The forest surrounding the village of Tianyu was alive.The chirping of spirit crickets blended with the songs of distant birds, and the wind whispered through the trees like an ancient sigh.
Ren Tianyi walked alone beneath the canopy, now nine years old.His presence was calm, his steps measured, every motion deliberate.In his hands, he held a small wooden staff—his father's gift, carved with care.
To Ren, it wasn't a toy. It was a focus.
For weeks, he had been practicing a simple fire spell.Each attempt had ended the same—the Mana would disperse, too weak to hold form.Until that day.
He knelt on the mossy ground, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath.The world fell silent.He felt the rhythm of his heartbeat, the flow of energy in the air, the warmth beneath the soil.
Then, softly, he whispered:
— Ignis.
The ancient word vibrated through the air.A spark bloomed at the tip of his staff—shivering...then bursting into a living flame.
Small, but pure.Ren opened his eyes, a slow smile forming.
[Basic Spell Unlocked: Arcane Flame][Mana Control: +0.3%]
— "Finally…" he whispered.
The firelight danced in his blue eyes, and for a fleeting moment, he didn't see a mere flame—he saw a symbol, a foreshadowing of the Elementalist who would one day stand beside him.
🔥 The Encounter
A sound behind him made him turn.Footsteps—weak and uneven—approached through the trees.
From behind a trunk, a hoarse voice called out:— "Hey… got any water?"
Ren spun his staff defensively, but froze when he saw the figure.
A boy, maybe a year older than him, with reddish hair and golden eyes.His clothes were torn, stained with ash, and burns marked his back.
Ren hurried toward him.
— "You're hurt," he said, reaching out.The boy hesitated, wary.
— "Who are you?"— "Ren. And you?"— "…Draven."
The name lit up in Ren's mind.
[Analyzing target…][Potential: S][Affinity: Fire / Elementalist][Status: Unstable – Severe injuries detected.]
"It's him."
Ren didn't think twice.He unhooked a bamboo flask from his belt and offered it.
Draven drank greedily, coughing between gulps.When he finished, his gaze darted nervously around the clearing.
— "I… escaped," he muttered. "From the caravan."
Ren's heart tightened.This was one of the children the System had shown him years ago.
— "You're safe now," he said firmly. "No one will hurt you here."
Draven let out a harsh laugh.— "Safe? In this world? You're an idiot, kid."
Ren smiled faintly.— "Maybe. But I plan to change that."
Draven raised an eyebrow.— "Change the world? Alone?"
Ren paused, then answered quietly:— "Not alone."
— "Then what are you going to do?"— "Form a guild."— "A what?"— "A group… a family. People who fight together, grow together—people who defy the heavens."
Draven stared at him for a long moment, something flickering in his golden eyes.— "You're insane."
Ren chuckled.— "Probably. But you'll join me anyway."
— "And why would I do that?"
Ren raised his hand, a small blue flame dancing on his fingertips.— "Because I can help you control the fire burning inside you."
The air between them trembled.Draven hesitated, then slowly reached out—and grasped Ren's hand.
The System flared to life.
[First Member of the Immortal Guild Recruited.][Name: Draven Ignis][Class: Elementalist][Function Unlocked: Guild Bond – Level 1]
Warm energy surged between them, a thread of mana linking their hearts.Draven blinked, startled.
— "What… was that?"— "Our promise," Ren replied. "And the beginning of everything."
🌌 Under the Sky of Arkhésia
That night, they sat in the clearing, watching the campfire flicker.Ren spoke of his plans—of finding others, building a hidden base, and challenging the fate of the races themselves.
Draven listened silently, sometimes skeptical, sometimes… hopeful.
— "You make it sound easy," he murmured.— "Nothing worth doing ever is."
The boy laughed softly—the first genuine sound Ren had heard from him.— "In that case… I'll give it a shot."
Ren held out his closed fist.Draven frowned.
— "A gesture from my old world," Ren explained. "It means trust."
Draven hesitated, then pressed his fist against Ren's.
[Bond Strengthened][Effect Active: +2% Elemental Synergy between Members]
The firelight reflected in their young faces, and for that moment, destiny itself seemed to bow before them.
The first link of the Immortal Guild had been forged.