The man disappeared into the woods as quietly as he had appeared. His words lingered, but Pleione didn't know what to make of them. She turned the metal token over in her fingers, its soft pulse barely noticeable.
By the time she reached the library steps, the sky had shifted into a soft gold. She spotted Ashley waiting by the front entrance, leaning on the railing with her raven perched beside her.
"There you are!" Ashley said as she looked up. "You vanished right after the principal's speech."
"Yeah, I needed some air. That announcement was… a lot," Pleione said, slipping the token into her pocket.
Ashley nodded knowingly. "Well, now that we've both got our summons, we need to figure out what they do. Want to head to the new training chamber? The one they finished this morning?"
Pleione glanced at her familiar, which flicked its tongue from her sleeve, then back to Ashley. "Definitely."
The small serpent had been unusually quiet on their walk over, but she could feel it occasionally pressing gently against her wrist or wrapping tighter in response to voices or shifts in light. Its presence was comforting—anchoring, like it understood her mood without needing words.
The two made their way across campus, passing a few younger students who turned to stare at the now-familiar sight of the girl with the lightning-scaled reptile and the girl with the many-eyed raven. The whispers had already started circulating about them being "the strongest in class." But neither of them paid it much attention.
The gym doors hissed open to reveal the training chamber—newly reconstructed and far more sophisticated than anything Murkwell had ever had. The arena was circular, with metal-and-stone walls covered in softly pulsing runes. Adjustable obstacles hovered silently, waiting to be activated.
Ashley whistled. "I guess this is what happens when you get added to a major city's border."
Pleione nodded. "Let's see what our familiars can really do."
They stepped onto the arena floor. Pleione's contract slid from her arm and coiled on the ground, its body tense and alert. It looked up at her for a moment, flicked its tongue once, and lowered its head as if in quiet readiness. She crouched and reached out instinctively, gently stroking the scales along its back. The contact sent a warm buzz up her arm—not shocking, but steady and curious. It leaned into her touch, its eyes glowing faintly in the ambient light.
Ashley's raven took flight, flapping once before hovering in the air with eerie stillness. It circled above her once, then glided down to brush its wing lightly against her shoulder before rising again, as if affirming the connection before battle.
The floor beneath them shimmered as the room activated. Obstacles rose. Light shifted. The air charged.
They began their test.
Ashley shouted a command and her raven twisted midair, its feathers darkening unnaturally. With a sudden burst of motion, it dove at a moving projection and slashed with both wings—now covered in swirling black mist.
> [New Trait Unlocked: Shade Wing Rend (Intermediate Tier)]
[Six-Eyed Raven – Coats wings in shadow, gaining increased strike speed and bypassing weak physical barriers.]
Ashley blinked. "That… that wasn't just for show. It tore right through the solid illusions."
Below, Pleione's familiar surged forward. A projection beast lunged toward it, and it responded with a swift bite—its fangs glowing briefly with electricity. The illusion froze mid-attack, twitching violently before crumbling into motes of light.
> [New Trait Unlocked: Paralysis Fang (Basic Tier)]
[Thunder-Devouring Serpent – Delivers a venomous electrical bite that temporarily immobilizes a target.]
Pleione grinned. "You saw that, right?"
Ashley was already scribbling notes into a pocket journal. "Both of them unlocked skills on their own. That's not just B-Tier potential. That's instinctive combat response."
As the training continued, something subtle began to change. The summons were adapting to their summoners—not just reacting to commands, but anticipating them. Ashley's raven, mid-flight, occasionally turned its head back toward her, seeking approval or new input. When Ashley laughed at a particularly nimble dive, it let out a soft, airy trill that resembled laughter itself.
Pleione's familiar had started moving in sync with her steps, slithering beside her heel as she adjusted her stance during movement drills. At one point, she whispered a command without realizing it, and it responded before she even finished the word.
After more drills—agility, coordination, reaction speed—the room dimmed, signaling cooldown.
Pleione sank against one of the rune-marked walls, catching her breath. Her familiar curled beside her again, this time resting its head gently on her leg, eyes half-closed, the static fading to a quiet hum. She reached down and tapped the center of its head lightly. "Thanks for today," she whispered. The creature flicked its tongue and gave a soft pulse of warmth through her fingertips.
Ashley flopped down next to her, her raven landing just over her shoulder. It nuzzled its beak against her collar for a second, then shifted to sit silently. "I think I'm still in shock."
"They feel like more than just summons now, they feel like an extension of us." Pleione murmured.
Ashley was quiet for a moment, then said, "We should name them."
Pleione glanced down. The serpent lifted its head and met her gaze—steady, unwavering. The connection was there. Deep, unspoken, electric.
She reached forward and gently touched its head. "From this day on… your name is Kaelen."
A soft glow pulsed from its body, wrapping around her wrist in a warm shimmer. A faint mark appeared—its name, inscribed in light only she could see. The snake let out a low sound, almost like a purr hidden in static.
Ashley turned to her raven. It blinked all six eyes, its shadowy wings folding neatly.
"And your name is Veyra."
The raven raised one wing in a slow gesture before resting it on Ashley's shoulder again. The bond had changed. Strengthened.
They stood to leave, pausing at a glowing screen installed near the chamber doors. A familiar list hovered there—the familiar ranking system, updated just recently:
> Familiar Evaluation System
Tiers (Potential):
S-Tier – Mythical class. Rare, unstable.
A-Tier – Legendary-tier power. Typically imperial or military.
B-Tier – High potential. Elite training level.
C-Tier – Standard summoner class.
D-Tier – Utility-based or limited growth.
E/F-Tier – Companion-grade, often symbolic.
Grades (Growth Stage):
Iron Grade – Newborn contract.
Bronze Grade – First trait awakened (typically Basic Tier skills).
Silver Grade – Trait evolution begins, unlocking Intermediate Tier abilities.
Gold Grade – High reliability in battle; can manifest Advanced Tier skills.
Platinum Grade – Capable of mutation or synthesis; potential for Elite Tier traits.
Obsidian Grade – Classified. Traits may defy conventional tiering.
Ashley raised an eyebrow. "Iron Grade for now. But I don't think we'll stay there for long."
Pleione let her fingers drift down to the mark on her wrist. "No. I don't think we will."
As they stepped out into the fading afternoon light, her familiar slithered along beside her feet, occasionally brushing against her ankle just to keep contact. The raven glided overhead before settling gently on Ashley's shoulder again.
The weight of the day began to settle—but so did something else. Not fear. Not mystery.
A connection a bond.
A name, a bond, and the quiet knowing that something new had begun.