Atell fidgeted with the white ceremonial robe clinging tightly to his skin. He was a mess of nerves at the moment, seated at the kitchen counter while Sivelle was out in the front yard wrapping up the final preparations for the Initiate Ceremony. He wanted to help out but she insisted that he remain inside to adjust his mental state.

‘A lot of good that did…’ Atell grumbled. He shifted robe once more, trying to loosen it up. Originally, it wasn’t intended to be so tight; however, his frame had filled out with a little more muscle after the second Awakening. It was strange, despite his most recent hibernation lasting only a few days, the physical changes he experienced were much more... visually pronounced.

Upon awakening, his body had felt surprisingly lithe, despite the increase in height and weight, he was much lighter on his feet. Sivelle had remarked that such changes were more common. His discomfort and awkwardness following his first bout of slumber were more outside the norm.

But truthfully, it mattered not. Any changes to his Mundane body would be supplanted by the evolution wrought by Mana.

“Atell!” Sivelle called out as she stepped inside. “Oh, you’re right here.” The Fae’s eyes softened as they landed on him.

Atell hopped off the stool, his mouth drawing a crooked line as his heart threatened to burst out of his chest.

“Hey, you’re gonna be fine.” Sivelle knelt down and grasped his hands. She smiled warmly.

“I-I’ve heard it's painful…”

“After all you’ve been through, you’re worried about a little pain?” Sivelle laughed. “Have faith in yourself, Atell. You’ve worked very, very hard to reach this point. I’m proud of you.”

Atell rubbed his eyes, failing to hide the tears as Sivelle embraced him. A myriad of emotions swam in his stomach, overwhelming his senses. Pride, self-pity, conviction, doubt… he’d never felt so much in such a short amount of time and it left him awfully confused. Sivelle retracted her arms and handed him a cloth to dry his eyes.

“I’ve invited a friend of mine to help us out. I tend to ignore any information that doesn’t greatly interest me…” Sivelle smiled wryly. “...Therefore, I’m not too confident in my own understanding of the ceremony. He’s much more experienced with the ritual for Demons, so you’ll be in good hands.”

Atell groaned, his shoulders shaking between the laughs and sobs.

“C’mon, I’ll take you out to meet him and we can get this thing underway.”

***

Sivelle nearly trampled Atell when the boy suddenly stopped, flinching back in the doorframe. Honestly, she should have anticipated it. Juma’s Spirit Companion was lounging right outside, in the shade provided by the porch awning. The blue and white tiger yawned, stretching open its massive jaw with a hint of mirth in its eyes as it sized up the anxious Demon.

“Enough, Pang.” A dark-haired man scolded from afar; his azure robe rippled like a disturbed pond as a warm breeze brushed across the lawn. It always amazed Sivelle that such a lively spirit chose to contract with the stern and scholarly man.

“Pang was just teasing, Father,” the little girl lying in the beast’s soft fur announced.

“I know Akemi, but the boy already has enough worries. Now is not the time to play.” Juma strolled over as Atell cautiously descended the steps. “I apologize on behalf of my companion. It is a pleasure to meet you. My name is Juma Rei and I am honored to assist the apprentice of Grandmaster Sivelle on this special day.”

Sivelle rolled her eyes. She had guessed that Juma agreed to her request so readily in order to get a head start on recruiting the boy, but she didn’t think he’d be so overt in his attempts. The Rei Clan must still be lacking a suitable replacement following her retirement from their service a few years ago.

Fortunately for her, Atell was oblivious to the Dynasty’s culture and etiquette. She had no doubt that the crest on Juma’s robe and his status as the current head of one of the Paragon Clans was unknown to the boy.

“Nice to meet you, I’m Atell. Thanks for the help.”

A smirk crept onto her lips as she heard her faithful assistant's casual reply.

“Ah, yes... Shall we get started then?” Juma maintained his composure as he gestured for Atell to follow him to the small altar set up in the center of the lawn.

Sivelle walked over to little Akemi and helped the girl to her feet. Hand-in-hand, they approached the ritual site, maintaining a safe distance.

