TBATE: PRIMORDIAL ASCENSION

Chapter 24: Gawain Ariosto

GAWAIN ARIOSTO'S POV: 

My name is Gawain Ariosto, and I come from the noble House of Ariosto, one of the most respected military families in the human kingdom of Sapin. Our family has long held a significant influence over Sapin, with generations of my ancestors, serving as high-ranking officers and strategists. The Ariosto name is synonymous with discipline, strength, and a deep-rooted commitment to protecting our kingdom.

About a year ago, something unexpected happened that would change my life. It was early morning, and I was still asleep in my bed when I felt a presence near me. At first, I thought it was just a dream, but then I realized it was something real. A small, dark brown wolf, almost a third of a meter, was sitting by my bed with its legs crossed as if it belonged there. The wolf had an overgrown mane, orange markings, and a long-haired tail.

At first, I was startled, but I didn't feel any fear. There was a strange calmness in the room, and the wolf didn't seem hostile at all. It just sat there, watching me with intelligent eyes. Before I could fully process what was happening, the maids came in to wake me up, as they usually did. The moment they saw the wolf, panic ensued. They screamed and ran out of the room, and within minutes, the whole household was in an uproar.

My grandfather, Gladwin Ariosto, came rushing in to see what the commotion was about. He's a seasoned warrior, not someone easily frightened or surprised. When he entered the room and saw the wolf sitting calmly next to me, he paused. I had just woken up and was about to ask what was going on when I noticed the tension in the air. Despite the situation, my grandfather didn't attack the wolf. Like me, he must have sensed that there was no hostility coming from it. The wolf wasn't just any mana beast; there was something different about him.

Curious, I extended my arm to touch him. To my surprise, the wolf showed no intention of attacking. Instead, he wagged his tail, almost as if he was enjoying my touch. As my hand made contact with his fur, I suddenly felt something else—a wave of emotions that weren't my own. They were his. Joy, contentment, and a sense of belonging. A laugh escaped my lips.

"Can you feel its emotion, Gawain?" Grandpa's voice broke me out of my thoughts. 

I nodded, still puzzled by the connection I felt with the wolf. His fur was warm under my hand, and as I stroked him, I could sense his emotions as if they were my own. There was no fear, no aggression—just a serene calmness and a strange sense of joy.

Grandpa's eyes widened in astonishment, and then, to my surprise, he burst out laughing. "As if awakening at the age of nine and unlocking gravity at ten wasn't enough, now you even have a bond? Hahaha, what kind of genius are you?"

My eyes widen in astonishment at what he said. As a member of the Ariosto family, I've been trained to understand the bond between humans and mana beasts from a very young age, along with the training I received from Grandpa for wielding The Great Sword.

"Haha, Wendel and Eva are going to be very surprised when they come back," Grandpa said laughing, I could already imagine how my father, Wendel Ariosto, and my mother, Eva Ariosto were going to be proud of me. Thinking about it already makes me smile ear to ear. 

That was the day Demitrius became a part of my life. From that morning on, he never left my side.... well generally? maybe. Even though no one knew where he came from or why he chose me, it felt like we were meant to be together. Later, I also found out about a mark on my arm, which symbolizes my bond with Demitrius. 

One thing that was peculiar about Demitrius was, how he was able to understand even the most complex sentences and even talk with me to a certain extent through just his feelings, that was also how I had come to know about his name, 'Demitrius'.