Kael's heart raced as the heavy stone doors of the council chambers slammed shut behind him, sealing him into the dimly lit hall that stretched ahead. His thoughts spun, racing faster than the cold winds outside, but there was no time for hesitation. No time for doubt.
He had just agreed to the trials.
And now, there was no turning back.
Lyra's hand, warm and steady, rested briefly on his shoulder. "You're going to be fine. Just focus on the beasts, not the politics," she said quietly, her voice laced with an uncharacteristic softness.
Kael barely nodded, his mind still reeling from Seraphina's challenge. The trials were not merely a rite of passage; they were a test of Kael's very essence, of his connection with the beasts and his ability to command them. His father had passed the trial with ease, his name forever etched into the annals of the Beast Tamer's Guild. Kael, however, had never felt the same undeniable bond with the creatures that had defined his family's legacy.
"You don't have to prove anything to them, Kael," Lyra added, her words cutting through his thoughts like a knife. "It's about proving it to yourself."
Kael exhaled slowly, the weight of her words sinking into his chest like a stone. He knew what she meant. The people in the guild—the leaders, the elites, they all had their expectations of him. But the real test, the one that truly mattered, was the test of his soul. Would he tame the beasts within? Would he tame himself?
The hallway before them opened into a massive chamber, its ceiling so high that the stone walls seemed to disappear into the clouds themselves. The air was thick with the scent of earth, leather, and something more primal—something ancient. It was here, in the belly of the guild, that Kael would face his first trial.
Before him stood a massive arena, a pit of sorts, where dozens of tamers had stood before him and failed, all seeking to prove their strength and mastery. But what did it mean to control a beast? Was it simply about bending it to your will, or was there something more? Kael wasn't sure.
As he stepped forward, the ground beneath him rumbled, the stone shifting with an ominous vibration. A massive creature stepped into view, its form casting a long shadow across the arena. It was a titan, an Aether Beast—a creature so massive and powerful that it could level mountains with a single swing of its claws.
But the moment Kael saw it, something strange stirred within him. His heart raced, not from fear, but from recognition. He had seen this creature before—in his dreams, in whispers from the past.
It was the Mistral Behemoth.
The legends spoke of this creature, a beast that could traverse the skies and command the winds themselves. But no one had ever tamed it. No one, not even his father, had been able to forge a bond with it.
Seraphina's voice echoed from the stands, cold and distant. "The first trial is a test of your connection to the beast. Tame it, or fail."
Kael's gaze locked with the Behemoth's, and for a moment, the world around him faded away. His hand twitched, a surge of energy pulsing through him, but it was fleeting. His father had always been able to sense the beasts, to bond with them in a way Kael couldn't understand. How had he done it? What was the secret? Kael couldn't afford to waste time wondering now. The trial had begun.
The Mistral Behemoth let out a low, rumbling growl, a sound that resonated deep in Kael's bones. The air shifted around them, swirling with an unseen force. The creature's eyes, fierce and untamed, fixed on Kael, daring him to approach. But Kael held his ground, his breath steady.
For a brief moment, he closed his eyes, focusing on the bond that connected all tamers to their beasts—the unspoken link that tied them together, mind and soul. But Kael felt nothing. No pull, no tether, nothing but the vast emptiness that had haunted him for years.
Lyra's voice cut through the silence, distant but clear. "Kael, remember what your father taught you. It's not about control. It's about understanding."
Understanding. The word echoed in Kael's mind like a mantra, as if it held the key to everything he had been searching for.
His eyes snapped open, and the bond he had been missing—no, ignoring—flared into existence. The connection was faint at first, a whisper against the roar of the creature's immense presence. But Kael didn't shy away. He reached for it, pulled it closer, and the world around him began to shift.
The Mistral Behemoth roared, its wings spreading wide, sending gusts of wind crashing against Kael's body. He stumbled, but didn't fall. He could feel the beast now, not as an enemy to be controlled, but as a partner, a force of nature that would fight beside him if he allowed it.
He held out his hand, palm facing the sky. The winds around them whipped in a frenzy, but Kael stood firm, focusing on the bond between them. The Behemoth's massive eyes narrowed, and for the first time since entering the arena, Kael felt the beast's hesitation. It was unsure of him, just as he was unsure of it.
The silence stretched on.
Then, slowly, cautiously, the Behemoth lowered its head, its great form sinking to one knee before Kael. The winds around them died down, and the world seemed to exhale in relief.
Seraphina's voice, tinged with surprise, rang out across the arena. "It's done. You've passed the first trial."
Kael felt the weight of the moment settle over him. His heart was still racing, his body trembling from the intensity of the experience, but a flicker of something stirred within him. Hope. Confidence. The bond with the Mistral Behemoth was only the beginning, but it was a start.
Lyra was at his side in an instant, her smile radiant with pride. "You did it."
Kael nodded, though he couldn't shake the feeling that the trials were far from over. The Behemoth had bent to his will, but there were other beasts, other challenges, waiting for him. And though the first victory felt like a personal triumph, Kael knew the real battle was just beginning.
The guild had seen his success, but that was just the surface. Beneath it all lay something darker—a truth about his father's death, about Seraphina's true motives, and about the legacy Kael was destined to carry. The trials were only the beginning of a much larger game, one that would challenge everything Kael had ever known.
And he would need allies if he was to survive it.