We followed the winding forest path until the trees thinned out, revealing the temple not as a structure, but as a sacred space carved from time itself.
"Look, there it is! The 'Temple of Summoning.'" I said, pointing my hand. "There are also a bunch of people standing."
"They are waiting for their turn, I guess," Fiora added. "Hurry up! I can't wait to see which dragon picks me!"
"Yeah, same here. I'm nervous, but excited," I replied. "Still... with no mana, do I even stand a chance?"
"That's not the correct way of phrasing it, but don't worry," Mr. Ragnar said.
When we reached the temple, it was more like a grassy field in the middle of the forest, with ten big and ancient white-colored pillars forming a perfect circle around a small, round white stone perfectly fit in the ground at its center.
"That is not possible! Not even a single dragon chose me? I think there is a problem with this Familiaria."
"Sorry, sir. But there is no problem with the Familiaria, and we can not do anything about the fact that no dragon has chosen you."
"How dare you talk to my face! You know who I am, don't you?"
"What is all that ruckus about?" I asked.
"He is from the Shioka family. Looks like he couldn't even manage to get a lesser," Mr. Ragnar replied. "I'll go and see what I can do. Please, wait here. Jun!"
"Yes, sir. Coming."
"Okay, Uncle, we are waiting. But please clear it fast. I am dying to go there," Fiora said.
"Wow, this place is pretty ancient, I guess. Look at those big pillars." I said.
"Yeah, this Familiaria... Some people say this is the best place for finding a true dragon," Ken replied.
"A true dragon!"
"Yes, Blaze. You didn't know?" Fiora added.
"Well, I didn't even know that everyone can at least try having a dragon familiar until I saw Rin."
"Really?" she said.
"Yep, that's right," Ken chuckled, Rin still resting on his head.
"Looks like someone is going for the ritual."
The boy stepped forward, silent as he took his place at the white stone. Upon examining his clothing, it is evident that he also comes from a noble family. His black hair spiky, and black eyes as dark as the abyss.
"Now, start the ritual," someone said.
He pointed his fist toward the sky and started, "Divine beings, I, the first son of the king of Valmora, Julius Ironheart Velmora, hereby ask for your aid."
As his voice echoed through the sacred ruins, the air itself responded. Winds began to swirl around the ancient pillars, carrying with them the whispers of forgotten gods and the rustling of enchanted leaves. A deep, resonant hum filled the air, vibrating through stone and soul alike. The sky darkened, thick with storm-born clouds, as a radiant vortex formed above him.
From within the eye of the storm, something immense took shape—serpentine and regal.
The dragon descended in a spiral of divine fury and elegance. Its body was long and sinuous, cloaked in a shroud of silvery-green fur that shimmered like starlight in motion. Its emerald-scaled head bore a crown of jagged, crystalline horns, and eyes that burned with the wisdom and wrath of ages. Two vast wings unfurled from its back, feathers glowing with an ethereal light, each beat sending tremors through the heavens. The beast coiled midair, defying gravity and time itself, exuding a power that was both awe-inspiring and terrifying. A true dragon.
Julius clenched his fist but didn't falter, his cape fluttering in the gale. His eyes locked with the dragon's, pride and reverence burning in his gaze. He stood firm beneath its gaze, his cape billowing as he stared into the eyes of the skyborne god. The pact had begun.
"A true dragon! And it's Vael'Tharion, no less," Mr. Ragnar said. "That boy is the first son of the King of Velmora."
"A true dragon! It's been two years since one descended in Caeloria Familiaria," Jun gasped.
"Wow. That dragon... I can't remove my eyes from it," I said.
"Yes, that's normal. It's a true dragon you are looking at," Mr. Ragnar said."
"Is that our time yet?" Fiora frowned.
"Not yet. There is one more person." Jun replied.
"It's my turn. Get a side, peasants." A boy with golden and semi-long hair went to the stage. He also looked like from a noble family.
"Peasants, huh? Keep talking and you'll eat those words." Ken raised an eyebrow.
"Let him go, Ken." I stopped him.
"You can't do anything against me, hahah. Get your asses off from here."
"You," Ken was about to go ahead then--
"Why don't you show your power to us by summoning your bond?" Fiora intervened. "Or are you afraid that you can't manage it?"
"Tch. You peasants don't have to spell that," saying that he went there.
