It's the ceremony day, when children are bonded with their Sagea.
These Sageas give them a status in society. Each person is bonded and unlocks several powers; they complete missions that help their Sagea evolve.
"Rowan Flynn!" The ceremony master called out.
Each human must follow these rules when the bonding process is complete.
If they are broken, they face a severe consequence.
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>>Rule 1<<
The Bond of Trust
Humans must maintain a bond of trust with their Sagea, keeping their thoughts, emotions, and intentions transparent and honest.
--Consequence--
If a human breaks this rule by manipulating and deceiving their Sagea, their bond will be severed, and they will be left vulnerable to dark energies.
>>Rule 2<<
The Balance of Power
Humans must respect the balance of power within their bond, not dominating, controlling, or submissively submitting to their Sagea.
--Consequence--
If a human breaks this rule by attempting to control or dominate their Sagea, they will be consumed by the Sagea's power, losing their sense of identity and autonomy.
>>Rule 3<<
The Sanctity of Secrets
Humans must keep the secrets and knowledge shared by their Sagea confidential, protecting the Sagea's privacy and the integrity of their bond.
--Consequence--
If a human breaks this rule by revealing their Sagea's secrets, they will be cursed with a magical affliction, such as visions of the past or present, driving them mad with guilt and regret.
The last rule.
>>Rule 4<<
The Prohibition of Exploitation
Humans are forbidden from using their Sageas as weapons or tools for harm, exploitation or manipulation.
--Consequence--
If a human breaks this rule, their Sageas will be 'scarred' by the darkness of their actions, causing a rift in their bond.
The human will then be afflicted with a 'shadow echo' - a manifestation of their darkness will haunt and torment them until they make amends.
These rules were displayed on the screen during the Bonding Ceremony every year. They are read aloud and memorised by children until it is imprinted in their memory.
This was to make them more aware of their bonding ritual.
Rowan stepped into the summoning circle and placed his hand on the crystal.
The crystal glowed in full beam, which it had never done before, as the light continuously increased.
"Holy grail!" The ceremony master exclaimed.
The crystal opened in half, revealing a scroll of Rowan's enhanced abilities. The crowd murmured while Rowan's younger brother, Asher, watched in awe.
"His Sagea is ranked...." someone whispered in the crowd.
The ceremony master's eyes widened.
"Erebus! Immortal, gold ranking! Number one in the human and Sagea realm!"
Erebus. An ancient two-tailed wolf.
The ring glowed, so as Rowan's veins, "Now summon your...Sagea", said the ceremony master.
Rowan stood firm; he held out his hand and opened his palm, "I call upon the eternal pact! Erebus!"
The grey-furry two-tailed wolf appeared, its athletic build radiating an aura of quiet power. Its fur shimmered silver in the light.
Incredibly massive compared to any other Sagea.
Rowan could die while trying to lift its paws.
"It's a giant!" someone exclaimed.
Rowan stepped forward, happily receiving his Sagea like it's something he's been expecting.
The crowd watched as he left the ring, and Erebus followed him out of the hall.
"Your brother must be a chosen one", Luna, Asher's friend, exclaimed.
"Asher Flynn!" The Ceremony master called out.
Asher didn't expect to get called. He hadn't given any signs of receiving a Sagea yet. He wasn't even of age. But whatever the cause, he stepped forward into the summoning ring.
The murmuring began again.
"Is that Rowan's brother?"
"He looks...young"
"Their family must be full of talented people"
Beads of sweat began to form on Asher's forehead. What was this? He had come to watch his brother's bonding ritual and not receive his own Sagea.
"Place your hand on the crystal, please"
Asher did what he was told, not expecting what he should be getting.
The silence was loud enough for him to hear.
Each eye staring at him, he felt like this was the beginning of his mockery.
The crystal gave a pulsating, low, dim yellow light.
"It's barely reacting..." someone murmured before the crowd burst into laughter.
Asher clenched his jaw. None of this was his fault; he didn't want any of it.
The crystal opened in half, revealing his scroll. It was unexpected and weird.
"A...squirrel?" The ceremony master exclaimed as he held back his laughter.
The crowd's continuous laughter made Asher's insides twist in anger, and his fists were clenched by his side.
"I take that back, he's a total failure!"
Asher stood still, his body tensed up each second until he was asked to summon his Sagea, Kaito.
He felt like his world was crumbling, "I call upon the eternal pact...Kaito" His voice was barely above a whisper.
The laughter of others calmed down, each of them waiting to see if he really got bonded with a squirrel.
And so it did.
"No way! It's an actual squirrel!"
Kaito the squirrel appeared. Nothing compared to Erebus, the two-tailed wolf, or other Sageas like foxes, Sphinxes, Dragons, and Griffins.
Just a mere brown squirrel, hopping around Asher's feet. Nothing magical or unique.
The comments and laughter escalated, and even the ceremony master couldn't hold back.
Ahser didn't expect this to happen, he didn't ask for this failure and mockery.
However, Asher remained calm and fought back his tears as he lowered himself to carry his symbol of misfortune in his arms.
The squirrel squeaked at the slightest touch of Asher's fingers before hopping onto his shoulder.
"What a sudden turn of events"
"It'll be hard to communicate with that kind of Sagea"
Asher slowly and silently disappeared from the scenery.
After stepping out, he kicked the closest wall he encountered. "Fuck this shit!" He cursed.
Kaito squealed at Asher's every action, almost afraid of the human.
"What should I do now?" He wiped his eyes.
"Asher?" Rowan approached him with a concerned look on his face.
"Congratulations, bro, you'll be famous in no time"
Rowan sighed, feeling Asher's sadness. "Well, thanks, but that's not what I'm in it for, and also, mom and dad would be proud of you too"
"Don't lie to me, I'm not a kid anymore!" Asher snapped.
"Well, you're fifteen, you did the ritual at fifteen! You must be lucky, the early bird gets the worm, isn't that what they say?"
Asher turned, "I don't want to talk about it, let's go home"
Ahser knew how things would turn out for him now, Rowan would be admired by their parents, well-known around Ravenwood, and get in touch with powerful people with beneficial Sageas.
And he would be left out, mocked, and laughed at.