The morning sun pierced through the grand window as a butler entered Prince Damien's chamber. He pulled back the heavy curtains, flooding the room with sun light that set the dust motes dancing in the air.
"Good morning, Prince Damien," the butler said softly, his footsteps barely audible on the polished floor as he approached the enormous bed carved from ancient darkwood.
Damien groaned and threw his arm over his eyes, shielding them from the brightness. His bed was massive fit for royalty with silk sheets that cost more than most families earned in a year. But even the finest bed in the kingdom couldn't help him escape what was coming today.
"I apologize for waking you this way, Your Highness," the butler continued, his voice taking on a more urgent tone. "But surely you haven't forgotten? Today is one of the most important days of your life. Today is the Summoning Magic Selection Ceremony."
Damien's eyes snapped open, his heart immediately beginning to race.
"Your father, King Bumi, expects the very best from all his sons," the butler went on, clasping his hands behind his back. "And after the ceremony, your engagement to Lady Seraphine of House Quagmire will be formally announced before the entire kingdom."
"Yeah, yeah, I heard you. I got it," Damien muttered, sitting up and waving his hand dismissively. The silk sheets pooled around his waist. "Now can you please excuse me?"
The butler bowed deeply, his gray hair catching the morning light. "Of course, Your Highness." He turned, his footsteps echoing softly as he walked to the door, opened it with practiced silence, and disappeared into the hallway beyond.
Damien sat alone in the sudden quiet, his thoughts spinning like a storm.
"Today I'll finally get my summon," he thought, running both hands through his messy black hair until it stuck up in all directions. "I wonder what it will be? Last time I failed completely couldn't even make the Egg react. My brother Charles got the legendary Phoenix summon . Father couldn't stop smiling. He looked at Charles like he'd hung the moon itself."
Damien clenched his fists in the silk sheets, his knuckles turning soar.
"And he looked at me like I was dirt on his shoe."
He stood abruptly and walked to the small table near his window, where a crystal decanter of red wine sat waiting. His tutors would scold him for drinking so early, but none of them were here now. He poured himself a cup with hands that trembled slightly, then drained it in three long swallows.
"Well, damn, that tastes good," he said to the empty room, his voice barely above a whisper.
He set the cup down harder than he meant to it clinked sharply against the table and walked into his private bathroom. The water in the shower was heated by fire crystals embedded in the walls, and it cascaded down over him like warm rain. He let it wash away the nervous sweat, the fear, the desperate hope that today would be different.
After several minutes, he dried off and dressed himself in formal ceremonial robes white silk with gold threading that formed intricate patterns of lions and swords, the symbols of the Golden Fang Kingdom.
He stared at himself in the mirror.
"Today has to be different. It has to be."
The stadium was a monument to the kingdom's power and wealth a massive circular arena carved from white stone that shined in the sunlight. Thousands upon thousands of people packed the tiered seats that rose dizzyingly high into the sky. Their voices created a wall of sound that could be heard for miles.
Near the lower sections, a young woman grabbed her friend's arm excitedly. "I can't wait to see what summons people get today! My cousin got a fire hawk last year he's already at the Academy!"
"I heard Prince Charles himself is attending," her friend whispered back, her eyes wide. "The legendary Phoenix summoner! They say when he fights, the sky turns gold with his flames."
In the upper seats, a grizzled old man with a scarred face leaned toward his grandson. "Mark my words, boy someone's going to summon something incredible today. I can feel it in my bones. Maybe even a mythical beast."
"You said that last year, Grandpa," the boy replied, rolling his eyes. "And the best anyone got was a B Rank chimera."
"Bah! Youth has no patience." The old man stroked his beard. "The Egg of Hearts reveals what it wants, when it wants. Today feels different."
In the merchant section, a well dressed man whispered urgently to his wife. "I've got fifty gold pieces riding on Prince Eden summoning something A Rank. The odds are fantastic."
"Hush!" his wife hissed, glancing around nervously. "If anyone hears you gambling on the royal family"
"Relax. Everyone's doing it. It's tradition."
Near the arena floor, a group of young nobles debated loudly. "I bet the king's daughter gets something powerful. Princess Valkara has excellent mana control I've heard the instructors talking."
