Sovereign of Forbidden Spirits

CHAPTER 2 — THE DEFECT

The moment the creature opened its golden eye, every beast in the plaza erupted into terrified screams.

The sound tore across Ashveil like reality itself had been split open. It rolled through the city in violent waves, carrying panic into every corner of the arena.

The Inferno Lion reared so violently that molten fire burst from its mane and splashed across the platform beneath it.

Nearby, the Storm Serpent twisted uncontrollably through the air as lightning exploded from its body in chaotic bursts, striking barriers and scattering sparks into the crowd. Even the majestic Frost Griffin staggered backward with panicked shrieks, its massive icy wings trembling as though an invisible hand had wrapped itself around its throat.

Then Elysia’s Celestial Frost Phoenix screamed The cry froze the entire plaza Divine-ranked beasts were not supposed to fear anything.

For one terrible moment, silence and terror collided together across the arena. Then panic exploded everywhere at once. “What’s happening?!”

“The beasts are losing control!”

“Get back!” Several summoning circles shattered beneath the overwhelming pressure flooding the plaza. Spirit energy burst violently through the air while students stumbled backward in terror, crashing into one another in their desperation to escape.

An academy official was thrown from a platform after a berserk Ironfang Bear slammed into a barrier wall hard enough to crack the stone beneath it.

Guards rushed across the arena in a frantic attempt to contain the chaos while frightened nobles and citizens fled from the balconies overhead Yet in the middle of the destruction, Jesse remained completely still.

The small creature in his arms trembled weakly beneath the shattered golden chains wrapped around its body. Its breathing came unevenly, each breath sounding painful and strained, as though even staying alive demanded strength it no longer possessed And despite the fear consuming the entire plaza…

The creature never attacked.

Its single golden eye remained fixed on Jesse alone There was no hatred inside that gaze. No bloodlust. No fury Only confusion Only fear Almost as though it were pleading with him to understand.

Then a new pressure descended over the arena.

A group of silver-robed priests forced their way onto the platform through the chaos, their ceremonial staffs glowing with holy inscriptions. At the center of them walked an elderly man draped in crimson robes embroidered with golden beast sigils.

The High Priest.

The moment his eyes landed on the creature in Jesse’s arms, all color drained from his face. “No…” he whispered

The priests surrounding him immediately noticed the horror in his expression. “Your Eminence?”

“That aura…”

“It can’t be…”

The High Priest stepped forward slowly, staring at the chained creature as though he were looking directly into a nightmare that should have remained buried forever. “That creature,” he said hoarsely, “should not exist.”

His voice echoed across the suddenly silent plaza Instinctively, Jesse tightened his grip around the trembling beast The High Priest immediately raised his staff. “Execution guards!” he shouted. “Destroy it immediately!”

The command struck the crowd like a thunderclap Several academy officials hesitated at once.

“Your Eminence,” one examiner said nervously, “the contract hasn’t formed yet. Standard protocol requires”

“Forget protocol!” the priest roared.

The sheer fury in his voice startled everyone nearby into silence. “That thing is cursed!” Whispers spread instantly through the crowd.

“Cursed?”

“Impossible…”

“What exactly did he summon?” Jesse looked down at the creature again.

Up close, it looked even weaker than before Its black scales were cracked in several places, and the shattered golden chains restraining its body appeared fused directly into its flesh. Thin trails of blood leaked from beneath the restraints whenever it moved It did not look dangerous It looked tortured.

One of the execution guards stepped forward in heavy armor while spirit light flared beneath his feet.

A massive gray wolf materialized beside him, its muscular body covered in glowing spirit markings. Its fangs looked sharp enough to tear through steel.

The guard leveled his spear toward Jesse.

“Place the creature on the ground,” he ordered coldly.

Jesse did not mov.

The surrounding crowd stared at him in disbelief The guard’s expression darkened. “Did you not hear me?”

Jesse slowly lifted his eyes to meet the man’s gaze. “It’s dying already,” he said quietly.

“That is not your concern.”

“It hasn’t hurt anyone.” Several nearby nobles reacted immediately.

“Are you blind?!” one shouted. “Every beast here is terrified!”

“That thing corrupted the Obelisk!”

“It’s a monster!” Jesse’s jaw tightened slightly,

Monster.

People always loved that word whenever fear outweighed understanding The creature in his arms trembled harder, and suddenly Jesse realized something important It was not trembling from aggression It was trembling from fear.

The realization struck him far harder than he expected Because he understood that feeling too well Being hated before anyone tried to understand you Being judged the moment you entered a room Being treated like something lesser simply because of what people believed you were.

