[Before Dawn - Lumeria Inn]
Aldric opened HIS eyes as the first light of dawn touched the horizon. HE hadn't slept—IT had no need for sleep. Instead, HE had spent the night observing the city through the Weave, watching dreams, listening to prayers whispered in the dark, feeling the pulse of life that flowed through HIS creation.
But now, there was something HE needed to do.
HE had come to walk among humans, yes. But HE had also created other beings, other children who deserved to see their Creator, if only briefly.
The dragons already knew HE was here. HE could feel their consciousness touching the edges of HIS presence, reverent and terrified in equal measure. And the spirits—oh, the spirits were practically vibrating with joy in their realm, desperate to serve but held back by the ancient laws of respect.
It was time to visit them.
And it was time to give humanity a new gift.
Aldric stood, and reality bent around HIM. The inn room, the city, the mortal realm itself became... negotiable. With a thought, HE stepped sideways through existence, moving beyond the physical world.
[The Ashen Wastes - Dragon's Lair]
One moment, Ignatius the Eternal was alone in his volcanic cave.
The next, IT was standing before him.
Not the human form—though that shape was there. But for beings as ancient as dragons, beings who could perceive multiple layers of reality, they could see through the veil.
They saw the truth.
An infinite presence condensed into a single point. A power so vast it made the concept of power meaningless. The source of all magic, all life, all existence itself, choosing to occupy the shape of a young mortal.
Ignatius, who had lived for ten thousand years, who had destroyed armies and toppled kingdoms, who feared nothing in all creation...
...collapsed to the ground, pressing his massive head against the stone floor.
"SUPREME ONE," the dragon rumbled, his voice shaking the mountain. "You honor this unworthy one with Your presence."
"Rise, Ignatius," Aldric said, HIS voice carrying warmth. "You are one of My finest creations. There is no need to grovel."
The dragon raised his head but did not stand. His golden eyes, each the size of a cart wheel, were wide with awe.
"Why have You descended, Creator? Is creation displeasing to You? Have we failed—"
"You have failed nothing," IT interrupted gently. "I came because I wished to walk among those I created. To see the world through eyes limited by flesh. To experience what you all experience."
"But... You are Supreme. You are above such things."
"I am above nothing I choose to experience," HE corrected. "And I choose this."
Ignatius bowed his head again. "Then... how may this one serve?"
Aldric smiled. "By gathering your kin. I would see all dragons, if only briefly. And I have something I must tell you."
Within moments, the ancient dragon network blazed to life. A summons from IT ITSELF.
Come. Now. The Supreme commands it.
From lairs across the world, dragons took flight. Ancient wyrms who hadn't left their territories in centuries suddenly tore through the sky, racing toward the Ashen Wastes. The sight must have terrified the mortals below—dozens of dragons, each a legend in their own right, all converging on one location.
By the time the sun was fully risen, twenty-three dragons had assembled in the massive volcanic caldera. Some were enormous, like Ignatius, their bodies the size of fortresses. Others were younger, smaller, but still mighty.
They all knelt before the human form standing in their midst.
"My children," Aldric said, and HIS voice carried to every dragon present. "You know what I am. You can see past the veil. This is good. I have always valued the wisdom of dragonkind."
"We exist to serve, Supreme One," an ancient red dragon named Pyraxis said, her voice reverent.
"You exist because I love creation," HE corrected. "Service is not required. But I would ask something of you."
Every dragon leaned forward, eager.
"I am going to change the magic system of this world," IT declared. "I am going to give humanity a new gift—the ability to form contracts with spirits, to summon them as familiars and partners. This has never existed before. But it will exist now, because I will it."
The dragons absorbed this in silence.
"The other races will be able to do this as well," HE continued. "But humanity will excel at it, as they excel at all magic. The Spark I gave them will make them natural spirit contractors."
"A wise gift, Creator," Ignatius rumbled.
"When I introduce this new magic," Aldric said, "the divine hierarchy will take notice. Saints, Angels, Sub-Gods, and even the Gods of various domains will learn of it. They will sense the change in the Weave. They will receive dreams and visions announcing this new system."