"What about the other one? The bastard prince?"
But there was Uncomfortable silence.
"He'll fail again, obviously. Some people just aren't meant to be summoners."
The conversations buzzed and swirled like a hive of bees, filling the air with anticipation and excitement.
Then, suddenly, trumpets blared a long, clear note that cut through every conversation like a blade.
The entire stadium fell silent in an instant. Fifty thousand people held their breath.
At the highest point in the arena, a grand balcony overlooked the massive space below. It was carved from pure white marble and decorated with golden banners that snapped in the wind. Two figures stepped into view.
A royal herald, his voice magically amplified to reach every corner of the stadium, raised his arms. "PEOPLE OF THE GOLDEN FANG KINGDOM! His Majesty, King Bumi, Keeper of the Golden Heart, Protector of the Light, who has ruled our realm with wisdom and strength for twenty-six glorious years!"
King Bumi emerged onto the balcony.
He was an imposing figure tall and broad shouldered, with a thick gray beard streaked with white and a golden crown that caught the sunlight and threw it back in dazzling rays. His robes were pure white, trimmed with gold thread, and they seemed to glow with an inner light. His face was stern, his dark eyes sharp and unyielding as a hawk's.
The crowd erupted into thunderous applause and cheers that shook the very stones of the arena.
But King Bumi barely acknowledged them. He raised one hand just once and the noise died down immediately. His presence commanded absolute obedience.
The herald continued, his voice rising to an even higher pitch of enthusiasm. "And His Majesty is accompanied by the pride of our kingdom, the future of our realm, the youngest S Rank summoner in the history of our kingdom Prince Charles, the Legendary Phoenix Summoner!"
If the crowd had been loud before, now they became deafening.
"PRINCE CHARLES! PRINCE CHARLES! PRINCE CHARLES!"
The chant rolled across the stadium like thunder. People screamed themselves hoarse. Some waved banners with a golden phoenix emblazoned on them. Others threw flowers that rained down toward the royal balcony in a cascade of color.
Prince Charles stepped forward, and even from a distance, his presence was magnetic.
He was tall and lean, with sharp, handsome features that looked like they'd been carved by a master sculptor. His golden eyes inherited from his father scanned the crowd with calm confidence. His ceremonial armor was polished to a mirror shine, and a red cape billowed behind him dramatically.
He raised one hand in acknowledgment, and the screaming somehow got even louder.
Then, with a small smile, he snapped his fingers.
Golden flames burst to life in his palm beautiful, mesmerizing fire that danced and swirled without burning him. The flames formed the shape of a tiny phoenix that spread its wings and let out a silent cry before dissolving into sparks.
The crowd lost their minds this point.
King Bumi allowed himself a small smile rare and precious as diamonds and placed one hand on his son's shoulder with obvious pride.
Charles sat down beside his father on a throne only slightly less grand than the king's own.
Below them, in the very center of the massive arena floor, stood an object that seemed to pulse with power.
It was The Egg of Hearts.
It was enormous easily as tall as a grown man and perfectly smooth, as if carved from a single piece of translucent crystal. Light swirled inside it like liquid gold, and it hummed with a low vibration that could be felt more than heard. Legend said it had been created by the Dragon God himself, imbued with the power to reveal a person's deepest magical nature.
A man in elegant purple robes stepped forward, holding a staff topped with a glowing crystal. His voice was magically amplified, booming across the entire stadium.
"GOOD MORNING, CITIZENS OF THE GOLDEN FANG KINGDOM!"
The crowd roared in response, their voices blending into one primal shout.
The presenter a master of ceremonies who had hosted this event for fifteen years gestured grandly toward the royal balcony. "Today, as we do every year, we gather for the most sacred event in our realm the Magic Selection Ceremony! Here, our young men and women will awaken their summoning affinities and bond with creatures from the spiritual realm!"
More cheers, though slightly less deafening now. People were settling in, ready to watch.
"But before we begin," the presenter said, turning toward the royal balcony with a deep bow, "let us honor His Majesty, King Bumi, who has guided our kingdom through prosperity and peace for more than a quarter century! Under his rule, our harvests have been bountiful, our enemies defeated, and our people happy"
The crowd stood as one and applauded. It was respectful, almost reverent.
