The silence of the night reigned over the family estate. The air, still warm, gently infiltrated through the high half-open windows. In a wing of the building reserved for patriarchs, a large room bathed in calm, illuminated by the pale glows of the moon, welcomed the peaceful sleep of the young prince.

  In the centre of the room, a large white cradle rested a few steps from the bed. Inside, Lucas slept soundly, his breath peaceful and regular. Ariane, leaning over him, tenderly stroked his hair before placing a light kiss on his forehead. Then she stepped back in silence, adjusting the top of her cream silk pyjamas.

  On the other side, Raphael stood alone on the private balcony, still dressed in his white uniform with golden embroidery. His cape, now removed, rested on an armchair near the door. He contemplated the stars in the sky, lost in his thoughts.

  Arianne approached with slow steps. Without saying a word, she put her arms around him from behind, gently placing her head against his back.

  "He's finally sleeping," she whispered.

  "So much the better... He doesn't stop swaying as soon as I take him," he replied, smiling, without looking away.

  She remained like this for a moment, against him, before releasing him and coming to stand by his side. Both looked at the silent horizon, lulled by the night breeze.

  "Tomorrow is the big day..." breathed Arianne.

  "Yes. It's an important day. For Lucas, just like for us." Rapha?l replied calmly.

  She stared at him for a moment.

  "Are you nervous? "

  "No. But you know, after so many years of war... I wonder if I'm still up to it, because I couldn't stop our children from being born in the middle of a war."

  "You are up to the task Raphael. And you always have been." replied Arianne with a smile on her lips.

  A silence settled, soft, complicit.

  "You know," Arianna continued,

  "Each bloodline organises its own ceremony, but tomorrow's is not a normal ceremony. It is a revelation and the beginning of the life of an Ingriss. "

  He nodded slowly, his gaze immersed in the night.

  "You're right. Thanks to this ceremony, the whole family, who is separated most of the time, gathers in one place. "

  "You're right, I remember Layna's ceremony." added Arianne smiling.

  "Indeed, it was the first time you met my brother Andy, and you kept arguing," said Rapha?l, while letting a little laugh escape.

  Arianene sighed, and turned to him.

  "I still don't want to see him again. He will still want to force you to do stupid things while I have my back turned. "

  Raphael burst out laughing, sincerely amused.

  "You're exaggerating... He's just... a little too energetic. "

  Arianne raised an eyebrow, falsely offended.

  "Energetic? Last time, you posed as mercenaries just to test alcohol. "

  "It was a social experience," he replied with a mischievous smile.

  She gave him a small pat on the shoulder, holding back a laugh.

  "If you do this kind of thing again while I'm watching Lucas, I'll let you sleep on the balcony. "

  "Deal closed. Provided that you come to join me. "

  They looked at each other for a moment smiling, their eyes shining in the moonlight. Then silence returned, gentle and complicit.

  Ariane ends up breaking the calm.

  "You know... I was thinking about it earlier. In a few months, Dayvon will have to come here. "

  Raphael nodded slowly.

  "Yes. At the age of ten, he will have to come here to spend the awakening ceremony. "

  "It's not a simple revelation ceremony like tomorrow. This is a much more important step for an Ingriss. "

  Raphael had his eyes lost in the night.

  "It is at this ceremony that we unlock the last two stages of family power, and from there, we can begin to reach new levels of power. "

  Arianne stared at him, more seriously.

  "Do you think Dayvon is ready? "

  "I think it will be. He has the will, and is already doing everything possible to be ready for this fateful day. "

  A silence enveloped them again.

  Then Arianne got a little closer to him, placing a hand on his cheek.

  "You're a good father, Raphael. And a man I admire every day a little more. "

  He slowly turned his head towards her, touched. His gaze became more tender.

  "And you, you are the light of this family. I could go through a hundred wars... but as long as you are there when I will always come home. "

  She sketched a shy smile, lowering her eyes for a moment.

  "You're getting romantic now? "

  "I've always been romantic. It's just that you stole all my beautiful sentences since we got married. "

  She laughed softly, and Raphael took the opportunity to pull her into his arms. He kissed her tenderly, for a long time, before gently lifting her.

  "You weren't going to sleep alone tonight, were you?" He whispered with a corner smile.

  Arianne put her arms around his neck, smiling.

  "I'm not against you companying me tonight. "

  Hearing this, Raphael smiles. And together they left the balcony, closing the door behind them. That night, there was no responsibility or strategy to be expected... just a couple passionately in love.

  THE NEXT DAY:

  The sun shone high in the sky, bathing the heights of the Ingriss estate in golden light.

