Master Zane rose from the stone platform with fluid grace, his robes whispering softly against the ground.
Without a word, he began walking along a narrow path of weathered stones that led deeper into the secluded cove.
I hurried after him, straw sandals slapping quietly against the warm rock.
The path ended at a wide, circular platform carved directly into the cliff face, overlooking the endless sea.
Ancient runes ringed the edge, etched deep into the stone and faintly pulsing with pale blue light.
In the center, a complex magic circle spread out like a blooming flower.
Concentric rings of symbols, lines, and glyphs overlapped one another, seeming to shift and breathe when stared at too long.
Master Zane stopped at the edge of the circle and turned to me.
"Sit in the center."
His voice was calm, but his golden eyes held a rare seriousness.
"I must warn you, Kai. This ritual carries risk."
"The Spirit Realm is no illusion. It is as real as this world, and far more dangerous."
"Unknown places. Unknown beings."
"If you encounter something you cannot handle, retreat instantly."
"Die there, and you will die here too."
"No second chances."
"And even if you succeed, the spirit guardian you bond with may not obey you as those born naturally with one do."
"This spirit will possess its own consciousness. It will act as it wills."
Master Zane's gentle smile faded completely.
"Are you sure you truly want to do this, Kai?"
I nodded slowly.
In this world, almost everyone is born already bound to a spirit guardian.
Usually, a guardian resembles the bloodline or species of its host.
The Veyra awaken Illusia spirits: sleek, ethereal beings skilled in illusions, mirages, and shadows.
The Rakar bond with Furyclaw spirits: ferocious guardians built for raw strength, speed, and brutal close combat.
The Solvar, like Master Zane, summon Buddhalion spirits: majestic guardians that radiate immense pressure and possess overwhelming presence and unbreakable will.
A spirit guardian always appears more primal and beast-like than its host, larger and wilder, carrying ancient power.
It was the foundation of cultivation, the core that allowed qi or magic to take root and grow.
But I had been born empty.
No guardian.
No innate connection.
Without one, I could never truly step onto the path of cultivation or magic.
For the rare few born without a guardian, there was only one path: to send the soul into the Spirit Realm while still mortal and unawakened.
Only those with no cultivation or magic at all could cross the boundary.
I stepped onto the edge of the platform and slipped off my simple sandals, setting them neatly aside.
Then I stepped forward.
The bare stone felt cool beneath my feet.
I walked to the very center and sat cross-legged, hands resting on my knees, back straight, just as Master had taught me.
I closed my eyes.
Darkness filled my vision as I slowed my breathing.
Master Zane raised one hand.
Golden light gathered in his palm, bright and pure, threads of energy weaving together like living silk.
He spoke in an ancient tongue, his voice low and resonant.
The magic circle answered instantly.
Runes flared to life.
Light surged upward in shimmering pillars, enclosing me completely.
Golden threads flowed from Master's hand, wrapping around my body, gentle at first, then tightening.
A strange sensation followed.
Pressure built behind my eyes.
The world blurred.
My body grew heavy... then abruptly weightless.
It felt as if I were being pulled inward and outward at the same time, dragged through a tunnel of rushing wind and starlight, every sense stretched thin.
Sound faded.
Light twisted.
And then nothing.
When I opened my eyes, warm sunlight greeted me.
I stood in a vast meadow beneath a clear golden sky.
Tall grass swayed gently, dotted with countless colorful flowers that glowed with soft inner light.
Ancient trees with silver leaves surrounded the field, their branches heavy with shimmering fruit.
The place felt peaceful.
Almost too peaceful.
Nothing like the terrifying tales Master had told of the Spirit Realm: endless voids, raging volcanoes, monstrous seas.
Instead, this place felt safe.
All around me crawled dozens, no, hundreds of oversized insects, each at least the size of my hand.
The instant I appeared, they froze.
Antennae twitched.
Then they scattered, some burrowing into the grass, others slipping beneath flowers or leaves.
I blinked.
I had expected something powerful.
A dragon.
A phoenix.
A tiger spirit.
Maybe even an ancient warrior.
These bugs were undeniably cute, but...
Really?
As I looked closer, their bodies gleamed in every color imaginable: emerald green, sapphire blue, fiery crimson, sunny gold, soft lavender, brilliant orange.
Long, graceful antennae curved upward, ending in tiny rounded tips.
Their large eyes, framed by long lashes, gave them an oddly gentle expression.
Most rested quietly in the glowing grass.
A few played lazily, chasing one another or rolling down small flower-covered slopes.
Others nibbled on fruit hanging from the silver trees.
I paused, watching one chew slowly.
The fruit was small and translucent, like a drop of starlight sealed in crystal.
As it bit down, tiny sparks drifted out, floating like fireflies before dissolving into the air.
Wait.
Spirits eating fruit?
I frowned.
Master had always said spirits had no physical needs.
No hunger.
No sustenance.
So why were these ones eating?
Confusion settled in.
Was something wrong?
Was this truly the Spirit Realm?
Or had I ended up somewhere else entirely?
I glanced down at my hands: still small, still smooth.
To be sure, I walked to a nearby pond.
The water was perfectly still, clear as polished glass, bordered by softly glowing lilies.
I leaned forward.
My reflection stared back: white hair, red eyes, smooth skin. No fur. No fangs.
Nothing had changed.
I was still me.
Then what was this place?
I sat beside the pond, knees drawn up, staring at the reflection that offered no answers.
A quiet ache crept into my chest: disappointment mixed with unease.
Could these bugs even understand me?
Would any of them agree to become my guardian?
Master's warnings echoed in my mind.
Prideful spirits.
Dangerous beings.
Yet I had landed in a place that felt almost harmless.
After a while, a few of the braver ones crept closer again.
I gave a small wave.
"Hey there."
They paused, tilting their heads in curiosity, then scattered once more.
I straightened slowly, clenching my fists.
No.
I couldn't just wait and hope.
I had only one chance.
If none of them accepted me, this journey would end before it truly began.
I turned away from the pond and began exploring the island, determination pressing down the loneliness.
There had to be something more here.
Something stronger.
Something special.
I wasn't giving up yet.