Leo rushed into the infirmary, immediately locating Layla thanks to his skill in mitra sensory and his familiarity with all the Starlight crew's signatures. Jack followed closely behind. Leo's eyes filled with tears as he saw his sister in a coma. He moved to her side, gently stroked her hair, and, unable to hold back anymore, broke down into sobs. Jack stood beside his friend, placing a hand on his shoulder in an attempt to comfort him. Jack's eyes were glassy as he looked away, unable to bear seeing Layla in such a condition. They remained by her side until Beth arrived to check on Layla that evening.
Beth asked who they were and, after some questioning, realized they were the boys Gus had mentioned. She explained the events that led to Layla's coma, telling them about the dead beast and how it might have killed Layla if she hadn't arrived at just the right moment. Beth reassured them that, although such incidents were rare, beast extraction-induced comas usually didn't last long. Her words seemed to comfort the boys, eventually calming their tears.
After a while, Beth asked, "Do either of you have any idea what could have caused this?"
Jack and Leo shook their heads. "No idea," Leo responded sadly. Jack, however, seemed lost in thought. He was remembering when Layla had been injured and had pointed to Damian. Something didn't add up—there was no visible injury on her body, which Lutz had already confirmed. It had to be something else. Perhaps the beast had been wounded at that exact moment. Everything started to make sense.
That was why she pointed at Damian. He must have killed her spirit animal. But how? That part didn't fit. Only the crew of the Starlight knew how Layla used her familiar. Hers was different; she could summon it without saying a word or making it visible. So how had Damian managed to kill it if he couldn't see it, especially when he was visually impaired at the time?
Jack wracked his brain, knowing that if Layla had made her familiar visible, everyone in the White Room would have seen it. There was more to Damian than met the eye. Jack's thoughts were interrupted when Leo thanked Beth for the information, and they left the infirmary.
As Layla lay unconscious, she could hear her brother's and Jack's voices. She wished she could wake up and tell them not to worry, but she remained trapped in the coma. Beyond their voices, she felt surrounded by emptiness—a vast, dark void. She felt numb, powerless, and trapped for days. Then, out of nowhere, a bright light pierced through the darkness. She heard a familiar hissing sound and saw her spirit animal, a massive serpent, appear. It coiled around her affectionately, and she asked if it had returned to her.
Layla knew what Gus and the healers had done, but she clung to hope. The serpent looked at her sadly, shook its head, and uncoiled itself. With one final hiss, it transformed into pure mitra, a mist that surrounded Layla. She inhaled deeply, feeling the mist flow through her nostrils and spread throughout her body. She felt her mitra capacity increasing, the pain fading, and the numbness disappearing.
Meanwhile, Beth stood puzzled as she stared at the dead serpent they had hauled to the research section of the infirmary. It had taken four people, including her and Magdalena, to carry it, and now it seemed to have shrunk. She went to get Magdalena to take a look, but when they returned, the beast had vanished. After searching the infirmary, Beth told Magdalena what she suspected. Magdalena shot her a glare and, furious, swung at her, but Beth narrowly dodged the slap.
"You knew this would happen!" Magdalena snapped. "If it was shrinking, it was bound to disappear eventually. You wasted our time." Magdalena then ordered, "More clinic hours for you!" Beth groaned and walked away, while Magdalena cursed under her breath and returned to her work.
As dawn broke, the Nox rang, waking everyone up. Outside, one could see a group of students in armor flying effortlessly through the air in the same direction—Leo and Jack were among them. They were all third-year students, excited for the upcoming beast contracts and hunt. This event was a major milestone, although not everyone would succeed in getting a contract.
In the assembly hall, shared by third and fourth years, Alaric stood at the podium, waiting for the students to settle. Knowing this was an important moment for them, he felt their excitement. As he scanned the crowd, he searched for Layla, already informed by Gus about her condition. He wanted to convince her not to participate, as it would be too soon for her. When everyone was seated, he cleared his throat and began his briefing.
"As you all know, it's time for the annual beast hunt and contract expedition. Normally, you would be teleported directly to hunt and tame beasts to become your familiars. However, this year, due to concerns from parents who have lost their wards during the hunt, the school board and gramarye have decided to implement a screening process. If you do not qualify, you can retake the test at any time. For inquiries, please contact Professor Gus."
The students murmured among themselves, but Alaric continued, unfazed. "The test will be conducted using simulations, designed to create beasts based on your individual affinities. Each of you will face a different challenge. If you can hunt down the beast, you can tame it. Once tamed, forming a contract becomes straightforward. But in this exercise we're focused on only hunting the beast down."
Looking down at the excited crowd, Alaric smirked like a madman. "Use any means necessary to win. Let the games—ahem, the tests—begin." He then pulled out a glowing stele, and the next moment, they were teleported to a different world filled with the roars of beasts. He wished them luck before vanishing.