The skies above the Spirit Realm rippled like water disturbed by a falling stone. Lyra, the Spirit Queen, materialized in the sky with grace befitting a queen, her flowing silver-blue robes fluttering around her as if reality itself bowed to her presence.

She had been in deep meditation—when a jarring sensation shattered her focus. One of her guardian spirits… was dead.

'What…?' she thought, rising slowly. She reached out through the thread of spirit energy, only to recoil.

The spirit's soul had been reduced to nothing but charred remnants—its once-pure essence corrupted and incinerated.

'No ordinary force could have done this… Not to a Greater Spirit.'

Then it struck her—ominous energy… from the Graveyard of the Dark Spirits.

Her eyes widened. 'The grave… the chains…'

With a thunderous clap of wind, she vanished from the sky and reappeared before the massive cratered tombstone. Her breath caught as she beheld what lay before her.

The chains were broken.

No divine seal remained.

And there, standing calmly in front of the now-empty grave, was a black-haired man… smiling.

"Mortal," Lyra hissed, her voice trembling with fury, "do you even comprehend what you've done?"

Her presence darkened the sky, power crackling at her fingertips.

"That spirit… is evil incarnate. You've just bonded with a catastrophe!"

Kyle tilted his head, expression unbothered. "Sorry, Your Highness," he said coolly, "but that's for me to decide."

Lyra's hands lifted, and streams of radiant chains burst toward Kyle and Silas—divine bindings meant to cage sins older than time itself.

Kyle's eyes flashed. "Sabrina—now."

A massive barrier of swirling black and red light formed around him—burning like a forbidden eclipse. The Queen's chains collided with the shield and disintegrated.

Lyra's lips parted in shock. 'That barrier… impossible.'

"You're too late, Lyra," Silas said mockingly, stepping forward beside Kyle. His voice was rough, malicious, and amused all at once. "I'm free now."

Then, as their bodies began to dissolve into particles of light, Silas looked back.

"I will come back once I've recovered all my strength, and at that time," he said, voice like steel on stone, "that monstrous person won't be around to save you… sister."

They vanished.

And for the first time in centuries, the Spirit Queen screamed.

"DAMN IT!!"

The air around her warped with rage. She clenched her fists. "That bastard escaped… and now a catastrophe walks free." Her breath heaved. "And that boy… his essence… it's familiar. A Primordial. No—it's worse."

Her eyes narrowed.

"He's an Avatar of a Primordial…"

---

Inside the Whispering Forest of Zenith Academy—

Kyle Celestian's eyes opened slowly.

The filtered sunlight felt too warm for the place he had just escaped.

Professor Livana stood before him, smiling kindly. "Looks like everything went well," she said. "So… did you manage to bond with one?"

Kyle rose to his feet with calm elegance. "Yes, ma'am. I managed to bond with one."

In his mind, he sent a silent command. 'Silas—take the form of a bird.'

A smooth voice echoed back. "As you wish, Master."

Kyle's thoughts shifted again. 'Sabrina… mask him. I don't want anyone sensing he's a dark spirit.'

[Understood,] she responded. [I will erase his presence as much as I can.]

Kyle nodded slightly, then turned to Livana.

"Thank you, ma'am. Even though I'm not an academy student, you still gave me a chance. Because of that, I was able to bond."

"That's good to hear," Livana said warmly. "Can I see it?"

Kyle lifted his hand. "Come out."

A swirl of shadow coalesced on his shoulder. From it emerged a small, black crow with piercing crimson eyes and a crown-like mark on its forehead—mysterious, elegant, and deceptively cute.

Livana smiled. "Oh, it's a cute one."

"Yes," Kyle replied, smiling faintly. "It is."

Livana checked the time. "Alright then, it's time we head back. Your grandfather might be looking for you."

"Yes, ma'am," Kyle replied.

As they left the forest together, the little black spirit curled on Kyle's shoulder, its crimson eyes glowing faintly as it looked back toward the trees—where the Spirit Realm still trembled from what had just been unleashed.

As they walked side by side toward Zenith Academy, Livana suddenly adjusted her glasses and turned to Kyle.

"I have some urgent work to attend to," she said, her tone polite but brisk. "Do you know the way to the headmaster's office?"

Kyle nodded with ease. "Yes, ma'am, I do."

"Good," Livana said, exhaling. "Apologies for leaving you like this, but the matter requires my immediate attention. Head straight from here, and you'll find the main administrative building. The headmaster's office is on the top floor."

"No worries, ma'am," Kyle replied with a small smile. "Thank you."

With a nod, Livana turned and walked away, her robes fluttering with each step.

Kyle watched her leave, then muttered under his breath, "Now, where was I…"

As he continued walking toward the headmaster's building, something caught his eye—a girl sitting alone on a marble bench under a tree, her feet swinging slightly, expression distant.

It was Lily.

The corners of Kyle's lips twitched as he altered his course toward her.

Lily, sensing someone approach, glanced up.

'Oh, it's that creepy guy,' she thought, suppressing a sigh.

Kyle stopped in front of her and offered a calm smile. "What are you doing here, Miss Lily? I thought you had plenty of friends."

Lily looked up at him and shrugged. "They have a class right now. I had some free time, so I was exploring the academy."

Kyle nodded. "And? How was it?"

"It was amazing…" Lily smiled faintly, then looked down. "But also kinda depressing."

"Depressing?" Kyle asked, brow raised.

Lily's eyes softened. "I just saw how amazing life as an awakened is. They can do so many things with mana… It made me realize how ordinary and dull my life is. I want to study here too… just like my brother."

"So your brother is an awakened, huh?" Kyle asked, leaning slightly closer.

Lily's face brightened immediately. "Not just an awakened. He's the strongest person I know! And also the best brother in the entire universe."

Kyle smirked. "I doubt that."

Lily blinked. "And why is that?"

"Because I'm the strongest," Kyle replied with a devilish grin.

Lily burst into laughter. "Well, I know you're strong… but no way you're stronger than him."

"Believe it or not, I am."

"You don't know," Lily said proudly, "but back when he was at this academy, he was the ap—"

She stopped abruptly.

Kyle tilted his head. "What? You were saying he was the…?"

"Nothing," Lily mumbled quickly.

"Alright, alright," Kyle chuckled. "You don't have to tell me."

Lily's eyes wandered to his shoulder. "Is that… a crow?"

Kyle smirked. "Yes. I just formed a spirit bond. He's my companion now."

Lily's jaw dropped in awe. "Waaah… I'm so jealous!" She pouted adorably. "I wish I could use mana too…"

Kyle leaned in, eyes gleaming with mischief. "Do you really want to use mana?"

Lily sighed. "More than anything."

Kyle chuckled darkly, his voice dripping with playfulness. "What if I said I can make that happen?"

"Don't joke about stuff like that," Lily muttered, folding her arms.

Suddenly, Kyle snapped his fingers, and a glowing parchment materialized in his hand—a contract written in swirling black and gold runes.

"Sign this," he said, holding it out, "and your wish will be granted."

Lily stared at the contract, speechless, as her hand slowly reached toward it—eyes wide, heart pounding.

'What… is this feeling…?' she thought.

The wind stilled.

As the world held its breath.

And Kyle's smile only widened.

---------

A/N:

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