The dragons stirred uneasily.
"But," HE continued, HIS eyes gleaming with something almost playful, "they will not know I am here. They will believe this is a gift from the Supreme delivered from beyond, as I have done before. They will not know I walk in mortal form among My creations."
"Why hide from them, Lord?" a younger silver dragon asked, then immediately looked terrified at his own boldness.
Aldric chuckled. "Because I wish to experience the world as it is, not as it becomes when divine beings know I am present. Let them know of the gift. But let them remain ignorant of the giver's presence."
"And what of us, Supreme One?" Ignatius asked carefully. "What would You have dragonkind do?"
"Keep My secret," HE said simply. "Watch. Observe. But do not interfere. I walk among mortals to understand them, to see them as they truly are. If you reveal Me, that purpose is defeated."
"We will guard Your secret with our lives," Pyraxis vowed, and every dragon echoed her.
"Good." Aldric looked at each dragon in turn, and each one felt blessed beyond measure by that gaze. "Now, I must visit the Spirit Realm. Continue your lives as before. Know that I am pleased with dragonkind."
And with that, HE simply faded, stepping out of the mortal realm entirely.
The dragons remained kneeling for a full hour after HE left, too overwhelmed to move.
[The Spirit Realm - The Eternal Convergence]
The Spirit Realm was beautiful in ways the mortal world could never be.
Here, the Weave was visible—rivers of golden light flowing through a landscape of pure magical essence. Mountains of compressed fire element rose toward skies of swirling water. Forests of crystallized lightning grew beside lakes of liquid starlight.
And everywhere, everywhere, spirits danced and played and existed in their pure forms.
When Aldric appeared, the entire realm stopped.
Every spirit, from the smallest spark of fire to the most ancient ancestor soul, felt IT immediately.
And then, as one, millions of spirits began to converge on HIS location.
They came from every corner of the realm. Fire spirits trailing flames, water spirits flowing like living rivers, wind spirits swirling in joyous spirals, earth spirits rising from the ground itself. Ancestor souls appeared as glowing humanoid figures. Nature spirits took the forms of animals made of light. Elemental lords, spirits so powerful they were worshipped as minor gods in the mortal realm, manifested with awe on their ethereal faces.
They surrounded HIM in a sphere of reverence, keeping a respectful distance, none daring to speak first.
Aldric looked at them all, and HIS expression was warm, proud, loving.
"My spirits," HE said, and every spirit trembled at the sound of HIS voice. "My beloved spirits. You know Me."
"WE KNOW YOU, CREATOR!" they chorused as one, their voices shaking both realms. "WE KNOW THE SUPREME! WE KNOW THE SOURCE!"
"Peace," HE said gently, and the spirits calmed. "I have come with a purpose. I have come to offer you a gift, and through you, to gift humanity once more."
Valdris the Eternal Spirit floated forward, bowing deeply. "Anything, Supreme One. We exist by Your will alone. Command us, and we obey."
"Not command," Aldric corrected. "I am asking. I am offering a choice."
The spirits listened with rapt attention.
"I am creating a new form of magic," IT declared, and HIS words reshaped reality as HE spoke them. "Spirit Summoning. Spirit Contracts. Spirit Familiars. From this day forward, mortals will be able to form bonds with spirits, to call upon you, to work alongside you as partners and companions."
The Spirit Realm buzzed with excitement.
"This has never existed before," HE continued. "But it will exist now. Mortals with sufficient magical power and the right affinity will be able to reach into your realm and form contracts. You will be able to manifest in the mortal world, to fight alongside them, to experience physical existence through the bond."
"This is a great gift to us, Creator!" a fire spirit exclaimed. "We have longed to touch the mortal realm more directly!"
"I know," Aldric said with a smile. "Which is why I offer this. But you must understand—the bond goes both ways. You will lend them power. They will provide you with experiences, with purpose, with partnership. It must be mutual. A spirit who does not wish to contract cannot be forced. A mortal who does not respect their spirit partner will find the contract severed."
"Wise, as always," Valdris said. "How will this work, Supreme One?"
