The Hall of Awakening slowly returned to life.
Conversations spread through the audience like wildfire.
Parents discussed compatibility scores.
Teenagers compared Beast Souls.
Nobles quietly mocked the participants who had awakened Common-ranked transformations.
And somewhere among the thousands of voices, Noah continued loudly explaining to anyone willing to listen that his older brother possessed “dragon eyes.” Kael considered pretending not to know him.
Unfortunately, Noah looked enough like him that such a strategy would likely fail.
“Participant Seven Hundred and Seventy-Seven, please report to the stabilization chamber.” The examiner’s voice echoed throughout the Hall.
Kael nodded.
The awakening itself had lasted less than a minute.
The consequences, however, would likely follow him for the rest of his life.
As he stepped down from the platform, dozens of eyes followed him.
Some curious.
Some dismissive.
A few sympathetic.
After all, awakening a Common-ranked Beast Soul immediately after a Royal-ranked Crowned Inferno Lion was hardly ideal.
Adrian Vale happened to be waiting near the edge of the participant section.
He folded his arms as Kael approached.
“So.” “So?” “A Shadow Drake.” “That appears to be what the crystal said.” Adrian frowned.
“You don’t seem disappointed.” Kael considered the question.
Should he be?
Certainly, Ethan Cole would have been.
The orphan who had spent his first life fighting against circumstances beyond his control probably would have considered this another cruel joke.
But Kael Draven wasn’t standing alone.
His family was waiting in the audience.
Three ancient Sovereigns occupied his soul.
And somewhere behind a wall of suspicion and sharp teeth, the Queen had just hidden an impossible truth from the world.
“No,” Kael said honestly.
“I’m not.” Adrian looked surprised.
“Why not?” Kael glanced toward Noah, who was currently attempting to convince a military officer that Shadow Drakes were secretly stronger than lions.
“Because my family doesn’t care what I awakened.” The noble remained silent.
Interesting.
For the first time since meeting Adrian, Kael wasn’t entirely certain the other boy understood that statement.
Eventually, Adrian looked away.
“Must be nice.” The words were so quiet that Kael almost missed them.
Before he could respond, the noble straightened his posture.
“Don’t misunderstand.
I’ll still defeat you if we ever fight.” “There it is.” “There what is?” “I was beginning to think we’d have a normal conversation.” “We did.” “No, we didn’t.” Adrian looked genuinely confused.
Then, without another word, he walked away.
The Queen’s laughter echoed throughout Kael’s soul.
“He likes you.” “That’s absurd.” “Is it?” “Yes.” D-Rex snorted.
“Human courtship rituals are strange.” “Nobody is courting anyone.” The Land Sovereign ignored him.
— The stabilization chambers occupied the eastern wing of the Hall.
By the time Kael arrived, several participants had already completed their examinations.
Rex Hollow exited one room with both sleeves missing.
Again.
Kael stared.
“Didn’t you already destroy one uniform?” Rex looked offended.
“That was before I learned I could partially Beastify both arms at once.” “…Naturally.” The broad-shouldered boy grinned.
“You should try it.” “I’ll consider it.” “No, really.
Breaking things is surprisingly therapeutic.” That sounded deeply concerning.
A door further down the hallway opened.
Liam Frost emerged, carrying a blanket around his shoulders.
His hair was covered in frost.
“Cold?” Kael asked.
Liam looked up.
“Oh.
Hey.” “Hello.” “The doctors say my body temperature dropped too quickly during stabilization.” “That sounds unpleasant.” “It is.” The boy sneezed.
A small cloud of snow appeared in front of his face.
Silence followed.
“…Did you just sneeze snow?” Liam sighed.
“Apparently that’s my life now.” Kael decided he liked him.
“Participant Seven Hundred and Seventy-Seven.” A nurse appeared in the doorway.
“Kael Draven.” He nodded.
“That’s me.” “Please follow me.” Before entering the room, he glanced back.
Rex was attempting to lift a bench with one hand.
Liam was apologizing to a nurse for accidentally freezing a water dispenser.
And somehow…
Kael felt as though he had just met two people who would cause him an unreasonable amount of trouble in the future.
The thought was strangely comforting.
— The medical examination proceeded much like the others.
Heart rate.
Blood pressure.
Soul stability.
The doctor—a tired-looking woman with snake-like eyes—spent considerably longer reviewing his results than Kael found reassuring.
“Interesting.” That word again.
Medical professionals should really stop using it.
“Something wrong?” The doctor tapped her tablet several times.
“Your Beast Core appears stable.” “That’s good.” “However, your compatibility score remains unreadable.” “Less good.” She nodded.
“Significantly less good.” The woman frowned at her screen.
“I’ve reviewed records dating back three hundred years.
There has never been a documented case of an unreadable compatibility score.” “Should I be concerned?” “Probably.” That was not the answer Kael had been hoping for.
“What does compatibility actually measure?” The doctor seemed pleased by the question.
“Most people assume compatibility measures how well a human matches their Beast Soul.” “It doesn’t?” “No.” She leaned back in her chair.
“It measures how much of the Beast Soul’s true potential the body can withstand.” Kael’s expression remained carefully neutral.
Interesting.
“So a higher score means greater potential?” “In simple terms, yes.” “What about an unreadable score?” The doctor was silent for several moments.
“Either your Beast Soul is damaged…” That wasn’t it.
“Or?” “Or the crystal lacks a frame of reference.” Silence.
Deep within his soul, the Queen stopped laughing.
