Logan felt his heart beat faster as he followed the Ancestral Qilin through the Temple of the First Pact. The surroundings were majestic, with white marble pillars that seemed to touch the sky and runes glowing softly on the walls.
The air was charged with magical energy, and Logan could feel energy pulsing around him.
Exiting through the back of the temple, Logan saw a vast, verdant field, surrounded by floating mountains and bathed in the golden sunlight of Xian'Lin. In the center, a group of juvenile Qilins and young phoenixes awaited. They played amongst themselves, their movements graceful and full of magic. The juvenile phoenixes had feathers that constantly changed color, while the smaller Qilins had horns that shone like crystal in the light.
The Ancestral Qilin stopped in the center of the field and turned to Logan: "Today marks the beginning of your training, Logan Black. Here, you will learn to control your connection with Fenrir."
Logan hesitated. He still remembered the night of the kidnapping as if it were yesterday. The screams, the pain, the uncontrolled transformation. He looked at his own hands, feeling fear grow inside him. "What if I lose control?" Logan asked, his voice laden with uncertainty. "I… I don't want to hurt anyone."
The Ancestral Qilin approached slowly, its presence imposing yet reassuring. "Fear is natural, young heir. But it is in facing it that you will find strength. Fenrir is a wild force, yes, but he is not your enemy. He is part of you."
Logan nodded slowly, but the fear was still there, like a shadow hanging over him.
Before beginning the practical exercises, the Ancestral Qilin gathered Logan and the juvenile creatures under a gigantic crystal tree that cast a refreshing shadow over the field.
"To understand your power, you must first comprehend its origin," the Ancestral Qilin began. "The Arcane Beasts are not mere creatures; they are primordial forces that shaped this world and others like it. Fenrir, for example, is the personification of inevitable chaos—destruction and renewal in perfect balance."
Logan listened intently as the Qilin continued: "In the beginning, there was only one: The First Beast, the Mother of Us All. From her were born the Six Ancestral Arcane Beasts who govern the elemental worlds: Fenrir in the World of Shadows, Umbra Noctis; Ignis in the Realm of Eternal Flames, Ignem Aeternum; Leviathan in the Oceanic Depths, Abyssus Maris; myself in Xian'Lin, the Realm of Light; Phoenix in the Scarlet Sky, Caelum Rubrum; and Griffin in the Celestial Firmament, Aether Ventorum. Each of us played a role in maintaining universal balance."
The Qilin paused, its pearlescent eyes reflecting ancient, painful memories.
"These Arcane Beasts maintained the balance between worlds. Each played a vital role in universal harmony. But the First Beast, our creator, began to believe the worlds would be better without life. She wanted to destroy everything to start anew in her own image. It required the union of all Six Arcane Beasts to seal her in the Void between worlds."
Logan frowned, feeling a chill run down his spine. "Why are you telling me this?"
The Ancestral Qilin looked deep into Logan's eyes. "Because you carry the blood of two worlds: that of humans and that of the Shadows. You are an heir of Fenrir, and only someone with this unique connection can face the First Beast when she returns."
Logan felt the weight of those words like a mantle of responsibility on his shoulders. He looked at his hands, imagining the power running through his veins, a power he hadn't asked for, but which would now define his destiny.
"What if I fail?" he asked, his voice barely a whisper. "What if I'm not strong enough?"
The Ancestral Qilin approached, its hooves touching the crystalline ground without a sound. Its pearlescent eyes reflected the wisdom of millennia. "Fear is natural, young heir. Even Fenrir knew fear when we faced the First Beast. But remember: you are not just a child of the Shadows. Your humanity is your greatest strength."
"How so?" Logan frowned, confused.
"The Arcane Beasts are pure power, pure instinct. But you… you have something none of us possess: the capacity to choose, to love, to sacrifice. That is what makes humans unique in the fabric of existence."
"Your destiny is yours to shape, Logan. No matter what they say. Now, let us begin your training. There is much to learn, and time, though generous, is not infinite."
***
"All that energy that you can feel around you is what we call Mana" instructed the Qilin "Mana is the life essence that permeates all magical realms, Logan. It is in the air we breathe, in the soil we tread… and in you. Humans can channel it through study; Arcane Beasts, through instinct. You, through both."
Logan tried to channel his mana for simple magical control exercises. He watched the juvenile Qilins conjure small sparks of light with their horns and the phoenixes create small bursts of colored fire. But something inside him felt blocked.
Suddenly, everything around him went dark. Logan looked around frantically as the light vanished completely.
Then he saw two gigantic eyes open in the darkness—golden like liquid fire—illuminating everything around. Shortly after, teeth white as pearls gleamed in a predatory smile. A colossal silhouette began to take shape in the darkness: Fenrir.
"Do not be afraid," Fenrir whispered in a deep tone that reverberated in Logan's soul.
Before he could respond or fully understand what was happening, Logan woke with a start on the training field ground. The juvenile creatures were around him, looking at him curiously.
The Ancestral Qilin approached calmly. "Are you alright?" it asked.
Logan took a deep breath before answering: "Fenrir… He appeared to me."
The Qilin let out a deep laugh that echoed across the field. "Ah… always dramatic in his methods," it commented, clear amusement in its voice. "If Fenrir appeared to you, it means you are ready for the next step. Try to activate your connection with him right now."
Logan hesitated for a moment before slowly getting up. He closed his eyes and tried to concentrate on Fenrir—on the immense presence he had felt moments before. Suddenly, something changed.
Logan opened his eyes to see his nails growing into sharp claws; his teeth lengthened into fangs; his eyes glowed intensely golden like Fenrir's in the vision. He looked at his hands with wonder. "I did it!" Logan exclaimed enthusiastically.
The Ancestral Qilin nodded in approval. "Very good! You have activated the first stage of the connection with Fenrir: basic physical enhancement. Your strength will increase significantly; your vision will be sharper; and your reflexes faster… but this is only the beginning."
Logan felt the energy pulsing through his body like never before; he looked around until he found a large rock on the ground and decided to test it. With ease, he lifted the rock above his head without any apparent effort. He laughed out loud as he placed the rock back on the ground. "This is incredible! I've never felt so strong before!"
The Ancestral Qilin smiled faintly. "There is much more power within you… but also much more responsibility in controlling it. We will work together to evolve this connection until you are ready to face any challenge that lies ahead."