The Game's Extra: Azhriel Odyssey

"Papa."

The small voice echoed softly, its tone warm and innocent—so utterly natural it sent a wave of silence through the air.

Azhriel blinked.

He looked down at the tiny, white-furred creature nestled in his arms, now staring up at him with wide, crystal-blue eyes filled with curiosity and… attachment.

"…Um… hey?" he replied, voice uncertain.

He wasn't exactly experienced in this kind of situation.

Behind him, Cynthia chuckled softly, finally stepping forward. "It's normal. You're the first person it saw when it hatched, and your mana was the first it ever felt."

Azhriel raised an eyebrow, knowing what she was trying to say but a bit lost.

Cynthia smiled gently.

"For creatures like this—especially ones that hatch from such old and powerful eggs—whoever they see first is automatically recognized as their 'parent.'

Cynthia said and continued.

"It's a kind of soul imprint. From now on, it'll see you as its protector, it's family… and in some ways, its own life."

The little creature—still nestled against his chest—blinked once.

Then again.

"…Papa," it repeated, more firmly this time.

Azhriel sighed, though the faintest tug of a smile crept onto his lips.

"Alright," he whispered, "I guess that's what I am now. A Papa at sixteen."

The Queen, who had been watching quietly from the other side of the magic barrier, folded her arms. "I've never seen a familiar form a connection that fast."

"Me neither," Cynthia added, watching with narrowed eyes. "It's rare… too rare."

Then, something unexpected happened.

Azhriel raised his right hand and bit the tip of his thumb lightly.

A single drop of blood welled up.

He brought the drop down toward the small creature's forehead, and without hesitation, let it fall.

Drip.

The moment the blood touched the creature's fur, it glowed—not painfully, but brightly, like a seal being etched onto the air itself.

A gust of wind swept across the clearing.

A small symbol appeared on the baby's forehead, shaped like a broken snowflake wrapped in a spiral of cosmic star, and then it vanished.

The baby blinked and wiggled its tiny ears, then softly mewled and curled into Azhriel's chest again, utterly content.

But behind him, both Cynthia and the Queen stared, stunned.

"W-Wait…" Cynthia muttered, stepping forward. "What did you just do?"

Azhriel looked over his shoulder. "Bonded it."

"I can see that!" she exclaimed. "But that wasn't the normal soul pact! That wasn't even one of the higher order contracts either! What was that seal?"

The Queen narrowed her glowing eyes. "That technique… I haven't seen it since the early days of Noarsis. That was the sacred blood pact, wasn't it?"

"It was," Azhriel confirmed, almost too casually.

"Do you even know what that means?" Cynthia asked, recognizing it as she stared in disbelief.

Azhriel remained silent, his calm eyes drifting back down to the small creature now resting in his arms.

"I know enough."

The Queen frowned. "That pact… it's dangerous for you. Once made, it cannot be undone. If the familiar dies, part of your soul is lost forever. And if you die—"

"Then it will die with me," Azhriel finished, voice quiet but steady.

"That's insane!" Cynthia said, visibly shaken now. "Why would you do something so… permanent?"

"Because I'm not looking for power," Azhriel answered.

His fingers gently brushed across the creature's head, as she purred.

"I wanted someone I could trust. Someone who wouldn't fear what I am… or what I will become."

The baby familiar stirred slightly, letting out a content little sigh as its wings gave a tiny flutter.

"I wanted a companion."

There was silence after that.

For a long moment, even the Queen had nothing to say. She only watched him with a quiet, thoughtful expression—her earlier frustration dulled into something unreadable.

Cynthia, meanwhile, let out a breath and smiled, just a little.

"…You really are strange."

"Once again, i hear that a lot." Azhriel said.

Then, softly, she asked, "Did you name it yet?"

Azhriel nodded, his gaze never leaving the small creature.

"Zephyriah," he said.

The wind stirred gently at the sound of the name—as if the very world acknowledged it.

"Is that… its real name?" Cynthia asked, blinking.

"No," Azhriel said. "But it's the name I chose."

The Queen studied him carefully, arms still crossed, but the tightness in her brow eased just a little.

"…Zephyriah, huh? Sounds like something from the old tongues."

"It is," Azhriel replied. "It means 'The Silent Wind That Heralds Winter.'"

Cynthia looked at him, impressed despite herself. "That's… oddly fitting."

Zephyriah shifted slightly in his arms, letting out a tiny chirp of approval—almost like she liked the name.

Azhriel glanced down. "You like it?"