“Now, do you have any questions before we begin?” Juma paused in front of the ornate white jade statue, that was about half his size. Itri’s likeness was beautifully carved — her visage even more detailed and menacing than the counterpart Shimmering Heights had recently commissioned. Adorned by black Naga Scales and Blood Ruby eyes… this was likely the Rei Clan’s formal altar.

To allow an outsider its use was beyond Sivelle’s expectations. She sighed, they were supposed to be even after this but Juma had managed to coax another favor out of her in the end. He was much more astute than the old Spirit King, which she often forgot.

“I-I think I’m alright,” Atell replied.

“Very well. Watch the process carefully Akemi, we will have to do the same when your ceremony takes place later this year.”

“Yes, Father.” The girl’s grip tightened around Sivelle’s fingers.

“Sivelle informed me that you have the Origin Crystal, Atell?” Juma asked.

“Y-Yea, right here.” The boy’s hands were trembling as he retrieved the cloudy grey crystal from his robes. All of his accumulated effort over the past two years went into purchasing the small crystal, hopefully, Atell wouldn’t be too disheartened watching it crushed right before his eyes.

Juma accepted the Origin Crystal with a slight bow, then placed it down in a bowl at the base of the altar. With great care, the man knelt down and started grinding the crystal into a powder using Mana gathered in his fist.

Once he was satisfied, Juma stood up and waved his hand, a black ceremonial knife appearing in his grasp. He beckoned for Atell to approach. The boy stepped forward, holding his right palm skyward as he extended his arm. Lines of tension marked the child’s forehead as Juma brought the knife across the proffered hand.

A sharp gasp, but nothing more; Atell grit his teeth as Juma directed the wound over the wooden bowl, dripping dark blood onto the crystalline dust.

Sivelle watched eagerly, anticipation mounting. Which bloodline of Atell’s would prevail? She had hopes that there was truth to her suspicion: Atell’s first awakened bloodline was not that of a Mountain Troll; rather, something of much grander pedigree. She still made sure he roused the blood of the Auric Wolf as a back-up. After all, there may have been something she missed. Some reaction between the Flux Essence and the Nether Energy that triggered the miraculous recovery of the boy’s body instead...

But, regardless of which bloodline emerged the victor, the boy’s foundation was incredible. He possessed broad and exceptionally tough Origin Channels as well as a body tempered by raw Origin Energy — far beyond the limits of the Mundane. In addition, she’d been feeding him sizeable portions of nutrient-rich Mana Beast meat for nearly three meals a day since his arrival at her home. Atell’s body was in peak condition. Juma was in for quite the surprise.

The array embedded into the dirt around the altar flashed, glowing brightly as Juma stirred a portion of distilled liquid Mana into the bloodied powder. As his hand continued to slowly churn the mixture, echoes of an ancient voice rose from the earth and filled the surroundings, startling both Atell and the girl at her side. Even Sivelle herself was a bit disturbed by the incoherent whispers. It was a chilling noise, distorted by the hissing of snakes. It felt almost tangible as it crawled over her skin — an ominous pressure that made her feel like she was staring into the heart of the Abyss. Her existence felt tiny in comparison and she had no way to ward it off.

Juma was the only one who remained unperturbed, continuing to stir with a steady hand, his experience demonstrating its worth as he successfully completed the task. Another bright flash of silvery light silenced the dreadful presence as Juma waited patiently for the mixture to settle.

Although the voice had faded, Sivelle could still feel it lingering in the breeze, watching over the boy with rapt attention

Finally, and with great care, Juma lifted the bowl — bringing the liquid up to Atell’s lips.

“Drink quickly, and do your best to swallow as much as possible.”

Atell didn’t hesitate, his golden eyes suffused by a fiery glow as he gulped down the potent brew. The boy trembled as a trickle of blood leaked from the corner of his mouth, his eyes growing hazy as he abruptly collapsed to his knees.

An inky darkness descended on the mountain ridge as Atell started to convulse.

Sivelle’s heart clenched as her apprentice writhed in pain. She paid no mind to the strange phenomena occurring nearby, focusing only on the strain etched onto the boy’s face.