"Divine beings, I, the son of Karkan Denwolf, Devian Denwolf, hereby ask for your aid," he said.
The temple and its people went silent. He looked above and clenched his fist, "You gotta be kidding me. Where is my bond?" He tried again, "Divine beings, I, the son of Karkan Denwolf, Devian Denwolf, hereby am asking for your aid." Nothing happened. Again, "Divine beings, I, the son of Karkan Denwolf, Devian Denwolf, hereby am asking for your aid... so summon before me!" Devian's smirk faltered. He tried again. Then again. The silence that followed was heavier than any roar.
"Sorry, sir. But it looks like no dragon has chosen you."
Whispers began to rise like smoke. "No bond?" "Even his father couldn't force it..."
"No way! There is no damn way! If they didn't choose me, then no one will be chosen here." Saying that he left the temple.
"It's finally our turn. Blaze, would you mind if I go first?" Fiora said.
"No, please, go ahead."
Fiora went to the core of the temple. She closed her eyes, hands clenched at her sides. Please... let this work, and said, "Divine beings, I, the daughter of Fanoir Mirelune, Fiora Mirelune, hereby ask for your aid."
As her voice faded into the stillness, the ancient blossoms etched into the stone walls began to glow faintly, their petals shimmering with soft, opalescent light. A gentle breeze stirred the air, carrying with it the scent of spring and the delicate hum of unseen songbirds. Light poured in from above, not harsh or blinding, but warm and golden, like sunlight filtering through cherry blossoms in eternal bloom.
From within a swirl of petals and radiant mist, a dragon emerged—graceful, luminous, and impossibly serene.
Her scales gleamed like rose quartz, soft pink and lavender, dancing across her lithe body with every motion. Elegant wings unfolded like silk spun from starlight, translucent and veined with glimmering gold. Her eyes held the ancient calm of blooming meadows and moonlit lakes, and her presence was not one of terror, but of deep, sacred peace. Wherever her wings brushed the air, flowers bloomed, and sorrow faded.
She was a guardian of gentleness, a celestial spirit of growth and grace.
Fiora stood bathed in her light, her breath caught in reverence. The dragon hovered before her, a promise of protection and hope incarnate. The pact was accepted—not with a roar, but with a whisper that made the flowers bow and the world sigh in relief.
"It's Aurelisse Velunari, a lesser dragon. But it's quite rare. Last time I saw one, it was thirty years ago."
"It's so beautiful, Aurelisse Velunari," I kept looking at them. Even her dragon is perfect... and here I am, still unsure if I even belong here.
"Wow, already two dragons descended today!" "Yeah, I don't think any more dragons will descend today." *sigh* "Hardly one dragon descends a day, and it's already two." People started whispering.
"Don't worry, Blaze, it doesn't matter how many dragons descend a day, what matters is the one who's summoning them," Mr. Ragnar said.
"Look, she is my bond. I'll call her Flora. Isn't she beautiful?" Looking at Fiora, she can't contain her excitement.
"You bet, she is."
In her small form, Aurelisse Velunari—now affectionately called Flora—resembled an otherworldly butterfly-dragon, delicate and radiant, like a spirit born from spring itself.
She was no larger than a teacup pig, her body slender and slightly fuzzy like a newly blossomed flower bud. Her blush-toned scales gleamed like polished gems, fading into petal-soft fur that shimmered with lavender light. Hints of lavender shimmered in her soft down, giving her an almost fairy-like glow under sunlight.
But what made her truly enchanting were her wings.
They were vast compared to her tiny body—four broad, iridescent wings, much like a monarch or luna moth's, each patterned with swirling motifs of gold and pale violet. The edges were fringed like soft lace, and when she flapped them, glittering motes of mana drifted into the air like glowing pollen. The wings caught the light with every movement, their semi-transparent surface reflecting a spectrum of soft pinks, blues, and creamy golds, like stained glass forged by nature.
Her antennae curled delicately from her forehead, long and golden, sensing magic and emotion in the air. They bobbed when she was curious or excited, and straightened when she sensed danger, though her usual demeanor was sweet and calm.
Her eyes were wide and luminous, like pools of golden dew, holding ancient tranquility and gentle affection. Small whisker-like tendrils trailed from the sides of her face, fluttering slightly when she moved.
When she rested on Fiora's shoulder or nestled in her hands, she folded her wings neatly around herself like a protective cloak, occasionally peeking out to trill a soft chiming sound. This sound seemed to brighten the very air.
