I returned to the beach and found Arturous in his usual spot. His constant snoozing had initially made me concerned, but after talking with Teddy, apparently, it was the norm. Go figure; a bear likes to slumber.

"Alright, big guy, I'm going to absorb a new skillstone. Watch over me in case I end up almost dying again. Got it?" I asked as I lay down and scratched the bear's neck.

"Ghhrrrrrrrr," Arturous responded.

I nodded thoughtfully to show that I was listening and brought forth the silver crystal into my hand. Its surface was like a mirror that reflected my smiling face. I should have been scared or worried about what was to come, but my excitement overwhelmed any fear.

Closing my eyes, I held the stone firmly in my hand and channeled a thread of mana down my arm. The mana released from my palm and entered the crystal, breaking the solid stone into a fine dust. As the dust seeped into my skin and I felt a new energy enter my body, I let the world fall away and went into my soulspace.

I saw a misty lake with a solitary island emerging from the lake of mana. As I looked on, my glowing skill wisps appeared before me. Three orbs, which represented my familiars, were flying in circles above the island where new energy was beginning to accumulate.

I willed myself forward within my inner world and joined the wisps as they floated above the island. Each new pulse of energy solidified the mana and slowly coloured the shapeless mass.

The new glowing wisp started to float downward after what felt like an hour but was less than a dozen seconds in the real world. It remained hovering in the air, lifeless and incomplete.

A mental query to my system pulled up my status sheet, and I could feel the others excited to see my new skill.

STATUS

Name: Cyrus

Race: Reborn (Felkin)

Age: ??

Tier: 0

Active Skills:

* (T:0 R:4) Summon Familiar: Verdant Healer: (Áine )

* (T:0 R:4) Summon Familiar: Resplendent Inferno: (Zharia)

* (T:0 R:4) Racial Skill: Dimensional Storage: (Chomperz)

* (T:0 R:4) Spirit Lord's Invocation

* (T:0 R:4) Summon Familiar: The Dead Will Provide (Erebus)

* (T:0 R:0) Summon Familiar: Reflective Coat of the Mirror Beast

Passive Skills:

* (T:0 R:4) Etherious Blood

* (T:0 R:4) Sovereign-Threaded Soul

Perks:

Legacy of the Obsidian Crown

Scion of Calstrax

Demonic Blood

Child of Mana

Dread Guardian's Apology

The skill's evolution was surprising. I knew my mark would evolve skills to fit me, but adding words and the omission of parry was an unexpected change. It sounded cooler if not more of a mouthful than before.

I shrugged and bid farewell to my spirits before leaving my soulspace. Although I could have stayed longer to study the wisp, I didn't want to delay any further.

It was time to contract a new familiar.

I relaxed and gave Arturous a final scratch behind the ears before letting my mana flow freely and connect to the skill. The mana heeded my command, and I felt it stir inside my chest. Pathways were created, widening the flow of mana available to the skill wisp, and I felt reality pull my consciousness to the void. My final inhale of air timed perfectly as I became untethered and was transported through the planes.

When I regained physical awareness, I opened my eyes and instinctively stepped back. I found myself within a confined space, enclosed by rocks, trees, and crystals. Pillars of considerable height encircled me on all sides, and the summoning circle beneath my feet was almost imperceptible.

But the almost peaceful-looking scenery wasn't what made me take a step back. It was the giant crystal suspended in a ring of metal that caught my eye. Eight points of opaque crystal were attached to a metal ring. Several layers jutted out from the middle, making the giant structure look like a star-shaped flower.

I stayed still and waited to see if this was the guardian of this realm, but I was met with silence. There was no wind, and the light of the sun didn't fluctuate as there were no clouds in the sky. The only thing around was me inside the circle and the giant crystal that let off a dull glow of red and blue.

This was my fourth time doing this process, so I closed my eyes and began firing up the circle. I could feel the lines etched into the ground draw in my mana like a sponge. Within range of my mana sense, I could feel where the lines condensed around the pillars as they slowly drew mana up the stone material.

If I looked with my eyes, I would probably see runes or glyphs light up the dark stone. It was a common feature in summoning circles that made me wish I had my notebook with me. Cal would have been a good source of knowledge if I could recreate the symbols.

Gradually, my body began to freeze, and the typical coldness started to stiffen me. My limbs were going numb, and it was becoming challenging to breathe. I was about to reduce the flow of mana when I heard a melodic voice that resonated in my ears.

"That is enough, young Lord."

