Orryntha was a realm vast and boundless, its five continents divided by oceans that seemed without shore. Here, life itself rested upon one unshakable truth—the bond between man and beast. To awaken a spirit beast was to step onto the path of cultivation; to grow alongside it was to climb the ladder of strength, until one ascended to the title feared and revered above all: Beast Master, sovereigns of this world.
In such a realm, strength was not a choice—it was destiny.
Aion had no such destiny. Or so he believed.
He was reborn into Orryntha with no memory of parents, raised within the quiet walls of an orphanage in Bridgemoon City, a city in Eastern continent . As a child, he gazed at the skies with longing, dreaming of the day when he too would walk the world alongside a spirit beast of his own.
That day came when he turned sixteen. At the city's awakening ceremony, he placed his hand upon the Spirit Tablet and manifested his talent—Energy Bloom. According to the Federation's records, it was a ability by which energy in Aion is one that help to accelerate the growth of spirit beasts and help in healing injuries faster. A talent for breeders, not warriors.
So he chose his path. He enrolled in Bridgemoon Academy, majored in nurturing, and graduated as a novice breeder. For a year, he interned at a nurturing base that specialized in Blazetail Spirit Foxes, Commander-level beasts in high demand. It was steady work with monthly allowance of 20000 star coins but not glamorous.
Now twenty years old, Aion had already reached the level of Elite Tamer (Rank 3), yet his circumstances remained humble. He possessed only one contracted beast—a Harespring, a gentle, deer-like creature named Hazel at soldier peak rank (level 29) with healing talent. Its potential peaked at the Elite rank, and though it was loyal and kind, it offered little in terms of battle strength.
Funds were always scarce. Spirit beasts of higher potential demanded vast wealth to acquire, and Aion's modest earnings as a nurturer barely sustained him. He dreamed of more, but reality pressed like chains around him.He still has 2 slots for spirit beast but with meager money he has he can't buy spirit beast with higher potential of commander rank as even the lowest commander rank cost is around hundreds of thousands of star coins and in a year of working after spending money for cultivation of him and Hazel he has only left with less than 25000 star coins and buying even 1 beast with this amount is a pipedream.
Hazel's growth had reached a critical juncture. To step into the elite rank, the little beast needed the nurturing of the Lunaris Herb. Aion, being a nurturer himself, knew well how to guide Hazel through the process. Yet the cost was steep—ten stalks of Lunaris would drain away every star coin he had managed to save.
Rather than surrender all his wealth, Aion chose another path. Beyond the city's outskirts lay the Eternagrave Forest, a place of both peril and promise. There, under moonlight, the Lunaris Herb grew wild. If he dared to gather it himself, Hazel could be nurtured without impoverishing him—and perhaps he could even earn some extra coin.
At the mission hall, Aion accepted a simple task: collect strands of Lunaris Herb, a rank two plant whose pale-green leaves glowed softly beneath the moon. Known to soothe wounds and bolster beasts of novice and soldier rank, it was sought after by many. The reward was set at 1,000 star coins per strand.
With Hazel at his side, Aion left for Eternagrave that very afternoon, carrying only the essentials. The forest was alive with the whisper of leaves and the scent of moss. Hours passed as he searched the shaded groves. Then, as sunset bled across the horizon and moonlight pierced the canopy, the herbs revealed themselves—faintly glowing, like tiny lanterns born of the night.
Patiently, Aion harvested them one by one. By nightfall, he had gathered twenty strands. Ten he would keep, enough to nurture Hazel into the elite rank. The remaining ten would be sold back to the mission hall. Even at their reduced price—seventy percent of market value—it meant 10,000 star coins safely earned.
He sighed. "That's enough for today. Let's go home, Hazel."
But just then Hazel pricked her ears and stirred, eyes fixed on a fragrance drifting through the forest. It was faint, and hearing Hazel aion decide to try his luck as there is still some time from sunset
Curious, and knowing Hazel would never act without reason, Aion followed. Soon, bathed in a pool of moonlight, he found it: a delicate orchid no larger than his hand, shimmering faintly as if made of liquid silver. His breath caught.
Moonspire Orchid. A rank 4 spirit herb
An elegant spirit flower that bloomed only beneath the full moon and help in breakthrough from peak elite rank to advanced rank . Even more coveted was its whispered ability to break through a beast's potential ceiling, however slim the chance. Its value in the markets exceeded 500,000 star coins—and in Bridgemoon, supply was nonexistent.
Excitement surged through him, but it quickly cooled. The forest around him had fallen silent—eerily silent. His instincts screamed danger.
A hiss slithered through the bushes.
Aion leapt aside as the ground split and a massive serpent slid forth. Black scales shimmered faintly with violet runes, and ghostly blue eyes locked on him with predatory hunger. Its body stretched over ten meters.
A Duskwraith Serpent. At mid elite rank (Rank 3)with potential of peak advanced rank (Rank 4)
Far beyond anything he could face.
"Hazel, back!" he ordered, sending his beast into its spirit space. Without hesitation, Aion turned and sprinted into the woods without looking back being an elite tamer his speed is fast. The serpent hissed again, but did not pursue—choosing instead to coil protectively around the Moonspire Orchid, waiting for it to mature.
Aion ran until his lungs burned, until the forest blurred around him. At last, his foot struck soft ground. The earth gave way, and he slid downward, crashing into darkness.
When he rose, he found himself in an underground ruin, half-swallowed by time. Moss clung to stone pillars, and fragments of forgotten murals lined the walls. At the center stood a rusted gate, its surface carved with faded runes.
Drawn as if by fate, Aion reached out. The moment his fingers brushed the gate, his Energy Bloom surged violently, resonating with it. He tried to pull away, but his hand stuck fast. A suction force gripped him, dragging his essence inward.
The gate shuddered, runes igniting one by one. And then—
Aion vanished.