King Bumi inclined his head slightly but did not smile.
"Now," he said, his tone becoming more serious, "let me explain how today's ceremony will proceed. Each candidate will approach the Egg of Hearts and place their hand upon its surface. The Egg will read their mana, awaken their summoning affinity, and reveal the creature they are destined to bond with."
He paused for dramatic effect, letting the tension build.
"However," he said, his voice dropping to a grave tone, "not all summons are equal. The creatures range from E-Rank the weakest, such as rats and toads all the way to S-Rank, the legendary beasts of myth."
Nervous murmurs rippled through the crowd.
"And here is what you must understand," the presenter continued, raising one finger for emphasis. "Only those who awaken a summon of C -Rank or higher will be granted admission to the prestigious Academy to represent our kingdom ,where they will train under master instructors to become elite summoners and protectors of our kingdom!"
"C-Rank?" someone muttered nearby. "That's… that's not easy."
"Most people only get D Rank summons ," another voice said nervously. "Or worse."
"My brother got an E Rank toad last year. He works at a bakery now."
The presenter raised his staff high. "So, candidates! Today you will learn your fate! Will you join the ranks of the elite? Or will you find a different path in life?"
He slammed his staff into the ground, and the crystal atop it flared with brilliant light.
"Let the Magic Selection Ceremony… BEGIN!"
The crowd erupted into cheers once more.
And deep beneath the stadium, in a network of dim stone tunnels lit only by flickering torches, dozens of young candidates waited in nervous silence.
Prince Damien stood near the back of the group, leaning against the cold stone wall with his arms crossed. His heart hammered against his ribs like it was trying to escape.
Near the front, two figures stood out from the rest.
It was Prince Eden the king's second eldest son lounged against the opposite wall with a smirk on his face. He was tall and lean, with slicked back dark hair, sharp cheekbones, and eyes like chips of green ice. His ceremonial robes were immaculate, and he radiated arrogance the way a fire would give heat.
Beside him stood Princess Valkara, the only daughter of King Bumi.She was beautiful in a way that seemed almost otherworldly long silver hair that fell past her shoulders like a waterfall, kind violet eyes, and features that were both delicate and strong. Unlike her brothers, there was no cruelty in her expression. She looked nervous, yes, but also excited.
She glanced over her shoulder and spotted Damien standing alone in the shadows.Her face brightened immediately. She raised one hand and waved at him with a genuine smile.
Damien blinked in surprise. For a moment he didn't move, unsure if she was waving at someone else. But no her eyes were locked on his.
He nodded back slightly, a small, uncertain motion.Valkara was the only one in his family who didn't treat him like garbage. She'd never called him names, never looked at him with disgust. In fact, she seemed to actually care about him though she'd never said it out loud, and he'd never understood why.
Eden noticed the exchange. His smirk twisted into something uglier.
"Still wasting your time on the bastard, Valkara?" he said coldly, his voice dripping with contempt.
Valkara's smile vanished. She turned to face her brother, her violet eyes narrowing. "Don't call him that, Eden."
"Why not?" Eden pushed off from the wall and took a step toward her. "It's the truth. He's Father's mistake. Born from some random woman Father bedded when he was drunk and of course he had to wife her. He doesn't have our mother's blood. He doesn't belong in the royal family, and he certainly doesn't belong here."
Damien's jaw clenched so hard his teeth ached. His hands curled into fists at his sides but he knew he couldn't do nothing about it.
"Don't react. You're used to this. Don't give him the satisfaction." He thought
"That's enough," Valkara said quietly, but there was steel in her voice.
Eden ignored her and turned his gaze directly on Damien. His eyes were cold and cruel. "Tell me, brother how does it feel knowing you're going to fail again? Everyone knows you have no mana. You're a defect. An embarrassment. The only reason Father lets you live in the palace is because killing you would be bad publicity."
Several other candidates nearby shifted uncomfortably, their eyes darting between Eden and Damien.
Damien said nothing. He'd learned long ago that responding only made things worse.
Eden's smirk widened. "That's what I thought. Nothing to say. Just like you'll have nothing to summon."
