Varanasi Institute of Magic – Classroom
The bell rang sharply across the hall, echoing off stone walls. Students hurriedly gathered in their classroom, murmuring amongst themselves.
"So… I heard a city in China fell recently," whispered one boy, eyes wide.
"Yeah," another chimed in. "And Kashi… it fell too. No one knows why."
A third shrugged. "Could be the work of some secret organizations, moving behind the scenes."
"Or maybe… Crown-tier mages are walking in the shadows," a fourth said, his voice dropping conspiratorially. A few students shivered.
At that moment, the door opened, and Teacher Vir strode in, robes brushing the stone floor. Silence fell instantly.
"Yesterday, we discussed tiers of mages and spells," Vir began, voice steady. "Today, we shift our focus to monsters. Their classifications are as follows:"
1. Feral – Common beasts, often mutated.
2. Dire – Strong predators; villages fear them.
3. Dread – Regional threats; require squads to handle.
4. Calamity – Capable of destroying entire cities.
5. Sovereign – Rulers of monster domains.
6. Primordial – Ancient monsters, equal to gods.
A student raised a hand hesitantly. "Teacher… what about the marks on some students' robes? I've seen claw and wing-like marks…"
Vir's eyes flickered with gravity. "Those marks? They are creatures. Primordial beings. Not pets, not slaves. Companions. Do not assume that just because a mark adorns your robe, the creature will obey forever. If you stray from the right path… they will abandon you. Or worse—they will turn against you."
A ripple of awe and fear passed through the class. A few students glanced nervously at their companions, gripping their staffs tighter.
"They have levels," Vir continued, his voice dropping to a whisper, "but that… is a lesson for another day."
---
In the Shadows –
Far away, in a dimly lit chamber, cloaked figures circled a carved stone triangle. Whispers floated like smoke.
"He has risen far faster than expected," one voice murmured. "The boy in China… fire and lightning."
A figure moved quickly toward the circle, dropping to his knees. "My lords… the creature we were trying to capture for the upcoming event… it has been caught."
A chilling laugh echoed through the chamber, low and cruel, reverberating off the walls. The shadows seemed to bend and shift in response, as if savoring the coming chaos.
CHAPTER 5:- END