The morning after the dungeon expedition, Verdelune's skies rippled with color. A pillar of azure light pierced the heavens—visible from the academy's courtyards, from the royal palace, and even from the smallest shepherd's hut in the hills.
Students clustered outside the dormitories, staring.
"It's… beautiful," Mira whispered.
"Beautiful things are rarely safe," Kane muttered.
"Like strawberry jam left unattended," Bessy said wisely.
Tomlin shielded his eyes. "That tower wasn't there yesterday."
"Congratulations," Bessy said. "You've discovered basic observation."
THE AZURE SPIRE
Rumor spread faster than wildfire:
A Spirit Tower had manifested overnight at the border between the Verdelune Kingdom and the Frost Courts.
It was said to bridge the mortal world and the spirit realm—an event unseen for centuries.
The Royal Court immediately issued decrees:
Only licensed spirit tamers may approach the Tower.
The Academy of Tamer Arts will form an exploratory delegation.
All discoveries must be reported directly to the Council of Crowns.
The Church, of course, claimed ownership on religious grounds.
"A gift from the heavens!" declared High Priest Valor. "And the Sacred Cow of Verdelune shall lead the first pilgrimage!"
Tomlin spat out his tea. "What?!"
"You're famous, Farmer," Bessy said smugly. "And I look stunning in ceremonial garlands."
THE FROST EMISSARY ARRIVES
Two days later, snow fell over the sunny valley—unnatural for the season.
A frost-chilled carriage rolled up the academy path, pulled by silver antlered elk.
From it stepped Lady Selene of the Frost Courts—tall, pale, and dressed in silks woven from moonlight.
Her spirit, a crystalline wraith-fox, glowed faintly blue beside her.
Students murmured in awe.
Aero stiffened. "That's the Frost Courts' royal envoy. She outranks half the continent."
Lady Selene approached Tomlin's group directly, eyes glinting like ice.
"Which of you," she asked softly, "commands the Divine Cow?"
Bessy mooed politely. "That would be me."
Selene blinked.
Tomlin coughed. "Uh—she talks."
"I see," Selene said slowly, though clearly she did not. "Then by decree of the Frost Courts, I request your presence at the Tower of Azure Light. It resonates with… your aura."
"My aura?" Bessy said. "Or my charm?"
Selene's lips twitched. "Possibly both."
ECONOMIC STIR
Back in the capital, the Merchant's Hall and Adventurer's Guild were in uproar.
Trade routes realigned overnight:
Essence Crystals skyrocketed in value.
Spirit Contracts became new currency.
Dungeon relics were taxed as "divine offerings."
Gold Crowns, Silver Branches, and Copper Seeds—the three main currencies—fluctuated wildly.
Bessy was unimpressed.
"Money's nice, but have they considered investing in jam futures?"
KINGDOM POLITICS IN MOTION
Behind the fanfare, the political stage shifted:
Verdelune Kingdom wanted to claim the Tower for prestige.
The Frost Courts saw it as ancient inheritance.
The Church declared it holy property.
The Adventurer's Hall saw profit.
The Merchant's Hall smelled opportunity.
Tomlin saw only trouble.
"Every time someone says my name now, a politician faints or a priest prays."
"That's fame," Bessy said cheerfully. "You'll get used to it."
ACADEMY MISSION: THE TOWER EXPEDITION
Professor Hestrel summoned Tomlin's team to the Grand Auditorium.
The academy banners fluttered behind him.
"The Azure Spire is a multi-layered spirit nexus. We've been ordered to explore it—and you five are being sent as the academy's 'Rising Tamers.'"
Tomlin slumped. "Because we're expendable?"
"Because you defeated a divine guardian and haven't died yet," Hestrel replied.
"Reassuring," Bessy muttered.
Their objectives were simple—on paper:
Chart the lower levels of the Azure Spire.
Record spirit signatures.
Retrieve any artifacts or resource veins.
Avoid dying dramatically.