I clamped down on my mana channels and slowly opened my eyes. Around me, the environment had brightened while streams of light began to rise into the air. They twinkled in and out like reversed shooting stars, and the summoning circle was now clearly visible as white light lit up the area.

As I gazed at the pillars, I observed the emergence of white glyphs lighting up the dark stone. Each part of the column was adorned with a solitary row of glyphs, encircling it and illuminating the area with a brilliant glow.

"Curious one, are you?" Again, the voice spoke, and I looked around to find its speaker.

The voice sounded male. Its sound was telepathic since a voice that loud would have shaken the ground with its thrum.

"I am here. Look before you." Said the voice, its sound a mixture of deep echoes and light humming.

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When I looked forward, all I saw was the massive crystal star. Even as the area before it was now lit and empowered by my mana, it remained the same. Its dull glow switched between shades of reds and blues, and the light emitted from the crystal was low.

"You have summoned me here, lordling. State thy name."

This time, I saw it. When the voice entered my mind, the giant crystal before me lit up as if it was talking. Each word was a different burst of red or blue light that shone inside the glass.

I wasn't stupid. This was obviously the guardian. And here I was, looking around like a lost fool, as it watched me, waiting. Not wanting to anger another guardian and have another near-death experience, I stepped forward and lowered my head in a bow. "Greetings, great guardian. My name is Cyrus. My apologies for not noticing you earlier."

I kept my tone as respectful as possible while keeping my voice steady. There wasn't fear welling up inside up, but wonder. A giant living crystal was the guardian of this realm. To see a being that held a body more elemental in nature rather than blood and flesh was awesome.

"And I greet you, young Lord. My name is not something that can be translated into organic sounds. So you may call me Erath."

I raised my head and looked directly at the center of the crystal guardian. There were no eyes that I could see, but I felt that was where the consciousness originated from. "I have come to offer my skill, Reflective Coat of the Mirror Beast."

A series of flashing lights whirled around the guardian. When one of the streams of mana lights touched the surface of his body, it would burst into small particles. This went on as a low hum started to rise.

After a minute of silence, the lights stopped flashing, and Erath's main body lit up with crimson light, bright enough to dye the world red. "Answer me this, lordling. What is it you seek?"

The unexpected question caught me off guard, and I ended up staring dumbly at the guardian. Something about the way he asked made me think he wanted an answer beyond the obvious. And a deep feeling in my gut told me that lying to Erath wouldn't go well for me.

So, I paused and gave the question some thought. What did I seek? I could answer that I wanted a spirit to help me in battle. That a tank of some kind would be perfect for rounding out my roster, but that felt too shallow.

My thoughts drifted to all the small moments where I shared my food and drink with Zharia and Áine. Even Erebus would spend time with me, sitting, resting, and waiting for a new task to begin—all those moments I spent cuddling with my familiars, relying on and caring for them.

To me, my spirits were more than tools. They mattered beyond the basic need of magic. Combat and healing, looting, and convenience were tasks that mattered, things my familiars helped accomplish or participate in. But I cared for them like they were my children, in a way.

Too sapient to be a pet, too young to be an adult, and too personal to be more than a servant and their master. As Erath's red light bared down on me, these thoughts went through my head. As I looked up and tried to use my senses to pierce beyond his crystal shell, I found my answer. There could be no other answer.

I held my head high and stared unflinchingly under the pressure of Erath's presence. "That answer is simple, guardian," I said in complete solemnity. "I seek a companion. A friend I care for, and in turn, they care for me. I want to reach the grandest heights with the rest of my familiars. To grow strong and seek ascension beyond my mortal means. That is what I seek."

The light intensified, and I could feel my eyes begin to dry. However, I dared not blink, caught up in the moment. I wasn't sure what the guardian could do to me, but I knew it helped facilitate my options. If I wanted a familiar who was suited for me, who resonated with my soul, I needed to pass whatever test Erath was giving.

Finally, the ominous red light dimmed, and in return, a soothing blue replaced its presence. It was neither bright nor dull, merely visible enough to add a gentle calm to the area. The streams of light that rose into the air began to swirl lazily around me.

I watched as each stream gathered like a vortex was pulling them in, with Erath as its center. Each stream was met with silent bursts of dazzling colours that added to the controlled chaos.

And when the final stream of light was sucked into Erath's surface, his blue glow faded till only the tips of each point were alit. This time, when Erath spoke, it was with a series of chimes and drums. His body blazed a soft purple light. "You have answered with truth and conviction behind your words. Your goal is worthy of an ascender. Your goal is worthy of a young Spirit Lord. Tell me, Cyrus. Will you trust me?"

The question wasn't even a real question to my ears. I wasted no time nodding my head. "I do."