Before Valkara could respond, a loud voice echoed through the tunnel.
"FIRST CANDIDATE PRINCE EDEN, SECOND SON OF KING BUMI!"
Eden's cruel expression transformed instantly into one of smug confidence. He straightened his robes, ran a hand through his hair, and glanced back at Damien one last time.
"Watch and learn, bastard. This is what real power looks like."
He strode forward as the massive stone gate at the end of the tunnel began to rise with a grinding, rumbling sound. Sunlight poured through the widening gap, and the roar of the crowd grew louder and louder until it was almost deafening.
Eden stepped out into the arena.The crowd exploded with cheers.
"PRINCE EDEN! PRINCE EDEN! PRINCE EDEN!"
Eden walked slowly toward the Egg of Hearts, his stride confident and measured. He soaked in the attention like a plant soaking in sunlight, a satisfied smile playing on his lips.
When he reached the Egg, he placed his right hand firmly on its glowing surface without hesitation.For a moment, nothing happened.Then light erupted from the Egg like a small sun being born. Eden's mana flowed into it, visible as streams of green energy that spiraled around his arm. The Egg pulsed in response, faster and faster, until a symbol appeared on Eden's palm, glowing with brilliant light.
It was a coiled serpent with glowing red eyes and fangs bared that appeared on his palm. The crowd gasped collectively.
"The Serpent Mark!" someone shouted from the stands. "That's a powerful affinity!"
Eden grinned a wide, triumphant expression that made him look more like a predator than a prince.He removed his hand from the Egg and held his marked palm toward the sky.
His mana surged outward in a visible wave of green light.A massive cloud of dark smoke exploded in front of him, spreading across the arena floor like a living shadow. The wind howled. The temperature dropped.
Slowly, the smoke began to clear and standing before Eden was a creature from nightmares.
A serpent but not just any serpent. It was massive, easily thirty feet long and as thick around as a tree trunk. Its scales were a deep, shimmering green that seemed to shift between emerald and black depending on how the light hit them. Its eyes glowed like burning coals, and its fangs of gods, its fangswere the size of swords, dripping with venom that hissed when it hit the stone floor.
"THE LEGENDARY MANDA!" the presenter's voice boomed across the stadium. "A B RANK MYTHICAL SERPENT! ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL SNAKE SUMMONS IN EXISTENCE!"
The crowd roared.
Eden raised his arms like a conquering hero, bathing in the adoration. His serpent Manda lifted its massive head and let out a hissing roar that sounded across the entire arena.
Then, with a casual wave of Eden's hand, the serpent dissolved into smoke and vanished.Eden turned toward the royal balcony and bowed deeply.
Up on the balcony, King Bumi nodded in approval, his expression satisfied.Prince Charles leaned over and said something to his father Damien couldn't hear the words from swat , but he saw Charles smile and nod. "I knew he could do it," Charles murmured.
Eden strode back toward the tunnel, his head held high, as the crowd continued to chant his name.
One by one, the other candidates were called forward.A merchant's son summoned a dire wolf a solid C Rank creature. His family screamed with joy from the stands.
A noble's daughter summoned a fire hawk C Rank as well. She burst into tears of relief.
A farmer's boy stepped forward nervously and summoned… a toad. An E Rank swamp toad that croaked pathetically. The crowd went silent. The boy's face turned red with shame as he hurried off the arena floor.
A young woman summoned an ice fox B Rank. The crowd applauded enthusiastically.
And then
"NEXT CANDIDATE PRINCESS VALKARA, DAUGHTER OF KING BUMI!"
The crowd erupted before she even appeared.Valkara stepped out of the tunnel with grace and poise, her silver hair catching the sunlight like spun moonlight. She walked toward the Egg with her head held high but her expression humble.
When she placed her hand on the Egg, the response was immediate.Brilliant white light exploded from the surface, so bright that people in the front rows had to shield their eyes. Valkara's mana pure and strong flowed into the Egg like a river.
A mark appeared on her palm.
A roaring lion's head with curved dragon horns sprouting from its mane.
The crowd went silent with awe.Valkara took a deep breath and held out her marked hand.Her mana surged outward in a wave of silver light.And then it appeared.
