The Birth of a Bond
Lucas abruptly opened his eyes as a shrill scream from Lady Daunbry tore through the silence.
"What happened?" Lucas asked, his voice laced with panic.
"Yo... you!" The lady was trembling, her mind struggling to process the sudden, violent turn of events. She stared at him as if seeing a ghost. Finally, she shook off the shock, though traces of fear lingered in her voice. "Listen, you brat. I am sending you out—now."
"What exactly happened in there?" Lucas pressed, more confused than ever.
"It isn't the time for explanations. Just... don't think about that book for a while," she said, swaying slightly from dizziness.
"And the condition you mentioned?"
"I haven't forgotten." She summoned her own Grimoire. Lucas watched in awe; it was a majestic gold, carved with profound curves and ancient symbols that seemed to hum with power. It was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen, second only to the mysterious chained book.
As she chanted a low, melodic mantra, a blazing light descended from her book into her eyes. A moment later, a white egg appeared in the air, covered in intricate golden markings and radiating a pure, ancient Qi.
"Wha... what is this?" Lucas gasped.
"This is my daughter," Lady Daunbry said, gritting her teeth as if the words pained her. "I am handing her over to you. You must care for her with absolute sincerity. I never intended to give her to a human, but alas... fate has other plans."
"Summon your Grimoire," she commanded.
Lucas obeyed. She placed the egg upon his open book and began channeling her pure Qi into it to stabilize the bond. Lucas watched, his heart hammering against his ribs. This was it—his first Familia.
As the light subsided, Daunbry looked at him with a weary, solemn expression. "Take care of her. We are the last of our kind. Honor your promise."
She didn't give him time to respond. "Now, leave. It will take half my remaining strength to tear a path out of here. Bear the pressure and let your soul synchronize with my Qi."
Lucas closed his eyes and felt her presence enter his sea of consciousness. The pressure was immense, like a mountain crushing his soul. He could feel her struggling, her essence draining as she turned semi-transparent from the effort. With one final, desperate push, she thrust him forward.
A massive vortex swallowed Lucas, dragging him out of the white world. Behind him, Lady Daunbry collapsed, her strength completely spent.
Lucas hit the mattress of his bed back in the manor, feeling as though he might puke. His body wasn't yet ready to handle such high-level Qi. He lay there for a long time, gasping for air, before the reality of the situation finally sank in.
"Did I... did I really just get a Familia?"
He was in a daze. He didn't realize that he hadn't just gained a partner; he had gained a pair—a mother's protection and a daughter's bond. More importantly, he had obtained a Dragon. A pure, genuine dragon. If the guilds and sects of the sanctuary knew, it would cause a total upheaval. Dragons were mythical, highly intelligent beings that simply didn't serve humans as Familias.
Lucas summoned his Grimoire. It was still blue, containing six thin, white pages. While six pages was a good start, he knew he couldn't simply fill them; a Spiritas had to build the "Miniature Tower" within their Dantian. Each floor of the tower acted as a mana source for a Familia. Without a floor to support it, a contract was useless.
He turned to the first page. There, etched into the paper, was the image of the white egg. He focused on it, and a status panel appeared:
Name: None
Species: White Dragon Youngling
Quality: Mythical/ Mysterious
Type: Spiritual / Beast
Grade: Unknown
Skills: None
Lucas frowned. From his memories, he knew the six common qualities: Mediocre, Normal, Servant, Elite, Commander,and General. The grades usually went from Bronze to Gold. He had never heard of "Mythical" quality or "Unknown" grade. The panel itself felt different—sharper, as if it held secrets the rest of the world hadn't discovered yet.
A sharp knock on his door broke his concentration.
"Lucas! Hurry up and open the door!"
It was Aila Dy Morningstar, his thirteen-year-old cousin. She was the "princess" of the family and was due for her own awakening ceremony next month.
Lucas quickly hid his Grimoire and opened the door.
"You're finally better! Let's go out!" Aila chirped excitedly. "I heard there's a new restaurant in the village—a branch of a famous shop from Blue Moon City!"
Lucas wiped the sweat from his forehead and managed a small smile. "Alright, alright. Let me grab some coins first."
Later, at the Blue Cloud Tavern...
"There are so many people!" Aila exclaimed, leading him through the crowd. "I'm so glad I booked a table in advance."
As Aila continued to chatter about the food, Lucas sat across from her in a daze. The world around him was loud and bright, but his mind was still back in the white void, tethered to the dragon egg resting in his soul.