Out of all the things that could happen next, I would have never imagined the guardian to shoot a laser beam onto the ground only a couple of feet away from the circle line. It was a purple beam of energy that made a sound like a thunderstorm. I nearly broke my poise and went to cover my ears, but as quick as the beam appeared, it was gone.

In its place, along the somehow untouched ground, sat one of the cutest creatures I ever saw. As it stood, it let out a soft mew that broke the silence that flooded the area.

Purple shards of what looked like crystals fell off its body as it moved around, and when its eyes landed on me, I found a name on the tip of my tongue.

Approaching the edge of the summoning circle, I willed the obsidian athame into my left hand and held out my right. With a quick jerk, the razor-sharp dagger sliced a red line into my palm, and blood started to pool.

Curling my fingers so the blood didn't spill, I approached the circle's edge and held my hand out. The little black and white tiger cub crawled forward slowly, almost suspicious of my actions. His face was absolutely adorable as he watched me with his purple eyes.

I didn't say a word, content to let the spiritbeast approach when it deemed itself ready. Luckily, I didn't have to wait long as the cub sniffed the air a few times and honed in on my bleeding hand. Its eyes widened into round plates as it dilated.

Like a great cat ready for the kill, it lowered its body to the ground and spread its paws. It was amusing watching the little spirit hype itself up. And when the tiger cub pounced towards me, it leaped once, then twice, and dug its nails into the ground as it landed. His wet nose touched my hand, tickling it with his whiskers.

When it began lapping up the blood, I spoke its name and channeled mana through my palm. "I name you, Magnus."

After completing the ritual, a new weight filled my soul, and I felt my mana shift to accommodate the latest addition. Magnus broke into silver and purple motes that rushed into my chest.

With the ritual complete, I stood up and tucked the athame into a sheath on my belt. The sheath was not there before I summoned the athame, but like everything, I accepted the magical b.s. for what it was and moved on.

"Before you return to your plane, may I query you?" Erath asked.

I raised an eyebrow and nodded. "Only if I can ask some in return."

There was a series of flashing lights that somehow gave me the impression that the guardian said yes.

"Why did you agree to trust me?"

"I can't describe it well enough, but I felt I could. It's like I have a vague recollection of knowledge that tells me to trust your sincerity in your title as a guardian. To question that loyalty would be silly. Of all my encounters with guardians, only one has ever harmed me, and that was a special case."

Erath paused again, and I could see trails of light flow out from his center and into his points. I decided to ask my own question in turn while he seemed to consider my words. "My turn. What would you have done if I had lied about my answer?"

"My role as guardian of this realm is simple. I am to protect the land around the circle and maintain the glyphs. When a summoner comes to make a contract, I am to use my judgment to provide the summoner with the chance to bond with a spirit. If you had lied, I would have provided you with a choice of spirits with the least compatibility. If all spirits had rejected your offer, my task would be complete, and I would banish you from this realm. If you had argued and fought back and breached the protection of your circle, I'd have turned you into less than ash."

I didn't know the guardians could banish you from the realm. Even with the weird knowledge stored inside my soul that I could sometimes access, I had nothing on failing the contract. It was stuff like this that I wish Cal was around more often for me to interrogate.

When I noticed the lights on Erath's body dim again, I stopped my musing and looked at his center. "Thank you for the knowledge. I am ready for your next question."

"My final query then. What's your reasoning for that newborn's name?"

"It's from an old language back on my original world. It means 'great' or 'greatest'. I saw a cub, green as grass. But in my head? I envisioned the day he would evolve to become a king. The largest of cats that prowled the land, unbothered by his surroundings."

Another long pause followed, and this time, Erath turned a deep violet. Each point of his body shone a bright pale light bordering on pearl white.

Suddenly, I felt the mana around the circle start to fade, and a tugging sensation spawned in my chest. When I looked around, the glow of the glyphs on the pillars began fading.

Erath's melodic words thrummed in my head as I started to fall. "I have processed your mana, young Lord. I have heard your words and felt the sincerity of your character.

The marks of multiple beings, some greater than I intertwine your soul. Fate-touched, marked by the Grand Weave itself, I do not know what the future holds for you but know that I await your ascension with deep interest.

If you are ever to visit the elemental planes, I will welcome you into my personal domain, should you come. Now, return to your realm. May the Weave guide you."

The suddenness of Erath's words was surprising, and I felt an excited energy in my chest that bubbled and interacted with my soulspace. But an annoying realization came to mind as I continued to fall below the plane.

I just got stiffed on my final question!