THE SPIRIT OF THE TOWER
On the third night, Tomlin dreamed.
He stood before the Tower, its walls humming like a heartbeat.
A voice echoed inside his mind—ancient, patient, and vast.
"Bearer of the Dawn Hooves… return what was lost."
Tomlin frowned. "I think you have the wrong farmer."
The voice rumbled, almost amused.
"No. You and the Divine One are bound by fate. The Cow of Dawn must rise once more."
He woke to find Bessy staring at him.
"You talk in your sleep," she said. "Something about hooves and destiny. Should I be concerned?"
"Yes," Tomlin groaned. "But mostly about you."
The Azure Spire stood before them like a dream made solid—vast, crystalline, humming with unseen energy. Its blue light shimmered against the clouds, painting the horizon in shades of silver and indigo.
Tomlin's team stood at the base of the Tower, surrounded by banners from the Academy of Tamer Arts, the Frost Courts, and the Church of Radiant Dawn. A hundred eyes were on him.
He would've run away if not for Bessy standing proudly beside him, bedecked in ceremonial flowers she'd clearly stolen from an altar.
"You look ridiculous," Tomlin whispered.
"I look divine," she said. "They expect holiness, and I'm giving them fashion."
THE GATE OF ENTRY
A ring of glyphs floated before the massive crystal doors—runes pulsing in rhythm like breathing.
Lady Selene approached, her spirit fox weaving wisps of frost around the sigils.
"The Tower responds to resonance," she murmured. "It will open only to those who carry true Spirit Bonds."
Professor Hestrel gestured to Tomlin. "Farmer, you first."
Tomlin blinked. "Why me? Send the noble lightning prodigy!"
"Protocol," Hestrel said. "You broke a divine shrine last week; now you get to open a divine door."
Tomlin sighed, reached out, and let his hand touch the light.
At once, golden radiance flared—Bessy's aura merging with his.
The runes spiraled into motion.
The doors groaned open with a sound like thunder underwater.
"Well done," Bessy said smugly. "Now we just need to not die."
INSIDE THE FIRST FLOOR
The air inside shimmered with floating motes of light—half spirit energy, half dust.
It felt alive, watching.
The first floor was an endless forest under a false sky, where trees glowed faintly blue and rivers of liquid light ran silently.
"It's… beautiful," Mira said, awestruck.
"And unnerving," Kane muttered.
"Looks like my pasture after a lightning storm," Bessy added.
A crystalline statue stood at the center clearing—shaped like a woman with horns and a crown of roots.
At its feet: a glowing Trial Stone.
[FIRST TRIAL: TRUST IN SPIRIT]
— Walk the Path of Bonds. Those who doubt, fall.
TRIAL OF TRUST
A bridge of light extended across a chasm.
Below—nothing but swirling blue mist.
Tomlin hesitated. "So, uh, we just walk?"
"Trust in your spirit," Lady Selene said. "Your resonance will hold the bridge."
Bessy started forward confidently, hooves clinking against the transparent path.
Tomlin followed, muttering prayers.
Halfway across, the bridge shuddered.
"Bessy, are we—"
"You're doubting me!" she snapped. "Stop it or we both fall!"
The light beneath his feet flickered.
Tomlin froze. "I'm not doubting you!"
"Then stop thinking about all the times I ate your lunch!"
"YOU WHAT?!"
The bridge rippled violently.
Mira screamed. Kane lunged forward. Aero shot out lightning to stabilize the energy.
"Stop arguing and move!" yelled Hestrel.
Tomlin took a deep breath, focusing only on the bond—the warmth he always felt from Bessy's spirit.
Light surged beneath their feet.
Together, they made it across.
When they stepped onto solid ground, the Trial Stone pulsed and a soft chime echoed through the air:
[Trust Affirmed.]
[First Path Complete.]
REWARDS
A faint shimmer gathered before them, condensing into three glowing Spirit Seeds—small crystal buds of essence.
