Morning sunlight poured through Kael’s bedroom window.
Unlike yesterday, there were no ceremonies waiting.
No crowds.
No Awakening Crystal.
No nervous anticipation.
Only birds singing outside and Noah loudly announcing his existence somewhere downstairs.
“I’m hungry!” “I was hungry yesterday too!” “And I’ll probably be hungry tomorrow!” Kael smiled faintly.
Some things never changed.
— When he reached the dining room, Noah was already halfway through breakfast.
Marcus looked up from his newspaper.
“Good.” Kael blinked.
“Good?” “You slept in.” “I woke up at seven.” “Exactly.” Marcus folded the newspaper.
“Yesterday you became a Beastifier.” “Today your real training begins.” Kael frowned.
“I thought training started at the Academy.” Marcus chuckled.
“The Academy teaches students.” He pointed toward himself.
“I teach my son.” — The Draven family owned a modest backyard.
Normally it was used for gardening and Noah’s endless attempts to build forts.
This morning…
Marcus had cleared the entire area.
Several wooden practice dummies stood in a row.
A stack of heavy stones rested nearby.
A wide circle had been drawn into the dirt.
Kael immediately recognized it.
“A training ring.” Marcus nodded.
“Every Beastifier should have one.” Lyra leaned against the fence.
“I’ve been waiting for this.” Noah bounced excitedly.
“Can I train too?” Marcus looked at the tiny wooden sword hanging from Noah’s belt.
“You already are.” Noah nodded proudly.
“I know.” — Marcus stepped into the center of the ring.
“The Academy will teach you techniques.” “They’ll teach strategy.” “They’ll teach teamwork.” He raised one finger.
“But before any of that…” He tapped his own chest.
“You must understand your own Beast.” Kael became serious.
Marcus continued.
“Tell me.” “What happens when you Beastify?” Kael thought for a moment.
“My strength increases.” “What else?” “My senses.” Marcus nodded.
“What else?” “…Scales.” “What else?” Kael hesitated.
“I don’t know.” Marcus smiled.
“Exactly.” — He slowly raised his right arm.
Brown fur spread across it.
Muscles expanded.
Dark horns curved from his temples.
His posture changed completely.
Power radiated naturally from him.
“This is Partial Beastification.” Kael observed carefully.
Marcus wasn’t forcing it.
The transformation looked…
Comfortable.
Like breathing.
“Notice anything?” Kael studied him.
“You’re relaxed.” Marcus grinned.
“Good.” “Most beginners think Beastification is about adding power.” “It isn’t.” “It’s about sharing your body.” — Sharing.
The word lingered.
Inside Kael’s soul…
D-Rex opened one golden eye.
“You already understand.” Kael remained silent.
Did he?
The Queen laughed softly.
Not yet.
— Marcus tossed Kael a wooden practice sword.
“Come.” Kael caught it.
“We’re sparring?” “We’re learning.” Marcus pointed toward the circle.
“The goal isn’t to win.” “The goal is to feel.” Kael stepped forward.
— Their first exchange lasted less than three seconds.
Wood cracked.
Kael stumbled backward.
Marcus hadn’t even attacked seriously.
“You relied on your arms.” Kael steadied himself.
“Again.” This time Kael attacked first.
Marcus shifted half a step.
The wooden sword slipped harmlessly past him.
Another tap.
Another loss.
“You watched my weapon.” Marcus explained patiently.
“Watch my shoulders.” “My feet.” “My balance.” “The sword tells you where I was.” “My body tells you where I’m going.” Kael nodded.
Again.
— Again.
Again.
Again.
Morning slowly turned toward noon.
Kael lost every exchange.
Sometimes in one move.
Sometimes in three.
Once…
He managed five.
Marcus actually smiled.
“There.” “You learned.” “I lost.” “You improved.” “They aren’t the same thing.” — By midday, Kael’s arms ached.
His breathing had become uneven.
Marcus finally lowered his sword.
“Now…” “We’ll Beastify.” — Kael took a slow breath.
His soul stirred.
The disguised D-Rex answered immediately.
Dark scales crept across his right arm.
Golden eyes replaced his human ones.
Sharp claws extended from his fingers.
The transformation stopped there.
Exactly as it had during the Awakening.
Marcus walked around him.
“How does it feel?” “…Natural.” “Heavy?” “No.” “Painful?” “No.” Marcus nodded thoughtfully.
“Good.” “That means your compatibility is high.” Kael almost laughed.
If only Marcus knew.
— “Now…” Marcus picked up one of the heavy stones.
It weighed nearly fifty pounds.
He handed it to Kael.
“Lift.” Kael did.
Effortlessly.
Marcus smiled.
“Again.” This time he handed him an even larger stone.
Nearly one hundred pounds.
Kael lifted it.
His arm remained steady.
No strain.
No shaking.
No discomfort.
Marcus’s eyebrows rose.
“Interesting.” “What?” “For a newly awakened Common Rank…” “You’re stronger than expected.” Kael remained perfectly calm.
Inside…
The Queen sighed dramatically.
If he knew the truth…
D-Rex looked almost offended.
I am still holding back.
— Marcus didn’t question it.
Instead, he simply nodded.
“Good.” “Strength alone isn’t enough.” He suddenly tossed a small pebble toward Kael’s face.
Instinct took over.
Kael caught it without thinking.
Marcus smiled.
“There.” “Senses.” Kael looked at the pebble.
He hadn’t even seen himself move.
— For the next hour…
Marcus tested him.
Hearing.
Reaction speed.
Balance.
Endurance.
Every result surprised him.
Not enough to become suspicious.
Only enough to think: Shadow Drakes are unusual.
Exactly as the Queen intended.
— By afternoon, training finally ended.
Noah ran into the yard carrying two glasses of cold fruit juice.
“You both look terrible.” Marcus laughed.
“I’ll take that as concern.” “It wasn’t.” “I just don’t want sweaty people inside.” Lyra nearly dropped her book laughing.
— As everyone rested beneath the shade of a large tree, Marcus looked toward Kael.
“You’ve improved.” “In one day?” Marcus nodded.
“The Academy will notice.” Kael frowned.
“Is that bad?” “No.” Marcus became thoughtful.
“It simply means expectations will rise.” He looked toward the city skyline.
“The stronger people believe you are…” “The more they’ll expect from you.” Kael quietly absorbed those words.
Earth had taught him something similar.
Expectations were heavier than any stone.
— That evening, Kael stood alone in his room.
He slowly Beastified once more.
Black scales.
Golden eyes.
Clawed fingers.
Nothing else.
He flexed his hand.
The movements felt smoother than yesterday.
More natural.
More precise.
D-Rex nodded approvingly.
“You improve quickly.” “I’ve had practice.” “With what?” Kael looked out toward the city.
“Living twice.” For several moments…
Even the Queen remained silent.
— Three weeks.
Only three weeks remained until the Academy opened its gates.
For the first time since awakening…
Kael found himself looking forward to the future.
Not because of power.
Not because of glory.
But because…
For the first time in both of his lives…
He was walking toward a future he had chosen for himself.
«End of Chapter 10»