Twilight had settled over Valmere Academy, bathing the stone walls in a soft golden hue. As the last rays of sunlight faded on the horizon, the campus sank into a calm that concealed secrets on the verge of being revealed.
In the shadows of the silent corridors, Ethan walked slowly toward the student dormitory. The murmur of his footsteps echoed in sync with the distant sound of wind rustling the leaves of ancient trees. His thoughts still lingered on the discoveries from the library when a low, urgent voice interrupted his reverie.
— "Ethan... I need to speak with you."
He stopped and looked around. The voice came from a dimly lit corner near an old wooden door, half open. On the other side, a figure dressed in a dark cloak, hood hiding their face, was waiting. Without hesitation, the young tamer approached cautiously.
The figure revealed himself to be a man of average height, but with an intense, piercing gaze. His words were whispers laced with secrets:
— "We are the Vigilants of the Veil. We watch those who, like you, possess a rare sensitivity to uncover the mysteries of this world. What you discovered in the library did not go unnoticed."
A shiver ran down Ethan's spine. He had heard scattered rumors about this mysterious group but never imagined such a close encounter. His eyes fixed on the flickering light emanating from a small oil lantern hanging on the wall.
— "What do you want from me?" Ethan asked, trying to keep his voice steady despite the whirlwind of emotions.
— "We want to warn you," the man replied, stepping slightly closer. "There are forces moving in the shadows, threatening the balance between tamers and beasts. An ancient evil that has long slumbered is now stirring."
As he spoke, the man removed his hood, revealing features marked by time and experience, but also a calm that seemed almost supernatural. His deep blue eyes seemed to hold tales of battles and forgotten secrets.
— "You, Ethan, have shown a unique ability to connect with your beast. This sensitivity may be the key to unlocking mysteries many fear to face. But to do so, you must be prepared. This is not just about combat, but about understanding the true nature that flows through every living being in this world."
While the encounter unfolded, the sound of distant footsteps and rustling leaves created an unsettling backdrop. The conversation stretched on, and the man revealed that the Vigilants had long been monitoring strange signs: beasts behaving erratically, elemental energies spiraling out of control, and even murmurs of forgotten rituals.
— "There is an omen, Ethan. A threat from a distant past, and if we are not cautious, it may manifest in devastating ways," the Vigilant warned, his voice heavy with silent gravity.
Ethan absorbed every word, feeling the weight of a responsibility beginning to take root within him. The thought that his destiny could be tied to an ancient evil stirred both fear and determination to delve deeper into the secrets surrounding beast evolution.
After several minutes that felt like hours, the man concluded:
— "Reflect on what you've heard, Ethan. Stay vigilant and continue to seek knowledge. We will find you again soon."
With those words, the figure vanished into the corridor's dimness, leaving the young tamer alone with his thoughts and an uncanny sense that the campus's peaceful facade concealed challenges far beyond any field training.
Upon returning to his dormitory, Ethan could barely sleep. The image of the Vigilant's blue eyes and the weight of his words haunted his mind. In his simple room, he pored over the notes he had taken throughout the day, now marked with new doubts and questions about the natural balance of beasts.
He wondered whether that threat was truly a harbinger of a turning point in every tamer's fate. The sense of urgency—like a constant whisper in the silence of the night—lingered, awakening in him a renewed determination: to unravel every mystery, to understand every secret, and above all, to prepare for what was to come.