Author's Preface
Name after name got called up to the podium. Prayer after prayer recited. Most had generic talents. Smithing, construction, cooking, woodworking. A few talents stood out from the commoners. A small female with short hair, most of the kids in attendance mistook her for a man. She knelt down and prayed. A moment later, she looked at the priest. "War sage." She placed her hand on the crystal. A light yellow light bloomed. This tiny girl had a mana pool that could elevate her status to a noble immediately. Peoria stared at the yellow crystal for a moment, seemingly just as shocked as everyone else.
The room gasped. Commoners strained their necks to see the little girl who performed a miracle. Nobles scoffed as the king rose from his seat. He had come to witness his son's ceremony, but now his attention was entirely on the little commoner standing before the crystal. The king walked down from his seat and approached the girl. "You must come with me. You will be given the status of a count immediately. We will send you to the War Hall where you can study under the best tacticians this land has to offer."
The young lady bowed and accepted.
"What is your name?" the king asked.
"Peoria, Your Majesty."
The king turned to face the crowd. "From this day forward, Peoria is now a count and will be a part of the War Hall." He turned to his guards. "Take her to her family and escort them to the royal castle. Give her and her family a home."
The king turned back to Peoria. "I hope you will work for the glory of the kingdom and Vesha."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
The guards stepped forward as the young woman was escorted out as murmurs and whispers overtook the hall.
"RYAN LORCE!" the priest shouted over the murmurs of the crowd. Instantly, the room went quiet. Commoners waited to see a second miracle. Nobles were already tired of being seated in the same building as them.
Ryan took one deep breath and stepped forward. Before he approached the platform, he turned his head to look back at his family. Jacob and Jenny smiled while June was screaming. "You got this! Show those nobles who's boss."
Jacob's hand immediately covered her mouth, and he awkwardly smiled and waved his other hand, trying to dismiss his daughter's words.
Ryan simply laughed and took a step onto the platform. He knelt down and prayed. "Dear goddess, please hear my prayer. Grant your lowly humble servant a talent that allows me to protect this kingdom from evil and bring glory to your name." This prayer had been nailed into him as a kid. The god of this kingdom was Vesha. The other kingdoms had their own gods, their own blessings and talents. Most talents spanned the entirety of this world regardless of the god. Some didn't. Vesha was known to give talents that belonged to the mage class, while other kingdoms had knights who used aura, others had become known for their assassination techniques. Each god gave out specific talents befitting of their people.
As Ryan prayed, no words entered his mind. He squeezed his hands together tighter and prayed once more. Around him, the massive hall had gone quiet.
Again, nothing.
Behind him, the other kids started to laugh and giggle and hurl insults.
"Get off the platform, you bum."
"Commoners are a waste. Do we really have to let them take part in this?" One noble kid said as he and his friends laughed.
Ryan opened his eyes and looked up to the ceiling. As he began to recite the prayer for the third time, the priest stepped forward and grabbed his hands. "The goddess has forsaken you, my child." Ryan ripped his hands from the priest and stood and approached the crystal. He looked at him. "The goddess has forsaken you, my child," echoed in Ryan's mind as he stared at the priest. "Forsaken, huh? Fuck that." He put a hand on the crystal and gripped it tightly and held his breath, and closed his eyes. For a moment, a small white light shined through, only visible enough for the priest and Aldric to see it. Ryan exhaled deeply and caught his breath as he released the crystal and turned. He hung his head as everyone started pointing at him, making fun of how he was talentless.
"The crystal didn't even register him! It couldn't even glow black! He isn't even alive! Someone check his pulse!" The crown prince shouted.
Jacob rushed from his seat to Ryan's side. He wrapped his arms around him and ushered him outside the church as the insults continued to be hurled in his direction.
The priest turned to Aldric as Ryan and his family left. He whispered, "You saw that, right? It wasn't my imagination?"
"I did. Keep it between us for now. Let's see if it was a mistake or if that kid is meant for more."
Outside, Ryan walked in between Jacob and Jenny with his head hung low. He turned back one time to see a dark yellow light shine through the windows of the church. He sighed and kicked a rock as his family walked through the capital. When they finally reached the outer gates of the capital, Ryan looked back.
"Don't worry, bro. When my ceremony comes, I'll show those idiots who is truly powerful when I awaken my talent." June shook her fist toward the capital. That lightened the mood. Ryan smiled. "I appreciate it, June-bug."
Jacob put his arm around Ryan's shoulder. "At least you won't be exploited like you think your mother and I are. And you don't need a talent to be happy, son."
"That's right, Ryan." His mother grabbed his hand and looked into his eyes. "You're an adult now. Even without a talent, you can choose your own path from here, sweetheart."
Ryan looked between his mother and father. "The only path I need right now is the one that leads home. I need some food and rest."
The carriage ride home made things worse. "I spent my entire life making something of myself on Earth. I worked my way up the ranks. Commanded a team of elite operators, captured some of the most evil men on the planet. Now I'm a nobody and nothing I can do will change that because I'm talentless." Ryan pulled the cloth back that covered the carriage and looked at the sky. "What kind of fucking god would put their own believer through shit like this? Gods really are selfish, self-serving pricks." Ryan raised a fist to the sky. "Fucking gods, y'all better be thankful I'm not a god, or I'd kick all of your asses."