Chapter 56: Jessica's Beast Tamer Ascendency
The Call of the Wild
The Celestial Wilds were a great vale, unsullied by the tides of time, wherein spirit beasts roared at mountain peaks and whose whispering winds carried the secrets of an ancient world. This was a place where only the strong survived, and the balance between man and beast was a delicate one-a balance not inspired by power, but rather the depth of one's bond to the wild.
Standing tall at the core of this savage land, cool night air seemed to tingle against her light skin. Although petite in physique, she had a fierce soul. She overlooked the moon-lit valley ahead, her long golden-blonde hair rolling in soft tresses down her back, radiant under the silvery glow.
Her eyes shone bright, full of determination, like the star-filled night sky above her head. She was slim and had soft features that gave her a doll-like appearance, but beneath that was the heart of a warrior.
A Beast Tamer.
For months, she had followed the instructions of the reclusive elders of the wild about the ways to understand communication with spirit beasts: not through force, but by understanding. Unlike others who tried to bend creatures to their will, she had learned to respect them-to see them as equals, as companions rather than tools.
But tonight was different.
Tonight, she would undergo the Ascendency Trial, something no ordinary Beast Tamer could survive.
If she succeeded, she would awaken the legendary Beast Sovereign Bloodline, an ability to make bonds with even the most untamable of creatures unbreakable.
If she failed…
She wouldn't get a second chance.
Jessica blew out sharply, steeling herself. There was no going back now.
The trial had begun.
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The Trial of the Wild Sovereign
Before her stood the ancient Spirit Totem, a colossus of weathered stone etched with the sigils of those who had come before. It was an overwhelming presence radiating the wisdom of generations upon generations of Beast Tamers.
Spirit beasts of all kinds gathered in a huge circle around her: wolves with coats of silver, serpents with emerald eyes, towering mammoths that rumbled the earth with every breath.
And then… nothing.
Jessica fell to her knees before the totem, hands in fists against shaking.
Now,
The elderly one's voice boomed throughout the valley:
> "Only a person with a pure heart and unrelenting will could be bound by the Wild Sovereign."
immediately after he finished speaking, it began to rumble beneath her feet.
At that instant, from the recesses of this valley, it rent the heavens asunder and roared forth.
A moving shadow.
Then out of the pale moonlight stepped the Wild Sovereign Beast.
It was enormous, a lion as no one had ever seen-indeed, it seemed to be building its fur of silver from the very substance of the stars themselves, its eyes of burning gold smoldering with the fire of some ancient king. Lesser beasts in the tapestry bowed without volition to acknowledge its sovereignty.
Jessica's heart skittered.
What must I break?
The beast's eyes locked onto hers.
And then—it pounced.
In one swift movement, the Wild Sovereign launched himself. His mane of gold crackled with energy, each strand bursting with feral power. The force of his leap shook the valley, the stone shattering beneath his claws.
Jessica did not flee.
She couldn't.
Instead, she shut her eyes and reached out—not with her hands, but with her soul.
For one heartbeat, there was silence.
Then—connection.
A tide of emotion, raw and old, crashed through her mind.
She saw glimpses of its past—its loneliness, its unyielding pride, its endless search for a companion worthy of its strength. She felt its rage, its yearning, its pain.
And in that moment, she understood.
She had never wanted to control the beast.
She wanted to stand beside it.
"I don't want to command you," she whispered. "I want to fight with you."
The Wild Sovereign halted, inches from her face.
Golden eyes bored into hers, searching—testing.
Then, in one fluid motion, it slowly lowered its head.
Gasps filled the valley.
She did it.
On her forehead, a golden mark materialized, shining brightly with pulsating energy—the mark of a true Beast Sovereign.
Jessica exhaled shakily.
She had risen.
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Jessica's Love for Ben
That night, there was rejoicing in the valley.
Beasts howled at the moon in unison, their voices carrying in a deafening chorus of acknowledgment of their new ruler. Jessica sat beside the Wild Sovereign, its huge form curled protectively around her, its warm breath rustling her hair.
But notwithstanding the victory, her mind wandered elsewhere.
She stared at the sky with its load of bright moonlight, her fingers playing indolently through the lion's thick, silver mane.
And then she whispered a name.
"Ben.
The beast rumbled, sensing the shift in her emotions.
Jessica bit her lip as her heart twisted in ways she wasn't prepared for.
All her life she had faced danger, tamed wild creatures, endured grueling trials—and yet, she could not tell Ben how she felt.
Ben.
The one who had always been by her side-the one who was always so quick with a smile, who laughed when there was any danger, who treated her like she was just Jessica, not a prodigy, not a Beast Tamer, just… her.
He had never even noticed the way her cheeks flushed whenever he complimented her.
Never noticed the way she stared at him, the way she held her breath whenever he stood too close.
She had faced down a sovereign beast.
But confessing her feelings?
That felt impossible.
> Pathetic.
She muttered the word under her breath, frustrated with herself.
The Wild Sovereign let out a low chuckle-not a sound, but a feeling, one that resonated through their bond.
She frowned. "What's so funny?
The beast nudged her gently, his golden eyes aglow bright with understanding.
You are so much stronger than you think.
Jessica blushed, her face hot. Easy for you to say.
The beast didn't push it. He just understood.
Maybe… someday, she'd muster the courage to tell Ben.
Maybe someday, she'd stand before him the way she had stood before the Wild Sovereign, unafraid of anything, shaken by nothing.
But for now…
She would stand by him, in hope that someday he would see what was always in front of him.
As the wind carried into the night the wild sounds of the night, Jessica smiled wryly, leaning her head against the fur of the great lion.
She had conquered the untamed.
But love?
That was a battle she was yet to win.
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End of Chapter 56.
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