Down a dimly lit street a young boy in school uniform walks briskly while checking his surroundings. His hand searches his pocket until it exits with a cube-shaped object. It lights up the boy’s face as an image of a clock appears on its surface.

“Damn. I’m late. I’ve gotta rush back home fast.”

The young man stopped and lowered himself into a running position. His breathing accelerates until it’s rhythm matches the beat of his heart. In the next second his figure dashes straight through the night leaving heavy footfalls behind him.

“C’mon Cayden. Don’t miss the party. Don’t miss the party.”

Cayden kept repeating the phrase as he sped back home. He couldn’t miss the party as his younger sister Ellen’s birthday was one of the few times she came back from the academy.

Ellen was one of the few who obtained an Origin at birth. She possessed the SOUL Origin allowing her to easily manipulate her soul and the souls around her. She used her talent to skip to higher levels of education until she reached where she currently studies, the Royal Talon Academy.

There’s no way I can miss her birthday or else my parents might kill me.

As sweat started to form on Cayden’s forehead he saw the outline of his house from afar. He hoped that his sister hadn’t already arrived.

He arrived with a burst through the door and was met with a face full of confetti and bright light.

“Surprise!”

A couple stood in front of the doorway with arms outstretched above them. The man looked to be in his mid-30s wearing a polo shirt and had his blond hair short. The lady wore a black apron over a shirt and had her light auburn braided hair laying on her shoulder. Both figures had a smile spread on their faces.

“Mom. Dad. It’s just me.”

My dad sighs at my late entrance while my mom fusses over my ruffled clothes. My mom tells me to hide behind the couch while she fixes the surprise party preparations.

My parents just finished the preparations when lights shone from the front of the house. I managed to squeeze myself behind the couch before the door opened.

“Surprise!”

A slim body appeared from the doorway. Her golden hair flowed freely down her shoulders similar to the rays of sun cascading from the sky. Her stride made her physique sway enticingly akin to the exotic dancers of the East. Her tanned skin gleamed like bronze under the light. Her blue eyes radiated power with their intensity matching the stars above.

Her face flashed an apologetic smile as she entered the house.

“I hate to mess up the big surprise, but I could already sense your presences when I arrived in front of the house.”

My sister scanned the room until she paused in my direction. Her eyes lit up as she cheerfully bounced her way towards me and lifted my body off the floor.

“How ya doin big bro? C'mere and give your sis a hug.”

I reluctantly open up my arms for my sister. She practically tackles me as her hug sucks the air out of my lungs.

“Ah, oops. Bro you’re turning blue!?”

For all her talent and skills my sister is still such a ditz. She claims she’ll protect me since that’s what siblings do, but sometimes I wonder if she’ll kill me before I can be in danger from anything else.

After the greetings it was time for cake. My mom seems to misunderstand that my sis isn’t a kid anymore because she gave her a cake with cartoon figures made of sweets on it. My sister doesn’t seem to mind it at all though as she seemed to find it cute.

While my sis was eating cake I noticed one of the presents was moving. It was jerking back and forth like it was about to burst out the box. I shuffled over to the box to check out the mystery present.

“Hey don’t touch that,” called out my dad. “It’s your sister’s.”

After a couple more slices of cake my sister was finally ready to open her presents. The temptation to open the mystery present nearly won over me for a second. Listening to them ask about how her academy life was going drained much of my patience

My sis went over and tore open the box revealing a caged bird. It’s navy blue feathers nearly formed a mane around its neck. Specks of white dotted it's body like constellations in the night sky. When I looked at its eyes I could have sworn I saw it throw me a conceited glance just like a human being.

“I know you’re talented Ellen, but just to give you a little advantage we bought you a young Royal Soul Raven.”

I felt awestruck at the identity of the bird. Tameable beasts like these cost a fortune and could probably buy this house three times over. I don’t know whether my dad could pay for this with his government job or he cashed a couple of favors. I for sure know he bled for this present.

Ellen grinned at the bird, “Come here little birdie. I won’t bite,” She opened the cage and watched as the bird nuzzled against her hand. A bright light started to shine where her hand and the bird made contact. Ellen suddenly collapsed before I could process what was happening.

I watched as the blue bird flew a few circles above her as if it was searching for something on her body. It finally landed on the middle of her chest where it seemed to melt into her body. All that was left was markings that looked similar to a tattoo.

My dad’s eyes softened when he saw what occurred. He went over and picked up Ellen before laying her on the couch, “Don’t worry. It’s just the natural bonding process between the tame and the contractor. She’ll wake up in a few hours.”

———————————————————————

The lively city slowed its activity as its citizens shifted into their night routine. The silence of the night seemed to envelope the people below.

Ripples of light appear from up above as the sky is torn open revealing a ginormous beast equivalent to a mythical monster.

It’s golden eyes seem to hold the destructive power of storms as cracks of thunder follow its every move. Its hooves generate force equal to the strongest of squalls. It’s single horn discharges destructive bolts of lighting indiscriminately.

It glances at the city under it before letting out a roar that shakes the foundations of the earth beneath it.

Suddenly a brilliant purple flash of light materializes in front of the beast and strikes the city below it. The bolt’s form separates morphing into several bolts as thick as a telephone pole.

A glimmering golden dome abruptly appears between the branches of lightning and the city below. Flashes of gold and purple light intertwine turning night to day.

The lightning’s path pauses for a moment before the dome shatters into many fragments as if it was porcelain. The bolts spread across the city before raining down a destructive storm.

———————————————————————

In the middle sector of Haresham City, Cayden was resting on his bed when an ear splitting howl tore open the silent night.

AHUUUU

“Huh what was th-“

BOOM

I hear the sounds of my windows shattering as purple light washes over my room. A huge force collides against my body slamming me and my bed onto the wall. The last thing I register is the mechanical voice of a woman coming from somewhere.

[ATTENTION CITIZENS. OUR DEFENSES HAVE BEEN BREACHED. HEAD TO A BUNKER. SOLDIERS WILL BE THERE TO GUIDE YOU TO SAFETY.]