Chapter 74: The beast (2)

The mana flowed from Lucavion's core, a steady, gentle stream that wrapped around the dying beast like a comforting embrace. He could feel the warmth of the energy as it left his body, mingling with the creature's own fading life force, and for a moment, he wondered if it would be enough to make a difference.

[What… are you doing?] the beast's voice echoed weakly in his mind, its tone laced with confusion and disbelief. The creature's eyes widened slightly, its gaze fixed on Lucavion as it tried to comprehend what was happening.

"What else?" Lucavion replied softly, his voice calm but resolute. "I'm going to supply you with mana to heal you."

There was a brief silence, and then the beast's voice came again, this time tinged with a sad resignation.

[It's meaningless…] the beast murmured. [I am bound to Gerald… contracted to his soul… There's nothing you can do to change that…]

Lucavion paused, his eyes locking with the beast's once more. He could see the despair in those eyes, the resignation to what it believed to be an inevitable end. But Lucavion wasn't about to give up so easily. He could feel it—the connection between them, the echo of his master's presence in the mana that flowed through him. It was more than just a bond of power; it was a bond of spirit, of soul.

A small smile played on Lucavion's lips as he continued to channel his mana. "My master was a very thoughtful person," he said quietly, his tone filled with admiration and a touch of amusement. "He always thought ahead, always planned for every possibility."

The beast's eyes narrowed slightly, the confusion evident in its gaze. [What… do you mean?]

Lucavion's smile widened just a fraction, and he met the beast's gaze with unwavering determination. "Why do you think the mana left by master made me react in such a way after hearing your voice?"

The beast's eyes flickered with uncertainty, and Lucavion could sense the wheels turning in its mind, trying to piece together the puzzle. Slowly, understanding began to dawn in those intelligent eyes, and Lucavion could feel the faint tremor of realization passing through their shared connection.

[You mean…] the beast began, its voice trembling with a mix of hope and disbelief. [He left… a fragment… of his soul… in his mana?]

Lucavion nodded, the smile never leaving his face. "Yes," he confirmed. "A fragment, just enough to carry his will, his feelings, and perhaps… his intentions."

The beast's eyes widened further as the full weight of the revelation settled upon it. The realization was almost too much to comprehend, but it made perfect sense.

Gerald had been a man of great power and foresight, always planning for the future and always thinking of those he cared for.

It wasn't beyond him to leave a piece of himself behind, especially if it meant protecting those he had once bonded with.

[So that's why…] the beast whispered, its voice thick with emotion. [That's why you're here… why you reacted to my voice…]

Lucavion nodded again, his expression softening as he felt the beast's emotions washing over him. "Exactly," he said gently. "It wasn't just the bond of mana—it was the bond of your souls. Master….He must have foreseen this."

While saying that, he looked at the starlight.

'Starscourge Gerald…..I never believed Astrology, but maybe stars really do have something to do with the future….'

He thought inwardly. On Earth, he had never believed in things like Astrology as it was akin to a fantasy…. seaʀᴄh thё NôvelFire.nёt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

But now that he was in this world, filled with divinations, etc., he thought the possibility was still there.

Tears welled up in the beast's eyes, the profound sadness and relief intertwining in a way that made Lucavion's heartache.

The creature, once so fierce and proud, now seemed small and vulnerable, its walls crumbling in the face of this newfound hope.

[Gerald…] the beast's voice trembled, a deep sense of longing and loss woven into the single word. [He really… never forgot about me…]

Hearing this, Lucavion smiled.

'Old man….You really left all your past regrets with me, have you not?'

It was first his daughter, Elara.

And now the familiar. It seemed he would be wandering around fixing the mistakes that the old man had in the past.

'But….If that is what you wish, I will honor it.'

The person who taught him the world. He was not someone who would dishonor such a person.

Lucavion shook his head softly. "No, he didn't," he replied, his voice thick with emotion. "And now, it's my responsibility to continue what he started. I'll protect you… just as he would have wanted."

The beast closed its eyes, its body relaxing as it surrendered to the warmth of Lucavion's mana.