D-Rex slowly opened one eye.
Even Mosasaurus surfaced from beneath the sea.
Kael forced himself to remain calm.
“How often does that happen?” The doctor gave him a look.
“I literally just told you there are no recorded cases.” Right.
Of course.
“Still,” she continued, “a Common-ranked Beast Soul isn’t something to worry about.” The Queen immediately looked offended.
D-Rex looked homicidal.
Kael wisely chose not to repeat that statement internally.
— An hour later, the ceremony finally ended.
Families reunited throughout the Hall while military personnel guided participants toward the exits.
Noah nearly tackled Kael the moment he appeared.
“BIG BROTHER!” “Hello, Noah.” “SHOW ME THE DRAGON EYES AGAIN!” “Not here.” “Why not?” “Because transforming indoors is generally discouraged.” Noah considered this.
“Can you breathe fire?” “No.” “Fly?” “No.” “Climb walls?” “I don’t know.” The boy gasped.
“WE NEED TO FIND A WALL!” Marcus laughed.
“Perhaps later.” Lyra crossed her arms.
“I still think it’s disappointing.” Kael raised an eyebrow.
“Your awakening hasn’t even happened yet.” “That’s different.” “How?” “Because mine will obviously be amazing.” “Naturally.” Elara smiled.
“Regardless of rank, I’m proud of you.” The words caught him off guard.
“I know.” “No, I don’t think you do.” She gently placed a hand on his shoulder.
“You could have awakened nothing at all, and we’d still be standing here.” Something tightened painfully in his chest.
The Queen became unusually quiet.
Because Ethan Cole still wasn’t entirely used to hearing things like that.
“Thank you.” Elara’s smile softened.
“Always.” Before the moment could continue, a voice echoed through the Hall.
“Kael Draven.” Every conversation nearby immediately quieted.
Headmaster Orion Graves stood near the entrance, his hands folded behind his back.
The old man had a reputation.
Hero of the Third Eternal Night.
Former Beast General.
Headmaster of New Haven Beast Academy.
One of the strongest Beastified humans in the kingdom.
And currently…
He was looking directly at Kael.
“Would you accompany me for a moment?” The Hall became silent.
Several nobles looked openly shocked.
Adrian Vale frowned.
Aria West narrowed her eyes.
Even the medical staff appeared confused.
Kael suddenly had a very bad feeling.
The Queen’s voice echoed in his mind.
“He knows.” “No, he suspects.” “That is merely the first stage of knowing.” Marcus stepped forward.
“Headmaster.” Graves inclined his head respectfully.
“Mr.
Draven.” “My son hasn’t done anything illegal, has he?” The old man blinked.
“No.” “Good.” “Should I be concerned that was your first question?” Marcus thought about it.
“No.” That was absolutely a lie.
Graves looked back toward Kael.
“Walk with me.” The journey through the Hall was uncomfortable.
Thousands of eyes followed them.
Noah attempted to follow as well until Lyra physically picked him up.
Headmaster Graves led Kael onto an observation balcony overlooking New Haven.
For several moments, neither spoke.
The city had regained power.
The twin suns remained suspended overhead.
Life continued as though nothing extraordinary had happened.
Finally, Graves broke the silence.
“Tell me, Kael.” “Yes?” “What do you know about New Haven Beast Academy?” “Very little.” “Good.” The old man smiled.
“That means I get to explain it dramatically.” Kael wasn’t sure how to respond to that.
“There are three divisions within the Academy.” The Headmaster raised one finger.
“The Common Division.” A second finger.
“The Elite Division.” A third.
“And the Royal Division.” Kael frowned.
“I’m aware.” “Excellent.
That saves time.” The old man turned toward him.
“The Royal Division currently has twenty-three students.” “Congratulations?” “One of them recently graduated.” Silence.
Kael suddenly understood where this conversation was going.
“No.” “Yes.” “No.” “Absolutely.” “I awakened a Common-ranked Beast Soul.” “Allegedly.” Kael froze.
Headmaster Graves smiled.
There was something deeply unsettling about old men who smiled immediately after saying the word allegedly.
“I don’t understand.” “Neither do I.” The Headmaster looked out across the city.
“And that, Kael Draven, is precisely why I’m interested.” He reached into his coat and produced a black envelope.
The crest of New Haven Beast Academy was stamped in silver wax across its surface.
“Congratulations.” Kael stared at it.
“What is this?” “An invitation.” “To?” The old man smiled.
“The Royal Division.” Silence.
Complete and utter silence.
Even the Queen forgot to speak.
“That has to be a mistake.” “I assure you, it is not.” “But—” “You caused the Hall of Awakening to lose power.” “That wasn’t intentional.” “The Awakening Crystal failed to calculate your compatibility.” “I noticed.” “And.” Headmaster Graves’s smile widened.
“It has been staring at you for the last twelve minutes.” Kael slowly turned around.
The massive Awakening Crystal was indeed facing the balcony.
That wasn’t normal.
In fact, Kael was fairly certain crystals weren’t supposed to face anything.
“…Should it be doing that?” “No.” “That’s concerning.” “Extremely.” The old man placed the envelope into Kael’s hands.
“Welcome to New Haven Beast Academy, Mr.
Draven.” Kael looked down at the invitation.
Then at the crystal.
Then back at the invitation.
His life had somehow become significantly more complicated in less than twenty-four hours.
Deep within his soul, the Queen laughed softly.
“I told you.” “Told me what?” “Nothing stays hidden forever.” «End of Chapter 7»