HIGH FROST SPIRIT

" This can't be!?... No!... It's a fluke?! ... Yeah .. a fluke..., " Luke said in denial, turning to the spirits. " It's a fluke, right? Let's try again... Hahaha... I know it will work this time around...the first one was a fluke...I didn't do it well... My hands were probably sweaty..." Luke looked to them, his expression a mix of dread and unacceptance, madly wiping his palms on the ceremonial robes, trying to wipe off the non existent sweat.

" Ok, let's try again," the forest spirit agreed, eliciting confused stares from the other spirits.

This was not a matter of trial and error; repetition birthed perfection.

What is, is.

He did not have an affinity with them, and no matter how many times he checked it, the results would be the same.

They wanted to retort, but couldn't as the high forest spirit had spoken, his deliberate ignorance of their stares, speaking volumes.

' Do it '

Unwilling to go against him, once again, they each extended their index fingers, a drop of red blood on each.

" Thank you, I know it will work this time... Even if not all of you, at least one will work," Luke said, a wish, hoping for what he instinctively knew was hopeless.

Once again, he touched the drops of blood, the same result occurring.

" Hahahaha... Third time's the charm..." Delusional and unwilling to accept the truth of the matter, he requested, the grin and pride he had when he first entered no more, his naturally fierce expression shifting to sadness, anxiety, and depression, his face changing between a mix of emotions.

" Boy, there is no need. It's rather unfortunate, but you lack any elemental affinity... Trying again won't change it; it will only make you feel worse, making a fool of yourself," the high forest spirit spoke. His genderless tone, though firm, was warming like a light stroke to the cheek, bringing one back to reality.

" No, that can't be! I have an SSS rank mana core, you know... It's said to be even greater than the Elemental Priest... How can I not have affinity? How can I...?" Luke looked up at the spirits, tears welling up in his eyes, an expression of injustice on his face, unable to grasp how cruel the world could be.

"I thought I would move up... I thought an orphan like me finally had a chance... Now how... What will the world say?... How will my sponsors react? What can I do, how can I face the world?... No... No... This is a dream... Hahahaha... Of course, this has to be a dream, a vivid one like the one I had last night... Yeah, I must still be dreaming..." He continued to ramble, his body trembling with every word.

The weight of the situation crashed heavily over him—a prodigy, one who had been paraded ever since his mana core was discovered four years ago. He had taken sponsorships that came his way, all from those who wanted to garner favor, who wanted to nurture the next Elemental Priest. But now, all of that was gone.

He had no Elemental affinity, the prospect of a priest an impossible future.

How would they react?! Those who gave him everything expecting to one day receive.

"Boy, it's not a dream. Life isn't over yet. There are a billion people like you..." The high forest spirit tried to console him, attempting to make him see that he was not alone.

Stating the fact that ten percent of the world's population, ten billion have no spirits summons.

"Out of this one billion, is there any with an S-rank mana core?... Is there anyone who has been paraded for about four years, taking up resources just because he had potential? Please, is there any like that?" Now with tears dripping down his cheeks, Luke respectfully retorted, making a valid point.

"..." The high forest spirit, understanding the boy's pain, kept silent, watching quietly as the boy sobbed.

"Olivia... The orphanage..." Luke muttered, thinking about the only family he knew—the family to whom he was the golden goose, but now his worth was no more.

"Can... Can I stay here? I don't know how to face her..." Luke pleaded, his voice shaky, knowing what he was asking was unheard of—a human staying in the Spirit Realm.

"Don't step over the line, human. You have lost your worth to us. I only obliged to your stupid demands because of Silvanus, but you are asking too much... You are a failure, just accept it. If not, end it all... What you are doing now is just pitiful..." the high fire spirit said, its tone disdainful and disapproving.

Following his words, the high forest spirit threw him a sharp glance.

"You... You... are too good to these humans... I won't stay here and bear this anymore," the high flame spirit stuttered, clearly intimidated by the forest spirit.

Like a child running away after angering his parent, he disappeared following his words, leaving behind red fiery particles that slowly dissipated.

"Don't pay him any heed... But we can't let you stay here. The physical realm is for humans, and the spirit realm is for spirits. There is a reason for the separation, and if you stay here with us, you will find out only after it's too late..." In his warm and gentle tone, the high forest spirit rejected Luke.

However, the latter was unable to hear his words, as the harsh words of the high flame spirit still lingered in his ears.

"Should I end it? The shame will be forever if I go back, and it's not like no one knows me in this world... I will be ridiculed for the rest of my life. Not to mention, I can't face Olivia. I have practically failed her..." he thought, his gaze fixed on the barren earth. His eyes darted around, seemingly searching for an answer, for a path to take after everything seemed to have ended.

"This boy is hopeless. Was such a weak-willed boy going to be my partner?" The wind spirit clicked her tongue in disappointment.

She then turned to the forest spirit. "Silvanus, I can't watch this... I will take my leave."

"Same here. He is too pitiful; I can barely watch... The troubles that his future holds..." the water spirit added as she too requested to leave.

The forest spirit nodded, giving them the go-ahead.

"Geb, what about you?" the forest spirit asked the golem, who had been quiet all this while, observing the boy who seemed on the verge of breaking down.

"Hey, human, you are weak when you weak, you are strong when you strong. Be strong, and your weakness will go..." Geb said to Luke, his strange way of speaking causing Luke to raise his head.

"It's over when you say so. As long as you are alive... It's not over..." Geb added, looking straight into the boy's eyes.

The boy had intrigued him, just from his ability to hear all of their names, and still stand like it was normal.

To him, the boy was still great, his potential even without a spirit still great.

"..." Luke gazed at the creature, unable to think of anything, his brain trying to interpret what the golem had said.

"Strong when strong and weak when weak..." The words echoed in his mind, seeming to make sense.

"Thank you," he muttered after a couple of minutes of processing, a serious expression replacing the gloomy one he wore moments ago.

With a nod, the golem also disappeared, leaving behind the high forest spirit and Luke.

"Are you ready to leave, or do you need more time?" the high forest spirit inquired, a being of empathy and sympathy, unwilling to let the boy go back feeling down and out, no matter what awaited him.

"I am not ready..." Luke said, pausing as he looked at the beam of light a few meters behind him, the gateway back to his world.

"But I should try it. Maybe they will understand." The human instinct of delusion crept in, hoping that the world would understand that it was just a case of bad luck, that the paraded prodigy was just the minority of humans who could not contract a spirit.

"Yes, humans can be good sometimes. No matter what, not everyone will turn their back on you," the forest spirit comforted.

"Hahaha, I hope so..." Luke laughed nervously, his gaze fixed on the gate, reluctant to take a step, reluctant to go back.

The spirit did not urge him, nor say anything else, as he stood there, patiently waiting for whenever Luke decided to leave.

Half an hour passed, then two hours, then three. Luke remained unwilling to move.

"Olivia and the orphanage... I can't stay here. I must find other means to support them," he resolved, finally taking a step.

Slowly and reluctantly, he reached the edge of the beam.

"Thanks," he turned to the high forest spirit, then back to the gate, stepping into it with a heavy heart.

Left alone, the spirit's gaze lingered on the gate " Keep an eye on the boy... There is a strange energy in him, an energy capable of blocking our contract..." With a serious expression, the high forest spirit said, seemingly speaking to himself.

╾━╤デ╦︻╾━╤デ╦︻╾━╤デ╦︻

Hello there, cloth laid, requesting for power stones and honest feedback.