Callum stood with roughly seventy other eighteen-year-olds in the awakening chamber, his back pressed against the cool wall as he tried to get his breathing under control. The room was large and circular, with rows of chairs arranged in a semi-circle facing a raised platform at the front. The awakening stone sat in the center of that platform, maybe three meters tall and carved from dark crystal that seemed to drink in the overhead lighting.
This stone was different from the basic testing stones used for quick checks. It was massive, covered in intricate runes that pulsed with faint spiritual energy, designed specifically for official awakening ceremonies. The kind that would determine whether you joined the awakened class or remained ordinary for the rest of your life.
