✦ In the beginning, there were no swords. No kings. No gods.
The world was once ruled by the Primordial Dragons — ancient, destructive forces born from the earth's molten heart. They scorched the skies, slept inside mountains, and shattered civilizations like twigs. To them, humanity was prey.
But deep beneath the world's surface, in the roots no eye could see, something stirred. Spirits of nature, born from harmony rather than hunger, began to awaken. Not to destroy — but to balance.
These were the first Divine Beasts.
They weren't animals, not truly. They were sentient manifestations of elemental law — born of wind and stone, storm and shadow. Some took the form of foxes, wolves, stags, serpents, or crows — shaped by the emotions and environments that birthed them.
Why did they choose humanity?
At first, they didn't.
They fought the dragons alone — and lost.
The dragons were too vast. Too primal. Too old. They couldn't be reasoned with or stopped. They were hunger, given wings.
But the Divine Beasts learned one truth:
Dragons fear only one thing — mortality.
So the Beasts searched for something they themselves lacked — limits. Purpose. A soul that could die.
They found it in humans — not because humans were noble or worthy, but because they were angry. Angry enough to defy death. Angry enough to fight monsters that could not be slain.
So the Beasts merged with them — bound spirit to soul.
In doing so, they borrowed mortality, and with it, the weapon dragons could never possess: choice.
They didn't save humanity out of love.
They simply believed humans were the only creatures reckless enough to stand against a dragon and keep walking forward.
Because dragons aren't just beasts — they are living symbols of greed, corruption, and hunger.
Some hoard land, rotting it from within. Others spawn endless swarms — Wyverns, Drakes, Fleshspawn — to devour empires whole.
The Divine Beasts exist to keep the balance. To make sure the world isn't consumed.
"But don't mistake them for kind," Silvius said, closing the book with a dull thud. "They're not here to protect us. They're here to stop the world from ending."
He sighed, then scanned the class. "Any other questions?"
Kael leaned back slightly, his mind spinning. He had always thought Divine Beasts were just powerful creatures—rare, yes, but nothing more than mythical partners handed to the gifted. But now… they felt older. Stranger. Like something far beyond what anyone had told him.
A question tugged at his thoughts. Something the Ash Crow had mentioned before.
He whispered, "What's a 'nest'?"
[Why don't you ask me instead of muttering like a fool?] the Ash Crow growled in his mind.
Kael frowned. Because you never answer me.
[That's because your questions are always stupid. But fine. Since your teacher finally gave you a brain…]
The Crow's voice dipped into something more serious.
["Nest" is what we Divine Beasts call the space inside your body where we dwell. It's not exactly a womb—but it works like one. Don't freak out.]
Kael blinked. "Phew…"
[It's more like a core. A sanctum. A domain where we rest, regenerate, and supply you with ether. It's connected to your veins. When you grow stronger—when you master the final strike of the Veyrion book—you'll be able to enter it yourself. Maybe even reshape it.]
Kael muttered under his breath, "A domain…?"
The word stuck with him. Was it a real place? Or something abstract? Would he ever get to see it?
[If you keep whining, you'll never see anything. Get stronger first. Or what, you want another near-death experience?]
"…" Kael went quiet. But deep down, he was more curious than ever.
Just then, Lucian raised a hand, voice clear.
"Who was the first Divine Beast host?"
The class turned toward him. Even Silvius seemed caught off guard for a moment, but then he nodded.
"The first recorded host was a blind monk named Elion Aster, about 700 years ago," Silvius said, his voice taking on a rare note of respect. "He wandered into a burning village and stood against a lesser dragon—with nothing but prayer and willpower."
Lyssandra raised an eyebrow. "How did he survive?"
"They say," Silvius continued, "a white serpent spirit coiled around his spine that day. No pact. No ritual. It simply chose him. He went on to found the First Sword Order—an ancient brotherhood of warriors who shaped many of the sword philosophies we still follow today."
He looked around the room.
"His most famous words were carved into the ruins of that village:
'The gods ignored us. The dragons devoured us. So I held out my hand… and something answered.'"
"I have a question…" Daranth's voice cut through the classroom.
Silvius froze mid-step. That voice always meant trouble.
"Yes, Your Highness?" he said, reluctantly.
"What are the Five Calamities?"
Kael's head dropped slightly. He already knew where this was going.
Silvius turned to face the class, exhaling slowly. "The Five Calamities are corrupted Divine Beasts. Originally, they were some of the highest-level spirits in existence, chosen to protect the balance of the world. But something changed."
He stepped forward, eyes scanning the room.
"They refused to bond with humans. They fed off pure ether, lesser beasts, and even other divine spirits. Over time, their form twisted. Their purpose was lost. They became something else—something monstrous."
"Dragons?" Emilio asked quietly.
Silvius nodded. "No true dragons born of the world's core, but artificial ones—forged from betrayal, gluttony, rage. These are the Five Calamities. Draconic in shape, immense in power. They don't need hosts. They are self-sustaining engines of destruction. Hostile to both humans and divine spirits alike. Anomalies in the natural order."
Daranth tilted his head. "Interesting. Are these creatures easy to control?"
"What? No," Silvius said, frowning. "They can't be controlled. Not by any man alive."
"I see," Daranth said, voice perfectly calm. "Then why was the Duke of Veyrion trying to control one of the Calamities?"
The classroom erupted.
Dozens of students turned in their seats. Whispers filled the air like smoke. Kael could feel it—the weight of a hundred stares pressing down on him. Every word felt like a nail driven deeper.
His father wasn't a traitor. He knew that. But the stares didn't care. Neither did the whispers.
He clenched his fists, breath tight. Just say something. Punch him. Shut them all up—
Beside him, Emilio and Serina were glaring at Daranth, who wore that same infuriating smile.
Silvius exhaled sharply, hand to his temple. "Ah, so that's where this was going."
Then—
"Can you all shut the hell up with this traitor garbage already?!" Neira's voice rang across the room like thunder.
The entire class froze.
She stood, arms crossed, eyes blazing. "That's exactly why I hate nobles. Always digging up ancient rumors like it's bedtime gossip. The so-called 'traitor' incident was eight years ago. You're all still crying about it?"
Daranth narrowed his eyes. "Easy for someone like you to say. My father was the one who stopped that man before his power could destroy the empire."
Neira smirked. "Oh? Hero, huh?"
A few gasps followed.
"Did she just laugh at the royal family?"
"No way…"
She ignored the stares. "Kael. Are you a traitor?"
Kael looked up, stunned. "Me?"
"Yeah, you idiot. Are you?"
"…No," he said quietly, but firmly. "I'm not."
"Then that's that," she said, turning back to the room. "Everyone else, shut it. The Veyrions were heroes. If you all weren't so brainwashed by status, you'd remember that."
Kael stared at her, a flicker of surprise behind his eyes. "…Thank you."
"Hmph," Neira muttered, crossing her arms again. "Don't thank me. I just hate watching idiots gang up on someone."
Silvius let out a rare smile. Looks like the little revenant isn't as alone as he thinks.
"She's right," he said, turning back to the board. "And if you must know, there were originally Six Calamities. The first person to ever defeat one was a man named Thalrik Veyrion—known as The Unarmed. A warrior who lost his right arm… and still slew a dragon with his left."
The classroom fell silent.
No one had anything to say.