The black cloud slowly condensed, churning around their location like a whirlwind, rising and ebbing like the tide, moving faster and faster as it pushed the onlookers back.

Juma frowned, stepping closer to his daughter and grasping her other hand. Sivelle looked over at him for any indication of worry, but he continued to watch in silence. The dark storm soon calmed, wrapping itself around Atell like a giant cocoon.

They stood still in collective anticipation, waiting eagerly for his emergence.

‘So... the Auric Wolf did lose out…’ Sivelle’s gloating was cut off by a bleak howl. The shadow of a golden wolf appeared, larger even than the massive spirit beast, Pang, who was still watching in the shade.

The wolf paced around the dark cocoon once, twice, then a third time — looking for any indication of weakness. Suddenly, a gap emerged in the shell, eliciting a content growl from the wolf before it stepped inside.

“The Auric Wolf…could it be…? A hybrid?” Juma muttered at her side. Sivelle could feel the man’s eyes burning into her skull. Unfortunately, she had no answer for her friend. She was just as surprised as he was.

The Auric Wolf was a beast of grand origins — the spawn of Fenrir and Raiju. To find a bloodline of similar strength and prestige, and a compatible one at that… was incomprehensible.

‘But then why would the Aurelians alienate such a child? He was their hope of resurgence after thousands of years. Their steady decline and fall from power were all due to their inability to find compatible bloodlines like the others of Ancient Blood were able to. There’s no way they would let Atell slip through their fingers if they knew.’ Sivelle struggled to reconcile the situation in her mind.

Another disturbance in the cocoon refocused her attention. Cracks emerged on its surface, leaking out putrid blood. Then, as the fissures expanded, rays of dark golden light burst forth, tearing through the sky.

Sivelle was forced to shield her eyes as they increased in number and intensity until a loud crash akin to the shattering of glass pierced the veil of silence.

The golden aurora slowly ebbed as the black cocoon crumbled into dust.

A boy — much different than the child she knew — slowly uncurled himself, revealing his form to the world as the uncomfortable sound of retching dissipated the tension in the air.

“Easy there, Atell. It will take some time for your body and senses to adjust.”

After an awkward few minutes, Atell finally finished emptying his guts and slowly wobbled to his feet.

Sivelle regarded the Demon’s curious new appearance as she helped him find his balance: Sleek black hair framed a prominent jawline and nose, still marred by a hint of childishness, but already displaying a heroic charm. Flecks of orange and red gathered around the pupils of his dark golden eyes, glittering in the sunlight as he blinked curiously at the observers. Suddenly, he looked down, furrowing his heavy brows. A flush of red, even deeper than the garnet tinge that now saturated his ashen skin, appeared on the boy’s cheeks as he realized his utter nakedness.

She laughed aloud as Atell struggled to cover himself while Juma hurriedly blocked Akemi’s view. Sivelle eventually retrieved a spare set of clothes from her dimensional pouch when she decided the boy had suffered sufficient embarrassment.

“Thanks…” Atell mumbled as he quickly donned the plain linen clothes. While the outfit would have previously hung loosely from his bones, it now fit snugly on the boy’s more robust and athletic body.

His natural stance as he turned back to face them was much more confident than any he’d displayed before. A straight spine and squared shoulders, no longer hunched from the long hours spent in the mine. He still retained his wild, unruly demeanor but now there was a subtle hint of dignity in his movements as well like he was a barbaric prince proudly displaying his might.

“Juma Rei pays his respects to the Primogenitor.” Juma bowed deeply, stunning everyone present. “Quickly, Akemi…” The man urged his daughter to follow his lead.

“No need for that.” Sivelle decided it was time to step in. Although she knew that Demon traditions demanded such action, Atell had no idea what any of this meant, so there was no need to go and give him a big head. There was a reason those wrinkly old Demons were all stiff and conceited. She wouldn’t allow an apprentice of hers to fall prey to the same pitfalls of society.

“Atell. Juma and I have some things to discuss inside. Why don’t you play out here with Akemi and stretch out your body for a bit? I’ll fill you in on everything afterward, ok?”

