The days following his meeting with Master Nivon had been a blur of uncertainty and tension. Raine knew that his position had shifted dramatically. What had once been a quiet pursuit of beast taming had turned into a battle of survival. The gryphion, his first success, was now more than just a creature—it was a beacon, drawing attention from all corners of the kingdom.
Still, amidst the ever-tightening grip of royal scrutiny and the shifting politics of the academy, Raine couldn't help but feel a small spark of hope. His strategic mind, sharp and calculating, knew that power lay in secrets. And for now, that meant keeping the gryphion—and whatever else he might find—hidden until the time was right.
The sun was beginning to set as Raine walked through the dense woods behind the academy. It was a place that few students ventured, and that was exactly why Raine had chosen it. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and growing moss, the towering trees casting long shadows across the uneven ground. His footsteps were light, almost imperceptible, as he moved deeper into the woods. The gryphion, always vigilant, remained at his side, its eyes scanning the horizon. It was as if the beast, despite its regal power, trusted Raine's instincts implicitly.
Raine had come here for one purpose: to strengthen his bond with his creatures and to find answers that lay hidden in the dark corners of the world.
His mind flickered back to Master Nivon's cryptic warning. "You've bonded with a creature tied to the Eye of Eternity. There are forces after it. But there is more, Raine. You don't know the full extent of the gryphion's potential... or your own."
The idea of another, stronger beast hidden somewhere near the academy had been a faint whisper at the back of his mind for days, but he'd kept it locked away. Now, as the sun dipped lower and the stars began to peek through the twilight sky, Raine found himself on the edge of something truly dangerous.
A soft rustling from the bushes ahead snapped him from his thoughts. His hand instinctively went to the talisman around his neck, and the gryphion beside him tensed.
"Careful…" Raine murmured under his breath.
As he stepped closer, the rustling grew louder, more distinct, until a massive form emerged from the underbrush.
The creature was unlike anything Raine had ever seen before.
It stood almost twice as tall as the gryphion, its body sleek and muscular, with scales that shimmered in the dim light, shifting in hues of deep emerald and gold. A long, serpentine tail lashed behind it, and from its head sprouted two curved horns that glowed faintly. Its eyes gleamed with an intelligent, almost calculating look—something that struck a chord deep within Raine's gut.
It was a five-star beast, a Drakonid—a species believed to be extinct, much like the gryphion. Its power radiated off of it in waves, sending a chill down Raine's spine. Yet, there was something even more unsettling about this beast. It wasn't just powerful—it was alive with potential, far more than any ordinary five-star beast.
Raine took a cautious step forward, his heart pounding. The beast regarded him with a calculating gaze, its nostrils flaring slightly. He knew instinctively that this creature could be far more than it appeared. With the right bond, it could evolve into something far more powerful—something beyond the limits of current magical understanding.
A seven-star mythical beast.
Raine's mind raced. "A Drakonid of this caliber... It could be the key to everything."
It could be the trump card that he had been searching for—his secret weapon against whatever the royal family and others had planned for him. He couldn't let it slip away.
But at the same time, he knew the risk of taming it. This creature wasn't just any beast. It was a relic, a living myth, and its power could very easily spiral out of control if not carefully nurtured. Worse, it could attract more dangerous attention than even the gryphion. There was no telling how many others might be hunting for such a creature—beasts of this caliber were far too rare to remain hidden for long.
After a moment of consideration, Raine made a decision.
"I will tame it. But I must be careful. This beast must remain hidden, kept as my trump card, until I understand its true potential."
His mind worked quickly, drawing on the knowledge he had gathered from his studies. The bond needed to tame a creature like this was delicate—he would have to proceed with utmost caution. If he made even the slightest misstep, it could either reject him or, worse, turn hostile.
Raine extended his hand, feeling the familiar warmth of his magical energy flow through his fingers. The talisman around his neck seemed to hum with a soft resonance, as if it recognized the gravity of the moment. The gryphion stood by his side, its eyes narrowing as it watched the Drakonid.
"I understand. But you must trust me." Raine whispered, speaking to the beast not just with his words, but with his heart.
The Drakonid's eyes flickered with something close to understanding, and for a moment, the world seemed to pause around them. Then, with a slow, deliberate motion, the beast stepped forward, allowing Raine to place his hand on its gleaming scales.
A surge of energy shot through him, almost overwhelming in its power. The bond was instantaneous, as if the Drakonid had been waiting for this moment. Raine's senses flooded with images and emotions—strange, ancient knowledge that seemed to belong to the beast, to the very fabric of the world itself.
But there was something else, too.
A whisper. Soft. Haunting.
"The Eye... Find it."
The voice was ancient, distant, but it resonated deep within Raine's soul.
Raine stumbled back, his breath coming in sharp gasps. His mind reeled from the sudden influx of information. The Drakonid had bonded with him, but there was more at play here than simply a tamer and a beast. There was an ancient purpose—something that tied him to this mythical creature in ways he didn't yet understand.
But one thing was clear: this Drakonid, this legendary beast, was his now. And it would remain hidden—for now.
"I will protect you, just as I protect the gryphion," Raine muttered, his resolve hardening. "But you must stay hidden. Until the time is right."
To Be Continued...
As Raine stepped away from the beast, he couldn't shake the feeling that this discovery had changed everything. The stakes were now higher than ever before, and the secret of the Drakonid—along with its potential to evolve into something even greater—was a weapon that could tip the balance in the coming struggle for power.
And Raine knew that he would need every ounce of that power to face the challenges ahead.