Chapter 6) Beast Bonding Ceremony
At the very center of the vast hall, where all eyes naturally fell, stood a massive caged structure. The metal bars gleamed under the crystal lights above, faint sparks of energy pulsing across its surface. Something inside shifted, a deep growl echoing faintly and the crowd's chatter grew restless.
Lucien narrowed his eyes.
"…What the hell is that? They're keeping the beasts in there?"
Serenya leaned closer, whispering like she was telling him a secret.
"Yeah. That's the Bonding Cage. Every year they bring in the beasts chosen for the ceremony. One by one, the cage opens, and the beasts… well, they pick you."
Lucien blinked.
"They pick us? Just like that? No trials, no tests? Damn, this feels too fast. What if I don't even understand what's happening?"
Serenya giggled softly, brushing pink hair out of her eyes.
"Because it is fast. It's always been this way. This whole thing's been planned for months. When we were still kids, we used to sneak in to watch the older students get bonded. Every year it happens the same way. Now it's just… our turn."
Lucien clenched his fists.
"…Hell, it's still too weird. They just let me in, like it was nothing. No checks, no questions. Feels like something's off."
But he exhaled and shook his head. "Whatever. Doesn't matter now. I'm here. I'm actually here."
At that moment, the professor at the center raised her arms. Her voice rang through the hall with sharp authority:
"Students of the Golden Arcanum! The time has come. You will step forward, one by one, when your name is called. The beasts within this cage will decide who they accept. Should the bond take root, you will know it instantly."
The cage rattled, another growl rolling out, this one louder. Whispers and nervous laughter spread across the crowd.
The professor's eyes gleamed as she continued,
"Prepare yourselves. The choosing begins now!"
The hall burst into applause, voices overlapping in excitement, tension sparking like fire in the air.
Lucien swallowed hard. "Hell damn… this is real. Too damn real."
---
Lucien squinted at the rattling cage in the middle.
"Wait… how the hell do all the beasts even fit in there? Some of them are massive, right?"
Serenya tilted her head, a playful smile tugging her lips.
"They don't. Not really."
Lucien blinked.
"What do you mean, not really? The damn thing's right there!"
"It's magic," she said simply, like that explained everything. "The cage isn't holding anything right now. It's more like… a gate. When someone steps forward, the beast that chooses them manifests inside. Any beast, any size, it doesn't matter."
Lucien's eyes widened.
"…So you're telling me it's all an illusion? That thing's not even real?"
Serenya grinned.
"Oh, it's real. But it's bound by ancient spellwork. The beasts don't stay inside, they come when it's their time. The cage is just… the place they appear, and the place they bond."
Lucien muttered under his breath.
"Damn… that's insane. Magic just… pulls them out of nowhere?"
"Yes. They choose," Serenya said softly, her tone almost reverent now. "When your name is called, the one meant for you will appear inside."
The professor at the center raised her hand high, her voice booming across the hall.
"Let the Bonding Ceremony begin!"
A ripple of excitement surged through the crowd, the air buzzing like a storm about to break.
Lucien's pulse hammered in his ears.
Hell damn… it's starting. It's actually starting.
---
The hall went quiet as the professor in the center called out the first name.
"Alric Darnell!"
A tall boy strode forward, nerves flickering in his eyes. The cage hummed, runes sparking, and with a flash, a gray hysk padded into existence. The connection locked.
"Common Rank! Greater Stage! " the professor announced.
Applause echoed through the hall.
Next.
"Selene Marris!"
A girl with auburn hair walked stiffly to the center. The cage shimmered again, and a hawk burst into being, wings snapping wide before dissolving into her aura.
"Common Rank! Supreme Stage!"
Another wave of claps, chatter buzzing.
"Kieran Mesira!"
A stocky boy nearly tripped on his way forward. The cage swirled, and a squat boar snorted into the space. Bond formed.
"Elite Rank! Lesser Stage!"
One after another…
"Liora Thayne!" bonded with a lynx.
"Derrick Falmore!" bonded with a serpent.
Both announced as Common Rank, Greater Stage.
Then, finally, a shift.
"Mirielle Dravos!"
