The morning mist clung to the hidden mountain trail as Duke Galen led Sebastian through the dense forests behind Stormwright Keep. The air smelled of pine and damp earth, the only sounds the crunch of gravel underfoot and the distant calls of wild Rune-Beasts.
Sebastian adjusted the straps of his travel pack, his four bonded beasts walking alongside him—Storm Hawk perched on his shoulder, Thunderjaw Wyvern slithering at his heels, Gale Shield Cicada hovering near his ear, and the Blairon Giant lumbering behind them like a living fortress.
"How much farther?" Sebastian asked, eyeing the steep incline ahead.
Galen didn't slow his pace. "Patience. The sanctuary isn't a place you rush to."
They rounded a cliffside, and suddenly, the trees parted to reveal a massive stone archway, its surface carved with ancient runes that pulsed faintly with blue light. Beyond it lay a valley shrouded in mist, its depths humming with a low, resonant energy.
Sebastian's breath caught. "This is...?"
"The Stormwright Beast Sanctuary," Galen said, pride coloring his voice. "Where our family's strongest companions rest and train."
The Guardians of the Stormwrights.
As they stepped through the archway, the mist cleared, revealing a sprawling landscape of crystal-clear lakes, floating earth platforms, and storm-charged caverns. And everywhere—Rune-Beasts.
Duke Galen raised a hand, and from the shadows of the valley, his bonded creatures emerged.
Tier IV: Arcane Protectors,
- Thunder Leowyrn: A massive feline with fur like stormclouds, its claws crackling with electricity. It inclined its head to Sebastian in silent acknowledgment.
- Solarian Flamekeeper: A radiant, stag-like beast wreathed in golden fire, its antlers burning like miniature suns.
- Pearl-Heart Mosasaurus: A serpentine water leviathan that glided through the air as easily as it did through the sanctuary's central lake, its scales shimmering like mother-of-pearl.
- Thunderstorm Leviathan: A true titan—part eel, part dragon—its body coiled around a floating island, lightning dancing between its spines.
- Ironstone Bulwark: A living fortress of black iron and granite, its body covered in glowing defensive runes.
Sebastian's Book of Beast Records flickered open instinctively, recording each one with near-reverent detail.
The next group was larger, more diverse—beasts of earth, wind, and storm. It consists of Tier III: Flame Wardens,
- Gemstone Warden: A crystalline wolf that refracted light into deadly beams.
- Blessed Earthspirit: A humanoid figure of living soil and roots, its eyes glowing like embers.
- Tempest Drake: A smaller, sleeker cousin of the Thunderstorm Leviathan, its wings humming with stored lightning.
- Blazehoof Stallion: A warhorse wreathed in blue fire, its hooves leaving scorched prints in the earth.
- Nimbus Guardian: A floating jellyfish-like creature made of stormcloud, its tendrils crackling with static.
And more—Storm-Talon Warden, Thunderheart Sentinel, Eclipsewing Raven—each unique, each powerful in their own right.
Tier II: Spark Guardians,
The smallest but no less impressive, these beasts were scouts, trackers, and swift combatants.
- Moonlight Manta: A graceful, winged ray that glided soundlessly through the air, its underside glowing like the moon.
- Cinderstep Leopard: A predator of ash and ember, its paws leaving smoldering prints.
- Skyrift Condor: A bird of prey with feathers like sharpened steel, capable of slicing through stone.
Sebastian's fingers twitched. "You've been hiding all of these?"
Galen smirked. "Not hiding. Preserving. A Stormwright doesn't flaunt his full strength unless necessary."
Galen led Sebastian to the center of the sanctuary, where a floating arena of enchanted stone hovered above a churning pool of water.
"You've mastered the basics," Galen said, turning to face his son. "But Mysticrium will demand more. Today, you learn how to fight alongside an army of beasts."
Sebastian's pulse quickened. "You're letting me command yours?"
Galen's grin was sharp. "Not all of them. But enough."
He whistled, and five beasts stepped forward:
Thunder Leowyrn (Tier IV), Blessed Earthspirit (Tier III), Storm-Talon Warden (Tier III, Blazehoof Stallion (Tier III), Skyrift Condor (Tier II).
"Your task," Galen said, "is to defend this arena against them."
He gestured to the far side of the platform, where Ironstone Bulwark, Pearl-Heart Mosasaurus, and Eclipsewing Raven stood ready.