  This morning, the wind was gentle and each member of the Ingriss family had gathered in front of the field of swords, a private and sacred place where the blades of all the great swordsmen of the lineage rest.

  Each member of the Ingriss family wore a perfectly fitted white ceremonial uniform, accompanied by fitted trousers, tucked into white boots, which reinforced everyone's noble and martial look.

  Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  They each have a long golden cape bearing the symbol of the family, falling to the ankles, fixed to their shoulders by golden brooches. White gloves with finely gilded edges completed the set, as well as a belt emphasising the waist.

  Facing the sacred field, they were only five members of the Ingriss family, dressed in ceremonial clothing. Their partners, not having the Ingriss blood, had remained at the family estate.

  Anna Ingriss, the great matriarch of the Ingriss, and the one who restored much of the authority of her lineage, was present.

  She wore the same white uniform that embraced her forms with grace. But his golden cape was only attached to his right shoulder, falling back in cascade to hide his missing arm.

  Despite the visible scars on his face, his gaze still retained a silent authority.

  An eye-patch covered her right eye because she had lost it, and her slightly wavy white hair fell on her shoulders.

  She is considered a living legend. Its mere presence exudes a nobility and a wild power, intact despite the years.

  To Anna's left was Arya Ingriss, her only daughter and Rapha?l's sister. Her hair, which she had let grow, waved slightly in the wind. And to the right of Anna, were her cadets, the twins Logan and Andy, who were positioned side by side. They looked so much alike that what differentiated them was the colour of their hair.

  Logan had black hair, while Andy had white hair.

  And in front of everyone, stood Raphael, Anna's second son and current patriarch.

  He carried Lucas in his arms, and his short hair floated in the breeze, and his red eyes stared at the field calmly.

  They were few... but in the face of the field of swords, these five members gave off a power that few could imagine, and alone embodied all the greatness of their lineage.

  The wind rose slightly, rustling the tall grass of the sacred field.

  Faced with the immensity of the swords planted in the ground, the five members of the lineage remained motionless, silent.

  Then, in a solemn calm, Anna made a simple gesture of her head. The signal.

  Raphael advanced without a word, Lucas in his arms. He crossed alone the invisible line that delimited access to the sanctuary, because only those carrying the blood of the Ingriss could tread the ground without risking being pushed back.

  His boots sank into the still wet grass of the morning dew. The silence was complete. At every step, the thousands of swords seemed to observe them, frozen, as if waiting.

  These countless swords shone under the light scattered by the sun. Each of them was unique for its form, and its history.

  Arriving at the heart of the field, Raphael stopped, knelt down slowly, and placed Lucas gently on the grass.

  Lucas, curious, looked up at his father. Raphael looked at him for a long time, then whispered:

  "Go ahead, my son. "

  He straightened up and slowly drew his ceremonial sword, a blade with pale reflections, inlaid with ancient symbols. Then, in a clean gesture, he planted it in the ground.

  His eyes became bright gold.

  In an instant, the air was charged with energy.

  A sudden gust rose, swirling around him, lifting the herbs and making the cloaks of the spectators shiver. His stigma on his back shone and gave off an immense aura that spread throughout the sanctuary, crossing the field with controlled power.

  Subsequently, Raphael's aura then changed, taking the form of eight huge golden angel wings on her back.

  In the crowd, Arya, who had her arms crossed, let a smile of excitement appear on her lips.

  "You never disappoint me my brother, one day I will catch up with you," she said, with a flame of excitement in her eyes.

  As for Anna Ingriss, she let a smile of pride appear on her lips as she observed this demonstration.

  "CimFtera... You have become strong my son." she whispered proudly.

  The swords reacted immediately to Raphael's power: veins of golden light lit up on the blades, tracing ancient symbols. One by one, these luminous fragments extended, current from sword to sword, as if the entire field was resonating.

  At the same time, each family member activated their power. Their eyes became golden, and they released their auras.

  At that precise moment, Lucas opened his eyes wide.

  His gaze, until then deep red, slowly turned golden, shining with an almost supernatural intensity.

  The link had just been established, and Lucas resonated with the family power, thus completing the first stage.

  The ceremony was about to begin.

  ~?~?~?~

  Info :

  The Ingriss family stigmate evolves through different levels, determining the power of each member of the family. This evolution is distinguished by the increase in the number of wings appearing on the backs of its members. The more wings, the greater the might.

  Here are some different levels:

  - Ftera (A wing)

  - TwoFtera (2 wings)

  - TriFtera (3 wings)

  - QuaFtera (4 wings)

  - FivFtera (5 wings)

  - SixFtera (6 wings)

  - SeenFtera (7 wings)

  - CimFtera (8 wings)

  - NineFtera (9 wings)

  - And still other levels...