Gasps rippled through the hall as a silver-scaled drake appeared in the cage, smoke curling from its nostrils. The professor's tone sharpened.
"Elite Rank! Greater Stage!"
The crowd erupted in loud applause, some even whistling.
As another name was called and more applause rippled across the hall, Lucien leaned closer to Serenya.
"What are those ranks and stages they keep shouting? I don't get it at all."
She turned to him with a half-smile. "Ah, you mean the ranks and stages? Alright, I'll explain. Everything starts with Common Rank, that's the lowest. After that comes Elite, then Noble, then Sovereign, then Eclipse, and at the very top - Divine Rank. Divine beasts are legends, Lucien. This Academy doesn't hold one at the moment . Eclipse? They've happened to choose someone, but… not more than ten in all its history, I'd bet."
Lucien blinked. "Damn…"
Serenya wasn't done. "And each rank splits into three stages. Lesser Stage, then Greater Stage, and finally Supreme Stage. So even within the same rank, some are far stronger than others."
Lucien raised a brow. "Looks like you know a lot about this stuff."
Serenya shot him a sideways glance, lips curling into a smirk. "Of course. These are just the basics, you know. Everyone here grows up hearing about ranks and stages. You really didn't?"
Lucien scratched the back of his neck. "Nope. Not a damn clue."
She let out a short laugh. "Well, guess you're lucky I'm around. Otherwise, you'd be standing here looking like a total idiot."
Lucien rolled his eyes, forcing a crooked grin. "Damn, guess I already do."
Serenya giggled and nudged him lightly with her elbow. "Exactly. But don't worry, I'll make sure you survive this place."
Lucien chuckled back, but inside his head it was a different voice entirely.
"Yeah, laugh while you can. Let's see who ends up the real idiot in the end."
His eyes lingered on her for a moment, unreadable, before he turned back toward the cage in the center.
From the center of the hall, the professor's voice rang out, clear:
"Serenya Veylan!"
Gasps and murmurs rippled through the crowd. Serenya's eyes widened, then she turned to Lucien with a bright grin.
"Oh, it's my turn!"
Lucien leaned forward, smirking. "Good luck, good luck!"
She shot him a quick wink before hurrying toward the center. The applause swelled all around, echoing in the enormous hall. Lucien clapped along with them, though his gaze stayed fixed on her.
Serenya glanced back once over her shoulder, her pink hair catching the light from the enchanted chandeliers overhead and smiled at him before stepping closer to the cage.
The cage began to shimmer, the air warping with magic. Then, with a hiss that sliced through the noise, a massive serpent slithered out of the cage. Its scales gleamed like polished obsidian, streaks of silver running across its body as though lit from within. The snake coiled in slow, deliberate arcs, its golden eyes never leaving Serenya.
The crowd went silent, awed, tense, almost fearful.
The professor's voice rang again, official and resonant:
"Elite Rank, Supreme Stage!"
The words detonated across the hall. Applause roared up, but Lucien barely heard it. His heart hammered as he stared at the snake.
"She's seriously going to touch that thing?"
Serenya walked forward without hesitation. Calm, poised, almost radiant. She lowered herself slightly, meeting the serpent's gaze. Then, with steady hands, she reached out and pressed her palm to its head.
The snake shivered, a ripple of light flashing through its body. It hissed low and deep, but instead of striking, it began to dissolve, its vast form unraveling into luminous threads that wrapped around Serenya's arm, her chest, her very soul. In one final shimmer, the serpent vanished completely into her.
The hall erupted in wild cheers.
Serenya turned back, her eyes shining, cheeks flushed with exhilaration. She hurried toward Lucien, still glowing faintly with the serpent's bond.
Lucien leaned closer immediately, whispering quickly:
"Hey, what was that? I didn't get it. How did you do that? What did you whisper? I wasn't paying attention before… come on, tell me."
Serenya laughed lightly, brushing hair from her face.
"Ahh, you really don't know… Okay, I'll explain…"
Serenya leaned closer to him, her voice softer now, almost conspiratorial.
"When the beast chooses you, you place your hand on its head and whisper the binding incantation: 'By Fate and Blood, I bind you. Walk with me through all our days.' That's how the bond is sealed."
