Jack was one of the lucky few to have his soul plate stirred from its slumber during the awakening ritual, transforming him into an awakened soul cultivator. However, as with most things in life, luck wasn't evenly distributed among the participants.
Equality was an elusive concept when it came to these matters, a shimmering mirage in the distance that never quite materialized in reality. Garrick, unfortunately, was one of the less fortunate souls who couldn't rouse his soul plate even with the ritual's assistance.
The irony was twisted, for those whom Garrick had once belittled were now awakening their soul plates one after the other. Rina was the first, her eyes lighting up with joy, followed by Eira, whose cheeks were flushed with a sense of achievement. Finally, Jorn awakened his soul plate, and his broad smile revealed his relief at the idea of not being separated from his family and the world he knew.
As Garrick watched them, he felt like a pariah, a failure amidst the festive air. The contrast between his dark thoughts and their radiant expressions was stark, and an overwhelming sense of betrayal filled his heart, for he couldn't help but feel that the Goddess he had once worshipped so dearly had abandoned him.
All his life, he had been devoted to the Goddess, praying to her countless times with unyielding faith. Yet, at this moment, as he felt her absence keenly, he couldn't help but question why she had let him down. Was this the gratitude he deserved for his unwavering devotion?
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtpαndα,noνɐ1,сoМ His thoughts darkened, and he began to wonder if she was even worthy of his sincerity. After all, how could a goddess who turned a blind eye to her followers be deserving of their worship?
At this moment, all the respect he had once held for her died, shattered by the bitter disappointment of not getting what he had hoped for.
Frustration and anger boiled over within Garrick, his expression twisted in a mask of bitter disappointment. "This is so unfair!" he exclaimed, his voice heavy with emotion. "How could those who are inferior to me awaken their soul plates while I failed to?"
As he spoke, his voice thickened with bitterness, and his gaze locked onto the jubilant faces of his peers. The sight of them reveling in their newfound abilities only served to deepen his envy and his sense of powerlessness. It was a cruel irony that those he had once looked down upon had surpassed him in such a profound way.
"Luck isn't something that can be controlled, but what you say can be controlled. You should have been more humble and focused on bettering yourself rather than belittling others. If you had kept your dark thoughts to yourself, maybe the Goddess would have overlooked your jerkiness and blessed you with the fortune of awakening your soul plate." Rina spoke, her eyes narrowing in dissatisfaction as she fixated her gaze on Garrick, who had always looked down on others with his superior status and chauvinistic ways.
Garrick was a man who held the vilest thoughts towards women and belittled them for the mere fact that they had a vulva instead of a dick. In his eyes, they were just birthing machines that should be obedient to their male husbands.
No wonder the Goddess had not blessed him with an awakened soul plate.
He didn't deserve more power than he already had.
Garrick winced in frustration as Rina's icy glare pierced him, his face twisting even further, looking similar to a grotesque beast.
"You dare talk back to me?" Garrick retorted coldly. "Just because you have awakened your soul plate doesn't mean you are better than me. I can still teach you a lesson any time I like.
Rina remained stern and unfazed, meeting Garrick's gaze without flinching, something she had never done.
"You may think like that, but the rest of the clan doesn't," she stated firmly. "The rules are clear, Garrick. Those who fail to awaken their soul plates will be expelled from the Sun Moon Empire's capital. You won't have the time to make trouble. And don't act like you have been wronged. You have only yourself to blame for facing such a fate."
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmAs he heard her words, Garrick's fists clenched at his sides as he struggled to control his anger. He looked like a deranged beast to most but a pitiful sight to a certain kind-hearted soul.
"I know this is difficult for you to accept, Garrick," Jorn spoke with sympathy, breaking the silence. He was a kind young man who never liked looking down on others, even if the person in question was a chauvinistic male with Elite syndrome like Garrick. "But you don't need to act like it's the end of the world." Jorn continued in a gentle voice, "You can still cultivate and improve yourself on one of the lesser planets of the empire. Perhaps there, you will awaken your soul plate and make your way back to the capital."
The Dark Tower had set a rule that granted Frost Clan members the opportunity to reside on the empire's capital planet, provided that they were fortunate enough to awaken their soul plate while staying on one of the lesser planets. However, such a stroke of luck was exceedingly rare, having occurred only a handful of times in the past.
Garrick's expression hardened at Jorn's words as he felt that Jorn was taunting him.
"Don't pity me, you trash!" Garrick spat, his fists clenching even tighter. His face twisted in a scowl, his eyes blazing with fury. "I won't let everything be taken from me without a fight."
His words echoed across the hall of the Moon Goddess Shrine, his anger almost tangible.
"Peh!" Rina sneered at Garrick's bravado. "You can try, Garrick," she retorted, "but it won't change the fact that you're being expelled from the Sun Moon Empire's capital after the result is made public. After all, the rules set by the Dark Tower are rules that apply to everyone despite their status."
Garrick's temper erupted like a volcano at Rina's sharp-tongued remark.