After waking up the next morning, Leox made his way over to the village doctor's house, before even doing his work on the farm. There he found Ivy, lying in one of the beds for patients.

  She was finally awake, which put a smile on his face. The first thing she did after seeing him was raise to a seated position, and lift her arm for him to see.

  It was different from before. The skeleton had been removed, and now there was nothing but a stump where her arm once was. Immediately the smile was wiped from his face.

  Whilst Leox was a freak who could heal from fatal wounds, Ivy had to face them head-on like every other normal person. For the rest of her life, she would be an amputee. Another victim of the apocalypse demons.

  "Do you like my stump?" She said with a smile on her face, despite the tragedy.

  Leox wished she wouldn't joke in such serious situations. Rather than saying anything, he slowly made his way over and sat at the edge of her bed.

  "I'm sorry for not saving you fast enough." He said the first words that came to mind. Deep down, he blamed himself for what had happened to her.

  "Don't be silly Leox, you did save me. If you hadn't awakened, I would have been a demon's food." Ivy responded, pushing him playfully with her good arm.

  Leox knew that she would say something like this. It was in her nature to see things in a positive light. He wished that he could be as optimistic as her.

  "The Collectors are coming today. I'm going to tell them about my awakening, and let them take me to the academy." He said, switching the subject.

  This caught Ivy off guard. A smile spread across her face as she leaned forward and pulled him into a hug.

  "That's amazing! I'm so happy for you, Leox. Your unique skills can't be put to waste, I'm glad you've finally realised that."

  "I'm not telling them about... that."

  Ivy frowned. "Why not?"

  After looking around and making sure that no one could hear him, Leox explained to Ivy the conversation he had with his dad about his origins, and Doctor Frost.

  She immediately understood why he wanted to keep it secret, especially until he figured out who he truly was. If the truth wasn't something that the empire liked, then there was no telling what they would do in response. It made much more sense for Leox to travel to the city, in hopes of seeking out Frost.

  "What do you think Frost meant by 'the other side of the sea'?" Ivy asked, scratching her head.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  "I don't know. I just hope that I can find answers at the capital."

  "..."

  Silence hung in the air for a few moments. It was eventually broken by Ivy.

  "That means that we'll still be together during my time at the Great Church." She said as a smile started to form on her face again.

  This wasn't why Leox had decided to enrol in the academy, but it definitely made things easier for him. Having a friend by his side during this journey was crucial, even if they wouldn't be on the same path. Just knowing that she would be in the city with him made him feel at ease.

  Leox found himself smiling too. His hand gravitated towards hers naturally, and they stayed like that for a long time. Then the sounds of a bell came from outside, followed by the sound of horse hooves on cobblestone ground.

  Leox knew that this sound could only mean one thing. The Collectors had arrived.

  It was time to have his talent tested officially.

  ...

  Leox stepped outside. The sun was shining that day, making the village look beautifully modest. At the village centre, a crowd had gathered around a decorated chariot. In front of the chariot were three men on giant black horses.

  The three men were dressed like knights. They wore black armour, etched in silver. On their hips were swords, and on their heads were helmets that resembled the head of a lion. These three figures carried authority; however, it was the man who stepped out of the chariot which gained everyone's attention.

  Unlike the knights, he was dressed in a black and gold suit, with a red cape flowing behind him. He seemed to be in his fifties, yet he stood tall and carried muscle on his frame.

  The flesh on his cheek had been burnt away, revealing his jaw bones and teeth through his face. It was a gruesome wound that made him look like a ghoul. To no surprise, his voice was equally frightening.

  "I am Chief Collector Meruvio, here to assess the children of this village. If there are any who have somehow awakened without the aid of the empire, please bring them to me so that we can give them the future that they deserve. I will be leaving in one hour."

  Collector Meruvio explained simply. The Collectors wanted those who had awakened. It was extremely rare to awaken without receiving the correct education. So, anytime a child was found within a village who was somehow able to awaken through their own methods, the empire quickly took them under its wing.

  The crowd remained silent as they watched the man glance down at a stopwatch in his hand, waiting. After all, Everhurst was known for being good for nothing but farmers. Expectations were already low.

  Until Leox stepped forward.

  Immediately, the ghoul-like collector's eyes landed on him. He tilted his head to the side slightly and squinted.

  "I have awakened, sir," Leox spoke with as much confidence as he could muster.

  He watched as the man tensed his jaw muscles. It made the ruined flesh on his face squirm slightly. Eventually, the man stepped forward towards Leox, his cape dragging against the floor beneath him.

  He was a tall man, much taller than Leox. He couldn't help but feel intimidated when he looked down at him.

  Eventually, the man clicked his fingers at one of the knights in armour, gesturing for him to come over. The man hopped down from his horse and joined the Collector. Leox felt like art in a museum. Being stared at for a long time was strange.

  "Am I seeing things correctly?" The Collector said to his Knight.

  The knight took his helmet off his head. He was a handsome young man who now stared at Leox closely.

  "You are sir. The lad is twelve. He shouldn't have awakened so young." The knight confirmed.

  Relief spread through Leox. It turned out that he was receiving these looks because they were impressed. The ghoul-like collector smiled a sick-looking smile and nodded his head. It seemed that he had seen all he needed to see.

  "What is your name, young man?" He then asked him.

  "Leox Lether sir."

  "Leox. Collect your things and return to me hastily. You're coming with us to the Undying City."