

The girl paused, her expression one of thought. "Ah yes, it's today... totally forgot about it. Still thought we would have it together in the same year," the girl recalled that today was the spirit ceremony, a sort of rite of passage for teenagers at the age of fourteen, she being only thirteen, and Luke a year older than her.

"Give them my regards... we will throw a celebration after the ceremony and ...give this to them," Luke said, gesturing for a bodyguard to bring out a large luggage containing toiletries and other essentials.

"Thanks, Luke, wouldn't know what I and the other kids at the orphanage would do without you," she thanked him, hugging him lovingly.

They were childhood sweethearts, growing up in the same orphanage—one sponsored by the sponsors of Luke. He the embodiment a golden goose.

"...Stop with all that mushy attitude, and let go. I got to leave; the ceremony is about to begin. They are waiting for their VVIP," he raised his arm up despite what he said, a shy boy afraid to touch the girl he liked, his face beet red.

"Yeah, yeah... Mr. VIP, you can go..." She let go with a knowing smile, adding, "Hurry back for the celebration."

"It's Mr. VVIP, and yeah, keep my seat warm," Luke said as he walked away, heading for the gate.

"Shy as always, huh," a naughty smile blossomed on her lips.

***

"THE S+ RANK MANA CORE APPEARS, THE MVP ARRIVING..." an announcer outside a grand Colosseum-like structure declared as Luke arrived in his Audi A8, the crowd turning their attention to him.

"Look who finally decided to show..." a teenage boy of the same age as Luke said with disdain.

"He thinks the world revolves around him, choosing to arrive when he wants..." another added, speaking with a similar tone.

" Show off..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

Murmurs filled the small crowd outside, numbering in the thousands. Most were the same age as Luke, all here for the Spirit ceremony.

Many wore expressions of jealousy, while a few looked on with admiration, watching as the MVP stepped out of the car. They were his peers in age, yet the treatment he received was vastly different.

The mayor of the city, Ra City—the capital of Atrum State, named after the Fire Spirit King—approached Luke, presenting him with the ceremonial robes.

Click!! Click!! Snap!! Snap!!

The press captured pictures of this grand occasion.

The others, on the other hand, had to queue up, purchasing their ceremonial robes from a man seated at the entrance of the giant Colosseum-like structure—an ancient building said to have been built by the gods, a totem that links the physical realm to the realm of the spirits.

Slowly, the teenagers walked in—nine hundred and seventy-eight, to be exact—the city being a large one.

This Colosseum was not the only one present; a few were situated around the world, all serving the same purpose: the rite of passage.

They all entered, except for Luke, who was engaged with the press. Upon noticing that the last person had entered, he excused himself and stepped into the Colosseum-like structure, a place accessible only to those involved in the rite of passage, the adults left outside, unable to enter, blocked by an invisible force.

---

"WELCOME, CHILDREN, TO THE CEREMONY OF SPIRITS!"

A warm, soothing, motherly voice echoed through the large grassland within the Colosseum-like structure. Its origin was a realistic 3D hologram of a beautiful woman. Her skin as tanned as fertile soil, and her emerald eyes gazed lovingly at the children below.

Green, vine-like hair adorned her head, and her attire—crafted from vines, leaves, and flowers—radiated the essence of Mother Nature.

"TODAY, YOU BECOME ADULTS. YOU BECOME HUMAN... CONTRACTING WITH YOUR SPIRIT," she continued, all gazes fixed on her. The teenagers, including Luke, looked on in awe. She exuded a motherly vibe that no one could ignore.

"...ENTER THE GATES, AND LET YOUR SPIRIT FIND YOU."

Following these words, numerous beams of multicolored light shot out of the ground—gates to the Spirit Realm.

"Guess it's time to show my worth," Luke muttered, looking up, not at the projection but at the camera drones transmitting the event to the world, all curious to which elemental spirit he would acquire—Earth, Water, Air, Fire, or the rare Forest elemental spirit.

Outside the ceremony grounds, in the city of Ra and around the world, people watched the live feed on TV, their conversations abuzz.

"I hope he gets a Water element. He's too aggressive; he needs to cool down."

"No, Fire is more his type. Can't you see his fierce look? He's just like the 'Sun'..."

"Can't wait to see which spirit chooses him..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

Meanwhile, Luke stood in front of one of the multicolored beams of light, none venturing to join him.

The gate had been reserved for him, and the world was eager to know what he would receive.

The beams changed color to reflect the spirit one had contracted—the brighter the light, the higher-ranked the spirit.

Since the process took at most a minute, most participants were already done and had shared the gates. Luke was the only exception, having an entire gate to himself.

As he approached, the kids around him halted, their curiosity about what spirit would choose him outweighing their interest in their own.

"Huuu, getting the jitters," he muttered, rubbing his palms together as if trying to rub the nervousness away.

"Got to pay for the sponsorship. Hope I get a good one," he added, shaking off the nervouness with a wry smile before stepping into the beam of light.