Sebastian swallowed. "Three against five?"
Galen's eyes gleamed. "You'll need more than numbers to win."
The moment the fight began, Sebastian realized the true challenge.
His father's beasts didn't just attack—they strategized.
Ironstone Bulwark anchored the defense, its body forming an impenetrable wall. Pearl-Heart Mosasaurus weaved through the air and water, striking unpredictably. Eclipsewing Raven darted in and out of shadows, disrupting formations.
Sebastian's mind raced.
"Blessed Earthspirit—root the Bulwark in place!"
The earth beneath the iron giant erupted in vines, locking it down.
"Storm-Talon Warden—lightning barrage on the Mosasaurus!"
The avian beast shrieked, unleashing a volley of charged feathers that forced the leviathan to retreat.
But the Eclipsewing Raven was faster. It dive-bombed Sebastian, forcing him to roll aside—only for Ironstone Bulwark to break free and lunge.
"Blairon Giant—intercept!"
His own bonded beast crashed into the Bulwark, buying him precious seconds.
The battle raged—beasts clashing, elements colliding. Sebastian's Book of Beast Records updated in real-time, suggesting adjustments:
"Ironstone Bulwark – Weakness: Joints lack flexibility"
"Pearl-Heart Mosasaurus – Vulnerable when transitioning between air/water"
He adapted.
"Skyrift Condor—slice the Mosasaurus's dorsal fin!"
The condor obeyed, its steel feathers shearing through the leviathan's weakest point. The beast roared, retreating to the lake.
"Now, Thunder Leowyrn—finish the Bulwark!"
The storm-powered feline pounced, its claws discharging a point-blank lightning strike into the Bulwark's chest rune.
The giant staggered—then fell.
Silence.
Then—Galen's slow clap.
"Well done," the Duke said, pride evident. "But this was just the beginning."
Sebastian grinned, chest heaving. "I'm ready.
Sebastian sat cross-legged on the smooth obsidian floor of the sanctuary's central pavilion, his fingers tracing the grooves of Dusk's Bite's blade as he studied the Thunder Leowyrn resting nearby. The massive feline's stormcloud fur rippled with each breath, its runes pulsing in time with distant thunder.
Duke Galen stood before him, arms crossed, his expression unreadable.
"The ranking system you know," Galen began, "is a lie."
Sebastian's hand stilled. "What?"
"Not a complete lie," Galen amended. "But a simplification. What commoners and low-ranking nobles learn is a watered-down version meant to prevent panic."
Sebastian set his blade down. "Then what's the real system?"
Galen flicked his wrist, and from the shadows, a Pearl-Heart Mosasaurus emerged, its pearlescent scales shimmering as it coiled around a stone pillar.
"Twelve tiers," Galen said. "Not six."
## The Expanded Classification
Galen summoned a scroll from his spatial ring—a relic of deep blue vellum that hummed with ancient energy. He unfurled it, revealing intricate script that shifted and rearranged itself as Sebastian watched.
"Tiers I through IV are as you know," Galen explained. "But beyond Arcane Protectors, there exist creatures most never see—beasts that shape continents, manipulate time, or guard knowledge older than empires."
Sebastian's Book of Beast Records trembled in his mind, its pages itching to update. He forced it still. Not yet.
Galen pointed to the scroll.
[Tier V: Soul Sentinels]
- Crystalline runic formations
- Mineral-based magic
- Example: Diamond Bears that can shatter mountains with a roar
[Tier VI: Rune Lords]
- Weather-controlling spirals
- Atmospheric mastery
- Example: Hurricane Dragons that birth storms with their wings
The list continued, each tier more staggering than the last—Mystic Kings with psychic abilities, Astral Emperors that bent gravity, Temporal Sages that could glimpse futures.
Sebastian's throat went dry at the final entry.
[Tier XII: Mythic Sovereigns]
- Continental-level magical impact
- Lifespans exceeding 4,000 years
- Example: The World Serpent said to coil around the empire's roots
"These," Galen said quietly, "are the beasts that true powers—emperors, grand dukes, and ancient houses—keep as final weapons."
Sebastian stared at his father's bonded Thunderstorm Leviathan, suddenly realizing it wasn't the pinnacle. Just a stepping stone.
"Why hide this?"
