Chapter 65 – Secrets of the Summoned
The wind murmured through the forest glade, brushing against the leaves in a gentle, almost reverent whisper. Shafts of afternoon sunlight streamed through the canopy, painting shifting patterns across the ground in golden strokes.
Lei Feng stood at the center of the clearing, arms folded, the soft rustle of his robe echoing faintly as he looked over the figures standing before him.
His Elemental Vanguard—Ignis, Glacia, Aquari, Granite, and Aeolus—stood in a loose semicircle, their expressions unusually somber.
"Care to explain?" Lei Feng asked again, this time his voice quieter, but no less firm. "Why didn't I feel my mana drop when you unleashed your Combat States? I was monitoring everything."
Aquari was the first to step forward. The air around her shimmered with a faint blue radiance, every movement as fluid and measured as the flow of a calm river. When she spoke, her voice was as tranquil as it was composed—like water lapping gently at a shore.
"We do not draw energy from you, Master," she said. "Our link is different from that of a traditional summoner's. What binds us… is the OmniCore."
Lei Feng narrowed his eyes. "The OmniCore?"
A faint whoosh cut through the air as Aeolus descended beside Aquari, arms folded as he hovered effortlessly above the ground. His wind-touched silver hair floated with the breeze, his silver eyes gleaming with mischief and truth.
"It's not just a magical artifact or some passive bond," Aeolus explained. "It's a spiritual nexus. A core you forged deep within your soul the moment you awakened the Summoner Class. That's what anchors all five of us to your essence."
"You didn't just summon us," Glacia added, stepping forward, her pale features tinged with faint blue light. Her voice, crisp and cool, carried the gravity of frost in the dead of winter. "You birthed us."
Lei Feng's eyes widened slightly. "Wait, what?"
Ignis strode up next, firelight dancing across his sharp features. "We weren't called from somewhere else," he said, his fists glowing with emberlight. "We were shaped from pure essence—constructed by your will, your instincts, your awakened potential. You didn't bind us like a tamer binds a beast. You created us."
Lei Feng's heart skipped a beat. A strange weight settled in his chest—not fear, not confusion, but awe.
"Then… you're not tied to my mana pool," he murmured, "because you're self-sustaining?"
Granite stepped forward last, his heavy footfall sending small tremors into the earth. His voice was deep, resonant—a voice that seemed to come from the stone beneath the world itself.
"Correct. We draw power directly from our respective Elemental Planes. And through the OmniCore, we maintain a continuous connection to those sources. Through that tether, we regenerate mana, stamina, and spirit."
Aquari nodded. "And as your strength grows, so too does the OmniCore. The stronger it becomes, the stronger we become and the more energy we can pull from our Planes, and the longer we can remain in the physical realm."
Aeolus smirked, arms spread. "Eventually, Master… there won't be a limit. We'll never fade, never need to retreat. We'll walk beside you—always."
Lei Feng's breath caught in his throat. He lowered his arms slowly, eyes gleaming. "So you're not just allies summoned for battle... You're a part of me. Permanently."
"We're your will made manifest," Aquari confirmed, her sapphire eyes glowing with emotion.
"We are your legacy," Ignis said, voice burning with purpose.
"Your blades and shields," Glacia intoned, her tone solemn as frost.
"Your roots and stone," rumbled Granite, placing a heavy hand over his heart.
"Your storm and your sky," Aeolus whispered, reverently placing a hand over his chest.
The words struck Lei Feng like a bolt of lightning—not with pain, but with clarity. Not a burden… but armor. The truth of their bond was no longer just strength or power—it was family.
He stepped forward, clenching his fists. "You're not just my Vanguard," he said, his voice low, steady, absolute. "You're my family."
For a beat, silence. A single, timeless heartbeat.
Then—
"Damn it," Ignis muttered, flushing red as his flames flickered wildly. "Now I'm getting emotional!"
Granite scratched his head. "Family... does that mean we're siblings?"
Glacia groaned. "Ugh. Don't remind me."
Aquari giggled, her laughter like water cascading over stones. "Too late. I'm your big sister now."
"I'm obviously the cool older brother!" Aeolus grinned, floating a little higher.
"By half a second," Glacia muttered with a roll of her eyes.
Lei Feng laughed, genuine and free. "Alright, enough of that." He turned to face the distant horizon beyond the forest. "If what you said is true... then I swear I'll make the OmniCore the strongest nexus this world has ever seen."
He raised his hand skyward, lightning crackling faintly along his arm.
