The sun had climbed higher, scattering silver light across the training grounds.
Germaine stood at the center of the Awakening Circle, Solaryn coiled within her core, pulsing softly like a heartbeat. Each pulse resonated through her body, mingling with the residual energy of her recent cultivation breakthrough. Her chest felt full, warm, alive — as if the golden essence of the soulbound had merged with her own life force.
"Elric," she said, voice steady but tight with anticipation, "I'm ready."
He studied her carefully, hands resting lightly on his staff. "Ready, yes. But cautious. Today, you will manifest Solaryn fully for the first time. Not as a projection. Not as a passive echo. It will act as an extension of your body, your senses, and your mana core."
Germaine swallowed. A thrill of excitement ran through her. The Shard stirred faintly in her chest — an almost imperceptible pulse — but it no longer whispered warning. Now, it hummed with curiosity.
Elric stepped back, tapping the outer circle with his staff. Golden-white mana spiraled upward, intertwining with the lattice already etched into the ground.
"Begin slowly," he instructed. "Synchronize your core with Solaryn. Let its essence flow through the lattice first — feel it as part of you before you let it separate."
Germaine nodded, pressing a hand to her chest. She felt Solaryn's pulse intensify, a living rhythm that mirrored her own heartbeat. Slowly, she focused, imagining the golden light expanding outward, stretching along her arms, through her shoulders, along her spine, until it extended into the air.
A shimmer formed above her chest — small at first, barely larger than her hand — then stretched outward, solidifying into a faintly glowing outline. Solaryn's form appeared: delicate wings of shimmering gold, a tiny, feline-like body, and eyes that mirrored Germaine's own golden hue.
It hovered, vibrating with energy, coiled and ready.
"Elric," Germaine breathed, "it's… it's here."
He nodded, lips tight. "Good. Now, let it move. Let it act independently — but keep the bond anchored."
Germaine exhaled slowly. Her fingers tightened slightly on the invisible leash of the bond — not restraining, only tethering. Solaryn's wings fluttered, golden dust scattering in soft arcs. It darted forward, hovering a few meters ahead, then hovered back, waiting for her signal.
Her pulse quickened. This was more than control. It was harmony. Solaryn was no longer just a reflection of her mana. It was aware. Responding. Reacting.
"Elric," she whispered, voice trembling with awe, "it's… thinking."
He didn't answer immediately. His sharp gaze never left the form of the soulbound. Slowly, he nodded. "Yes. And that means your bond has reached the next stage. Your core, your cultivation, your harmony with Solaryn — all of it is advancing together. Today, you are not just at the Adept rank. You are entering Adept - Novice."
Her breath caught. Another rank. Another soul slot opening silently within her mana pathways, waiting to be used to strengthen next guardian, the next extension of her soul.
Elric raised his staff. "Now, a test. External stimulus. Observe how Solaryn reacts without direct instruction."
A sudden burst of wind rolled through the courtyard. Leaves swirled, dust lifted. A shard of residual Rift Echo energy shimmered faintly near the northern treeline, reacting to the faint golden pulse of Solaryn.
The soulbound's wings flared instinctively. It darted toward the disturbance, feathers of gold brushing against the air, then circled back to hover near Germaine's shoulder.
Germaine's chest swelled. "It understands. It knows the danger. And it's protecting me — without me telling it to."
"Elric," she said, voice trembling with pride, "it's… it's independent."
"Independent," he confirmed, "but still bound. That is the difference between a projection and a true manifestation. Solaryn will act on instinct while remaining tethered to your core. This is critical for what comes next. Your bond must be tested under pressure."
Elric gestured sharply. "Full engagement."
The lattice beneath them flared, golden-white threads of mana lifting into the air. Solaryn stiffened, sensing the shift in ambient energy. Germaine felt her own core hum in tandem, pulse matching pulse with the soulbound.
"Move it," Elric said. "Let it defend you. Let it extend. Let it attack the lattice itself. Feel the flow. Adjust. Adapt."
Her pulse raced. Solaryn surged forward, spinning in wide arcs, brushing against the protective lattice as though testing it, pushing it, feeling its resistance. Each movement reflected her own mana, her own awareness.
And then — the lattice flared violently.
A feedback pulse shot toward Germaine. Her core flared in warning, but Solaryn reacted instantly, coiling into a defensive posture, absorbing and dispersing the force through its golden wings.
Germaine staggered back, chest pounding. It protected me.
"Elric!" she gasped. "It—"
"Calm yourself," he said firmly. "It acted correctly. You nearly let your core flare — but Solaryn compensated. That is precisely why the bond matters. You are stronger together than apart."
The lattice's light dimmed slowly. Solaryn hovered near Germaine's chest, coiling softly like a living bracelet. Its warm pulse echoed through her sternum, and she felt it — deep, visceral, unbreakable.
Her mind registered the new energy, the new pathways opening. Her core had grown again. Beginner-Advanced. Another soul slot ready to host a second SoulPet in the future.
Elric studied her closely. "Today was a success. But do not mistake this for victory. The Watcher may return — and when it does, you must be ready to fight and protect your soulbound. Solaryn will react to danger before you do, but you must not rely on it entirely. You are the anchor. You are the core."
Germaine nodded. Her hand instinctively went to her chest, feeling Solaryn stir and pulse softly.
"Tomorrow," Elric continued, "we train integration with environmental hazards — moving targets, multi-directional assaults, and mana distortions. Your bond must withstand chaos, or the Watcher will exploit it."
Germaine exhaled slowly. She glanced at the soft, golden glow near her chest.
We are ready, she thought, feeling Solaryn's pulse echo hers. And we will grow together.
The morning wind shifted, brushing through the training grounds like a warning whisper. Somewhere, far beyond the estate, a ripple stirred in the air. A presence had noticed the pulse. The Watcher had not forgotten.
But Germaine was no longer the same girl who had stumbled at the southern barrier. She was stronger, attuned, bonded. And now, every step forward was another pulse of warning and power, a heartbeat that Solaryn shared with her.
Let it come, she thought, chest rising. We are ready.
(AUTHOR'S NOTE: Extra soul slots with the same rank are used to strength the soulpet bound in that rank.)