The courtyard was still, but Germaine's senses were anything but. Solaryn perched on her shoulder, wings flickering with the faint golden luminescence of their bond. The early morning mist curled along the edges of the estate walls, carrying with it the subtle tang of ozone and the faint hum of residual mana. Every molecule of air vibrated with the memory of the Watcher's probing the previous day — a soft, insidious reminder that she was being observed.
The second soul slot in her mana core shimmered faintly, dormant but aware. It had awakened slightly during the previous day's exercises with Elric, responding to her attempts to channel Solaryn's presence into it. Now, it waited. Patient. Hungry. A space ready to be filled and used to temper and strength her bonds with a soul pet or, the next guardian.
Germaine adjusted her stance, feeling the pulse of her core. The rank she had just achieved — carried more than raw power. It had unlocked expansion capacity, a type of mana pathway refinement that allowed her to bond with additional SoulPets without destabilizing the core and had also strengthen her physique to the peak of the Beginner rank which is of course an astonishing feet. Most people usually reach that level of physical strength increase when they're at the peak of the Adept rank, that's at the level of a prodigy, even Elric only got to that stage at the advanced stage of the Adept rank.
Each new bond would anchor in a separate slot, creating a lattice of interconnected energy threads. Each bond strengthened her physique, enhanced her reflexes, and extended her magical reach.
She exhaled slowly. This was the next step. The first bond, Solaryn, had taught her what a true SoulPet was — the heartbeat of a partner, the extension of her own core, the guide through mana and spirit alike. But a second bond? That was uncharted territory, and the Watcher's presence made it far more dangerous.
Elric approached silently, his staff tapping lightly against the stone floor. White mana flickered faintly along its surface, not in preparation for attack but for stabilization. He had spent years training apprentices and beginners, but Germaine was already far beyond the normal expectations for someone at a novice Adept ranker. Yet, she has yet to awaken an affinity, which might reduce the variety of soul pets she could bond with as soul pets without affinities are rare. They had been rare cases of awakened cultivators who only received an affinity after getting to the the Ruler rank, although it was stimulated by external forces but, he is certain she won't have to wait that long.
"Today," he said softly, "you will attempt a controlled awakening. Not full. Not reckless. A SoulPet will respond to your call — but it will not be claimed completely. Think of it as… a trial resonance."
Germaine nodded, swallowing the nervous knot in her throat. She had trained to temper her mana, to open her core's pathways, to integrate the subtle threads left behind by Solaryn. But summoning a new SoulPet — even partially — was a delicate operation. Any mistake could destabilize her core, interfere with Solaryn, or alert the Watcher.
Her eyes flicked to the second slot in her mana map — a faintly glowing circle suspended in her mind's eye, dormant but resonant with potential.
"You must focus on the intention," Elric continued. "A SoulPet will only respond to a call that reaches it at the core level. Your desire must align with its essence. Mana alone will not suffice."
Germaine closed her eyes, inhaling slowly. She placed her hands over her sternum, feeling Solaryn's pulse sync with her heartbeat. Then she extended her mind, gently brushing the empty slot in her core, whispering into it.
"I have space for you. I offer safety. I offer guidance. Come forth and resonate with me."
At first, there was nothing. Just silence, the kind of dense, expectant pause that makes every second stretch impossibly long. "As expected it would-" Elric starts only to be cut short but what happens next.
— A faint shimmer appeared at the edge of her vision. A wisp of light, no larger than her fingertip, flickered like a candle in the wind. It pulsed softly — golden at the edges, but tinged with silver, as though it were formed from dawn and mist.
Solaryn chirped lightly, a tiny vibration that radiated reassurance. The first soulbond was aware. Observing. Guiding.
Germaine's breath caught. The wisp moved closer, testing her energy, brushing against the outer halo of her mana like a gentle breeze. Her second slot shivered at its presence, responding instinctively to the being's essence.
"Elric…" she whispered. "It's here."
He didn't answer immediately. He watched silently, letting her handle the initial resonance. His eyes flicked constantly to the surrounding trees and grounds, noting faint shifts in mana that were imperceptible to anyone else.
"Keep your mind steady," he instructed. "Don't let it read hesitation or fear. It must sense purpose, intention, and control."
Germaine focused, extending a subtle tendril of her mana into the second slot, letting it brush against the wisp. It recoiled slightly, then pulsed in response, a tiny acknowledgment of her connection.
The morning air shifted again. She felt it before she saw it — the Watcher, far beyond the barrier, testing the connection. A faint pressure tugged at the edges of her awareness, subtle but undeniable.
Her chest tightened, but she ignored the sensation. This was a test — her core, her bond, her focus. The Watcher could wait.
The wisp moved closer, brushing her fingertips, and a wave of warmth pulsed through her second slot. Her body instinctively aligned its mana channels to receive it. She felt a sudden surge of physique energy, subtle but real, flowing into her legs, arms, and spine. Even a trial SoulPet contributed.
"Elric…" she gasped lightly, "I can feel it… it's enhancing me. Like Solaryn did, but… different."
He nodded, expression tight. "Each SoulPet has a unique signature. Each bond will augment different aspects of your core, your body, or your senses. This one… is not just a guide. It's reactive. Analytical. Precise."
Germaine's mind raced. A reactive SoulPet meant adaptability — a creature that would learn alongside her, anticipate threats, and enhance her cultivation. But it also meant danger if mishandled. She let her breathing steady, syncing the second slot to her own rhythm, letting the wisp sense the safe space she offered.