"I will climb to the peak—and when I get there…"
He looked at each of them, his voice dropping to a whisper.
"You'll be there with me."
They didn't answer with words.
They didn't have to.
Each of them surged with elemental energy in silent promise—fire, ice, water, earth, wind—all resonating in perfect harmony with his soul. The glade pulsed with raw, synchronized power.
Their silence roared louder than any cheer.
---
The wind shifted.
Lei Feng turned toward the path leading through the forest's edge.
"Training's over. We're heading to Volaris City," he said, already vanishing in a blur of Lightning Steps.
"City? Awesome!" Aeolus whooped, racing after him with a spiraling tailwind.
"What is a... city?" Granite rumbled, blinking in confusion.
"You'll see," Aquari smiled, catching up with a wave of water at her heels.
One by one, the Elemental Vanguard followed their master, instinctively falling into formation.
Leaves swirled in their wake.
The battle at Whispering Hollow had ended.
But Lei Feng's true journey?
It had only just begun.
---
Meanwhile… In the Ling Family Estate.
The light of jade lanterns flickered against lacquered bookshelves in the grand study of the Ling Family Manor. Ancient tomes rested on shelves that stretched toward the vaulted ceiling, and soft incense curled lazily in the air.
Ling Mei stood before her father, calm but firm. Her blue jacket rustled gently, her emerald eyes unreadable. At her side stood Eira Solstice, poised like a guardian in a flowing high-collared gown, her piercing golden gaze fixed on the man before them.
Ling Zhejiang sat upon a throne-like seat of darkened wood, his posture relaxed but dignified. His eyes, sharp as blades of sapphire wind, studied his daughter carefully.
"I heard you were looking for me, Mei'er," he said finally. "What is it you want?"
Ling Mei glanced once at Eira. The high elf gave a silent nod. Ling Mei stepped forward.
"I wish to leave the family estate," she said without hesitation. "I want to train outside—for the upcoming tournament. The others are doing the same. I can't fall behind."
Silence fell.
Ling Zhejiang said nothing at first. But his gaze… his gaze peeled her open like layers of silk.
Ling Mei could feel it—his scrutiny, precise and unyielding. He saw her soul, her doubts, her fury.
But she didn't flinch. She didn't look away.
He finally chuckled—a deep, amused sound.
"Hahaha… Elder Huo was right. You've changed," he said, leaning forward. "More daring. More confident. And five levels up in a matter of days…"
He paused.
"…I won't ask how. But know this: I am proud of you."
Proud.
The word hit her like a slap.
Ling Mei's eyes narrowed. "You've said that before. But when I needed you most—when the pressure crushed me—you said nothing. You did nothing."
"Mei—" Eira tried to intervene.
But Ling Zhejiang raised a hand, the gust silencing her.
"Let her speak."
"You could've said something! Bought me time. Calmed the elders. Done anything!" she shouted, voice trembling with barely contained fury. "Instead… you just watched."
Her voice cracked, but she held firm.
"Sometimes… I wonder if I'm even your real daughter. Or just another tool—like my brother. Something you adopted to use."
Her father's body trembled.
"M-Mei'er…" he whispered, voice breaking. "Don't say that…"
Eira moved to her side, taking her hand gently. "Please… Mei. He loves you. You know he does."
Ling Zhejiang stood slowly, the weight of his years settling into his movements. "I'm sorry," he said. "I truly am."
Ling Mei's lips quivered. "Father…"
Memories flooded her.
Of tiny hands reaching out to be lifted into the sky.
Of midnight stories, told under stars, with wind-blown illusions dancing in the air.
Of a father who always smiled—until one day, he didn't.
"…It was always you and me," she whispered.
He nodded. "And it still is."
"I—"
"There's no need to say more." He smiled, and it was a weary, honest smile. "Go. Chase your strength. I'll deal with your mother."
"She won't—"
"She's not the villain you imagine her to be." His voice was soft, weighted with more than words. "She's… complicated."
Ling Mei bowed low. "I understand. Thank you."
She turned to Eira. "Let's go, Sister."
Eira smiled bitterly, placing a hand on her shoulder.
As they stepped out, Ling Zhejiang's voice echoed one last time.
"Protect her, Solstice. I'm entrusting her to you."
Eira paused. "I will, Patriarch."
Thud.
The doors shut behind them.
The room returned to silence.
Ling Zhejiang sat down again, running a hand through his hair.
"…We'll need to cancel that marriage proposal," he muttered, voice low.
"Or Mei'er really will come to hate us."