The Last Celestial Tamer

Chapter 7

The world fell silent.

Only a heartbeat earlier, the Royal Ascension Grounds had been alive with laughter, applause, and excited conversations. 

Now, an eerie stillness settled over the arena as if the world itself had stopped breathing. Thousands of people stood frozen in place, unable to understand what they were witnessing.

The brilliant morning sun suddenly began to fade.

Darkness spread across the sky with unnatural speed, swallowing the warm golden light that had bathed the marble arena only moments before. It was not the slow arrival of storm clouds. Instead, it felt as though an invisible hand had reached across the heavens and covered the sun itself.

People instinctively lifted their eyes toward the sky.

The sun was still there. But an enormous black shadow was slowly passing in front of it.

A wave of frightened gasps rippled through the crowd.

"The moon..." someone whispered, their voice trembling with fear.

"The moon is covering the sun!"

"It... it shouldn't happen this fast!"

Children hurried into their parents' arms, frightened by the sudden darkness. Merchants abandoned their baskets where they stood, while even the royal soldiers guarding the arena exchanged uneasy glances. None of them understood what was happening.

The eclipse continued.

Within moments, bright daylight had become an unsettling twilight. A bitter wind swept through the Ascension Grounds, carrying an unnatural chill that caused many spectators to wrap their arms around themselves. The temperature dropped so quickly that visible breaths drifted through the air.

Lucien remained standing beneath the Sacred Crystal. His palm was still pressed firmly against its glowing surface.

The frightened voices around him gradually disappeared until he could no longer hear the crowd at all.

Instead, only one sound remained. A deep, rhythmic humming echoed from within the crystal.

With every passing second, it grew louder. It almost sounded...Like the slow breathing of a living creature.

Far beyond the arena, church bells suddenly began ringing throughout the capital.

One bell sounded first.

Then another answered.

Soon dozens of bells echoed across the city together, their mournful voices rolling through the streets like a warning carried by the wind.

The strange phenomenon was not limited to the capital.

Across the entire kingdom, people stopped whatever they were doing and stared at the darkened sky.

Farmers working in distant villages laid down their tools and looked upward in confusion.

Sailors crossing the open sea watched daylight vanish from above their ships.

Deep within ancient forests, flocks of birds fled back toward their nests while wild beasts hid among the trees.

Even the snow-covered mountains echoed with the frightened cries of creatures that rarely feared anything.

No matter where they stood, everyone asked the same question.

"What is happening?"

Inside the Royal Mage Tower, several court mages had been maintaining powerful protective barriers around the capital. Brilliant circles of magical energy surrounded them as they carefully sustained their spells.

Without warning, every glowing magic circle disappeared. The spells did not weaken. They simply ceased to exist.

An elderly mage frowned as he stared at his empty hands. "My spell..."

Another mage closed his eyes, searching for the familiar flow of mana within his body. "I can't feel mana anymore."

A third mage quickly raised his hand and attempted to cast a simple fire spell that normally required almost no effort.

Nothing happened.

He tried again with greater concentration. Still nothing.

Uneasy silence filled the chamber before fear spread across every face. 

"Our magic..."

"It has stopped."

Meanwhile, at the Temple of Sacred Light, priests were conducting the kingdom's morning prayers.

Golden sacred flames burned peacefully before a towering statue of the gods, illuminating the vast sanctuary with warm light.

Without warning, every holy flame flickered once before dying out together.

Dark smoke slowly rose from the extinguished braziers.

The High Priest stared in stunned disbelief. "The Sacred Fire...It has never gone out."

Several younger priests hurried forward and attempted to relight the flames with holy magic.

No matter how many prayers they recited or blessings they invoked, nothing answered them.

One priest lowered his head as fear entered his voice. "The gods have turned away from us."

Back at the Royal Ascension Grounds, confusion spread rapidly through the audience.

A noblewoman desperately clutched the enchanted necklace around her neck. "Why can't I use my wind magic?"

Nearby, a royal guard reached for the enchantment woven into his sword, only to discover that its familiar blue glow had completely vanished. "What is happening?"

