With the ritual a success, Aiz stepped off the platform, cheeks flushed, and Keishire perched proudly on her shoulder. The crowd murmured in awe. Some were stunned by the spirit's graceful form, others whispered with envy.
Anos, meanwhile, looked like he was brainstorming fifty ways to destroy the cat if it ever brought his sister harm—though relief quietly lingered in his eyes. She'd made it out alive.
Aiz rejoined her friends, but before she could even speak, Keishire narrowed its eyes at Torma stonily.
Another interesting one...
"Hey Aiz, is the boy you—"
"BYE KEISHIRE!" she yelled. The cat instantly vanished in a puff of purple mist.
The crowd blinked. "Ohhh…" they breathed in collective awe.
Elis sighed in boredom. "Alright, who's next—" Anos raised his head with a smirk.
"Well I suppose I'll go—" Anos began, but—
"No I will!" came a brash voice from the side.
Heads turned.
Han.
He swaggered forward like the final boss in a school play, shoving aside anyone who didn't clear a path. Chin high, fists clenched, acting like even the wind had to bow before him.
Thought he would've dropped out of school by now... Anos thought in amusement.
Han ignored the judgment in the air. As he neared the platform, he slowed just long enough to shoot a cruel glare at Torma.
Torma flinched, tense but said nothing. Anos looked ready to pounce.
Han stomped up the steps, puffing his chest like he was entering an arena while the crowd was unpleased by the fact that he even made it this far.
Elis rolled her eyes. "Just give a-"
"I know!" Han sneered.
He ain't the brightest candle, is he? Elis pondered.
He placed his hands together. The glow began. Runes encircled him. Power surged. Then, a flash.
The ritual was complete.
His eyes shot open, wild with triumph. YES! He felt fulfilled and roared.
"KANG! REVEAL!"
A rumbling echoed through the crater as a monstrous form shimmered into view—a towering, orange gorilla, radiating heat and raw strength.
The group gulped because things had started to look grim.
Even the flowers in the garden seemed to recoil.
Anos raised his brow, unimpressed by the beast befo.
"…Damn. The monkey got himself an even bigger monkey."
Before Han could soak up the attention, Elis adjusted her glasses with a flat expression.
"D Rank. Next."
The crowd blinked.
"…Eh?" he muttered.
Han's pride shattered like a thin glass plate and his mind was finding this hard to process.
"D for 'Don't get cocky,'" Elis added, "Now can you get off ma stage," waving him off.
"...Dissipate," Han muttered, and the hulking beast vanished.
Crushed, he stumbled off the stage, his head staring down as though he'd already lost but the crowd on the other hand, signed in relief.
"Next," Elis snapped.
"I got this," Anos said, stepping forward again.
—but was immediately overtaken by Lee, who darted past and slid dramatically into the center like a soap opera star hitting his cue.
"No! I am!" This is it! Once I bond with a beast, I can finally be able to protect my friends... as he as start my phase 3... He smirked with some devilish intent.
Anos facepalmed. "Lee—!"
"I'm Ready!"
"Then just pray dummy!" Elis barked.
He raised his hands, clapped with flair, and brought them together in prayer. The platform shimmered and the circles revolved, before they knew it, his ritual was complete as well.
He cracked one eye open and he was pleased with the result. A slight grin grew and he yelled,
"Say hello to the manhunter!"
He threw out a hand. "TIGRA! REVEAL!"
With a puff of smoke and lazy yawn, a striped tiger appeared beside him—curled up and very much asleep.
The silence was… heavy.
Even the breeze seemed to withhold applause.
A tiger named Tigra? The crowd was pretty unamused.
Elis squinted. "Spirit Rank… C."
"Wait, C?! That's actually pretty decent!" someone exclaimed.
The class was in awe.
"See?" Lee grinned, hands on hips. "Never doubt the drip."
"Tigra's asleep," Anos mumbled.
"He's preserving his strength. Obviously."
The tiger snored loudly.
"Oh come on!"
You have a lot to learn young one... Tigra thought smugly, pretense unseen by all.
"Next," Elis called out.
"Ugh- Alright," Lee signed, "Bye Tigra," With finesse, it was gone.
Before Lee could bask too long.
Anos took the stage.
No theatrics. No flair.
Just calm.
He stepped forward, hands steady. Closed his eyes and began.
The circle lit.
The runes glowed.
The glow ended.
When it ended, Anos looked upon his bonded companion and calmly muttered,
"Tailon Reveal,"
A majestic lion emerged like the sun, golden and regal. It growled low with its eyes so fierce yet calm.
"Rank… C," Elis stated.
"Another C?!" someone shouted.
"W-wait, isn't that two Cs in a row?!"
"And Han with a D?"
"That's gotta sting."
"Next!"
Unbothered, Anos gave a nod and stepped off the stage. His lion followed like royalty.
One by one, others followed.
A few received lower-tier spirits—some animals barely the size of a squirrel. Others were surprising: a spirit raven and a flaming beetle... No one could explain why it was on fire, but there it was.
Sadly none reached Aiz's level.
Then—
"…Last one," Elis called. "Torma."
All eyes turned.
He froze in place.
Lee whispered, "You got this."
Anos gave a small nod. "We're right here."
Gulping down the lump in his throat, Torma stepped forward. His hands shook, his breath shallow.
Each step to the platform felt heavier than the last.
He reached the center.
"Just hold your hands and offer your prayer." Elis said.
He nodded and took in a breath.
Then—closed his eyes and began his prayer.
Dear Heavens
I'd be lying if I said I wasn't scared out of my mind.
But I'm still here.
With friends I hold close… people who chose to stay, even with all my flaws.
I lost a lot.
Torma where are you?! Son, stay there—! The fire—! It's spreading! Its everywhere! AHHH!
Flashes of flame and screaming filled his head.
My parents…
A tear slipped down his cheek.
And I know it's all my fault. But this—this is my chance to change. To make a difference. To protect what I have now and to make sure no one else suffers like that again!
Please. I beseech you… Nava.
WOOOSH!
A massive wave of air burst outward.
The mist whipped away.
As the light intensified.
Runes circled like a vortex. A sacred wind whipped across the crater. Mist scattered, trees swayed, and even the spirits already summoned seemed alert—watching.
The glow peaked.
Then… silence, as the magic cycles lay down to rest.
Torma stood still—his eyes wide with shock.
Elis furrowed her brow. "What do you see?"
The others leaned in, holding their breath.
Torma's lips quivered.
"Nothing," he whispered. "I see… nothing!"
The silence that followed was suffocating.