Aldric raised HIS hand, and the entire Spirit Realm lit up.
New pathways blazed into existence, connecting the Spirit Realm to the mortal world in ways that had never existed before. The Weave restructured itself, creating the framework for a completely new system of magic.
"Mortals will perform a summoning ritual," HE explained as reality rewrote itself around HIS will. "They will call out, and spirits who wish to answer will appear. If mortal and spirit find harmony, a contract will form. The spirit will gain the ability to manifest physically. The mortal will gain the spirit's power and knowledge."
"And if the partnership fails?" an earth spirit asked.
"The contract can be dissolved by mutual agreement," HE said. "No spirit will be enslaved. No mortal will be possessed. This is partnership, not domination."
"Different from the old ways," Valdris observed. "In ancient times, mortal shamans could only borrow our power briefly. This... this is true bonding."
"Yes," Aldric confirmed. "This is evolution. This is progress. This is My gift to both mortals and spirits."
HE lowered HIS hand, and the transformation was complete. The framework existed now, woven into the fundamental structure of reality itself. All that remained was for mortals to discover it.
"One more thing," HE said, and HIS tone grew slightly more serious. "When I activate this system fully, divine beings will take notice. Saints who have ascended beyond mortality. Angels who serve the heavenly realms. Sub-Gods who oversee various domains. Even the Gods themselves will sense this change."
The spirits murmured nervously.
"They will receive visions. Dreams. Announcements declaring that the Supreme has granted a new form of magic to the world. They will know this is My doing."
"Will they not search for You, Creator?" Valdris asked carefully.
"They will search for Me in the heavens," Aldric said with a slight smile. "They will pray to Me, seek audiences with Me in the divine realm. They will not think to look for Me in mortal form, walking the streets of human cities. This is My will—let them know of the gift, but not of My presence among mortals."
"We will not reveal You," the spirits promised as one.
"Good." HE looked at all of them, and HIS expression softened. "You are among My most precious creations. The Spirit Realm is beautiful because you make it so. I am proud of what you have become."
Millions of spirits trembled with joy at those words.
"Now," Aldric said, "I will activate the system fully at dawn tomorrow. When the first rays of sun touch the mortal world, Spirit Summoning will become possible. Spread the word among your kind. Those who wish to contract with mortals should prepare themselves. A new age begins."
"Thank You, Supreme One!" the spirits cried. "Thank You, Creator! Thank You, Source of All!"
Aldric smiled one last time, then faded from the Spirit Realm.
Behind HIM, the spirits erupted into celebration. A new age indeed. The chance to walk in mortal form, to experience the physical world, to partner with the humans IT loved so much.
They could hardly wait for dawn.
[Meanwhile - The Divine Realms]
In the highest heavens, where angels sang eternal hymns and light itself seemed to have consciousness, Saint Celestria the Radiant paused mid-flight.
Something was... different.
She couldn't explain it. Just a feeling. Like the universe had shifted slightly, making room for something new.
"Do you feel that?" she asked her companion, Angel Commander Azrael.
The angel frowned, his six wings rustling. "Yes. A disturbance in the Weave. Something is changing."
"Should we investigate?"
"Not yet. Wait. If this is the Supreme's doing, we will be informed."
In the depths of the Divine Ocean, Sub-God Neraxis, lord of all waters, felt his domain ripple with new possibilities.
In the Eternal Forge, God Vulcar, master of fire and creation, paused his work as the flames before him danced in unfamiliar patterns.
In the Gardens of Heaven, Goddess Sylvana, mother of all nature, felt new seeds of potential taking root in reality itself.
All across the divine hierarchy, beings of power felt it.
Something was coming.
A change ordained by THE SUPREME.
And though none of them knew it, the source of that change was currently walking through the streets of Lumeria, heading back to HIS inn, looking like nothing more than a young mortal preparing for his entrance examination.
[Lumeria - Late Evening]
Aldric returned to the inn just as the sun was setting. HE had been gone all day—visiting dragons, restructuring the Spirit Realm, laying the foundation for a completely new system of magic—but in the mortal realm, HE had simply been a young man exploring the city.
