The corrupted hounds snarled, black saliva dripping from their twisted maws. Their blood-red eyes locked onto Alan, sensing fresh prey.
Alan stood still.
His heartbeat was calm, unnaturally so.
Through his new Animist senses, he felt them — the chaos tainting their souls, the unstable energy swirling in their bodies.
But beyond the monsters... he felt something else.
A faint, trembling presence — a wild spirit, hiding among the roots of an ancient oak nearby.
It was weak, scared... but pure.
Exactly what he needed.
Alan tightened his grip on his Catalyst.
"Bond first. Fight second."
He closed his eyes for a heartbeat and reached out with his soul.
The world blurred.
In his mind's eye, he saw it:
A small spirit — shaped like a silver fox, flickering like mist.
It looked at him with cautious, intelligent eyes.
[Spirit: Lumen — Wild Light Affinity]
A system prompt appeared:
[Wild Spirit Detected: Lumen]
[Attempt Pact? Y/N]
Warning: Failure may agitate the spirit, drawing more enemies.
Alan didn't hesitate.
"Yes."
He knelt, pressing his Catalyst to the ground, and whispered:
"I offer no chains... Only trust."
The spirit hesitated — then, slowly, approached.
Its tiny form merged into the Catalyst, and a surge of warmth flooded Alan's body.
The pact was formed.
[Spirit Pact: Lumen (Lesser Light Spirit) - Success!]
Skill Unlocked: Flashstep (Lv 1)
Short-distance teleportation using bursts of light.
Passive Buff: Minor Spirit Armor
A faint, protective barrier formed from bonded spirit energy.
The world snapped back into focus.
The corrupted hounds lunged — too late.
Alan vanished in a blink of radiant light, reappearing behind the lead beast.
Without thinking, he thrust his Catalyst forward, channeling raw mana.
A spear of light burst from the tip —
[Mana Pierce] — a simple but deadly spell.
The bolt punched through the monster's skull.
The hound collapsed without a sound, its body sizzling from the purified energy.
The other two hesitated, growling uncertainly.
Alan's smile widened.
"Come."
"Let's see if you're worth my time."
After the Battle
Panting lightly, Alan stood amidst the cooling corpses.
Lumen's soft glow floated beside him like a loyal companion.
This was just the beginning.
He was weak — for now.
But with every battle, every pact, every step, he would carve his name into this world.
Eldralis would remember the day Alan arrived.
System Notification
[Level Up: 2 ➔ 3]
[Skill Progression: Flashstep Lv 1 ➔ Lv 2]
[Spirit Bond Strengthened: Lumen now trusts you slightly.]