The baby dragon gave a sleepy hum, pressing against him again.

"Zephyriah it is, then."

And just like that…

Azhriel had gained his companion.

Not just a familiar.

Not just a contract.

But something far more valuable.

A bond—

Forged in frost,

Sealed by blood,

And named through his own heart.

*******

Outside the sealed space where Azhriel had formed his bond, chaos stirred the earth and sky.

Winds howled.

Ice crystals cut through the air like sharp daggers.

Thunder crackled in jagged bursts, rippling through the skies above the summoning grounds.

The professors had already acted fast.

With hands raised and spells cast, they raised a powerful barrier to shield the students.

Shimmering layers of mana encased the area, groaning under the pressure of Azhriel's unleashed energy.

Some students flinched back, others stared wide-eyed as frost kissed the ground, spreading out like creeping vines.

"What kind of monster did he summon…?" one student whispered, their voice full of awe and fear.

"It's not the beast," one professor muttered, eyes narrowed as they focused on maintaining the barrier. "It's both, the boy and the beast."

Then, just as suddenly as it began…

Silence.

The swirling winds died.

The ground stopped trembling.

The magic circle that had long since faded began to glow again—this time softly, like the gentle flicker of a small candle in the dark.

A swirl of light spiraled up from the center as if announcing that the ritual had ended.

And then—

Swish.

The barrier cracked open.

Inside, Azhriel slowly opened his eyes.

His breath came out slow and calm as the world around him came back into focus. His fingers twitched slightly—and then he realized something was in his arms.

He looked down.

There, curled gently against his chest, lay a small creature. Its soft silver-blue fur shimmered in the fading light, its little claws dug gently into his coat.

Tiny folded wings twitched slightly, and its long tail coiled lazily around his arm.

The creature shifted—

"Papa?"

A small, curious sound left its mouth as it blinked up at him.

Zephyriah.

Her big, shining eyes looked around at the wide world for the first time.

She tilted her little head as she looked up at the sky, then turned to Azhriel again—like asking if this was all okay.

Azhriel stared at her for a second.

And then…

"…Welcome, you be staying here from now on." he said softly.

Inside the withering barrier, Cynthia stood still, her arms folded tightly across her chest. The Queen beside her wore a strange expression—half impressed, half wary.

"He did it," Cynthia whispered.

"I know," the Queen said, her voice low. "And the storm in him… only just began to stir."

Moments later, Illiana stepped forward, her hair pushed back by the earlier winds. "Lower the barrier," she said. "He's done."

The dome shimmered, then slowly dissolved.

Light faded. The wind died down. The circle returned to normal.

And from that soft glow, Azhriel stepped out—calm, unharmed… and no longer alone.

"What is that?"

"It's… it's a dragon, right?"

"No, look at her wings! And the fur—does she have feathers too?"

"Is that… a hybrid?"

The crowd was buzzing.

Soft chatter broke out among the students, whispers echoing through the clearing.

Raymond stood beside Samuel, arms relaxed. A smirk tugged at his lips as he shook his head.

"Of course," he said with a grin. "He's also special."

Samuel, arms folded, let out a small breath—almost like a chuckle. "Well… he wouldn't be considered our equal if he wasn't special."

Kevin, not far from them, crossed his arms with a pout. "That bastard… always full of surprises."

Laughter and murmurs continued.

But then—

It happened.

The noise slowly began to fade, replaced by confused glances.

"Huh? Why is my bond acting weird?" a student said, blinking as his summon—a strong tiger beast—suddenly lowered its head to the ground.

"Design, what are you doing?" another student called to his familiar, watching it drop to its belly and bow, trembling slightly.

One by one, it spread.

All the beasts—every single bond summoned by the students—lowered their heads. Some knelt fully. Others simply bowed deeply. But all of them… bent in submission.

The only exceptions?

Velkarth and Enkarth—the twin wolves—stood still.

Arianne blinked, her crimson eyes narrowing. Her blood-red cat wasn't kneeling either, but…

Her ears twitched.

She could hear it.

The sound of its breath trembling.

Even without looking, she could feel it. Her bond was scared.

Of a baby.

Her eyes slowly moved to Azhriel.

More specifically—to the small figure cradled in his arms.

Zephyriah blinked innocently at the sea of beasts bowing before her. She didn't seem to understand what was happening. She simply looked around curiously, letting out a soft, confused chirp.

"Kyu?"

The baby dragon tilted her head.

Yet every beast shuddered harder.

Silence reigned.