Riven sat stiffly on the sofa, flanked by his parents. His fingers fidgeted with nervous energy, twisting and untwisting in restless loops as they waited for the arrival of the Grand Master Tamer. The atmosphere in the room was oppressive, thick with tension that seemed to emanate from the very walls. Suddenly, a wave of energy surged through the space, raising the hairs on Riven''s arms. A presence, vast and suffocating, bore down on him like a tidal wave. Only the amber mana surging through his core kept him upright, though even that felt tenuous.His gaze darted to his parents. They, too, were affected but to a lesser extent, their postures rigid as they fought to maintain composure. The veneer of calm on their faces barely masked their unease. A sound broke through the suffocating pressure—the measured rhythm of footsteps. Riven turned to the double doors leading outside, his heart pounding as the sound grew louder. Each step reverberated with purpose, shaking the stillness until the grand doors creaked open.A man entered, walking casually but with a presence that filled the room. Riven''s breath hitched. The first thing that caught his eye was the man''s hair—long, flowing strands of silver interspersed with streaks of vivid red, green, yellow, and blue, like refracted light caught in motion. Then came his coat, an impeccable blend of military precision and regal artistry. The black fabric seemed to absorb the room''s light, while silver accents traced the lapels and the two polished rows of buttons glinted like stars. The man''s features were youthful, betraying an age no older than mid-twenties, but his aura told a different story.Riven''s mind raced, pulling from the fragments of lessons he had studied. Rank Six. That explained the timeless quality, the restoration of a body to its prime, and the rumored near-immortality. Rank Six tamers could live centuries, but their lives were often cut short battling beasts of unfathomable power. Riven swallowed hard, sitting up straighter.The man''s foot crossed the threshold, and as one, Riven and his parents tried to rise in greeting. They couldn''t. A force, unseen but unyielding, anchored them to their seats. It was as if the air itself had decided they would stay put. The man raised a hand, and the invisible pressure relented. "None of that, please," he said, his voice smooth and unassuming. "I came to meet you, so I am but a humble guest."The weight lifted. Riven''s father was the first to recover, quickly speaking. "Welcome to our home, Grand Master Zephyr. It is an honor to have you here."Zephyr smiled faintly, brushing off the formality. He approached Riven, his strides unhurried, and instead of sitting on the couch, he stopped midair and sat as if on an invisible chair. "No, no, the pleasure is all mine," he said, his silver hair shimmering as it caught the light.Riven stared, awestruck. The man before him manipulated ambient mana as effortlessly as Riven could draw breath. A Grand Master, indeed. His heart pounded as a thought sparked—a fleeting, reckless impulse. "Can I see your bonded creature?" The words tumbled out before he could stop them.Zephyr chuckled, a deep and knowing sound. "Of course."His hair stirred as if caught by a phantom wind. The colored streaks in the silver strands grew brighter, weaving a mesmerizing spiral that spread outward. The air thickened with mana as the spiraling strands expanded, forming a shimmering vortex. From within, a colossal head emerged, large enough to dwarf Riven entirely.The creature was breathtaking—a fox with flowing silver fur and nine crystalline eyes arranged in a semicircular pattern around its face. Each eye pulsed with radiant light, forming sharp lines of energy that focused on Riven. When the creature opened its mouth, a melodic, feminine voice echoed, layered with a thousand tones. "Curious. Such a powerful beast I sense, yet I cannot find it."The fox''s gaze swept across the room, pausing briefly on Riven before it seemed to grow bored. Its massive head retreated into the swirling portal, and the spiraling strands of Zephyr''s hair coiled back, settling on his shoulders.Riven stared, his mind blank with wonder. Zephyr''s voice broke through his daze. "Now, child. Show me your hand."Riven obeyed, extending his palm. Zephyr grasped it lightly, his brow furrowing in concentration. A current of foreign mana flowed into Riven, heading straight for his core. The amber mana stirred in response, roaring to life as if defending its territory. Waves of amber lashed out, but Zephyr''s mana sliced through them with surgical precision, reaching deeper into Riven''s soul space.Minutes dragged by, each second an eternity. Finally, Zephyr released Riven''s hand, his expression unreadable. "You are a unique case, indeed," he said, standing. "Would you mind stepping outside? I need a word with the boy."Riven''s parents exchanged glances but complied without protest, leaving the room and closing the door behind them. Zephyr relaxed slightly, exhaling as a kaleidoscopic barrier of mana enveloped the room. He snapped his fingers, drawing Riven''s attention. "Two cores and a bond large enough to occupy your entire soul and then some. Care to explain?"Riven straightened, the intensity of Zephyr''s gaze making his throat dry. He recounted the events of the previous day, every detail. Zephyr listened silently, his expression contemplative. When Riven finished, the Grand Master leaned back, laughing heartily. "Fascinating! But no, I''ve got no answers for you."Riven''s heart sank. He''d hoped—prayed—that Zephyr might provide a solution. Seeing the boy''s crestfallen face, Zephyr placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Don''t despair. That amber mana of yours is remarkable. And while space in your soul for