[Thank you…] the beast whispered, its voice filled with gratitude. [Thank you… for not letting me die alone…]

What the beast said made sense. While his master's soul fragment was left on the mana that Lucavion was using, it was evident that even that would deplete in one way or another.

It was not a sustainable thing. When that ended, the beast's body would refuse any other type of mana from other Awakened….

Unless a special situation would occur.

"What are you talking about? Who said that you are going to die?"

It was understandable. Unless one had a special artifact with the property of "Contract Overwrite," one would not be able to change such a thing.

But those types of artifacts were incredibly rare, and unless one was from a very strong family, they would not be able to do such a thing.

[Do you...Do you have a Contract Overwriter?]

Lucavion smiled softly at the beast's question.

He could sense the fear and uncertainty in the creature's voice, the weight of its past bonds, and the inevitability of its fate pressing down on it like a heavy shroud.

But Lucavion wasn't one to back down, especially when the legacy of his master was at stake.

"I don't," Lucavion admitted, his voice gentle but firm. "But that doesn't matter."

The beast's eyes, though weak, were filled with confusion as it looked up at Lucavion. [Then… what do you mean? How can you…?] The question trailed off, the beast clearly struggling to understand what Lucavion was implying. How could it possibly become someone else's familiar when it was already bound by a soul contract?

Lucavion chuckled softly, a warm, reassuring sound that seemed to ease some of the tension in the air. "I have a bit of a unique condition, you see."

Before the beast could respond, something began to shimmer in the space between them. A soft, ethereal light, like the first glow of dawn, started to form a small, intricate magic circle.

The circle hovered in the air, spinning slowly, its runes and symbols glowing with a soft blue light that pulsed with a rhythm that felt almost like a heartbeat.

The beast's eyes widened in shock and disbelief. It could feel the magic in the air, the power radiating from the circle, but it was unlike anything it had ever encountered.

[This is...The magic circle of familiar contracting…..]

That was indeed how it was. When a beast would accept a person's mana, this magic circle would appear automatically.

It was not something that was created by either of the two….It was the law of this world.

[This is odd…..] But there was something different with the magic circle.

[The mana flow…..Why is it reversed?]

It was as if the circle was against the very fabric of this world. It was breaking the rules of this world, something that the beast had never seen before.

Lucavion's eyes narrowed slightly as he observed the phenomenon. The reversed flow of mana was something he had encountered before, something that had always set him apart from others.

As the realization settled in, he couldn't help but think to himself, 'As expected…'

The beast's eyes darted between Lucavion and the magic circle, a mixture of curiosity and wariness evident in its gaze.

[What… what is this all about?] it asked, its voice trembling with uncertainty. [Why is the circle like this? Why does it feel… wrong?]

Lucavion smiled softly, the expression both reassuring and filled with quiet confidence. "It's because I'm not like others," he said, his voice calm and steady. "I have a special constitution… one that makes my mana meridians reversed."

The beast's eyes widened in shock, its mind racing to comprehend what Lucavion was saying. [Reversed mana meridians?] it echoed, disbelief coloring its tone. [But that's… How can you use mana then?... It is...impossible… isn't it?]

Lucavion shook his head slowly, his gaze never leaving the magic circle. "It's rare, yes, but not impossible. My reversed meridians mean that I don't follow the same rules as others. The limitations that bind most people don't affect me in the same way. My mana flows differently, which is why the circle you see now is also different."

The beast stared at Lucavion, a mix of wonder and confusion evident in its gaze. [But how…? How does that allow you to…?]

Lucavion's smile widened just a fraction. "Because of this condition, I'm not bound by the normal laws of this world. The things that limit others don't limit me. The rules that govern familiar contracts, the restrictions that would normally prevent something like this from happening—they don't apply to me in the same way. At least, that was what I thought….And apparently, that was the case…."

Hearing that, the beast will not be able to say anything.

[You are crazy…..That could have killed you….]

"A bit of craziness is necessary to survive in this world."

-----------------------

You can check my discord if you want. The link is in the description.

I am open to any criticism; you can comment on things that you would like to see in the story.

And if you liked my story, please give me a power stone. It helps me a lot.