Veylan's voice boomed from the end of the hall.
Dace and Korrin scattered like smoke. Students melted into classrooms. In seconds, the hallway was almost empty.
Aiden lay on the floor, curled on his side, breath shallow. His ribs screamed and is vision swam.
Veylan crouched beside him, face tight. "Get him to the infirmary. Now."
Two students hesitated, then moved forward, hauling Aiden up by the arms.
Veylan stood, fists clenched at his sides, and walked away without another word.
Minutes later, Aiden lay on a narrow bed in the academy's infirmary. The room smelled like antiseptic and old bandages. The walls were lined with cots, most of them empty. This place wasn't for students who caught a cold. It was for the ones who pushed too hard in training and broke something. Or the ones who got crushed underfoot.
The door swung open. The nurse stepped in first, her footsteps brisk and efficient. Professor Veylan followed, hands clasped behind his back.
"You should know better than getting involved with them," Veylan said. His voice was even, but there was an edge to it.
Aiden stared at the ceiling. "I know."
"Then why?"
"I just wanted to know what it felt like." His throat was dry. "To stand up for myself."
The nurse let out a short breath through her nose. "Well, someone's standing now, and it definitely isn't you." She moved to the side of the bed, arms crossed. "You took quite the beating, young man. Maybe weigh your options more carefully next time."
Aiden didn't answer.
Veylan's expression softened, just slightly. "Tomorrow is the summoning ceremony."
"Oh." Aiden blinked. "Right. That."
He'd almost forgotten. The ceremony. The one thing that could change everything or confirm that nothing ever would.
*I need at least an A-rank,* he thought. His fingers curled into the blanket. *Something strong, something that'll make them stop.*
Beasts were ranked from F to S. F-rank was barely worth summoning. S-rank could level buildings. And then there were the SS-ultra beasts, the kind only a handful of people in history had ever bonded with.
"You need to be at full strength tomorrow," Veylan said, pulling him back.
Aiden nodded.
Veylan turned to the nurse. They exchanged a few quiet words, then he left without another glance.
The nurse moved to the right side of the bed. She extended her hand over Aiden's chest, fingers splayed. A faint glow flickered behind her, and Aiden squinted against the sudden brightness.
When the light settled, something hovered there, a creature caught between forms. It had the sleek body of a dove, but its wings burned faintly red at the edges like a phoenix mid-flame. Its eyes were too sharp for a bird.
It flapped its wings once.
A warm red glow washed over him, sinking into his skin. The ache in his ribs dulled. The throbbing in his jaw faded. But with the pain went everything else; his focus, his thoughts, the weight of his own body.
His eyelids grew heavy.
The nurse watched him for a moment. Her expression softened. Most of the staff felt the same way about him. They pitied him. Hoped he'd get stronger. That was all they could do. Hope.
Aiden's vision blurred. Through the haze, he saw someone standing by the door. A figure. Tall, maybe. He couldn't make out the face. The figure handed something to the nurse then turned and walked away.
His eyes slipped shut.
Darkness.
When the nurse returned to his bedside, he was out cold. She sighed softly, setting a tray of food on the table beside him. Then she disappeared into the back room.
-----
Aiden woke with a sharp inhale, his chest heaving. His shirt clung to his skin, damp with sweat. His heart hammered against his ribs like it was trying to break out.
He blinked hard, looking around. Still the infirmary. The same pale walls. The same smell.
He let out a long breath, sinking back into the pillow.
The room was empty. Just him and the faint hum of the lights overhead.
His stomach growled.
He turned his head. There was a tray on the table beside him. The plate was covered, with a glass of water beside it. He didn't think twice. He sat up, pulled the tray closer, and ate. The food was lukewarm, but he didn't care. He finished it in minutes, then drained the water in three gulps.
His head cleared.
Then it hit him.
*The summoning ceremony.*
His breath caught. He sat up straighter, pulse picking up again.
Tomorrow. No, *today.* It had to be today.
He was finally going to summon a beast. After a year of waiting. Seventeen years of waiting.
But what if he didn't summon anything?
What if he got an F-rank? Or worse, what if nothing answered at all?
His hands started to shake. He clenched them into fists.
If he didn't summon this year, they'd drop him. That was the rule.
*It'll work out,* he told himself. He took a slow breath. *It has to.*
He spotted a scrap of paper and a pen on the table. He scribbled a short note—*Thanks for the food*—and left it on the pillow. Then he grabbed his jacket and slipped out.
-----
The next morning, the academy grounds were alive.
Sunlight spilled over the rooftops, turning the stone walls gold. People crowded the open courtyard—participants, families, onlookers. This was one of nine grounds in the country chosen to host the summoning ceremony, and it had a reputation. The best summons came from here. The strongest bonds.
Aiden stood in line with the other participants, arms folded across his chest. His stomach twisted.
*This is it. Last chance.*
If he failed here, that was it. No second try. No redemption.
On the other side of the courtyard, the observers filled the benches. Parents cheered. Some whispered to each other, glancing at certain students. Others just looked bored, like they were here for the spectacle.
Above, students leaned out of the upper windows, craning their necks to see.
At the center of it all was the platform. Raised a few feet off the ground, with a single table on top. A small bowl sat on the table next to a ceremonial knife. Around the table, runes had been carved into the wood in a perfect circle.
A man stepped forward onto the platform. Dean Vincent Wolfe. Tall, broad-shouldered, with silver streaking through his dark hair. His coat was long and formal, buttoned to the throat. He moved like someone who didn't need to raise his voice to be heard.
He looked out over the crowd. "I'll keep this short," he said. His voice carried easily. "You know why you're here. Some of you will bond today. Some of you won't. That's how it works. What matters is that you step forward with intent. The beasts respond to will, not fear."
He paused, scanning the line of participants.
"This academy has produced some of the strongest summoners in the region. Let's see if any of you can live up to that."
He stepped back.
"The ceremony begins now."