Later that evening, as the twin moons of the Beast Plane hovered low and luminous over the crystalline cliffs of the T'Shalari domain, Ethan sat cross-legged in a clearing.
Behind him, the sanctum shimmered faintly, but his thoughts were elsewhere.
They were gathering.
One by one, his Spirit Beasts emerged around him — not in full corporeal form, but as semi-astral projections, each resonating in their own distinct frequency.
The first to appear was the Divine Tortoise, a massive entity cloaked in earth and time. Its shell glowed with sacred runes, and its low eyes regarded Ethan with the same eternal patience it always had.
Next came the grey-skinned gargoyle, its limbs fluid with alchemical energies. It crouched beside Ethan, silent and alert, ever the quiet sentinel.
The Cerberus, with its purple flaming mane and three snarling heads, erupted next in a burst of necromantic fire, only to sit calmly beside him, tail thudding once like a heartbeat.