Galen rolled the scroll shut. "Imagine if every petty lord knew creatures exist that could erase their bloodlines with a thought. The empire would fracture in a week."
Sebastian's mind raced. "Then the beasts at Mysticrium…"
"Are curated," Galen finished. "The academy has Tier VIIIs in its depths. Maybe higher. But students only see what the council allows."
A cold realization settled in Sebastian's gut. "You're telling me this because Mysticrium won't."
Galen's smile was razor-thin. "Knowledge is power, boy. And you're a Stormwright. We don't walk into battles blind."
He tossed Sebastian the scroll. "Memorize it. Then burn it."
As dusk painted the sanctuary in violets and golds, Sebastian stood before his Blairon Giant, the Book of Beast Records open in his mind.
[[Blairon Giant – Current Tier: II (Spark Guardian)]]
[[Hidden Evolutionary Path: Tier IX (Temporal Sage Potential)]]
[[Requirements:
- Exposure to Chrono-Infused Ore
-Bond Synchronization ≥ 90%
- Survive Temporal Backlash]]
Sebastian's breath caught. Tier IX. A beast that could manipulate time.
"Father," he called, turning. "Where do we find Chrono-Infused Ore?"
Galen, who had been observing the Solarian Flamekeeper's training, went very still. "You're not ready."
"I will be."
For a long moment, Galen studied him. Then—"The Clockwork Ruins. Beneath Celesthaven's eastern spires. But Sebastian…" His voice turned grave. "That ore isn't just rare. It's alive. And it doesn't like being mined."
Sebastian grinned. "Good thing I've got a Giant."
That night, as Sebastian pored over the scroll's secrets, a shadow fell across his desk.
"You'll need more than bravado to survive Mysticrium."
Sebastian looked up to see Dame Lyra Frostmane leaning in the doorway, her Frost Drake coiled around her shoulders.
"I know," he said.
She tossed him a small crystal. "Then start with this."
Sebastian caught it—and gasped. The crystal housed a microscopic Temporal Sage, its tiny runes glowing.
"A lesson," Lyra said. "Time isn't just a weapon. It's a teacher."
As Sebastian watched, the minuscule beast rewound the crystal's fractures—healing itself in a loop.
This, he realized, was just the beginning.
The training yard of Stormwright Keep echoed with the clash of steel as Sebastian sparred with his Thunderjaw Wyvern, its mutated form now stable at Tier IV. The beast's lightning-charged tail whipped through the air, forcing Sebastian to pivot mid-strike, his twin blades flashing in the afternoon sun.
"Good," Duke Galen observed from the sidelines, arms crossed. "But you're still telegraphing your left swings."
Sebastian wiped sweat from his brow, sheathing Dawn's Edge and Dusk's Bite. "I'll work on it."
Just then, the keep's elderly steward, Harlan, shuffled into the yard, his aged hands clasped behind his back. "Young lord, a moment of your time?"
Sebastian nodded, dismissing his wyvern back to its beast-ring. "What is it?"
Harlan cleared his throat. "With your departure for Mysticrium approaching, have you given thought to taking a squire? Someone to tend to your armor, manage your correspondence—"
"Servants aren't allowed at the academy," Sebastian interrupted. "You know that."
A smooth voice cut through the air before Harlan could reply. "Which is precisely why he must take one as a student."
Sebastian turned to see his mother, Philomena Stormwind, gliding toward them, her silver-blue hair catching the light like polished steel.
"Mother," Sebastian sighed, "I don't need—"
"Every great house sends retainers to safeguard their heirs," Philomena said firmly. "The Arindhelms have their royal knights. The Corvains plant spies among the student body. You will not go unprotected."
Galen grunted in agreement. "She's right. The academy's halls are as deadly as any battlefield."
Sebastian opened his mouth to argue when a chorus of voices erupted from the gathered servants and knights:
"Take young Martin, my lord! He's quick with a whetstone!"
"No, Joren! The boy's been training with the guards since he could walk!"
"My niece—"
Sebastian raised his hands. "Enough!" Silence fell. He exhaled. "If I take someone, it won't be out of obligation. It'll be someone who earns their place beside me."
A face flashed in his mind—a mountain of a boy with unbreakable will.
"I know who to ask."
Ten days later, a contingent of Stormwright knights rode through the towering gates of the imperial capital, their sapphire-emblazoned cloaks marking them as nobility. At their head, Sebastian guided his steed with practiced ease, though his stomach churned with unease.