Professor Hestrel nodded. "Spirit Seeds—valuable as cores, priceless for growth."
"And possibly edible," Bessy said, sniffing one.
"Don't you dare," Tomlin hissed.
NEW ARRIVALS
As the team regrouped, other doors opened across the hall—more student parties and noble tamers entering their own trials.
Among them was Prince Ardan of Verdelune, the golden-haired heir and academy prodigy, surrounded by elite guards.
He eyed Tomlin coolly.
"So this is the famous farmer. The one the Church calls 'The Druid of Dawn.'"
Tomlin grimaced. "I prefer 'guy who just wanted to milk his cow in peace.'"
"Fascinating," Ardan said, clearly unimpressed. "Try not to die before the second floor."
Bessy snorted. "He's got the face of someone who's never shoveled manure."
THE HEART OF THE FLOOR
As the party explored deeper, they came across an enormous circular glade—spiral carvings marking the ground.
From the sky descended a spectral stag of pure light, antlers spanning the horizon.
"Welcome, inheritors," it said. "Prove that your spirit walks beside you, not behind."
The next test had begun.
The glade was ringed by silent trees of light. The spectral stag stood in the center, its antlers forming an arch of living runes. Every step it took sent ripples through the ground like breath across water.
"Only one pair shall proceed deeper," the stag intoned. "Show your bond. Spirit and tamer as one."
Gasps ran through the gathered students. The two strongest Resonance signatures were already pulsing—one gold, one silver-blue.
Prince Ardan drew his blade, its edge alive with royal flame.
Tomlin Hayfield adjusted his straw hat, holding a pitchfork that looked embarrassingly ordinary beside the prince's weapon.
Bessy pawed the ground.
"Well," she said, "time to embarrass aristocracy again."
"Can we not make it sound like a hobby?" Tomlin muttered.
The Duel Begins
Ardan's spirit, a Solar Gryphon, screeched and took flight, wings trailing embers.
Bessy's horns flared gold, etching circles of light under her hooves.
The air vibrated—two Resonances clashing like storm fronts.
The stag watched silently as the runes began to pulse faster.
Ardan struck first. Fire lines shot across the glade, forming a burning cage.
"Royal Art: Solar Prison!"
Tomlin flinched back, smoke rising from the ground.
"Any bright ideas?"
"Yes," Bessy said. "Don't get roasted."
Then she stomped once.
A wave of golden energy burst outward, the flames folding inward and vanishing like breath snuffed out.
The crowd gasped.
"You absorbed my fire?" Ardan said, stunned.
"Technically recycled it," Bessy replied. "Eco-friendly combat."
The Bond
The stag's voice rumbled.
"Your strength means nothing if you do not trust. Show me unity."
Ardan barked a command, but his gryphon hesitated—their link wavering. Pride clouded their rhythm.
Tomlin, sweating, reached out and placed a hand on Bessy's neck.
"Let's… try not to destroy the lawn."
"Fine. But if we win, I want extra hay—and jam."
Their laughter, simple and honest, resonated through the clearing.
Light exploded between them, golden threads binding man and beast in perfect rhythm.
The stag bowed its head.
"Bond affirmed. Farmer and spirit walk as one."
Ardan's aura flickered and collapsed. His gryphon bowed low, humbled.
Aftermath
The runes dimmed. The stag's form dispersed into motes of azure light.
A crystal shard floated down into Tomlin's hands—warm and pulsing gently.
[You have obtained: Essence Key – Azure Layer Access]
Bessy sniffed it.
"Smells expensive."
"Smells like more trouble," Tomlin said.
Ardan approached, sheathing his sword.
"You fight like a fool," he said quietly, "but… your heart is steady. I respect that."
"Thanks," Tomlin said. "You still owe me for the singed coat."
The prince's lips twitched—almost a smile.
Shadows of Politics
Outside the Tower, word spread fast.
A commoner farmer had out-resonated the royal heir.