Lucien blinked, his brow furrowing. "For all our lives? Something stirred in the back of his mind, heavy. A vow like that… forever? That's not just a choice. That's a chain."
Serenya continued, her tone bright and untroubled:
"You'll speak it with all your will, promising loyalty until the end of your days. And if the beast accepts…" she paused, smiling, "...the bond becomes unbreakable. But don't worry. The creature has already chosen you the moment it appeared. The words are just the seal."
Lucien's chest tightened. He forced a small smile, but his thoughts were darker. So it's not just about strength. It's surrender. You give your life away… and they call it glory.
Before he could press further, the professor's clear, commanding voice cut through the hall again:
"Eldrin Cloud!"
A boy stepped out from the crowd. Tall, neatly dressed in a tailored coat of midnight blue, his blond hair catching the chandeliers' glow.
The students erupted in applause, their eyes following him with admiration. A few whispered his name in awe."It's him… Eldrin! From the Cloud family!"
Lucien's lip curled slightly. "
Perfect posture, perfect clothes, perfect face. Let's see if his beast is just as perfect…"
‐-‐
Eldrin Cloud stepped into the very center. The cage at once began to tremble, the ground underfoot giving off a low hum. The air itself warped with pressure.
Then, from the cage, a creature emerged, sleek as a shadow, yet burning with silver light. It had the body of a great panther, but wings of glasslike crystal spread from its back, refracting the torchlight into a storm of colors. Its eyes glowed a piercing azure, and faint crackles of lightning crawled along its claws.
The professor's lips curved into a sharp smile.
"Noble Rank, Lesser Stage."
The hall exploded. Cheers, applause, gasps. Students clapped wildly, some even shouting Eldrin's name.
Serenya leaned toward Lucien, eyes wide with excitement.
"Did you see that? Did you SEE that?! Noble Rank… incredible…"
Lucien's gaze lingered on Eldrin, his mind running.
"Bloodline, huh… Serenya said the beast's strength depends on it. And I heard someone whisper the Clouds have powerful blood…"
He turned to Serenya, his voice low.
"Do you know the Cloud family?"
Serenya nodded quickly. "Of course. I've heard of them enough…"
"Just as I thought" Lucien mused, a faint, knowing smile tugging at his lips.
Meanwhile, Eldrin stood tall, hand pressed to the beast's head. His voice carried steady, commanding, as he spoke the binding words.
The panther-like creature dissolved into a shimmer of light, sinking into him. Eldrin straightened, calm and proud, eyes sweeping across the crowd. Then he turned and descended from the stage.
The professor's voice rang out clear and formal:
"Lucien Ardyn!"
At once the crowd applauded, out of custom, not out of recognition. But as Lucien rose and began walking toward the center, the applause faltered. Heads tilted. Whispers slithered through the hall…
"Who is that?"
"I've never seen him before…"
"Why does he look like that in such ceremony…"
The clapping died almost entirely, replaced by murmurs. Lucien felt a cold pressure crawl up his spine. His steps sounded too loud against the stone floor.
"So this is what it feels like… all eyes, all suspicion."
He reached the cage. The moment he stopped before it, the entire structure shuddered. At first, just a tremor. Then a violent shake... The floor quaked beneath their feet, the torches lining the hall flickering wildly.
The whispers turned sharp, urgent:
"What in the world…?"
"Noo, the hell is that…"
"Is he summoning something beyond, huh?"
The professor herself leaned forward, brows knitting, yet her smile never left her lips.
And then… silence.
The cage doors creaked open with an agonizing slowness. Every breath in the hall held still, waiting for the beast to emerge.
But there was nothing.
Empty space. No claw, no glow, no roar… only darkness yawning from within.
A murmur swept the crowd, sharp and uneasy:
"What trick is this?"
"Nothing? Is it broken?"
The crowd's murmurs slowly twisted into mocking whispers, then into quiet laughter.
"He got nothing…", "Of course. Just look at him, it was obvious from the start."
The laughter wasn't loud, but sharp, cutting through the air like a blade.
Lucien stepped back from the Cage. His chest tightened, yet he forced a crooked smile, bitter, almost mocking himself.
"Yes… it couldn't have been any other way."