Wherever she landed, flowers bloomed, and her presence felt like the first warm day of spring—pure, healing, and full of quiet wonder.
Though tiny and adorable, she was still Aurelisse Velunari, the dragon of serene growth and sacred harmony, reborn as Fiora's delicate yet powerful butterfly guardian, Flora.
Okay, then, it's finally my turn.
I walked toward the core, my chest tightening. Can I really get one? Off, my heart's beating so fast. Why am I remembering that day... when they said I couldn't use magic? No. Not again.
"Show me what you got, Ignis's son," Ragnar whispered to himself.
I pointed my fist toward the sky and started, "Divine beings, I, the son of Ignis Lumnell, Blaze Lumnell, hereby ask for your aid."
Everything got silent. People were silently glancing toward me. But nothing was happening. My heart clenched. Not this time either. Why?
"Hah! I knew it. How can a peasant like him get his own dragon, while I, Devian Denwolf, couldn't get one? Hahahahah."
"It's just bad luck, he can try on other Familiarias." People talking. "Better luck next time."
"No way. I can't forget the time when Ignis got his bond. But I never thought his son wouldn't be able to get even a lesser one." Ragnar whispered.
But then—
The sky darkened in an instant, the clouds swirling with an unnatural force, as if the very heavens themselves were reacting. The air crackled with tension. Below, the lesser dragons—Rin, Flora, and the true dragon took their bigger form, their voices rising in loud, eerie cries that echoed through the forest. The ground vibrated, the trees shaking in terror. Panic spread through the crowd.
"What's happening?!"
"The forest is restless!"
The wind howled as sparks of red and blue lightning crackled in the sky above. And then, a singular pulse of light shot down from the heavens, illuminating everything in its path.
Above me, the light gathered, forming a swirling vortex of brilliance. From within that light, a shape began to take form.
A dragon.
The creature descended with an aura of glowing energy, its body shimmering in hues of cool blue and silver. Its scales caught the light like frosted glass, gleaming with an ethereal glow. Elegant wings stretched wide, like the sails of a celestial ship, each beat sending a ripple through the air. Its eyes glowed with a deep, ancient wisdom, fierce yet calm. Its tail coiled with power, and its spines sparkled like the stars.
The creature landed with grace and power before me, its presence commanding the very air around it. The light that had surrounded it slowly faded, but its majestic form remained, standing proudly in front of me.
The ground seemed to hum in resonance with the dragon's energy. I stood frozen, staring in awe at what had appeared before me.
Then, the dragon lowered its head toward me as if it wanted me to pat its head. I touched its head, and then suddenly, a surge of golden, white, and silver aura started to surge toward me and started to flow inside me. What's happening to me? I don't know. As it started to go in, my hair and eyes turned golden. When I looked the other way, the other dragons were bowing toward us. Then I heard a voice...
"Blaze!"
"Wha—where am I?"
"I am Velunith... your partner."
"And where did everyone go?"
"Blaze! You can hear me, right?"
"Yes, but who are you? And where am I?"
"I am Velunith! As of today, I will be your partner for the journeys ahead. Please, give me a name."
"Velunith?! A name? Can you come before me? I can't see anything. And what's happening?"
"Okay, my bad. Wait..."
"Whooa, now this place looks like a mountain cliff. And you! You are the dragon that responded to my summon!"
"Yes, I have been waiting here..."
"I thought it would be the same, like when I heard I can't use magic. Wait... waiting for me? You knew that I would come here? And how long have you been waiting?"
"I knew that one day you would come here for the promise. So, I have been waiting for you ever since..."
"Promise? What promise? I never made a promise to you. This is my first time meeting you, isn't it?"
"That's right. But now... Please, give a name."
"Right, your name will be, uhh, let me think... Velu... Vela... Velunith... Nith. Yes, your name will be Nith. It's great to be friends, Nith."
"Friends, huh? Right! It's great to be friends."
As he said that, we returned, and Nith transformed to his small form.
As the golden, silver, and white light that had surged between us began to settle, Nith—the mighty dragon of frost and starlight—gazed at me with a glint of warmth in his ancient eyes.
Then, without a sound, his body began to shimmer.
A wave of soft, radiant energy pulsed outward from his core. His towering figure blurred at the edges, light curling inward like wisps of cloud returning to the sky. The air grew gentler, and the overwhelming weight of divine presence lifted.
