After securing the small Spark Seed, Damon finally began making his way back toward the entrance of the Birthground.
The journey back felt much easier.
Partly because he no longer wandered around searching aimlessly.
And partly because he had finally found something.
Even if he still had no idea what it actually was.
As he walked through the storm-covered landscape, he gradually began seeing more people.
Some were heading in the same direction.
Others had already gathered near the exit.
The difference between now and a few hours ago was obvious.
When everyone entered, the atmosphere had been full of excitement.
People laughed.
Made promises.
Talked about the powerful spirits they would contract.
Now?
Not so much.
Several young nobles wore gloomy expressions.
Some looked frustrated.
Others looked like they had just lost a fortune.
One particularly angry boy kicked a rock as he walked.
"I didn’t even see a spirit."
His guide looked exhausted.
"Maybe the spirits didn’t see you either."
The boy’s face darkened even further.
Damon almost laughed.
Apparently, he wasn’t the only unlucky person today.
Most people had failed.
Some never encountered a spirit elemental.
Others encountered one but failed to gain its approval.
The Birthground had once again reminded everyone that opportunities weren’t handed out freely.
As Damon continued walking, he began noticing the successful few.
And there weren’t many.
Out of all the lightning users present, he counted only a handful.
One of them was a young girl.
She looked no older than fifteen.
A small rabbit made of pale blue lightning rested comfortably in her arms.
The spirit’s ears occasionally twitched as sparks danced across its fur.
The girl couldn’t stop smiling.
Neither could the guide beside her.
Several elders were already congratulating her.
The rabbit itself seemed quite pleased with the attention.
It sat proudly in her arms as though it owned the place.
Damon shook his head.
"Not bad."
A little further away, another successful awakener had contracted a Lightning Goat.
At first glance, Damon almost laughed.
A goat?
Really?
Then he got a proper look.
And immediately changed his mind.
The creature stood nearly as tall as its owner.
Its curved horns looked like condensed bolts of lightning twisting toward the sky.
Electricity constantly flowed across its dark silver fur.
Every step left small sparks dancing on the ground.
Its golden eyes carried an arrogant look.
The kind that suggested it could ram someone through a mountain if it felt like it.
"Okay."
Damon nodded.
"That’s definitely cooler than the goats back home."
The spirit elementals really could take all sorts of forms.
Still, nobody underestimated them.
Their appearance didn’t matter.
Their power did.
And every contracted spirit represented a huge increase in strength.
Then suddenly, a wave of excitement spread through the crowd.
People began moving.
Several elders turned toward the entrance.
Even Damon looked up.
Someone important had returned.
Kane.
The blonde youth stepped out from the Birthground with a smile that was impossible to hide.
Immediately, attention shifted toward him.
The crowd parted naturally.
The elders watched closely.
Even the Family Head stood waiting.
Kane clearly noticed.
And judging by the smile on his face...
He intended to enjoy every second of it.
Slowly, he raised one arm.
A pulse of Aether spread outward.
Then lightning erupted around him.
The crowd gasped.
A massive serpentine figure emerged from the storm.
It didn’t have legs.
It didn’t need them.
The spirit simply floated through the air.
Graceful.
Majestic.
Its long body moved like a living river of lightning.
Purple scales covered its entire form.
Each one shimmered with crackling energy.
Lightning danced across its body continuously.
The most striking part was its eyes.
Cold.
Proud.
Indifferent.
As though everything around it was beneath its notice.
Yet the purple lightning flowing through its scales made it even more breathtaking.
The spirit had clearly inherited Kane’s unique lightning.
The result was stunning.
The serpent circled above him once.
Then settled beside him like a loyal king standing beside another king.
The entire gathering fell silent.
Even Damon couldn’t deny it.
The thing looked incredible.
"Now that’s some serious luck."
The words escaped before he could stop them.
The contract was obviously a perfect match.
The spirit gained access to Kane’s rare lightning variant.
Kane gained a powerful companion.
Both sides benefited.
No wonder the contract succeeded so quickly.
The serpent had probably been attracted to him from the start.
Whispers immediately spread through the crowd.
"A Storm Serpent..."
"That’s a high-grade spirit."
"He actually got one."
"Incredible."
The admiration was obvious.
Some were jealous.
Some were envious.
Others simply looked defeated.
Meanwhile, the elders looked like they had won a war.
Their smiles became harder and harder to hide.
Even the Family Head seemed pleased.
The opening of the Birthground had been a success.
Kane had proven his value once again.
With a Violet Core.
A rare lightning variant.
And now a powerful contracted spirit.
His future looked brighter than ever.
The elders quickly stepped forward to congratulate him.
Kane accepted every word with a proud smile.
And while doing so...
His eyes found Damon.
The smile on his face widened slightly.
"You should have stayed in your room."
Several people nearby laughed.
Kane continued.
"At least then you could pretend today never happened."
More laughter followed.
"Everyone came here looking for opportunities."
His gaze slowly swept over Damon.
"What did you get?"
"A few lightning burns?"
The surrounding awakeners burst into laughter.
Many of them were already frustrated after failing to obtain contracts.
Seeing Damon gave them someone easier to target.
At least they still had their elements.
At least they still had potential.
Damon simply looked at Kane.
Then shrugged.
"Still alive."
The answer caught everyone off guard.
Kane frowned.
Damon continued calmly.
"Considering how much lightning is flying around in there, I think that’s already a decent achievement."
A few people almost laughed despite themselves.
Kane’s expression stiffened.
Damon didn’t bother saying anything else.
There was no point.
Nothing he said would matter right now.
Not when Kane stood beside a majestic Storm Serpent.
Fortunately, the Family Head chose that moment to step forward.
The noise immediately died down.
A/N:
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