The Grand Arcanum Academy was quiet in the dead of night.
The moon cast its silver glow through the large window of Alistair Vaelthorne's dorm room, illuminating the space in soft light. The room, usually filled with the faint hum of training or the rustle of pages turning, was completely still.
At the center of the room, Alistair lay in bed, his breathing deep and steady, utterly exhausted from the day's relentless training. His body had finally succumbed to the fatigue built up over hours of pushing himself beyond his limits.
And for the first time in days, he slept deeply.
****"
A faint golden glow flickered across his chest.
A moment later, from the Spirit Mark on his collarbone, a small figure materialized.
Sera.
The tiny silver-haired child appeared in a soft shimmer of light, floating briefly before settling gently onto the bed beside him.
She blinked sleepily, rubbing her eyes.
For a moment, she simply stared at Alistair's face, her golden eyes scanning his features. His expression, usually sharp and unreadable, was relaxed in sleep.
Sera tilted her head, small fingers reaching forward.
She gently poked his cheek.
Nothing.
She poked again.
Still nothing.
Alistair didn't react.
"...Sleep," she muttered to herself.
After a moment, she shifted closer, small hands grasping the edge of his blanket as she prepared to curl up beside him.
But then—
Something caught her eye.
Across the room, sitting on a polished wooden desk, was the black and red egg.
And it was shaking.
****
Sera froze, her small hands still gripping the blanket.
The egg twitched again, rocking slightly against the desk.
She stared.
Then—slowly, carefully—she tried to get down from the bed.
But the problem was… she was small.
Very small.
Her tiny body wasn't built for climbing yet, and as she scooted toward the edge, her short legs dangled over the side, unable to reach the floor.
Frowning, she shifted onto her stomach, gripping the blanket for support.
Then—she let go.
With an unceremonious plop, she landed on the wooden floor.
For a moment, she just sat there, blinking at her own success.
Then—she turned toward the desk.
The egg was still shaking, subtle but persistent, as if something inside was stirring awake.
Sera's golden eyes widened with curiosity.
Without hesitation, she waddled toward the desk, her tiny feet making soft, barely audible taps against the floor.
She stopped in front of the desk, tilting her head back to look up at the impossibly high surface.
It was too tall.
She frowned.
Then, she did what any determined spirit child would do.
She began to climb.
****
It took several attempts.
Sera grabbed onto the chair leg, her tiny hands gripping the fabric before pulling herself up.
From the chair, she scrambled onto the desk, using pure determination and an almost unnatural sense of balance.
The moment she reached the top, she crawled toward the egg.
The black and red shell was quivering now, faint cracks appearing along its surface.
Sera sat in front of it, staring with wide, fascinated eyes.
Then—
A single sharp crack echoed through the silent room.
Sera flinched slightly, but her gaze remained locked onto the egg.
Another crack.
And another.
The surface splintered, thin web-like fractures spreading across the shell.
Then—
The egg burst open, fragments scattering across the desk.
From within the shattered remains, a creature emerged.
A deep crimson ant, its exoskeleton sleek and glossy, climbed out of the shell.
It was massive, far larger than any ordinary insect—its size comparable to half the length of an adult's forearm.
Despite its intimidating size, it moved slowly at first, its long antennae twitching as if sensing the world for the first time.
Its six legs tapped softly against the wooden desk as it took its first uncertain steps.
Sera watched in awe.
Then—she reached out.
Her small fingers gently tapped its head, mimicking the way she often poked at Alistair's cheek.
The ant froze.
Then, surprisingly—it didn't recoil.
Instead, its antennae twitched once more, brushing against her tiny hand.
Sera giggled softly, clearly amused by the sensation.
Encouraged, she tapped its head again.
The ant tilted its head slightly before raising one of its front legs, lightly nudging her in return.
A game had begun.
Sera laughed—a soft, breathy sound—before patting the ant again.
It tapped her back with its leg.
This continued for several moments, the spirit and the newly hatched creature engaging in an unexpected exchange of playful pokes.
To an outsider, the scene would have been utterly bizarre.
A three-year-old spirit child playing with a monstrous-sized ant atop a desk in the dead of night.
But for Sera, it was perfectly normal.
To her, the ant wasn't some strange creature.
It was simply… something new.
And therefore—something to play with.
*****
Meanwhile, Alistair remained completely unaware of the events unfolding in his room.
He was still deep in sleep, exhausted from the relentless training he had put himself through.
Even as the quiet sounds of playful tapping and tiny giggles filled the room—he didn't stir.
If he had been awake, he likely would have been deeply concerned about his newly hatched beast companion interacting with his equally strange spirit in such an innocent yet unsettling manner.
But tonight, for once, he was at peace.
Completely oblivious to the fact that, just across the room—
His spirit and his beast had already begun bonding in the most unusual way possible.
To Be Continued...