A Chimera summon.
The legendary three headed beast materialized before her a massive creature with the powerful body of a lion, muscles rippling beneath golden fur. But it had three heads a lion's head with a magnificent mane, a goat's head with twisted horns, and a serpent's head with venomous fangs. Its eyes burned with intelligence, and when it roared, all three heads cried out in harmony a sound that made the very air tremble.
"A RANK!" the presenter shouted, his voice cracking with excitement. "PRINCESS VALKARA HAS BONDED WITH A CHIMERA! AN A RANK MYTHICAL BEAST!"
The crowd went absolutely insane.
Even King Bumi smiled a genuine, warm expression that transformed his stern face entirely. He stood and applauded his daughter, his hands coming together in slow, deliberate claps.
Prince Charles stood as well, nodding with approval and pride.
Valkara blushed, clearly overwhelmed. She dismissed her Chimera with a gentle wave, and the creature dissolved into light. She bowed deeply to the royal balcony, then turned and walked back toward the tunnel with her head bowed modestly but Damien could see the pride and joy radiating from her.
When she passed him in the tunnel, she paused and whispered, "Good luck, Damien."
Then she was gone.More candidates came and went.And then
"FINAL CANDIDATE PRINCE DAMIEN, FOURTH SON OF KING BUMI!"
The tunnel gate rose once more.Damien took a deep breath and forced his legs to move forward.The moment he stepped into the sunlight, the atmosphere changed completely.The cheers that had greeted every other candidate… died.
Whispers spread through the crowd like poison.
"That's the bastard prince…"
"The king's mistake…"
"I heard he failed last year. Couldn't even make the Egg glow."
"Why is he even here? It's embarrassing."
"Poor King Bumi. One perfect son, one great son, one beautiful daughter… and then that"
Laughter mocking laughter from the upper sections.Damien kept his eyes fixed on the Egg of Hearts and walked forward. His legs felt like they were made of lead. His heart was pounding so hard he thought it might explode.
"Just get to the Egg. Just touch it. Just… please, please let something happen."
He was halfway across the arena floor when movement caught his eye.
Up in the royal section not on the king's balcony, but in the noble seats just below it a young woman entered and took her seat with practiced grace.
It was Lady Seraphine of House Quagmire.She was beautiful stunningly so. Golden hair that fell in perfect waves past her shoulders. Bright blue eyes like sapphires. A dress of deep blue silk that probably cost more than a house. Her family was one of the wealthiest in the kingdom, second only to the royal family itself.
And she was Damien's arranged fiancee,She looked down at him with cold, calculating eyes.Not with warmth. Not with encouragement.
With… evaluation. Like he was a horse she was considering purchasing and finding lacking.Damien swallowed hard and forced himself to look away. He reached the Egg of Hearts.
It was even more impressive up close humming with power, the light inside it swirling like liquid gold, warm to the point of almost being hot.Damien raised his right hand.
His fingers trembled.
"Please," he thought desperately. "Please, I'm begging you. I'll take anything. A rat. A toad. A bug. Just… something. Anything. Don't let me fail again please I cannot afford the embarrassment for the third time"
He placed his palm flat against the Egg's surface.And closed his eyes.And channeled his mana.He tried to channel his mana.He reached deep inside himself, searching for that spark of energy that everyone else seemed to have. He strained with everything he had, trying to pull it out, trying to push it into the Egg but there was nothing.
Or no, that wasn't quite right. There was something . He could feel it, just barely. A tiny flicker, like a candle in a hurricane. So faint it might as well not exist.He pushed harder.
"Come on. Come on. WORK God Dammit"
The Egg did nothing.No light no response whatsoever.It sat there, inert and silent, as if he wasn't even touching it. The crowd went silent and then laughter,It started small. A snicker from someone in the upper sections. Then another. Then a dozen more.
And then it became a wave.
"HE FAILED!"
"AGAIN!"
"THE USELESS PRINCE!"
"WHAT A DISGRACE!"
"SOMEONE GET HIM OFF THE STAGE!"
The laughter grew and grew until it was a roar, a tsunami of mockery that crashed over Damien from all sides.His face burned. His hands shook. Tears stung his eyes, and he blinked furiously, trying to hold them back.