The wisp pulsed brighter. Then, in an instant, it expanded. Not violently, not aggressively — but it grew in presence, radiating light into the slot like a second heartbeat.
"Now," Elric said, "do not force it. Let it enter fully of its own accord. Coax it. Offer guidance. Speak to it with intention, not strength."
Germaine extended her core toward the wisp, letting the pulse of her energy flow freely into the second slot. "Come to me," she whispered. "I offer you the place beside me, not as a cage, but as a partner. Together we will grow, together we will strengthen, together we will protect."
The wisp flickered, hesitation visible in the subtle trembling of its form. Then — a pulse. A small, deliberate pulse of silver-gold light, acknowledging her offer. It moved closer, its edges brushing against the slot, and Germaine felt it integrate.
Not completely — not yet. But the first tendrils of a soulbond had formed.
A subtle vibration surged from her core. The Shard pulsed faintly, sending a whisper of energy along the pathways of both slots. Solaryn responded immediately, wings brushing against Germaine's cheek in a soft, protective gesture. The new SoulPet — still nameless, still flickering like a candle — shivered in response to Solaryn's reassurance.
Germaine's pulse raced. This was it. The first real sign that her core was evolving. With each bond, her mana capacity increased, her physique subtly strengthened, and her temporal awareness heightened.
"Elric," she whispered, "I can feel it… in my core. The second slot… it's alive. It's… different, but it's responding. I think… I think I can name it soon."
He didn't reply immediately. He simply observed, letting her integrate the energy. When he finally spoke, his voice was sharp. "Do not rush. Naming solidifies the bond — and a premature naming can destabilize a nascent SoulPet. Let it learn, and let your core adjust. You have two active slots now. Two SoulPets that will respond to you, anchor you, and protect you. Treat them both with respect."
A sudden chill swept through the courtyard. Germaine's skin pricked. The Watcher had moved closer, probing the bond. It did not attack — not yet. But its presence twisted the shadows around the forest edge.
She felt the pressure against the second slot. The SoulPet recoiled slightly, unsure of the intrusion. Solaryn flared instinctively, wings extending, creating a protective pulse that brushed against both Germaine's core and the second slot.
Elric's hand tightened around her shoulder. "It's aware. But notice — it hasn't breached. Your bonds, your masks, your focus — they are effective. Keep control."
Germaine exhaled slowly. She felt Solaryn's pulse against her cheek, the tiny second SoulPet brushing against her awareness like a whisper, and the dormant slot shimmering with latent potential.
"Good," she whispered to them. "We're okay… for now."
The trial completed. The second SoulPet had responded, anchored, and integrated partially with her core. It was still fragile, still flickering like a candle against a wind, but it existed. A presence, a heartbeat, a partner.
Her core throbbed. The Adept rank now fully realized, the lattice of energy stretching across two SoulPets and her Shard forming a framework for future growth. With each pulse, she could feel a latent increase in physique, subtle enhancements in reflexes, and a slight augmentation to her mana purity.
Solaryn nuzzled her cheek softly. The second SoulPet pulsed faintly, shimmering with anticipation.
"Elric," Germaine said quietly, "I… I think I'm ready to give it a name. But I want it to be unique. Something that… resonates with the bond, with its essence, and with me."
He nodded. "Names are more than labels. They carry intent. They carry mana. Choose wisely. And once named, the bond will anchor permanently."
Germaine looked down at the tiny wisp, its silver-gold glow soft but alive. She reached out slowly, letting a gentle pulse of intention flow from her core into the new SoulPet.
Its form shimmered, reacting instantly. A heartbeat of understanding passed between them.
Her mind cleared. One word came naturally, flowing from instinct:
"Lumira."
The name pulsed softly in her mind, as though acknowledging the essence of the SoulPet itself. Lumira — a name of light, of guidance, of vigilance.
The slot glowed steadily. Solaryn flickered, wings brushing against her cheek. Both SoulPets were present, aware, anchored.
The Watcher withdrew, retreating to the forest beyond the estate. Its probing had been ineffective, blocked by both the Shard's concealment and the dual SoulPet network.
Germaine exhaled deeply, feeling the weight and exhilaration of what she had achieved. Two SoulPets. Beginner-Advanced fully integrated. Expanded slots. Strengthened physique. Heightened mana purity. And the first true demonstration that the Shard inside her core was not just a passive fragment — it was an active force guiding her evolution.
"Elric," she whispered, "we did it. We… I… I feel stronger. Controlled. Ready."
He nodded, voice low but approving. "This was only the beginning. The Watcher is patient, but persistent. Now you've established a network of bonds that it cannot easily penetrate. But it will learn. And so must you."
Germaine glanced at Solaryn and Lumira, two pulses of light anchored to her core, one gold, one silver-gold, synchronized in rhythm with her heartbeat.
The path ahead was treacherous, dangerous, and unpredictable. But for the first time, she felt the strength to walk it unafraid.
She inhaled deeply.
"Then we continue," she murmured. "We train. We grow. And we prepare for the Watcher's next move."
The two SoulPets chirped in unison, a tiny harmony of light and warmth.
And deep within her core, the Shard pulsed faintly, approving, whispering one final truth:
"This is only the beginning, Germaine. There is more inside you than you know."