High Summoner Aldric immediately raised both hands, trying to calm the increasingly panicked crowd.

"Remain calm!"

"No one panic!"

Even as he shouted those reassuring words, he secretly attempted to cast a calming spell over the arena.

Nothing answered his command. His face slowly drained of color. "My magic..."

Lucien noticed none of the chaos unfolding around him. His entire focus remained fixed upon the Sacred Crystal.

The humming within it had become stronger. Steadier. Almost... Like breathing. Then a sharp sound broke the silence.

Crack.

Although it was barely louder than a whisper, it echoed through the silent arena with startling clarity.

Every pair of eyes turned toward the floating crystal. 

A single, thin crack had appeared across its flawless surface.

Someone gasped.

"No..."

"That's impossible."

The Sacred Crystal had floated above the kingdom for more than two thousand years. It had survived devastating wars, violent earthquakes, and even the attacks of dragons. Nothing in recorded history had ever managed to damage it.

Yet another crack appeared.

Then another.

Within seconds, countless jagged lines spread across the crystal like bolts of lightning trapped beneath transparent glass. Brilliant golden light poured through every fracture, illuminating the darkened arena with an otherworldly glow.

The floating altar began to tremble violently.

Tiny fragments of crystal broke away and drifted through the air like glowing snowflakes.

High Summoner Aldric stared in horror. "No... No...This cannot be happening."

Several royal officials rushed toward him, their faces filled with panic. "What should we do?"

Aldric shook his head helplessly. "I don't know."

His voice quivered as he admitted the truth. "I've never seen anything like this before."

The Sacred Crystal trembled even more violently. Its deep humming transformed into a thunderous roar that vibrated through the entire arena.

The platform beneath Lucien's feet shook so fiercely that he nearly lost his balance.

Instinctively, he tried to pull his hand away. It would not move.

His palm remained firmly attached to the crystal as though an invisible force had fused them together.

Panic tightened his chest. "What...?"

He pulled again with all his strength. Nothing changed. "I'm... stuck."

No one dared approach him.

The cracking sounds continued to multiply as the crystal's trembling intensified. Then something entirely unexpected appeared.

Dark silver runes slowly emerged from beneath the crystal's glowing surface.

They drifted through the fractures like living streams of liquid light, twisting and flowing with impossible grace.

The mysterious symbols circled around Lucien's arm before spiraling upward into the darkened sky.

Every scholar present stared upward in stunned confusion.

"I've never seen that language."

"It isn't ancient royal script."

"It isn't divine writing."

"Then... what is it?"

No one could answer.

Before anyone had time to recover, another impossible event unfolded.

A powerful roar thundered across the arena.

Cassian's Divine Griffin suddenly spread its enormous wings.

Several spectators smiled in relief, believing the legendary beast was preparing to defend its master.

Instead, the majestic creature slowly lowered its head. Its powerful front legs bent until both knees touched the ground.

The entire arena fell into stunned silence.

Cassian stared in disbelief. "What are you doing?"

The Divine Griffin ignored him completely. Its proud head remained lowered, and its powerful body trembled uncontrollably. Fear filled its golden eyes as it refused to rise.

"No..." Cassian grabbed handfuls of its feathers. "Stand!"

The griffin did not obey.

Nearby, the Frost Storm Wolf slowly lowered itself until its stomach touched the ground.

The Shadow Serpent tightly coiled its enormous body, trembling as though hiding from an unseen predator.

The Phoenix folded its blazing wings and bowed its radiant head.

One after another, every awakened familiar knelt. It did not matter whether they were weak or powerful, young or ancient.

Each one bowed before the Sacred Crystal.

Some whimpered softly. Others shook with unmistakable terror.

Children stared at their companions in complete confusion.

"My wolf has never bowed before."

"My hawk is scared."

A little girl looked down at the small rabbit beside her before tears filled her eyes. "My rabbit won't move."

Frightened whispers spread throughout the arena as countless people struggled to understand what they were witnessing. 

No one knew why every familiar had knelt, but every instinct told them that something ancient had awakened, and whatever it was, even the mightiest magical beasts feared its presence.