“A-Ah, yea... sure thing.” The boy’s eyes were wide and unfocused, still contemplating Juma’s words.

After receiving her menacing glare, Juma reluctantly followed her back into the house. The man kept glancing back at his daughter, sending her signals with his eyes much to Sivelle’s chagrin.

***

“Akemi Rei pays her respects to the Primogenitor.”

Atell grimaced as the pudgy little girl clasped her hands and bowed. It was already awkward enough having an adult do so, especially when he had no idea what they meant or how to respond.

“Thanks… I guess,” His evident blush and awkward reply evoked a bright, dimpled grin from the girl.

“How’s it feel?”

“Terrible. The whole world was spinning and there were so many sounds and smells mixing together all at once… it felt like someone had reached into my stomach and was twisting my intestines around in their hands.”

“Yuck!” Akemi twisted her face into a grimace. “I’m not looking forward to it. My brother wouldn’t tell me anything about it and I’m kinda glad he didn’t.”

“Yea, I’m sorry you had to see that…”

“I’ve seen worse,” Akemi shrugged. “But the rest of your ceremony was really cool! My dad looked like he was impressed.”

“That’s good. I can’t really remember much of it myself. I blanked out as soon as I drank that... liquid.” Atell scratched his head.

“Well, there was a big black cocoon, and a giant golden wolf appeared and jumped inside. Then, all these bright lights started shooting out and the cocoon exploded!” Akemi’s narration was very animated, waving her hands around. “I think the wolf even scared Pang a little bit,” she giggled. “Pang! Come say hi!”

The imposing tiger pushed itself up from the ground at the girl’s call, slowly stalking over. Faint sparks of lightning flashed around its legs with every step, singing the grass and earth beneath its paws.

Akemi skipped over to the beast, cheerily rubbing its fur as it dipped its head in greeting.

Atell was inwardly amazed at the Spirit Beast’s display of intelligence as he responded in kind. He had never heard of such creatures before, but they seemed more capable and powerful than Mana Beast’s if Pang was any indication of their standards.

“You can pet him, you know?” Akemi giggled. “His fur feels really nice and I think you’re tall enough to reach his ears. That’s his favorite spot.”

Atell soon joined the girl at the tiger’s side, reaching up to rub his hand through the silky coat.

“Wow…”

“Amazing, right? Pang is a Celestial Storm Tiger which is why he feels so fluffy and soft.”

“Celestial Storm Tiger…? I’ve never heard of such a Beast.” Pang growled happily and leaned into Atell’s touch as he stretched high to reach behind the tiger’s ears.

“That’s not surprising. He’s from the Spirit Plane, after all. Not even my Grandfather knows of all the different Spirit Beasts that reside there.” Akemi informed him.

“Spirit Plane… So, does your Clan have a way of traveling there? Is that how you meet them to form a contract?”

“Well, our bodies can’t enter, but our magic allows us to send our own spirits inside. Then, we offer to bind our spirit with one of the Beasts that show interest. The contract we form allows them to travel freely back and forth between our realm and their own, so most are pretty willing to agree.”

“That’s awesome! Can you travel back and forth as well, or just the Spirit Beasts? And can you form a contract with more than one?” Atell rattled off a series of questions, but sensing Akemi’s hesitation, he quickly apologized. “...Sorry if I’m prying too much! I got a little carried away.”

“No, it's fine! Pretty much everyone in the Dynasty knows all about our magic, so it's actually fun to meet someone who doesn’t,” Akemi assured. “Only the Spirit Beast’s can freely traverse between the realms; although, no one in the family has been able to figure out why that’s the case. And it is possible to have more than one Spirit Beast, but it's pretty rare. Currently, only my grandfather and one of my cousins have more than one.”

Atell took a moment to mull over her response, continuing to absentmindedly stroke Pang’s fur as he imagined what his own magic would possibly be like. “So… Do you know what kind of Spirit Beast you want to contract with?”

“Definitely one that can fly!” Akemi’s eyes glittered with childish glee. “I love riding on Pang, but I think it would be so fun to soar through the skies.”

Pang snorted, appearing a little annoyed to hear that he was dismissed so casually.