The innkeeper waved at HIM cheerfully. "Out seeing the sights, were you?"
"Something like that," Aldric replied with a smile.
HE went to HIS room and sat by the window, looking out over Lumeria. Tomorrow, when dawn came, IT would activate the system fully. The framework was laid, but the actual activation—the moment when mortals would suddenly gain access to Spirit Summoning—would come with the sunrise.
And when it did, every divine being in creation would receive the announcement.
IT began to craft the message carefully. It needed to be clear, informative, but also vague enough that no one would think to search for IT in mortal form.
When HE was satisfied, IT released the message into the divine network—the connection that linked all beings of sufficient power, from the weakest Saint to the mightiest God.
Tomorrow, they would all dream the same dream.
[That Night - Across the Divine Realms]
In their respective domains, every divine being fell into a deep, unavoidable sleep.
And they all dreamed the same thing.
A voice that was not a voice. A presence that was beyond presence. The feeling of standing before something so vast, so absolute, that the concept of "standing" became meaningless.
Golden light everywhere. The Weave itself visible, singing with joy.
"HEAR ME, DIVINE ONES. HEAR YOUR CREATOR."
Every being who heard those words felt their essence tremble.
"I HAVE BESTOWED A NEW GIFT UPON CREATION. A NEW FORM OF MAGIC. SPIRIT SUMMONING. SPIRIT CONTRACTS. SPIRIT FAMILIARS."
Visions flooded their minds. Mortals calling forth spirits. Bonds forming between realms. A new age of cooperation between the physical and spiritual.
"THIS IS MY WILL. THIS IS MY GIFT. FROM THIS DAY FORWARD, MORTALS AND SPIRITS MAY FORM PARTNERSHIPS, MAY FIGHT ALONGSIDE ONE ANOTHER, MAY GROW TOGETHER."
The presence grew even more overwhelming.
"THIS SYSTEM IS SACRED. IT IS NOT TO BE CORRUPTED. IT IS NOT TO BE MANIPULATED BY DIVINE HANDS. LET MORTALS DISCOVER IT. LET THEM MASTER IT. THIS IS THEIR GIFT, EARNED BY MY LOVE FOR THEM."
A pause. Then:
"GUIDE THEM IF THEY PRAY. PROTECT THE SANCTITY OF THE CONTRACTS. BUT DO NOT INTERFERE DIRECTLY. THIS I COMMAND."
The light began to fade.
"A NEW AGE DAWNS. WITNESS IT. CELEBRATE IT. FOR CREATION GROWS EVER MORE BEAUTIFUL."
And then, silence.
[The Divine Realms - After the Dream]
Saint Celestria woke with tears streaming down her face. "The Supreme... The Supreme has spoken..."
Angel Commander Azrael knelt in prayer, his voice shaking. "A new gift. A new age. The Creator is generous beyond measure."
Sub-God Neraxis rose from the Divine Ocean, his voice booming. "Spirit Summoning! A merger of realms! Ingenious!"
God Vulcar laughed in his forge, flames dancing higher. "Even after all these eons, the Supreme finds new ways to surprise us!"
Goddess Sylvana smiled in her garden, already sensing the spirits preparing themselves for partnership. "How beautiful. How perfect."
All across the divine hierarchy, the message spread.
The Supreme had blessed creation once more.
A new form of magic would dawn with the sun.
But not one of them—not a single divine being—thought to wonder where the Supreme was when IT enacted this change.
They assumed, as they always had, that IT acted from beyond reality, from the cosmic throne, from the place outside existence where the Creator dwelled.
None of them imagined that IT was currently sitting in a modest inn room in Lumeria, looking perfectly human, waiting for morning so HE could take an entrance examination at a magic academy.
IT smiled to HIMSELF.
Perfect.
The gift was ready. The divine beings were informed. The spirits were prepared. The dragons knew to keep silent.
Tomorrow, when the sun rose, Spirit Summoning would become possible, and the world would change forever.
And HE would be there, walking among HIS beloved humans, watching them discover this new power, seeing their joy and wonder firsthand.
This was exactly what IT had descended for.
This was exactly what IT wanted.