Up on the royal balcony, King Bumi's expression transformed.His jaw tightened. His eyes went cold and hard as stone. And then, slowly, deliberately, he turned his head away as if the sight of Damien was too painful to bear.
His hand gripped the armrest of his throne so tightly it seemed like wood creaked.Prince Charles shook his head and said something to his father that Damien couldn't hear. Whatever it was, the king's expression grew even darker.
And then worst of all Lady Seraphine stood up in front of everyone.The stadium fell silent, everyone was watching her.She smoothed her dress carefully, her movements elegant and practiced. Then she raised her voice clear, cold, and carrying across the entire arena.
"I, Lady Seraphine of House Quagmire, do hereby formally annul my engagement to Prince Damien of the royal family."
The words hit Damien like a physical blow.Seraphine continued, her voice perfectly composed. "A marriage is a union of strength, of potential, of future prosperity. Prince Damien possesses none of these things. He has no power, no potential, and therefore… no future."
She smiled not cruelly, but with the polite coldness of someone stating a simple, obvious fact.
"I'm sure you understand, Your Highness,It's nothing personal. But Simply and practical."
She turned and walked away without a backward glance, her dress swishing elegantly behind her.
The crowd erupted.
"OHHHHHHH!"
"SHE REJECTED HIM!"
"IN FRONT OF EVERYONE!"
"THE USELESS PRINCE! THE USELESS PRINCE! THE DAMN USELESS PRINCE!"
The chant spread like wildfire. Thousands of voices, all saying the same thing, over and over.Damien couldn't breathe. His vision was blurring. His chest felt like someone had driven a spear through it.
The presenter, looking genuinely uncomfortable for the first time all day, raised his staff. "I.....it appears that Prince Damien has, unfortunately, failed to awaken a summoning affinity for the second consecutive year. This concludes the"
But Damien didn't wait to hear the rest.He turned and ran away.
"Oh my" the presenter stammered. "The prince is"
But Damien was already gone, sprinting back toward the tunnel as fast as his legs could carry him.The crowd's laughter followed him like a swarm of angry wasps.
He burst through the tunnel, past the shocked faces of guards and attendants, and kept running.He ran through the underground corridors,he ran up the stairs.He ran out into the streets of the capital city, where people turned to stare at him the prince in his expensive ceremonial robes, tears streaming down his face, running like a madman.
"Why am I so useless?"
He ran past merchant stalls, past houses, past everything, his lungs burning.
"Why can't I channel mana? What's wrong with me?"
He ran until the city was behind him and he was climbing the rocky hills beyond.
"It's true. I'm good for nothing. I'm not even a real prince. I'm just… a mistake. Father's mistake. Everyone's joke."
He climbed higher and higher until he reached a cliff—a sheer drop overlooking a deep valley filled with jagged rocks below.
Damien stopped at the very edge.
The wind whipped his hair. His ceremonial robes those expensive, beautiful robes that were supposed to mark him as royalty billowed around him mockingly.
He looked down at the rocks far below.
"I can't go back," he whispered to the empty air. His voice was hoarse from running, raw with emotion. "I can't face them. Eden and Charles will torture me for this. Father will pretend I don't exist. Lady Seraphine is gone. Everyone… everyone thinks I'm worthless."
His vision blurred with tears.
"Maybe they're right."
He took a deep, shuddering breath.
"I'm so tired. I'm tired of being weak. Tired of being laughed at. Tired of disappointing everyone."
He closed his eyes.
"I'm sorry, Valkara. You were the only one who was ever kind to me."
He stepped forward and his foot left the edge.And Prince Damien fell.The wind roared past his ears like a scream. The ground rushed up to meet him.
"This is it," he thought distantly. "Finally… it's going to be over."
But then something changed, then air around him began to glow.Golden light impossibly bright, impossibly warm erupted from somewhere deep inside his chest.
And a voice ancient, powerful, filled with authority that could command gods spoke directly into his mind.
"CHILD… YOU WERE NOT BORN WITHOUT POWER. YOUR POWER MERELY REFUSED TO BOW TO YOUR KINGDOM'S WEAK MAGIC."