The High Priest’s voice cut sharply through the tension. “Boy,” he said coldly, “step away from the abomination.”

Jesse looked toward him calmly. “You’re judging it before it’s even had the chance to breathe properly. The entire plaza went still Nobody spoke to the High Priest that way The old priest’s expression hardened immediately.

“It is an abomination.” Jesse lowered his gaze briefly toward the trembling creature before answering in a quiet voice. “So am I.”

For a moment, nobody knew how to respond Even the High Priest looked caught off guard by the answer. Then Kael Draven’s laughter rang out from somewhere within the crowd. “Listen to him,” Kael sneered loudly. “The slum rat thinks he’s noble now.”

Several nobles burst into mocking laughter. “Maybe defective beasts suit defective people.”

“That thing belongs in a grave.”

“Along with him.” Jesse ignored them, though every word still settled heavily inside his chest like old wounds reopening The creature shifted weakly in his arms again Then something strange happened The moment Jesse’s skin touched the broken chains, a faint pulse spread through his hand It was not pain It was not hatred It was emotion Loneliness.

The feeling struck him so suddenly that his breath nearly caught in his throat Images flashed through his mind in broken fragments Darkness Chains Endless isolation Something ancient buried beneath silence for a very, very long time.

Jesse’s breathing slowed The creature was not evil It was alone.

A sharp voice suddenly shattered the moment.

“Enough!” The execution guard stepped forward impatiently while the massive wolf beside him released a low growl.

“We end this now.” Spirit energy surged violently through the guard’s spear as he raised the weapon toward the creature’s throat Several spectators turned away Others leaned forward eagerly, desperate to witness the execution.

Jesse’s pulse quickened The creature looked up at him weakly. ts golden eye trembled slightly Not with rage With fear And suddenly Jesse remembered himself at eight years old, kneeling beside his mother’s body while strangers walked past without helping him Nobody had reached out to him then either Nobody had cared Something inside him hardened.

The execution guard moved The spear shot downwar Then stopped The entire plaza froze The massive gray wolf beside the guard had suddenly collapsed onto its knees.

It whimpered violently, shaking from head to tail as terror flooded its eyes.

“What?”The guard stumbled backward in confusion.

“Fenrir!” But the wolf refused to move.

Instead, it lowered its head completely toward the chained creature in Jesse’s arms Submission Fear The reaction sent visible panic through the priests.

The High Priest himself took an unsteady step backward. “That’s impossible…”

Even Elysia’s Frost Phoenix stared at the small black creature with visible caution now Not aggression Recognition Terrified whispers erupted across the plaza. “The execution beast bowed…”

“No beast kneels without command…”

“What exactly is that thing?” Jesse looked down again The creature’s golden eye remained fixed on the trembling wolf Not proudly Sadly As though it hated this reaction just as much as everyone else feared it Then the creature coughed weakly A thin trail of black blood spilled onto Jesse’s sleeve The chains tightened around its body again The creature whimpered softly in pain.

That sound settled the conflict inside Jesse almost instantly He had made his decision The High Priest noticed the shift in his expression at once.

“No,” the old man warned sharply. “Do not form that contract.” Ignoring the chaos around him, Jesse slowly rose to his feet.

“If you complete the pact,” the priest continued desperately, “you will condemn yourself alongside it.” Jesse looked around the plaza At the nobles mocking him openly At the fearful priests already calling for death At the academy officials staring at him like he was a mistake that should never have existed.

Then he looked back down at the dying creature in his arms For the first time all day, he saw something that looked exactly like himself Rejected Alone Condemned before anyone even tried to understand.

The creature weakly lifted its head Their eyes met And deep inside Jesse’s chest, he felt that same lonely pulse again Not words Not thoughts Just one desperate feeling.

Please.

The High Priest raised his staff frantically. “Stop him!”

Guards rushed forward immediately But Jesse moved first He pressed his palm directly against the creature’s broken chains. “I accept the pact,” he said quietly.

The world exploded.

Golden chains erupted violently across the sky above Ashveil City like divine lightning ripping through the heavens themselves. Ancient symbols ignited across the Summoning Obelisk while a deafening shockwave blasted outward from the platform with enough force to shake the entire arena.

Every beast in the plaza screamed again The ground trembled beneath the city Then something answered from far below Ashveil A roar Deep enough to shake the soul Ancient enough to feel older than the world itself Awake.

The entire plaza fell silent as the sound echoed upward from somewhere deep beneath the city And for the first time in centuries…

Something buried beneath the world opened its eyes.