The Pact: Bruno and the Crimson Veil

Surprised, I stood up, walked over, and introduced myself to Selena with dignity. I extended my hand to greet her and said:

— It's a pleasure, Selena. My name is Bruno Constantia . I apologize for not introducing myself earlier — these unexpected situations ended up making me overlook many things around me.

My actions seemed to impress both Flávia and Selena, who hadn't expected such posture and responded humbly:

— How could it be otherwise, my lord? I can only imagine what you've gone through in this brief — and surely intense — period of adaptation. I understand if it has made you temporarily distant from the world around you.

A faint blush colored her face as, slightly shy, she accepted my greeting. Our hands met in a respectful touch, sealing that brief moment of formality.

— In that case — she continued gracefully — allow me to introduce myself. I am Selena Siviol, one of the distinguished attendants of the Syla family.

Flávia, beside me, wore an expression of satisfaction. Her arched eyebrow revealed subtle surprise at my demeanor. Still, she turned to me with a half-smile and said:

— Selena is our White Rose. Within the Syla family, she holds the rank of Baron… and, of course, she's incredibly beautiful.

The last line drew sincere laughter, even from me. Selena, visibly blushing, tried to maintain a firm posture, though her neutral expression barely concealed her embarrassment.

Then, with a gentle smile, Selena responded softly:

— It's an honor, my lady... to hear that from the Flower of the Night — she who sleeps at night and rests during the day.

Flávia looked genuinely shy at Selena's compliment. A rare timidity colored her face, giving the room an air of intimacy and familiarity among the four of us.

Still, I felt slightly out of place. As if the space was partly mine — but not entirely. Like I belonged there… but had no roots yet. I swallowed the bitterness of that feeling and held my composure, acting as if everything was natural.

More cheerful now, Flávia turned to me with a sparkle in her eyes.

— So… are you impressed?

The question caught me off guard. I looked confused until she added, with a proud smile:

— That my barony has three figures of Baron rank.

— That is impressive to me, yes — I replied honestly. — But… I don't really have a reference for what's considered a lot or little in a barony.

Sitha then spoke, surprisingly calm and precise:

— In my time as a spiritualist, I've visited a few baronies… and I can say that having three Barons is very good. It's stable — not too large to fall into chaos, not too small to become fragile.

I nodded, absorbing her reasoning. Then, gathering my thoughts, I asked, with strategic curiosity:

— But… wouldn't that be ideal only if they were all novice Barons? I mean, Flávia being a Guardian Baron, and having a fourth-grade spiritual beast… shouldn't she have enough power to stabilize a domain with up to four novice Barons?

My question echoed in the air.

No one answered.

This time, Selena replied:

— Yes… and no. That's an interesting way of thinking. But there's a natural cutoff when it comes to how many warriors can ascend to the Baron rank. The ratio is usually around ten thousand warriors to one Baron. So, even if a barony has a strong Arcane Baron at the helm, it would still be hard to sustain too many novice or even Guardian Barons.

I paused, reflecting.

She was right.

Even if Flávia had the power to suppress them, that didn't mean others would come willingly. After all, in a barony of three novice Barons, the share of "fat" — the resources, prestige, influence — would be much greater than in one dominated by a single Guardian Baron as powerful as her.

This time, Flávia spoke again, with confidence and a slight smile:

— Besides, the Barons in my domain have close ties with me. Outsiders wouldn't easily be brought into power. That's why many prefer baronies where they can compete for more resources… or simply build their own.

I nodded to myself. That made sense. If I were in their place, I wouldn't throw myself into the tiger's den either — not willingly.

And, so Flávia wouldn't be hurt by my innocent question, I offered a cheeky grin and said:

— Well… then your barony truly is impressive. In fact, if I were a Baron, I'd be delighted to serve under such a beautiful leader.

Flávia immediately blushed and subtly stepped behind Selena, who let out a few amused giggles.

Sitha, still laughing softly, turned to me and teased in a low voice:

— So, charmer… are you ready to form your spiritual contract?

Without hesitation, I clenched my fist with determination and replied, excited:

— Of course. More than ready.

Sitha began to explain calmly:

— Before you arrived, Flávia and I had already completed our preparations, with Selena's help. Now, it's just your turn.

— Perfect! — I replied eagerly. — Just tell me what to do, and I'll give it my best.

Sitha nodded, then pulled a small piece of paper from within her cloak. On it was an intricate symbol, resembling summoning circles I had seen in ancient books and scrolls.

With a snap of her fingers, nine candles appeared on the floor, perfectly placed around a magic circle that began to slowly trace itself at the center of the room. The air changed — denser, charged, alive.

She handed me the paper and began to instruct me, word by word, carefully:

— Bruno, I will use my powers to open a connection with the Spiritual World of Salen Beast. You must drip a single drop of blood onto this paper… and then burn a piece of it in each of the nine candles.

She paused briefly, then concluded:

— This will summon a beast — one that reflects your personality, powers, and deepest ideals.

I nodded with conviction, my heart racing.

I was excited. Ready.

Sitha sat down gracefully and began chanting in a language I didn't understand. Her voice was soft, but heavy with something ancient — almost hypnotic. After about forty seconds, her tone deepened, as if speaking from the depths of the spirit world:

— Begin.

Eagerly, I stepped forward. I asked Flávia for help, and she immediately handed me a small knife. I made a light cut on the tip of my finger and let a drop of blood fall onto the paper.

Then, I began the ritual.

Candle by candle, I burned pieces of the paper. At first, it seemed difficult — I didn't know how much to burn for each. But as I continued, it felt as though my heart already knew. As if I had done this countless times before.

Fourth candle.

Fifth.

Sixth.

Seventh.

Eighth.

And finally, the ninth.

As the last piece touched the flame, it burned completely.

At that exact moment, a portal opened before me — a rift to the world of Salen Beast. It felt like my consciousness was pulled inside, and I began to travel through that vast spiritual realm at incredible speed.

The first scene was a sprawling plain filled with creatures radiating wooden auras. Living trees, glowing-antlered deer, and even a sleeping giant nestled among the treetops.

Then the image shifted — a vast desert, teeming with insectoid beings. I saw sand and stone golems, and in the distance, a massive serpent slithered across the dunes.

Next came a mountain range — towering peaks, some lush with vegetation, others made purely of stone. I saw mountain goats, lynxes, bears, and one beast that stole my breath — a chimera, a three-headed lion with a scorpion tail guarding its territory.

The vision raced onward to an endless ocean. Birds glided through the skies. Dolphins, sharks, and whales leaped through the waves. On the rocky coast, a giant crocodile lay resting. Then, something enormous broke the surface — a mighty mosasaur, eyes locked on me as it lunged with terrifying speed. The moment it crashed back into the sea, all the creatures scattered — sky and water alike.

The journey continued.

Now, a volcanic island appeared — blazing with fire and molten fury. I saw wyverns soaring over craters, sub-phoenixes, fiery colts, three-headed dogs, flame wolves, purple lions, and multi-tailed foxes. It was wild. Beautiful. Intense.

And then… the vision stopped.

It fixed on a small creature.

A young wyvern.

Almost newborn. Fragile — but with a shining gaze. Something in me resonated. The vision darted toward him, as if it already knew:

He was the one.

My eyes snapped open.

The spiritual world vanished. The portal before me glowed brightly one last time — until the young wyvern stepped through and landed in my arms.

The room went silent. Flávia, Sitha, and Selena stared at me with wide eyes — a mix of shock and awe.

And there, with that small creature curled against my chest, I knew something inside me had changed forever.