~~*~~

While others rushed towards the dorms, I took a leisurely stroll there. Along the way, I passed through many exquisite gardens, greeting all the animals living inside them. By far my favourite was the one I had just come across. It contained much more life energy than any other garden and energy was much much stronger here overall...

It was strange. When you entered many of the gardens, it felt like you weren't at school. But in this one, it felt as if you were in a different world. Brought a sense of peace and joy to your heart, warming up even the most frozen.

The pink, purples and blues all melted together in one giant picture of beauty. If there were cameras in this world, I would have already taken a picture.

The animals were curious when they saw me but were neither hostile nor overly friendly. They just watched cautiously. And when they realised I wasn't going to harm anything, they continued on with their lives—occasioanlly brushing against me.

As I got further and further into this colourful and sparkling place, the magic around me got denser and animals started to thin out. What was here? A spirit beast perhaps...

Finally, I reached a white gazebo. The thickest concentration of energy I had ever felt was here... Even thicker than the training rooms at home and quite possibly, more than Arty's home too.

'A spirit beast. High ranking at that, but it seems small. Very old though, possibly as old as this world's fauna. Be cautious Amar, you have no need to die early.' Small yet so old? It sounded rather strange, from what I often read in my past world— the older something was, the more powerful and large it was. Take a dragon, for example, they are really small as hatchlings but they can grow to be as tall as my castle!

I steadily walked forward, expecting a burst of tyrannical pressure from this high-ranking spirit beast but it never came.

So I entered the gazebo, and there lying on one of the cushions was a fat and fluffy white sheep. This... This adorable and edible-looking creature was a spirit beast?! Impossible! It was so tiny and cute... I want to touch it.

Slowly, I edged closer towards the snoozing beast. Not once did it lift its fluffy head to look at me, instead just napping.

My hand reached out to touch it and after a few minor pets, I edged closer and closer till I was sitting behind it on the huge bed-sized cushion. If it was a real bed, it would have been a super king mattress.

I sat there, stroking the fluffy and adorable wool. It felt much better than all the pillows I had used in the past... Maybe he wouldn't mind if I took a quick nap.

No Amaryllis! Stay awake. I slapped myself, leaving a palm-print on my pale cheeks.

After another hour (probably only a couple of minutes) I heard a soothing sound—a harp possibly?

It made me sleepy.

I started to nod off.

~~*~~

My black (And soulless if I do say so myself!) eyes opened to look at the person who had been soothingly petting me for a long time. It had taken such a long time before she had given into the temptation and fallen asleep in my wool.

Teehee, stupid woman! Throwing herself into the lion's den, especially with those looks and that scent! I could just eat her up.

But for some reason, I didn't.

She just seemed different.

Silver (or maybe white?) hair shielded the ivory skin of her palm-sized delicate face. Her eyes were closed and long butterfly lashes fluttered along with the soft breeze. She was short and rather thin but still managing to look very very cuddleable. And eatable.

I wonder what she would look like with pink hair? And horns. I bet she would look even better! All of a sudden, I hear that stupid bull's roar inside my head. I really hate him.

'Aries, you have found a good girl. Form a contract, quick! It will only bring good fortune and is sure to help return our original powers. Hurry!' I was confused, he wanted me to form a contract with a little girl? I didn't feel any magical power coming from her, let me check real quick.

I was shocked by what I saw. So. Much. Mana! I didn't know it was possible for any humanoid creatures to reach this level... Even the fairies couldn't go this far.

Immediately, I bit into the girl's pretty hand. I felt her flinch slightly at the draw of blood before settling back into a deep slumber. I almost smirked (but I wasn't in my human form so how could I?).

Collecting a bit of my own precious silver blood, I smeared it against hers. A pink and white glow enveloped her body and a light show followed! If I had known about this previously, I wouldn't have waited this long to form a contract.

I looked outside, noticing the lights that danced across the sky but they weren't just pink and white —there were also shades of purple and blue weaving themselves into the spectacular show. I also knew there was a blinding beam of light shooting up from above us.

This is what happens when a contract is formed with a zodiac!

It creates one of the most beautiful things ever. It also leads to catastrophe.

When the light disappeared after an hour or so, I saw the girl—Amaryllis as I had found out—in her contracted form.

Though she was still laying on my wool, she looked like candy! The original silver hair had been replaced by a pink fairy-floss colour, now tumbling down past her toddler height by at least double. It was wavy, seemingly separated into different layers. A little flick stood at the top, completing the innocent appearance.

A small and childish lilac dress covered delicate skin and two fluffy armbands covered her upper arms. Her tiny feet were bare and those pale legs were on display for the world to see.

Did I forget, she also had two pink ram horns poking out from that fairy-floss looking hair.

~~*~~

When I saw the colours fluttering and dancing across the sky, I knew.

A contract had been formed.

Shit.

~~*~~