The groundskeeper's hut sat at the edge of the academy grounds, half-hidden by ivy and tall ferns. Smoke curled from the chimney even though it was midday.
Kai knocked softly.
The door creaked open. An old man with a bushy white beard and dirt-stained hands peered out. "What's a first-year doing here?"
"I'm Kai. Master Elowen said you might know about the Forgotten Grove."
The old man, Garrick, grunted. "She did, did she? Come in before the wind takes you."
Inside smelled of wood, herbs, and wet earth. Garrick poured two cups of tea that tasted like pine and honey.
"The Grove," he said, settling into a creaky chair, "was sealed fifty years ago. Too many wild beasts. Too much old magic leaking out. Students used to go in for dares. Most came back. Some didn't."
Kai sipped his tea. "Why tell me?"
"Because your beasts feel… different. Like they carry echoes of something older." Garrick leaned forward. "The Grove has a guardian. A stag made of moonlight and shadow. If it lets you in, there's something waiting. If not… well. Don't go at night."
Kai nodded slowly. "When's the best time?"
"Dawn. When the boundary thins."
He left with a small pouch of dried leaves, "For calm," Garrick said, and a warning: "Don't take more than you need."
That night Kai barely slept. Dreams flickered: blue screens, merging lights, a voice whispering, *Grow. Evolve. Remember.*
At first light, he slipped out. Bouncy in his pocket, Zephyr on his shoulder.
The academy forest was quiet. Mist clung to the trees. He followed a faint path until the air grew thicker, humming with energy.
A wall of vines blocked the way, old, twisted, glowing faintly green.
Kai touched them. The system pinged.
[Boundary Detected: Forgotten Grove]
[Entry Requirement: Pure Bond Intent]
[Proceed? Y/N]
He took a breath. "Yes."
The vines parted like water.
Inside, the Grove felt alive. Trees taller than any he'd seen, leaves shimmering silver. Flowers glowed softly. No birds sang, just deep, peaceful silence.
Bouncy hopped out, eyes wide. Zephyr fluttered nervously.
A shape moved ahead.
The moonlight stag stepped from the mist. Tall, antlers branching like stars, body half-transparent, half-shadow.
It regarded Kai calmly.
No words. Just a feeling, like being seen completely.
The stag lowered its head. A soft light flowed from its antlers, touching Bouncy and Zephyr.
Both beasts glowed brighter.
[Guardian Approval Granted]
[New Fusion Slot Unlocked: Moonlight Infusion]
[Bouncy – Potential Evolution Path Detected]
[Zephyr – Potential Evolution Path Detected]
The stag turned and walked deeper. Kai followed.
At the center of the Grove stood a small stone pedestal. On it rested a cracked crystal orb, pulsing faintly blue, just like his system screen.
He reached out.
The orb flared.
Memories, not his, flooded in: ancient tamers merging beasts with concepts from lost civilizations, a great calamity when the Core was overused, a final seal placed by the last guardian.
Then a clear voice in his mind:
*The Core awakens fully when the vessel understands balance. Power without heart leads to ruin. Heart without power leads to loss. Find both.*
The vision faded.
The orb dimmed, but a small fragment broke off and floated to Kai's hand. It sank into his palm painlessly.
[Core Fragment Absorbed]
[System Upgrade: Heart Gauge Unlocked – Measures bond strength and emotional balance]
[Current Heart Gauge: 68%]
[New Passive: Calm Resolve – Reduces fusion cost in emotional situations]
The stag bowed its head once, then dissolved into mist.
Kai stood there, breathing hard.
Bouncy bounced around his feet excitedly. Zephyr landed on his head, chirping.
He smiled shakily. "We're okay. We're… better."
On the way back, he tested the new infusion.
Moonlight Infusion on Bouncy: the slime turned silvery, bounces now left faint glowing trails that healed small scratches on leaves.
Zephyr gained soft star-like sparkles on his wings, his wind now carried a gentle, soothing feel.
Back at the academy, Aria found him at breakfast.
"You look… different," she said. "Good different."
Kai grinned. "Had a good morning walk."
Theo joined them, owl on his shoulder. "Renn's been asking about you. Not angry. Curious."
Kai glanced across the hall. Renn met his eyes, gave a small nod, almost respectful, then looked away.
Progress.
That afternoon in class, Master Elowen pulled him aside again.
"You went to the Grove."
"How did you…."
"I felt the shift. The Core fragment. Be careful, Kai. That power will grow. So will the eyes watching you."
He nodded seriously. "I'll be ready."
As the sun set, Kai sat on the dorm roof with his beasts. Bouncy glowed softly. Zephyr's wings sparkled.
The Heart Gauge ticked up another percent just from the quiet moment.
He whispered, "We're building something real here. Friends. Strength. Home."
But far away, in the shadows of the academy tower, a cloaked figure watched through a crystal lens.
"So the vessel awakens," the figure murmured. "Interesting."
The path ahead just got a little longer.
And a little more dangerous.