Chapter 12: Roots of Revolution
Six months had passed since the start of royal nursery—six months of rapid learning and silent preparation.
While other noble children were still tracing letters and counting coins, we had already gone beyond that. Our days were filled with private lessons in politics, economy, warfare, history, and theory. But more than that, we had begun experimenting—pouring our karma points into arts, skills, and intricate magic circle systems we designed ourselves.
The only thing still untouched… was the awakening of our spirits.
The System insisted we wait.
> [SYSTEM]: Spirit awakening must occur at the Awakening Ceremony. No further details available. Decision optional, but advised.
Even our parents had said the same. They didn't press us about our secrets before—likely too occupied with political matters. But that changed recently. They'd started asking. They were watching.
Still, today wasn't about questions or secrets.
Today, we stood before the massive double doors of the Royal Court, dressed in formal robes, scrolls in hand, as the Twelve of us prepared to face the king.
The guards announced us.
"The Twelve, summoned by His Majesty, enter the Court."
The doors creaked open.
We walked in together, side by side. Each of us calm, collected, carrying the weight of our discoveries.
Inside, nobles, ministers, and military leaders stood in quiet rows. At the far end sat the King and Queen on twin thrones—King Lucien von Solmere and Queen Seraphine.
Duke Raelan Valeblume, Minister of Arcane Development, stepped forward with a raised brow. "Children. What brings you here before the throne?"
I stepped forward. "We're here to present our findings—new methods in arts, skills, and advanced magic circles. We've recorded everything."
I handed the bundled scrolls to a nearby attendant, who approached the king.
King Lucien opened the first scroll. It contained a painted diagram: a tree formed from glowing threads and annotated runes.
He frowned slightly in curiosity, then opened another—this one depicting eight red lotuses with flowing script. Others showed figures frozen mid-strike, wielding blades, fists, or staves in unusual stances. One minister peered closer and blinked. "Your Majesty, what… what is this?"
The King looked up, puzzled. "Indeed. What am I looking at?"
I took a breath. "To understand, I'll need to start from the basics."
The court fell silent.
"When people first enter basic cultivation," I began, "they see thirty-six main rivers of energy connecting their core throughout their body. But when they train in specific techniques—like fire cultivation—those main rivers change. Tributaries form. Arts and skills flow through those smaller rivers."
I gestured toward the tree scroll. "Arts don't just use energy. They use strands of energy—like threads—with runes etched inside them. Not like closed circles… but living diagrams that shift and grow. This tree is one such art—Formless Sword: Plum Blossom Art. With it, one can use leaves to slice, roots to pierce, and branches to defend. All of it controlled by will, runes, and the energy flowing through veins like rivers."
Gasps rippled across the room.
"And what of the skills?" another minister asked.
"Skills differ from arts," I explained. "Arts begin with one concept, then evolve—like the Plum Blossom that separates into various techniques. But skills are sequences, built to form a finishing move."
I pointed to the lotus scroll. "That is Blazing Eight Asura Fists. With each strike, the attack multiplies in strength—two times, three times… up to nine times the original force by the eighth punch."
Duke Garron Thornefell laughed loudly, clapping his massive hands. "Ha! You brats have saved countless warriors from being crushed under mage dominance!"
Azren nodded. "True. But we didn't forget about the mages."
All eyes turned to Vireya Meriatus, who smirked as she stepped forward, violet eyes sparkling.
"I'll explain this part," she said. "Let me, Azren."
He backed off with a sigh. "Fine. Go ahead."
Vireya raised a hand, her tone suddenly confident and electric.
"Mages are currently limited to one or two circle formations," she said. "Basic magic circles use a central and outer circle with runes in between. But that restricts us to casting one spell at a time."
She raised another scroll, this one showing concentric formations radiating out from a central core.
"But with the new Multi-Rank Core Circle Formation, we draw a new magic circle around our core for each rank. An Albus-rank mage can use nine separate formations, allowing them to cast or fuse up to nine spells at once."
The crowd broke into stunned murmurs.
"Imagine combining wind and fire in real-time," she said, "or casting healing, shielding, and attack spells simultaneously. That's the future."
The court sat in stunned silence.
Finally, the King stood.
"You twelve have brought forth discoveries that could shift the fate of the kingdom," he said solemnly. "What do you ask in return?"
Azren stepped forward, voice calm but firm. "Only one thing, Your Majesty. When the war comes—two years from now—please… come back alive."
The words hit harder than anyone expected.
A long pause.
Then the King smiled softly, almost sadly. "We will return. And with these gifts, our chances have grown indeed."
He turned toward the hall. "But for now… live. Enjoy your youth. This time will pass too quickly."
Then he raised his voice with royal weight.
> "I hereby declare Azren von Solmere the heir to the Solmere throne."
Gasps and applause followed.
> "Twelve prodigies will lead this kingdom's future. For them, we fight. For them, we survive. We will lay our lives down to ensure the peace they will build!"
The court echoed with cheers. Ministers clapped. Nobles smiled. Some bowed deeply in reverence.
I looked toward the king, frowning. "I asked you to return safely, not sacrifice yourselves."
King Lucien grinned, unfazed. "Yes, yes. We'll return. We promise."
The others laughed too, even Queen Seraphine behind her elegant poise.
For a moment, in that grand and ancient hall, we weren't leaders or revolutionaries.
We were just children who had changed everything.