a bond may be limited, it''s not impossible."The words rekindled a flicker of hope. "Really?" Riven asked, his voice barely above a whisper.Zephyr grinned, standing. "Come. Let''s see what your mana is capable of." He got up and made for the door with Riven following after him.Reaching the small arena his father had built after his awakening earlier this year, Riven felt the weight of the moment pressing on him. Across the arena, Zephyr stood motionless, his expression calm yet unreadable. The rank six simply waited, his silver eyes gleaming with an unspoken challenge.Does a rank six really want to fight me? What is going on here?Riven hesitated but forced himself to take a stance. Against his better judgment, he spread his feet, bent his knees, and entered a combat posture. His heart pounded as he waited for Zephyr to make the first move. Yet the man remained silent, a playful smile curling his lips.Fine, I''ll make the first move then.Riven inhaled deeply, revving up his pink mana. He allowed it to flow through his body, keeping the output steady at fifty percent. With another breath, he surged forward, his eyes locked on Zephyr''s chest. The gap between them closed in an instant, and he prepared to strike.Before he could connect, Zephyr''s form blurred and vanished. Riven''s senses screamed in warning. To his left, a kick arced toward his head with murderous precision. His instincts told him he was about to die. In that instant, his amber mana core roared to life, surging upward with a ferocity he hadn''t commanded. Thirty percent of its energy coursed through him, crackling with intensity.As the mana reached his head, the world seemed to slow. Zephyr''s lethal kick, once impossibly fast, became a manageable threat. Riven ducked, the strike whistling over him as he twisted to counter. He launched an uppercut aimed squarely at Zephyr''s face, his body reacting faster than his mind could follow.But again, Zephyr vanished, reappearing several meters away at the edge of the arena. He began clapping slowly, the sound echoing in the stillness. "Incredible," Zephyr said, his tone filled with amusement. "That was the amber mana, wasn''t it? It has to be."He raised his hand, his fingers curling into a claw-like grip. Riven''s body froze instantly, as though encased in ice. His regular mana ceased flowing entirely, and even his amber mana slowed, its once-ferocious energy reduced to a sluggish trickle.This mana… it''s so much stronger than mine, Riven thought, straining against the invisible force. Even though there''s far less of it.A flicker of anger ignited within him. It wasn''t his own rage—it was something deeper, primal, and ancient. The amber mana flared in response, pulsing with chaotic red energy. It pushed back against the force restraining him, growing brighter and more violent with every passing moment. Soon, all one hundred percent of the amber mana coursed through his body. Unlike his pink mana, it didn''t harm his channels. Instead, it fueled a singular, overwhelming emotion: fury.How dare someone suppress me, the thought surfaced unbidden, blurring the line between his own feelings and the will of the mana itself.With a final surge, the amber mana shattered Zephyr''s hold. Riven''s body moved again, first in slow, deliberate steps, then accelerating into a full-speed sprint. The air around him crackled with raw power as he closed the distance between them.Zephyr''s playful smile stretched into a vicious grin. "Come on, then," he said softly, his voice thick with anticipation.Riven appeared before him in an instant, driving a fist toward Zephyr''s face with a strength that shook the ground beneath them. The blow landed, but Zephyr caught it effortlessly, his hand gripping Riven''s fist like an unyielding vice. The ground cracked beneath their feet, and the air seemed to shimmer with heat.Then, in the blink of an eye, Zephyr vanished again, reappearing behind Riven with a chop aimed at the back of his neck. The amber mana flared in defiance. Riven twisted, his movements fluid and precise, catching Zephyr''s hand mid-strike. With a roar, he drove his knee upward, aiming for Zephyr''s ribs. The impact connected—but it was like striking a mountain. Unmoving. Impenetrable.Zephyr''s eyes met Riven''s, twin vortexes of silver swirling with unreadable power. "I like your ambition," Zephyr said, his tone unyielding. "But I''ve already seen what I needed."As he spoke, the amber mana faltered. Its once-chaotic energy retreated, its light dimming as what remained of it withdrew to Riven''s core. Exhaustion crashed over him like a wave. Zephyr stepped back, unharmed and untouched. Not even a speck of dust marred his form."You fought at the level of a rank two," Zephyr continued, his voice cool and measured. "Though without technique or refinement. Still, for a rank zero to display such strength… not bad."He turned and began walking toward the edge of the arena, his hands clasped casually behind his back. As he reached the exit, he stopped and glanced over his shoulder. His gaze locked onto Riven, pinning him in place."Take the secrets of your abilities to your grave," he said, his voice low and chilling. "Or I will."He smiled faintly, raising a hand in a small wave. Before Riven could respond, Zephyr''s body dissolved into the air, disappearing as though he had never been there.The silence that followed was broken by approaching footsteps. Riven''s parents came to stand beside him. His father placed a firm, reassuring hand on his shoulder."Well? Any good news?" his father asked.Riven remained silent, his mind a storm of thoughts and questions. He didn''t know where to begin. After a long moment, he answered, his voice quiet and uncertain. "I''m… not sure."This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it