Beside him, Sir Alden Crestwing—the senior knight leading the escort—adjusted his gauntlets. "We'll secure lodgings first. The slums aren't a place to wander after dark."
Sebastian nodded absently, his eyes tracing the city's glittering spires. "How does the empire allow such inequality? The palace gleams like a jewel, while its people starve in its shadow."
Sir Alden's expression hardened. "The world isn't fair, boy. The strong rise; the weak endure. That's the way it's always been."
They secured rooms at the Gilded Gryphon, a high-end inn frequented by nobles. As the knights settled in, Sebastian changed into plain traveler's garb—rough-spun tunic, worn boots, a hood to obscure his silver-blue hair.
"You're certain about this?" Sir Alden asked, eyeing Sebastian's disguise. "The slums are no place for a duke's heir."
Sebastian strapped Dusk's Bite beneath his cloak. "If Kael survived them, so can I."
The stench hit Sebastian first—rotting food, unwashed bodies, the metallic tang of blood. The slums sprawled like a festering wound beneath Celesthaven's gleaming towers, a maze of crumbling tenements and sewage-choked alleys.
"Eyes forward," Sir Alden muttered as a gaunt-faced child tugged at Sebastian's sleeve. "Don't engage."
But Sebastian couldn't look away.
A woman with hollow cheeks offered her emaciated body to a passing merchant for a handful of copper. A boy no older than six gnawed on a rat carcass. An elderly man coughed blood into the gutter.
"By the gods…" Sebastian whispered, his stomach roiling.
One of the younger knights, Ser Joric, paled. "I've patrolled warzones less grim."
Sir Alden gripped Sebastian's shoulder. "Stay focused. We're here for Kael."
They pressed deeper, asking discreet questions at ramshackle taverns and street vendors. The answers were always the same:
"The Titan Boy? Aye, he lives near the old tannery. Protects his block like a damned wardog."
"Watch yourself, milord. That one's cracked skulls for looking at his family wrong."
Finally, they found it—a crumbling tenement with a door reinforced with scrap metal. A crude rune was carved into the wood: a bear's claw.
Sebastian knocked.
The door creaked open to reveal Kael the Unbroken, his massive frame filling the doorway. His eyes—hard as flint—narrowed at the strangers.
"What do you—" Recognition flashed. "Stormwright?"
Sebastian lowered his hood. "We need to talk."
Inside, the single-room hovel was spotless despite its poverty. A frail woman (Kael's mother) coughed in a corner bed, while two small children (a boy and a girl) peered from behind a tattered curtain.
Kael crossed his arms. "If you're here to recruit me for some noble's games, save your breath. I've got a scholarship to—"
"I know," Sebastian interrupted. "Mysticrium. I'm going too."
Kael's jaw tightened. "Then what do you want?"
Sebastian glanced at the children, then at the empty stew pot hanging over cold ashes. "I'm offering you a place as my sworn retainer. Full wages, your family relocated to Stormwright lands, and—"
"Charity?" Kael's voice was a growl. "I don't need pity."
"It's not pity," Sebastian countered. "It's strategy. You're strong. I need strong allies."
Kael's mother wheezed from her bed. "Kael… the medicine…"
The Titan Strength wielder's shoulders sagged. For the first time, Sebastian saw the cracks in his unbreakable facade.
"The scholarship money… it's not enough," Kael admitted, voice raw. "The healers say she needs moonbloom elixir. That's fifty crowns a vial."
Sir Alden whistled low. "A knight's yearly wage."
Sebastian didn't hesitate. "Done."
Kael's head snapped up. "What?"
"My family's healers will treat her," Sebastian said. "Your siblings will have tutors. In return, you stand with me at Mysticrium."
The bigger boy stared at him for a long moment. Then, slowly, he extended a calloused hand.
"Swear it."
Sebastian clasped his forearm. "On my blood."
Outside, the slums groaned on—but in that moment, two futures were sealed.
The carriage rattled along the cobbled roads leading to the Stormwright estate, its velvet curtains drawn against the curious eyes of passing villagers. Inside, Kael's mother, Liora, clutched her two youngest children close, her sunken eyes wide with disbelief. The scent of medicinal herbs clung to her frail frame, a stark contrast to the crisp linen cushions beneath her.
