Persistent Part 2

She walked away without waiting for a reply. 

Once someone turned 18, the chances of successfully contracting a beast were nearly impossible. 

He sank back into his chair, and stared at the chandelier above, lost in thought. 

Was this his last shot, or just his final humiliation? 

He closed his eyes for a few seconds, trying to push past his emotions. 

His family couldn't afford summoning rituals anymore because it required a lot of resources. It was a reality he had to accept.

But he was not angry with them. 

He deeply cared for his family, and the decision to break the marriage with her was for his own sake. 

When the arrangement was made, the Crimsoner was a low-ranking noble house. But her sudden rise to power changed everything. 

The Dragmir weren't foolish enough to ignore the risks, especially knowing that they already lost their noble status.

They couldn't allow him to be tied to someone that would endanger his life. 

Worst case? He would end up dead. Assassinated by one of the noble families who wanted Elecy for themselves. 

He leaned back and let out another short breath.

'Seeing her isn't good for my heart,'

'She's still pretty... no, prettier than I remember.' He paused, 'Hard to believe we used to be childhood friends.' 

He never blamed his ex-fiancee for breaking the agreement. It wasn't like they were ever in a real relationship. 

But still, it stung. 

He admired her in secret,

She was always the one who could do things he only dreamed of. When she became the youngest summoner in history, that admiration turned stronger. 

After that, he trained and study day and night, trying to close the gap between them. 

But effort could only go so far. Some things in this world were decided by talent… and luck. 

He had neither. 

'If I failed now then it's over.. But at least I tried everything,' 

The ceremony began with the young men and women of the Crimson Family stepping onto the raised platform at the center of the hall. 

It was a broad, round stage built from a black stone known as Obsidian Ore, a rare material found deep within the mountain regions of the Bahamut Empire. 

At its center was a magic circle with an octagram, a star with eight sharp points, inscribed within it. 

This was the Star of Myra, revered as the goddess of summons.

The symbol held the power to open the gateway to Mirawe, the legendary land of summoned beasts. 

But such power didn't come freely. 

Only the right offering could open it, and the spirit stones were the most integral part of the ritual. Without them, nothing would work. 

That's why spirit stones were the most valuable commodity, not just in Alura, but across much of the world. 

'It's starting…'

The participants took their places.

First up was a girl of about fifteen. Though she appeared delicate and slightly fragile, her presence commanded respect. No one would dare underestimate her.

After all, she was a Crimsoner; the same renowned bloodline that produced Elecy. 

If she once dazzled them all with her talent, perhaps this young girl held the promise of another brilliant legacy. 

Moving toward the Star of Myra, she pulled a small knife from her belt, and used it to cut her palm a bit, allowing a drop of blood to fall onto the stone. 

With that, she began to pray.

'Star of Myra, heed my plea,'

'By blood and hope, bind my spirit to me.'

The chant ended, and for a heartbeat, nothing happened. 

Then the circle began to stir.

It wasn't an explosion of magic, but a gentle radiance.

For a good thirty seconds, everyone just stared at the center. 

Slowly, the glow deepened, swirling into a thin azure mist that rose from the ground. 

The mist continued to pour out and began to take shape. Everyone's eyes were locked on it as it grew bigger and bigger, eventually reaching half the size of the girl. 

FLASH!

In a burst of light, the summoning ritual was complete, and there, in the center, stood a beast on all fours.

Its skin was slick and shiny, like it had just crawled out of a puddle of purple ink. 

Black spots were scattered all over its body, almost like they were moving. It stood low to the ground on four short, chunky legs, each with toes tipped in a strange blue-green color. 

A wide, frog-like mouth stretched into it's face. On its back, a row of pinkish fins stuck up like a messy Mohawk, glowing slightly .

"That's Purple Murkblin. A Hunter rank! It's a very good beast," one of the nobles broke the silence, giving a slow clap.

The others joined in, clapping their hands and throwing words of praise her way. 

Kash stayed quiet, watching from his seat as he ran through the official beast rankings, all governed by the  'Averta Summoning Council Code'. 

'Stray, Bound, Hunter, Predator, Warlord, King, Emperor, and Sovereigns '

This ranking system, with its strict standards, was the foundation everyone followed. 

Any new beast not listed in the bestiary had to undergo inspection and testing before being assigned a rank. 

After the girl, the next to step forward was a boy with a smug look on his face. 

At first, some thought he was just too cocky for his own good. But he didn't take long to shut them up. 

A beast appeared, larger than a horse, with a mane of fire that danced on it's back. It was a Blaze Stallion, a predator rank. 

The crowd clapped politely, their applause filling the air . Those who dared to scoff at him were now singing his praises, their hypocrisy knowing no bounds. 

One by one, the remaining participants took their turns, though only the first two were worth mentioning. The rest all ended up with Bound Ranks 

Right away, Kash could see the difference in treatment. 

The cocky boy was now sitting at the table near the main family, while the others were left on the sidelines, being overlooked. 

"It's your turn now," A servant called out, loud enough for everyone to hear. 

All eyes turned to him.

He swallowed hard, trying to steady his breath. This was it…his last chance to summon.

Kash stood up, forcing himself to stay calm as laughter broke out around him. People were already whispering, calling him a desperate fool. 

'Fine. Let them mock me'

All he needed was one chance to prove his worth.

The summoning circle waited in the center. 

His hands were sweaty. He hated how much his heart beat, but after two failures, who wouldn't be anxious? 

Finally, he stepped into the circle. The hall was silent, and everyone waited for him to fail. 

'This is it,' he forced a smile, before he gently cut his palm, letting the blood drip onto the stone.

The magic circle reacted, and he began chanting .

'Star of Myra, heed my plea,'

'By blood and hope, bind my spirit to me.'

Soft blue light started to flow within the star symbol.

'It's working?' he was shocked himself. This was different from his last attempts.