Grand Arcanum Academy –
The training field was filled with the restless energy of newly bonded beasts and their partners. After the initial evaluations, Instructor Aldric Faelan stood before the gathered students, his sharp amber eyes scanning the class.
His dire wolf companion, a towering beast of rippling muscle and dark fur, sat beside him with unwavering discipline. The sheer size of the wolf alone served as a silent reminder of what a properly trained beast could become.
Aldric finally spoke, his voice rough and commanding.
"Now that you've all had time with your familiars, we move on to something crucial—Summoning Marks and Beast Growth."
The students straightened, eager to absorb the information.
Aldric raised his right hand, revealing a faintly glowing sigil on his wrist. The moment he focused, a pulse of mana surged from the mark, and in an instant—his Dire Wolf vanished in a blur of shadowed energy.
Gasps rippled through the students.
Then, with another pulse, the wolf reappeared at his side, completely unharmed.
"This is the Summoning Mark," Aldric explained. "It is the connection that allows you to store your beast inside a mana-linked space within you."
" With this you can summon or dismiss the you beast on wish."
He gestured toward the class.
"All of you should have developed a mark when you formed your bond. This allows you to summon and dismiss your beast at will. It also lets them rest and recover while inside."
Some students looked at their wrists, shoulders, or arms, noting faint, intricate markings they hadn't fully understood before.
Leon Valerius examined his own wrist, where a golden lightning-shaped sigil flickered faintly.
Morganna Draven traced the shadowy raven-like symbol on the back of her hand.
Even Alistair, who already knew the mechanics, glanced at his own Summoning Mark, a black-red sigil resembling a chitinous crest, resting just above his forearm.
Beside him, Noctis twitched its antennae but remained solid and unmoving.
Unlike most students who had already experimented with summoning and dismissing their beasts, Alistair hadn't tested Noctis's storage ability yet.
He didn't feel the need.
Aldric continued, "Your beasts are newborns. Small, weak, and undeveloped. If left alone, they will grow naturally over years. But in battle, you don't have time to wait."
His sharp gaze locked onto the students.
"This is why we feed them mana cores."
At his words, a few students visibly perked up.
Aldric reached into his coat and pulled out a glowing blue gemstone—a C-Rank mana core taken from a monster.
"All creatures contain mana," Aldric explained, holding up the gem. "When they die, that mana condenses into cores. These cores can be used for crafting, alchemy, or, in our case—feeding your beast to strengthen them."
He tossed the core to his Dire Wolf.
The beast snatched it out of the air, crunching the gem between its fangs before swallowing it whole.
Immediately, the wolf's fur bristled with faint magical energy, its muscles growing slightly denser as the core's energy was absorbed.
"This is how you accelerate your beast's growth," Aldric said. "The more powerful the mana core, the better the results. But be careful—force-feeding too much power can destabilize the bond and even harm your beast."
Some students nodded in understanding, others whispered among themselves.
Leon smirked. "Looks like I'll have to start hunting high-grade cores."
Rael grinned. "Better hope your griffon can digest 'em, rich boy."
The class continued taking notes, but Alistair remained silent.
He already knew about mana core absorption.
But what interested him was how Noctis would react to the process.
Monarch Ants—if the legends were true—had an entirely different method of consuming mana.
Instead of just absorbing the energy, they evolved.
And evolution—true, adaptive growth—was far beyond what these people understood.
--
The lesson wrapped up after Aldric gave further details on training methods and beast instincts.
"Class dismissed," he finally said, waving them off. "Remember—if you can't raise your beast properly, you don't deserve it."
The students slowly dispersed, some testing their Summoning Marks, others discussing hunting plans for mana cores.
Alistair?
He had something else to do.
Ignoring the curious glances still thrown his way, he turned away from the field and began making his way across the academy grounds.
His destination?
The Abyssal Wing.
****
The moment Alistair stepped into the Abyssal Wing, the air grew heavier, saturated with dense, unmoving mana.
The hall was eerily silent, only a few students present—most deep in meditation, practicing shadow or curse magic.
Unlike the grand marble halls of the rest of the academy, the Abyssal Wing was dark-stoned, its walls lined with ancient sigils that pulsed faintly in the dim torchlight.
Alistair ignored the oppressive atmosphere, his boots echoing softly as he walked toward a familiar door.
After reaching infront of doorAlistair nocked.
Familiar voice came "you can enter."
Without hesitation, he pushed it open and stepped inside.
The room was much like last time—dimly lit, lined with bookshelves overflowing with forbidden knowledge.
Sitting at his desk, surrounded by stacks of abyssal tomes, was Professor Selvaris.
His golden eyes flickered as he looked up, his expression unreadable.
"You came," Selvaris said smoothly, placing down the book he had been reading. "Exactly on time."
Alistair took a seat across from him. His black eyes were sharp, calculating.
"You asked me to return in three days," Alistair said.
"You only gave me a basic book on Abyssal Magic. I assume this meeting isn't just to hand me an advanced one."
Selvaris smirked slightly. "No. It isn't."
He folded his hands together.
"I have an offer for you."
Alistair's expression remained unreadable, but his interest was piqued.
Selvaris leaned forward slightly, his presence dark yet intriguingly controlled.
"Something… that may shape your future far more than any book ever could."
A pause.
Then—
A slow, knowing smile.
"Are you interested?"
Alistair narrowed his eyes slightly.
"…Go on."
(To Be Continued…)