He began to shrink—slowly at first, then faster—as glimmering scales dissolved into feathers of light, his massive wings folding in like petals retreating into a bud—spirals of silver and blue magic coiled around him, cloaking his form in a twinkling mist. And then—fwump—he landed softly on the ground before me.
Where once stood a celestial beast of majesty and thunderous grace, now sat a small creature no larger than a fox cub, blinking up at me with curious, gleaming eyes.
Nith's small form was like a baby drake crafted from moonlight and snowfall. His body was sleek and smooth, covered in delicate scales that glowed faintly with a silver-blue hue, like morning frost on crystal. Its wings, once vast and mighty, were now soft and downy, folded neatly like a baby owl's with tiny sparkles of starlight trailing off their edges.
His head was adorably round with short, elegant horns that curved like crescent moons. Tufts of pale fur ran down his neck and behind his ears, soft and fluffy like winter clouds. His tail was long and ribbon-like, ending in a gentle flare of shimmering feathers that fluttered even when there was no wind.
And his eyes—still the same deep, ancient gaze—had softened. They were like pools of glowing blue-white flame, filled not only with wisdom, but now with a childlike wonder and a dash of playful mischief.
He tilted his head, then let out a quiet, chirping hum that sounded like a blend between a snowbell's chime and a kitten's purr. Without hesitation, he leapt up onto my shoulder—light as snow—and curled up like he belonged there all along.
"You're really Nith?" I asked as I blinked in surprise.
He gave a happy, proud trill, as if to say, "Of course I am!"
Even now, in this tiny form, the air around him shimmered faintly with celestial energy, and the space near him felt just a bit colder, like the crisp breath of a mountain peak at dawn. But instead of awe and fear, he now radiated warmth, trust, and the undeniable charm of a lifelong companion.
He was no less divine—just a little easier to hug.
After that, we went outside the summoning circle.
"I have never seen a dragon like this. Neither do I know its name. But it's a true dragon, I am sure of that. Even the true dragon Vael'Tharion bowed before him," Mr. Ragnar said, and he seemed to be in quite a shock.
"Wow, man. I never saw a dragon like this. And what happened to your body there? All those lights were surging into your body. And your hair and eyes turned golden. Well, now they look normal."
"Ohh, you are right. I don't know what happened there. My body feels pretty normal."
"What is his name, Blaze?" Fiora asked. "And that was quite a view. The whole island trembled when he descended!"
"Right. His name is Nith. Say hi to them, Nith. This is Fiora, and that's Flora, her bond."
"Hello!" Fiora said, and Flora came flying and spun around Nith as he looked at her.
"And this is Ken. And his bond, wait—where's Rin?" I asked, being surprised.
"Ohh, hahah, Rin. Well, what do you know, he is shy again." Saying that, Ken got Rin out from his pocket, "Look, Rin, that's Nith. He and Flora will be traveling with us from now on. You better make friends with them, and quit being shy."
Rin gave a cute look to Ken. "It won't work now. Go and meet with them," he said.
"Wow, quite a father you are~" Fiora chuckled.
Ken sighed.
We were talking to each other then, "You! How could you peasants get dragons like those? You think you deserve that dragon? Pathetic. A divine being like that should serve someone of my caliber! Give that dragon to me. Guards!"
"You again? Man, give it a rest. And it's illegal to snatch others' bonds." Ken went ahead.
"Who cares about that? You know my dad? It's not a problem if he hears that I got a true dragon."
"You!"
As he ordered, his guards started to come toward us. Then, Mr. Ragnar was coming to help, but before he could come, all the guards froze in place.
"Wait. What happened to my guards? What did you do to them, you freak?"
"Good job, Nith... If you don't want to be like them, then leave right away."
"I will see you to the last," saying that he left.
"You've done the right thing," Mr. Ragnar said. "His father is one of the major donors of Valmora, and they also possess a great amount of military power, so he got like that."
"But you did great, Blaze," Fiora mentioned. "That freak was getting on my nerves, then."
"Okay, it's been quite a day. You guys can stay at the tower. Jun!"
"Yes, sir. Please, come this way."
After that, we went to the tower to rest up for the next day ahead.
"Like father, like son! Right, Ignis. Your son will surpass you." Ragnar whispered to himself.