I lay back in my bed, staring at the faint glow of my egg on the desk. It seemed ordinary enough—a smooth, warm shell—but my senses screamed that it was anything but. There was something powerful about it, something ancient, that called to me. I couldn't explain it, but I knew that the egg held a secret that was bound to unravel itself in time. I hadn't fully understood the connection yet, but a strange, familiar pull ran through my veins every time I touched it.
The events of the bonding ceremony were still fresh in my mind. Unlike the others, who had watched with excitement as their spirit beasts emerged from their eggs, I had been left with an odd sense of anticipation and unease. I hadn't even seen my spirit beast, and yet I could feel its presence, like a quiet, invisible force.
I couldn't bring myself to tell the others about my concerns. They were all thrilled by their bonds, and I didn't want to dampen their spirits. Aerin's egg had hatched into a striking silver-furred vixen, sleek and fast, mirroring the stormy energy she always radiated. Mira's spirit beast, however, was different. A massive, serpentine beast with jade green and gold-flecked scales. It was an elemental spirit—her affinity for earth and wind was reflected in it, and I could see the bond between them forming almost immediately.
As for Caius, his egg had broken into pieces to reveal a spirit that seemed small at first—almost delicate—but its presence was powerful. It could shift from a sleek black panther into something far larger and far more formidable, its eyes glowing with an eerie amber light.
They were all beautiful, powerful, and unmistakably connected to their respective bondmates. And then there was me, standing apart. The only one who had yet to fully feel the weight of that bond.
I closed my eyes, letting the silence of my room envelop me as I reached out again to the Heaven's Lake dimension. The pull was stronger now, more urgent, as though the lake itself was beckoning me to unlock something deeper. I didn't fully understand the extent of this connection, but it was clear that it held the key to my future.
I sat up, shaking off the hazy fog in my mind, and moved to my desk, where the egg continued to pulse faintly. Something about it felt wrong—out of place in this world. The Vermilion Bird. My thoughts continued to swirl around it like a tempest. The legend of the Vermilion Bird—the Divine Phoenix, said to be the king of all birds—was far more than a myth, far more than something tied only to the spirit beasts of this realm.
I placed my hand over the egg, and immediately, a strange energy surged beneath my skin. The light in the room flickered as the connection to the Heaven's Lake dimension seemed to deepen, pulling me in. For a brief, fleeting moment, I saw something—something ancient. A flicker of red and gold, like the spark of a phoenix's flame.
Suddenly, I knew. The egg wasn't just any spirit beast—it was the very essence of the Vermilion Bird itself. Not merely a beast to bond with, but something much more—something tied to the very balance of this world. Its reawakening could hold the power to shift everything. And the journey I had just begun was nothing less than a path that would lead me to greater responsibilities than I could have ever imagined.
I stood up, pacing my room in a frenzy, but it wasn't just the egg that held my attention. The Heaven's Lake had revealed something else to me, something far more mysterious. Beneath its tranquil waters, hidden deep within its crystal-clear depths, I had uncovered a Codex. The book was ancient, its cover dark and worn with time, and it radiated an odd energy that seemed to call to me specifically.
As soon as I touched it, my mind was filled with fragments of forgotten knowledge. Poisons, undetectable elixirs, acupuncture techniques—each page offered insight into hidden forms of alchemy, many of which were forgotten by most of the alchemists in the world today. These were not simple healing potions or strengthening elixirs—these were weapons. Tools designed not for combat, but for subtle control. Tools that could make someone disappear without a trace, heal wounds and leave no scar, or even incapacitate a foe before they ever realized what was happening.
I didn't know exactly how to process what I had just uncovered, but I understood its significance. If I could master the knowledge hidden within the Codex, I could create something new—a sect of assassins, a force in the shadows. But this knowledge would be dangerous. I needed to be careful, subtle.
Hours later, the sun was beginning to set, casting a pale golden glow across my room as I opened my eyes. The connection to the Heaven's Lake still hummed faintly beneath my skin, urging me onward, but it was no longer just a pull for knowledge. It felt like a call to action, one that would shape everything to come.
I had much to learn—more than I could ever expect—but I knew one thing for certain now: I would not be passive in this world. The Codex had chosen me, or perhaps I had chosen it. Either way, my destiny was beginning to reveal itself. And I was ready.