Kandro continued speaking, unaware that one of the children in the room—Kael—was stunned beyond belief.
"In truth, the problem we're dealing with goes far beyond just forbidden bloodlines. Yes, those bloodlines are a massive and dangerous issue—after all, a bearer strong enough might awaken a god… or worse, bend the laws of nature themselves. But not all threats require bloodlines. Some come from summoning."
"Certain individuals can call upon evil spirits, demons… even gods. There are many methods to do so. These people are promised power, eternal life, or other tempting rewards. But unfortunately… all of it is a lie."
He paused, and for a moment, a shadow of sorrow passed over his face.
"There's also the matter of madness. Since you all carry bloodlines within you, I'm sure you've heard strange whispers now and then. Those voices… they can drive you insane. Or worse—transform you into something inhuman. That's another problem with forbidden bloodlines: madness comes quicker, and the voices are louder… more revolting."
Suddenly, his demeanor changed—his face sharp with seriousness.
"Let me show you a brief example."
From beside him, he pulled out a small orange cat with white patches.
"I'll summon an evil spirit into this cat—a weak one," he emphasized.
He set the cat on the table. With a clap of his hands, the curtains began to flutter unnaturally, and the room dimmed into darkness. A few students gasped in fear, some letting out short cries—but Kandro simply clapped again, and candles burst into flame around him.
Then he drew a knife.
He made a small cut. Blood spilled from the cat, which let out a sharp, pained cry and tried to escape—but Kandro paid it no mind. Using the cat's blood, he drew a large circular sigil on the table, lined with complex markings and strange runes. Still with blood, he inscribed something in the center, then gently placed the cat within the circle. Though the cat struggled, it was as if something invisible held it in place.
Kandro knelt, bowed his head, clasped his hands—and began chanting softly, inaudibly. No one could understand the words.
Professor Mailon, standing nearby, instinctively moved backward toward the students—as if trying to shield them.
Suddenly, the summoning circle began to glow. The cat's cries grew louder, almost unbearable—then, all at once, everything went still. A faint mist hissed out from the center of the circle.
And then… from within the mist, the cat lunged at Kandro.
But he didn't even flinch.
He simply glanced at it—and the cat froze in midair.
Everyone stared.
It no longer looked like a cute, harmless animal. Its body had grown nearly twice its size, its fangs now jagged and oversized. Its fur had turned pitch black and hardened like armor. Its screams no longer sounded feline—but human. It had become a monster. Closer to a savage panther than any cat.
Kandro stood and began to explain.
"As you can see, I've just summoned an evil spirit—though a weak one. And this is what happened to the host. Now imagine what would've happened if the spirit was stronger—on the level of a demon or even a god."
He turned to look directly at the students.
"And here's the other problem. Killing the cat won't solve anything. The spirit has already been brought into this world. If its host dies, it'll simply roam freely—until it finds another one."
"Unfortunately, there are people out there who summon recklessly, without caring about the consequences. And when they do… disaster follows. Even if you manage to exorcise it, the host—like this cat—will still die. There's no undoing it."
Kandro stepped in front of the cat. His eyes suddenly turned pitch black. He draw a teardrop symbol on his chest. He whispered something incomprehensible, then pressed his hand against the cat's chest—gripping as if holding something.
With one sharp motion, he yanked his hand away, then raised it toward the ceiling. He spoke again.
The cat collapsed—silent, lifeless.
The candles blew out.
And with them… the awful atmosphere vanished completely. The suffocating weight lifted.
After a long silence, one brave student stood up.
"But… how can we fight something we can't even see? And why didn't we know any of this before?"
Kandro returned to his usual self and clapped his hands. The lights returned. He smiled.
"A good question. Sometimes, spirits make themselves visible—when they don't care who sees them. Even ordinary humans can spot them then. But anyone with a bloodline—or divine blessing—can see them more clearly, more consistently."
"All of you can. It's a skill you'll have to train… and master. But make no mistake—there are risks. You'll begin to see things no one else can. The voices may grow louder. And with that, the threat of madness increases."
"As for your second question, there are reasons. One of them is to limit exposure. You see, some people, once they learn these things, rush to experiment without a second thought. That only increases the danger for everyone."
He sat down again, his smile turning gentle, almost inviting.
"Well, as you can see, this is a rough summary of what we're dealing with—and the threats that lurk in the dark. Of course, there's far more to learn. You'll understand more once you join us."
"You still have plenty of time to decide. But remember—our invitation is always open."
Then, with his signature grace, Kandro bid the class farewell and left, his presence lingering behind like an echo of power. The students whispered among themselves in fear.
"Damn, did you see that? And he wants us to join him? I'd rather go insane!"
"What if there's a ghost watching us right now?"
"Crap… I don't think I'm sleeping tonight."
*****
Kael sat frozen in place, having witnessed everything down to the last detail. Words failed him. Beside him, Mousan was visibly trembling. Elmyra, on the other hand, seemed utterly unfazed—as if she had known all along.
'I… I just saw that, right? That wasn't a hallucination?'
Kael tried to deny it. But slowly, he forced himself to breathe, to think.
'So… from everything I've heard, I carry within me a bloodline belonging to a dark, unknown god. A god… Damn it, a god!'
When that word hit him, he completely lost his composure.
'And it's trying to awaken through me? I could transform into a monster—like that cat—at any moment. I'm in serious trouble.'
He clutched his head, overwhelmed with stress and dread.
'I'm seriously cursed…'