“So is he the reason you chose not to go to First Celestial?”
Kain said while turning to Soren and pointing at the golden figure on the stage—Cassian Lysander. Soren’s cousin and the current heir apparent to the Celestial Empire’s throne.
He had noticed that as it got closer to the time that Cassian was about to board the stage, Soren gradually got paler and tenser. And now he sat glaring at his blood-relative with both fists clenched in his lap.
However, he didn’t reply to Kain’s question, only giving a sidelong glance that expressed his dissatisfaction with the line of questioning.
But Kain didn’t need a willing conversational partner to keep talking.
“So do you know what his gift or affinity is? I think I know what yours is—Storm Dragon’s descendants are pretty recognizable and so is your gift. And a storm dragon affinity aint too shabby. But what are his to make pretty much all of the Lysander family’s younger generation constantly in his shadow?”
Soren looked like he was about to snap at Kain when Theo sitting nearby surprisingly interjected.
“Most people conceal the specific details of their contracts and gifts to prevent being targeted—nobles even more so. Did you think that the details of the heir to the country’s affinity could be easily found? Even if they are family, he probably doesn’t know much…but I do” Theo said smugly.
‘Ah yes… he’s so laid-back most of the time I forget that Theo is a noble…’
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In fact, although Theo had never officially revealed his family origin and they have different last names, based on the strong physical resemblance to the 9-star Seraphina Mindsahde, whom Kain had seen at the auction, and his penchant for the mental-attribute, he guessed that they were closely related—likely grandmother and grandson.
Soren even looked shocked at Theo’s revelation, and after a moment of internal conflict, he also looked at Theo with some expectation. Likely, also wanting additional information on someone he didn’t seem to be on the best of terms with. The royal family had kept many details about Cassian, his gift, and his contracts under wraps that even as a relative he didn’t know much about him.
Moreover, their supposed physical features and abilities, based on rumours, are so variable that it’s difficult to determine what his affinity is. Also, he hadn’t had to play in any solo matches in Phase One, since Isolde was powerful enough to handle the toughest opponents. Therefore, none of his contracts had even been revealed yet at this year’s tournament.
When he represented First Celestial in his first and second years, he’d only had to reveal one contract in the few instances that he fought.
Therefore, despite him now being the captain of the team for the top college in the country, very little was actually known about him.
“I think it was around 14 months ago…the royal family asked for my grandmother’s help with capturing a suitable contract for his fifth star.” Theo said, while pausing to add suspense to the story.
“And your grandmother actually told you what they wanted her to capture? For people who are so strict with their precious heir’s privacy, that seems like a huge oversight…” Kain said skeptically.
“My grandmother didn’t tell me. I was staying with her during the summer they made the request, and based on her movements in the following period I was able to make an educated guess on what they wanted her to find. After all, there aren’t many species that need a 9-star beast-tamer with the mental attribute to find them.” Theo said while looking smug. He still didn’t get to the point, likely wanting those listening to beg him for more details.
However, with the hints already provided, Kain already had an idea and didn’t want to give him that satisfaction.
“A dream dragon.” Kain said deadpan, while making eye-contact with Theo as his face dropped and then pouted.
“Tsk…planners are so annoying.” He muttered while turning away.
Dream dragons are one of the most rare and elusive species in the world. Their native habitat is in the realm of dreams as they jump from mind to mind, seldom coming into the real world.
Even for a 9-star beast-tamer it couldn’t have been easy to find one.
For one thing, they do not have a single fixed form in dreams, unlike in the real world. Therefore, they may take on any form in the dream realm and so tracking them based on anecdotes is almost impossible.
For another thing, most humans forget their dreams once the dream dragon enters—likely due to the very dream serving as a source of food for them.
There are two types of dream dragons—mostly distinguished by the dreams that they prefer to frequent: nightmares or positive dreams. And their preferred dreams also influence their abilities.
It is reported that they are descended from the mythical Divine Dragon, and so even in the physical world which isn’t their preferred domain, they are probably more powerful than the average dragon.
Soren’s gaze hardened as he absorbed what the conversation between Kain and Theo likely meant, the air around him thick with tension.
His cousin, Cassian, had always been the prodigy, the one constantly hovering over him like a shadow that he couldn’t escape, even within his own family. Now, learning that Cassian might possess a Dream Dragon—a being so rare and powerful—was like the final confirmation that he would always be ahead of him.
“I heard his other contracts look and act nothing like a dream dragon though, so that doesn’t really answer the question about his affinity. Is that all you’ve got?” Kain said, slightly goading Theo for more information. Unfortunately, Theo merely shrugged and didn’t offer up anything else.
Cassian’s movements drew their attention back. He moved with the effortless confidence of someone accustomed to being the center of attention, and when he raised his hand to signal the start of the next round instead of the referee, it was clear he saw himself not just as a participant, but as the one in control, issuing orders with a calm authority.