"This… this is too much," she whispered, her fingers trembling against the carriage's gilded trim.
Sebastian, seated across from them, shook his head. "It's the bare minimum."
Outside, the landscape shifted from the capital's smog-choked outskirts to the lush, rolling hills of Rainmere. Kael's younger brother, Erik, pressed his face against the glass, his breath fogging the pane.
"Are those our mountains?" the boy asked, pointing to the distant peaks.
Sir Alden, riding alongside the carriage, chuckled. "Aye, lad. And the forests, and the rivers. The Stormwrights rule all you see."
Kael, though, remained silent. His massive frame was tense, his knuckles white where they gripped his knees. Sebastian recognized the look—a warrior waiting for the other boot to drop.
The Stormwright servants lined the courtyard as the carriage rolled to a stop, their expressions a mix of curiosity and thinly veiled disdain. A maid sniffed as Kael helped his mother down the steps.
"Slum rats in the lord's halls," she muttered just loud enough to carry.
Kael's spine stiffened, but before he could react, Philomena Stormwind glided down the manor steps, her silver-blue gown shimmering like frozen starlight.
"Welcome," she said, her voice cutting through the tension like a blade. "Liora, was it? Our healers have prepared a chamber for you near the herb gardens. The air there is… purer."
Liora bowed as deeply as her frail body allowed. "My lady, we are unworthy—"
"Nonsense." Philomena took the woman's hands gently. "Your son has sworn service to my house. That makes you family."
The watching servants paled.
Sebastian hid a smirk. That should silence the gossip.
At dawn, the training yard was already alive with the clash of steel when Sebastian arrived. To his surprise, he found Duke Galen himself waiting, Stormcleaver planted point-first in the dirt.
"Your pet Titan needs to prove himself," Galen said without preamble.
Kael, who had been shadowing Sebastian, stepped forward. "Name the test."
Galen's smile was razor-thin. He gestured to the far end of the yard, where a massive iron golem stood motionless—one of the family's training constructs.
"Survive five minutes against the Iron Sentinel. No weapons. No beasts."
A murmur rippled through the gathered knights. The Sentinel was a Tier III combat dummy enchanted to fight with the skill of a veteran warrior.
Kael cracked his knuckles. "Easy."
The moment the gong sounded, the Sentinel lurched to life, its fist swinging like a battering ram. Kael ducked, but the follow-up kick sent him skidding across the dirt.
"Pathetic," sneered one knight.
Sebastian's fingers twitched toward his blades, but Philomena's hand on his shoulder stopped him. "Watch."
Kael spat blood and smiled.
What followed wasn't a fight—it was a masterclass in brutality. Kael took blows that would shatter normal men, only to retaliate with his Titan Strength, bending the Sentinel's metal limbs with bare hands. When it tried to grapple, he slammed his forehead into its rune-core, cracking the enchanted stone.
At four minutes and thirty-seven seconds, the Sentinel staggered and fell, its magic spent.
Silence.
Then—Duke Galen's slow clap.
"Not bad… for a slum rat."
Kael's grin was all teeth. "I'll take that as a compliment."i
The news arrived via Mystic Owl at supper, its silver-tipped feathers rustling as it dropped a rolled parchment into Sebastian's soup.
Stormwright—
Heard you've adopted a stray. Cute. I've found myself a new companion as well. Meet Rathis Duneclaw—my squire, and the first mortal in a century to bond a Draco Tyrannous.
See you at the academy.
-Prince Theren.
Sebastian nearly choked. "A what?"
Kael snatched the letter, his eyes narrowing. "That's impossible. Those things are Tier IV Arcane Protectors. They don't bond with humans."
Philomena's wine glass paused mid-sip. "Prince Theren has always been… resourceful."
Duke Galen, however, looked grim. "Draco Tyrannous are desert tyrants. Forty-five feet of scaled fury with tails that can shatter castle walls." He met Sebastian's gaze. "This Rathis boy… he's either a genius or a madman."
Sebastian's Book of Beast Records flickered open in his mind, pulling data:
[[Draco Tyrannous – Tier IV (Arcane Protector)
- Strengths: Near-impenetrable hide, tail capable of sonic strikes
- Weakness: Cold-blooded—slows in frigid environments
- Threat Level: Extreme]]
Kael cracked his knuckles. "Good thing I like a challenge."
Sebastian exhaled. "This just got complicated."