After the final awakening, the group of successful youths, Lucian included, was led toward a large, fortified pen on the edge of the city. This was where they would select their first beast companions, the foundation of their future. The air grew thick with the scent of fur, scales, and raw, untamed power. The pen was a chaotic mix of creatures. There were sleek, wolf-like beasts with eyes like molten gold, lumbering tortoises with crystal shells, and small, winged lizards that chittered and darted through the air. Cael, the fisherman's son, immediately headed for a sturdy, four-legged amphibian with webbed feet and a powerful tail, perfect for helping in the water. Lyra hesitated, her gaze drawn to a doe-like creature whose antlers seemed to shed a soft, healing light, but she was also looking at a small, energetic bird that could find medicinal herbs. Alistair, with a disdainful look at the "common" offerings, was directed by an elder to a more prestigious section where he was shown a young Flame Lion, a beast with a noble bloodline and clear 3-star potential, its mane crackling with contained fire. Lucian, however, hung back, forcing himself to focus. He recalled the crystalline triangle from the night before and concentrated, activating the strange new sense. The world sharpened. He looked at the Flame Lion Alistair was proudly selecting. He saw its aura, a confident crimson blaze, but woven within it, he saw a shimmering thread of potential—a 3-star ceiling. Not bad, but hardly legendary. He scanned the pen. Most beasts showed only 1 or 2-star potential, their paths straightforward and limited. A rare few, like the Flame Lion or a Shadow Stalker Alistair's guards were recommending, showed 3-star potential. None higher. Even the Shadow Stalker, a creature of darkness and stealth, was capped at a mere 3-star evolution. His gaze finally fell on Pip, still hiding in his pocket. He focused, and the world dissolved, leaving only the intricate, glowing web of Pip's existence. Multiple paths branched out before him. One led to a Swiftclaw path, enhancing speed and agility, capped at 2 stars. Another to a Gemhide path, developing a crystalline defense, capped at 3 stars. But one path shone brighter than all the others. It wasn't a straight line but a spiraling constellation of possibilities. It was a synthesis of light, darkness, and something else... something that felt like luck, or fortune. It was the most complex evolution he had seen, a path that demanded specific, rare materials and seemingly impossible conditions. At its end, he saw a number shimmering, unlike the others: 4.5 stars. He didn't know what that meant, not yet, but compared to the rigid bloodline potentials he understood, it was an anomaly, a promise of something beyond the known limits. His decision was made before he even stepped toward the selection area. He would choose Pip. There was no other choice. As he turned to leave, he saw Lyra, still agonizing between the healing doe and the herb-finding bird. He had known her for years; she was kind, and her talent for healing was genuine. Walking over, he spoke in a low voice. "Lyra," he said, "the Doe of Serene Grace will reach its potential faster, but the Verdant Sparrow's evolution path is longer. If you can provide the right materials, its final evolution will grant you not just healing, but mastery over life-giving plants themselves. The choice is yours." He didn't explain how he knew. He simply met her gaze, letting the quiet confidence in his eyes speak for him. Lyra searched his face, her expression uncertain, but then she saw something there that made up her mind. Trust. She nodded firmly and walked toward the Verdant Sparrow. Lucian smiled faintly and headed home. That evening, he discreetly observed the auras of his parents' companions. Rhea's Glimmerwing was a 2-star potential, a solid, reliable path. Marcus's Shadowfang was a 3-star, a powerful but common evolution. They asked if he was sure about Pip, a common-looking mouse he'd been friends with for years. He simply nodded. "I'm sure." That night, under the moonlight, he began the contract ritual with Pip. It was a simple, ancient process, requiring a drop of blood from both of them. When their blood mingled, Lucian felt a jolt—not of pain, but of pure, unadulterated connection. He felt Pip's tiny heart beating in his own chest, felt the mouse's simple, fierce loyalty, and in that instant, he understood. Their souls were now linked, two halves of a whole. He was a Novice Tamer. He had taken his first step. He sat for a long time afterward, piecing it all together. The crystal was the source of this power, this incredible gift. He looked at Pip's ultimate evolution path again, focusing on the conditions required. The list stunned him: a Tear of a Moonlight Serpent, the Heartwood of an Ironwood tree that had been struck by lightning, and a Shard of a Fallen Star. The materials were difficult , bordering on mythical, but not impossible. A plan began to form in his mind, a slow, patient path to power. He needed knowledge, resources, and influence. He needed to become a Beast Arcanist. It was a noble, respected profession, and one he had dreamed of anyway, but the crystal made it a necessity. The path was brutally difficult; the exams were expensive and failure rates were high, reserved for the wealthy, the well-connected, or the brilliant. But he now had an advantage no one else possessed. He decided the crystal needed a name. "Evolution Prism," he whispered to the empty room. It felt right. The next morning, at breakfast, he announced his decision to take the Beast Arcanist exam. The silence was immediate. His parents exchanged worried glances. Rhea choked on her tea. Marcus's fork froze halfway to his mouth. "Lucian," Rhea said, her voice gentle but firm, "that's… that's a wonderful ambition, but the examination is … It's incredibly expensive and difficult. Most who try have years of study or a family to sponsor them." "I know," Lucian said, meeting their concerned gazes. "But I have to do this. Pip… he has potential. More than you can imagine. " He couldn't explain the Evolution Prism, not yet. They wouldn't understand. All he could show them was the unshakeable resolve in his eyes. He spent the day with them as they began teaching him the foundational breathing exercises of cultivation, guiding him to sense the aether in the air and draw it into his newly formed Beast Gate Seed. It was slow, painstaking work, but for the first time, he felt the energy of this world flowing through him, a tangible connection to Aethelgard itself. That evening, as they sat by the fire, he reiterated his decision. "I'm going. I'll work, I'll save. I'll do whatever it takes." Seeing that he would not be moved, their worry slowly morphed into a quiet, fierce pride. "Then we will help you save," Marcus said, his voice deep with certainty. "And we will be here when you return." The next morning, Lucian set out for the examination hall in the city, his heart a mixture of dread and determination. He had studied every spare moment for years, poring over rare texts, asking relentless questions. But theory was not experience. The fee to even take the written examination hit him like a physical blow. The stern-faced clerk at the registration desk looked him up and down. "Twelve gold coins.
