The air in the Grand Coliseum of the Argent Citadel crackled with anticipation, a heavy, static tension that made every student's hair stand on end as they waited for their moment of truth: the Summoning Rite. Adrian stood apart from his peers, his simple, patched tunic a stark contrast to the silks and enchanted leathers of the other young summoners, the object of pitying glances and poorly-concealed snickers.
When his name was finally called, a hush fell, quickly followed by the dull roar of murmurs through the crowd, everyone knowing the rumors of his 'talent'- or lack thereof. He walked to the center of the summoning circle, his heart a frantic drum against his ribs, and began the intricate, millennia-old incantation. The air around him distorted, magic swirling into a vortex of emerald light, a promising, powerful display that momentarily silenced the skeptics. Then, the light coelesced, and from the shimmering portal emerged, not a magnificent griffon, a fearsome shadow-wolf, or even a basic fire-salamander, but a single, scrawny, common crow. It blinked its beady black eyes, let out a pathetic caw, perched uncertainly on Adrian's shoulder.
The silence held for a beat, then the entire coliseum erupted into a tidal wave of cruel laughter and outright mockery, the sound a physical blow that staggered Adrian more than any spell could have.
"A crow? Seriously, Adrian?" the Archon's son, Valerius, sneered from the front row, his own majestic, spectral lion padding proudly beside him. "My family's familiar has more power in its paw than that dusty little pest does in its whole body."
A girl nearby, cradling a shimmering ice-fox, chimed in, loud enough for half the arena to hear, "Maybe, he can used it to peck up the scraps from the floor after the real summoners are done!" The laughter redoubled, drowning out the few sympathetic voices, leaving Adrian alone in the circle, his face burning with humiliation, and his small, weak spirit-crow, the sole testament to his monumental failure.
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The echoes of the final summoning rites faded as the immense crowd of students began filtering out of the grand coliseum. The air, once thick with crackling magical energy and boisterous expectations, settled into a low murmur of chatter and excitement.
As they poured through the colossal arched exits, several figures materializing at the main plaza caught their attention- the esteemed Grand Summoners from the various academic year, their robes shimmering with subtle enchantment. Their, most Esteemed Summoner, a woman with a calm, authoritative presence, raised a hand, her voice amplified to reach every student, "Welcome, first-years, to the next phase of your journey. The summoning was merely the first test. Your true path begins now. Your next task is to form a club- find your companions, your allies, those who will fight alongside you. Apply to whichever existing club you wish, or form your own. Together, going will build the strongest club of this academic year through future battles, challenges, and shared activities."
A buzz went through crowd. Instantly, students began recalling their summoned spirits. Griffins, shimmering elemental spirits, and formidable beasts materialized again, the students mounting them with practiced ease, ready to depart for their respective club halls through various portals opening up across the plaza.
As they prepared to depart, a wave of smugness washed over several groups who cast mocking glances and silent snickers toward Adrian once again, the recipient of the earlier disdain for his seemingly 'weak' spirit. A jibe was even audible: "Hope the 'Pest Controller' club is accepting applications, Adrian!" before they vanished into the swirling, prismatic doorways.
Adrian remained at the edge of the assembly area, the last student left standing alone by a shimmering portal. He waited until the final, mocking face disappeared entirely, the plaza suddenly quiet and empty save for him and ethereal archway.
Finally, he spoke a single, quite syllable of command. From the shadows beneath the coliseum's arches, an eerie, caw like sound echoed, deep and resonant, laced with an unnerving, palpable dark energy. A magnificent crow, with eyes that held the unsettling depth of a void, landed softly on his shoulder. It flapped its wings once, a sound like a heavy clock snapping in the wind, then turned its head to look back at him. It blinked slowly, letting out a long, almost human-like sigh that went unnoticed by anyone but Adrian. He met its gaze with a small, unreadable smile, then simply stepped inside the portal after all- he had a club to apply to as well.
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"Hold," the most Esteemed Summoner, lady Elara Vance, commanded, a single, sharp syllable that brought the procession of esteemed summoners behind her to an abrupt halt. They had been moving with purpose, their steps measured, their focus unwavering, until Elara, stopped mid-stride, her gaze fixed on the spot where the young Adrian had just vanished into a swirling, verdant portal. A strange disquiet settled over her, a prickling unease that went beyond the usual caution. It wasn't the boy himself, though he was an unknown, an outlier in their carefully managed world of established magic. It was that crow spirit of his- a creature of shadow and sharp intelligence that had watched them with an unsettling, ancient knowing. There was something about it, something otherworldly, perhaps even a hint of deeper, darker power she couldn't quite place, something that felt less like a summoned familiar and more like an echo of forgotten eldritch forces. The air where the portal had closed still hummed with a residual energy that felt...wrong.
One of her companions, Master Theron, broke the silence, his brow furrowed with confusion. "Lady Elara? Why have we stopped?
Elara didn't turn to face him. She simply shook her head, the heavy silk of her robes rustling softly. "Nothing."
With curt, almost dismissive answer, she resumed her walk, the clicking of her staff against the stone floor echoing in the corridor. The other esteemed summoners exchanged puzzled, questioning glances but fell in behind her, their steps hesitant now, their confusion palpable. As she led them forward, her mind raced. 'Maybe I am thinking too much,' she mused internally, trying to dismiss the shiver that traced its way down her spine. 'It was just a crow, after all. Just a boy with an unusual spirit. But that energy...no, I am definitely thinking too much.' Still, the image of those beady, obsidian eyes and the cold, abyssal energy she had sensed lingered, an unsettling anamoly in the otherwise predictable tapestry of their day with students. She pushed the thoughts down, focusing instead on the path ahead, though a quiet, persistent whisper in the back of her mind warned her that they might not have seen the last of Adrian and his mysterious spirit.
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