Chapter — The Invisible Bond
After that night, Luke never let Auru leave his side.
Early the next morning, before leaving for school, Luke carefully hid Auru inside his bag. The small aura creature became invisible at once, but Luke could still feel her presence—warm, calm, and quietly alert.
"It'll be safer like this," Luke whispered.
"I understand," Auru replied gently. "I will stay close."
Luke zipped his bag and stepped out into the changing world.
---
School felt strangely normal.
The same corridors.
The same classrooms.
The same chatter.
Yet underneath it all, everything had changed.
As Luke entered his classroom, his eyes immediately caught Marin. She was seated near the window, sunlight falling softly across her face. She looked unusually happy—more relaxed than usual, almost glowing.
Luke walked over.
"Good morning," he said.
Marin looked up and smiled. "You're early."
She hesitated for a moment, then leaned closer and lowered her voice.
"My gloves arrived."
Luke's heart skipped.
"So… you got them," he said quietly.
Marin nodded. "Yesterday evening. They work exactly as described."
Luke didn't ask further. He already knew.
A moment later, Marin raised her hand slightly—and something shimmered into view beside her shoulder.
A small aura creature appeared.
It was elegant and refined, its glow soft and steady. Unlike Auru's gentle warmth, this creature felt nurturing and composed, like flowing water under moonlight.
"This is Mie," Marin said proudly. "She was formed from my aura."
Mie bowed politely in midair, her movements graceful.
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Luke," Mie said, her voice calm and mature.
Luke smiled faintly. "Nice to meet you too."
For a brief instant, Mie's gaze lingered on him.
Something inside Luke tightened.
Mie tilted her head slightly, as if sensing something unusual. A faint ripple passed through her aura.
"…Interesting," Mie murmured.
Marin blinked. "Something wrong?"
Mie paused, then smiled gently. "No. I was simply adjusting to the outside world."
Luke relaxed—but only slightly.
*She felt something,* he thought. *But not enough.*
Inside the bag, Auru remained silent.
Luke guessed correctly—Mie had sensed something deep within him, something far beyond normal. But since it was Mie's first time experiencing the world, she dismissed it as unfamiliarity.
For now, Luke was safe.
---
During break, Marin leaned toward Luke again.
"This weekend," she said, "we're going to the guild training grounds."
Luke stiffened. "Training… already?"
Marin nodded. "It's important. That's where guilds strengthen their aura control, coordination, and combat skills."
Luke felt unease crawl up his spine.
Training meant releasing aura.
But then he remembered the gloves.
*I can control it now.*
"…Alright," Luke said after a moment. "I'll come."
Marin smiled. "Good."
---
The rest of the school day passed as scheduled.
Lectures continued. Teachers taught. Students listened—some distracted by their new powers, others trying desperately to cling to normalcy.
Auru stayed hidden inside Luke's bag the entire time.
She didn't need food, didn't need rest—but Luke still slipped small snacks into his bag during lunch, pretending to eat less himself.
"Why do you do this?" Auru asked softly.
Luke shrugged. "Because you're my friend."
Auru didn't reply, but the warmth in Luke's chest deepened.
Their bond grew quietly, unnoticed by the world.
---
The weekend arrived.
That morning, Luke left home without much explanation. His parents didn't question him—holidays had become strange days since the aura system appeared.
By **10:00 a.m.**, the members of **Aura Fiest Guild** gathered near the guild training center.
Loid arrived first, energetic as always.
Uno followed, calm and observant.
Chika showed up shortly after, pretending not to care but clearly excited.
Marin stood confidently at the center.
And Luke arrived last.
They greeted each other, laughter breaking the tension.
"So this is it," Loid said, stretching his arms. "Our first real step as a guild."
Uno nodded. "Training here will help us understand our limits."
Chika crossed her arms. "And increase our strength. We can't stay weak forever."
Marin looked at everyone. "This is how we grow—as individuals, and as a guild."
Luke listened quietly.
Standing there, surrounded by familiar faces, he felt something settle inside him.
*I'm adapting,* he realized. *Slowly… but I am.*
This place wasn't just a training ground.
It was the beginning of something new.
A new life.
A new responsibility.
A new path.
As a member of **Aura Fiest Guild**, Luke stepped forward—unaware of how deeply the world would soon test the choice he made that day.
End of Chapter.