The Council of Crowns met in secret; the Church fumed; the Merchant's Hall celebrated, already selling "Blessed Cow Amulets."
Lady Selene sent a coded message north:
The Cow of Dawn has awakened. Phase Two begins
The climb from the first floor was like stepping through a dream.
Tomlin blinked as the last light of the Trial Circle faded and he and Bessy emerged onto a wide floating platform suspended in endless twilight.
Above them, stars drifted close enough to touch.
Below, nothing but an ocean of glowing clouds that pulsed like a living heartbeat.
"Are we… in the sky?" Tomlin whispered.
"Either that," Bessy said, "or I've finally transcended common bovine limitations."
She sniffed the air. "Smells like ozone. And bureaucracy."
THE SECOND FLOOR
Runes spiraled across the floor, forming bridges that grew and shifted like veins of light.
Each led to floating isles—gardens, ruins, and stairways that faded in and out of reality.
Mira clutched her staff. "It's like the tower itself is… thinking."
"Maybe it's grading us," Bessy said. "I hope it's a lenient professor."
The same disembodied voice that had guided the first trial echoed again, softer now, almost human:
"Those who reach this floor have formed trust.
But can trust endure when secrets whisper?"
THE WHISPER
As they moved along a glowing bridge, a cold wind carried voices.
Tomlin paused, looking around.
"Did anyone else hear that?"
"Hear what?" asked Lira.
He frowned.
"It sounded like… it said my name."
The light flickered.
For an instant, the stars seemed to rearrange—spelling shapes that felt familiar.
A cow's silhouette, crowned in dawnlight.
Bessy went still. Her usual smirk faltered.
"We should keep moving."
"You know something," Tomlin said.
"I know a lot of things," she replied, tail flicking. "Most of them involve grass. Let's go."
THE FLOATING ARCHIVES
The group reached an island covered in broken marble and half-floating books, each page glowing faintly.
Professor Hestrel adjusted his monocle. "The Tower preserves memories. Knowledge sealed from mortals for ages."
He picked up a fragment of script.
"Spirit tamers once walked beside their familiars not as masters, but equals. This tower—these trials—are meant to restore that bond."
Bessy snorted. "Finally, someone gets it."
"You eat flowers out of the academy garden," Tomlin said.
"Equality means sharing," she replied.
THE SHADOWS
Deeper in the ruins, frost formed on the stone.
Lady Selene's breath misted. "Something's wrong. The air—too cold."
A whisper slid through the light.
"Unworthy… unclean…"
Shapes emerged from the mist—echoes of tamers and spirits long dead, their forms twisted, eyes hollow.
"Spirit Echoes," Hestrel hissed. "Remnants of failed bonds. Be ready!"
Aero's lightning cut the first one down, but two more took shape behind him.
Tomlin reached for Resonance, but the air fought back—his own reflection appearing in the mist, whispering in his voice.
"You don't belong here, farmer. You don't even understand her power."
"Shut up," Tomlin growled.
Bessy's horns flared gold.
"No one talks to my idiot human like that!"
The blast of radiant energy lit the entire island. The echoes disintegrated into glittering ash.
AFTERMATH
When the silence returned, Tomlin sat on a broken pillar, panting.
"Every time we climb higher, things get weirder."
"And every time," Bessy said, "you complain instead of writing a book about it. Missed opportunity."
Mira giggled weakly. "You two really are… something else."
Lady Selene looked thoughtful. "The Tower tests not only strength—but truth. These whispers… they come from within."
"Then mine's rude," Tomlin said.
BEYOND THE CLOUDS
As they prepared to rest, a sudden tremor ran through the air.
Far above, a vast shadow moved—towering spires floating beyond sight.
An inscription appeared in glowing letters across the sky:
[The Second Trial Awaits – The Chamber of Reflection]
[Only those who face their own spirits may ascend.]
Bessy stretched. "Reflection? Perfect. I look great from every angle."
Tomlin groaned. "You're impossible."
"And you're stuck with me," she said sweetly.