Atell laughed. “That does sound pretty amazing.”

The two children continued to chat idly, unaware of the fierce argument occurring inside…

***

“No! Absolutely not! I will not allow you to swear in Atell as one of your vassals.”

“Sivelle, you said it yourself — the Coven has already shown an interest in the boy. They likely know something about his ancestry that we don’t. He will also need ample resources and protection to help him develop, and with his status as a Primo, it will be a simple task for him to gain citizenship in the Dynasty.”

“What? You think I am not a sufficient deterrent to those who wish him harm?” Sivelle retorted, crossing her arms.

“A deterrent, yes. But leaving him in this remote town without proper instruction will greatly hinder his growth. I know many powerful Warlocks who would be more than willing to assist him.”

“You don’t understand the boy, Juma. He has no interest in gaining prestige and political rank for the time being. And thanks to the Aurelians, I doubt he would be willing to jump in bed with any Clan in this lifetime. Most of what drives him right now is his desired revenge.”

“Gah! That’s not healthy! A child his age should be focused on learning, making friends, and mastering his magic…”

“...I agree with that.” Sivelle interrupted. “But how exactly would joining one of the Paragon Clans achieve that? He is likely to make more enemies than friends by doing so.”

Juma smiled awkwardly. “That may be so, but at least we can get him on the right track. Help him form proper goals and experience more of the world...”

“Maybe in the future, Juma.” Sivelle released a pent-up sigh. “For now, I still plan on helping him reconnect with his tribe. It’s been too long since he has seen his family, and I know he worries constantly for their safety. If he decides to remain in the Dynasty afterward, I will let you know. However, you will have to recruit him through the formal channels just like everyone else. I won’t let you snatch him up so easily.”

“Very well. But the Hinterlands are more dangerous now than they ever have been. The conflict with the Coven continues to escalate. I implore you to urge the boy to remain here.”

“I’ll do what I can, Juma. But I am not one to make decisions for others.”

“I… I understand…”

“Good. Now, will you be staying for dinner?”

“I’m afraid not. I’ve already made plans to join City Lord Priana in Kobi this evening for a meal.”

“Oh, what’s the occasion?” Sivelle inquired. A Provincial Lord meeting with a city official outside of his own territory was quite unusual.

Juma displayed a rare, cheeky grin. “Marriage talks. My son still remains a bachelor and is too focused on his training to seek a suitable wife at the moment, so he claims. It has fallen on me to make arrangements and I’ve heard that Lady Priana’s daughter, Galene, is exceptionally talented.”

“A real looker too,” Sivelle remarked. “I’ve often heard the passing merchants speak highly of both her cunning and her beauty.”

“To even leave a favorable impression on an old crone like you, it seems I’ve chosen well.” Juma laughed.

“Your son could do worse. Pass on my regards to Priana. There are rumors floating around that she’s on the verge of becoming a titled Witch… that wouldn’t have anything to do with the arrangements, I presume.”

“It certainly doesn’t hurt,” Juma admitted without a trace of guilt before his stern glare returned. “Interests aside, please take care of yourself and the boy. The Coven aren’t the only ones stirring and I fear the Dynasty won’t be able to resist getting our hands caught in the conflict.”

“Ho?” Sivelle quirked an eyebrow.

Juma grimaced. “The current generation of Paragons sitting on the Elder Council doesn’t share the same isolationist views as the previous. They are eager to expand our influence in the Frontier and remind the Humans encroaching upon our land why they once feared to do so.”

“Ha! I can’t blame them. If the Humans have forgotten why I’m known as the Huntress, I don’t mind giving them a reminder.”

Juma chuckled softly, getting up from his seat and walking over to the door. “My father said almost the exact same thing… Well, I don’t want to be late, so we’ll be off. Keep me updated, and hopefully when we next meet I’ll have some happy news to share.”

“Alright, I’ll look forward to it. Safe travels, Juma. I wish little Akemi luck in her own ceremony.”

Sivelle watched from the porch as Juma called Pang to his side. The man scooped his daughter into his arms and jumped onto his companion’s back. Atell waved goodbye as they disappeared into the horizon in a flash of lightning.