A Demon’s Grimoire

The air crackled with energy as Medea's command rang out. In an instant, both summons surged into motion, the earth trembling beneath their might.

The Infernal Boar charged first, its hooves pounding the ground like thunderclaps. Blue flames roared to life around its obsidian form, twisting and spiraling in an almost hypnotic dance. The boar's tusks, jagged and gleaming like molten glass, glowed with the intensity of its miasma-infused power.

Kael's Royal Dragon reacted with practiced precision, rising onto its hind legs with a grace that seemed almost effortless. Its pure white scales shimmered under the light, reflecting an otherworldly brilliance. Golden energy crackled along its claws, a manifestation of its divine power.

The two collided in a clash that sent shockwaves rippling through the training ground. The boar's tusks scraped against the dragon's claws, sparks flying as divine energy met miasma. The ground beneath them cracked and splintered, unable to withstand the sheer force of their battle.

I could feel the intensity of their powers through my grimoire, even from where I stood.

The Infernal Boar, though a creature of miasma, used its flames as more than just a weapon. They acted as a shield, licking hungrily at the dragon's strikes, absorbing some of the impact and converting it into raw energy. It fought with relentless ferocity, every charge and swipe of its tusks carrying a brutal, unyielding strength.

But the Royal Dragon was on another level. Its movements were fluid, calculated. Unlike the boar's raw aggression, the dragon fought with precision, each strike aimed to exploit an opening. Its divine energy shimmered in arcs of golden light, not just protecting its body but reinforcing its attacks.

Kael stood at the edge of the battlefield, his hand resting lightly on his grimoire. His commands were minimal, almost nonexistent, and I realized why. The Royal Dragon, even at this stage, was highly intelligent, capable of reading its opponent and adapting without constant intervention.

The boar lunged forward again, its tusks aiming for the dragon's exposed flank. But the dragon twisted midair, its tail sweeping in a wide arc. The impact sent the boar skidding backward, its hooves digging deep trenches into the ground as it struggled to maintain balance.

"Focus, Valkas!" Medea's voice cut through the tension, her tone sharp but not unkind.

Prince Valkas gritted his teeth, his red eyes blazing with determination. He raised his grimoire, its miasma-darkened pages glowing faintly. "Infernal Boar, Cinderstorm Charge!"

The boar let out a deafening roar as the blue flames around its body intensified, surging outward like a living inferno. With a speed that defied its massive frame, it barreled toward the dragon, its flames coalescing into a swirling storm of heat and shadow.

Kael didn't flinch. "Royal Dragon, Radiant Spiral."

The dragon reared back, its claws glowing brighter than ever. In one fluid motion, it spun, releasing a vortex of golden energy that spiraled outward. The radiance collided with the storm of flames, the two forces clashing in a dazzling explosion of light and shadow.

For a moment, the battlefield was obscured, the sheer intensity of the collision blinding. When the dust and energy finally settled, the Infernal Boar stood panting, its flames dimmed but not extinguished. The Royal Dragon, however, looked largely unscathed, its white scales glinting as it prepared for another strike.

The difference was becoming clear. The Infernal Boar, for all its strength and tenacity, was outmatched. Its miasma core was powerful, but the two divine cores of the dragon provided an insurmountable advantage. Each strike from the dragon carried a weight that the boar couldn't fully counter.

Kael's voice rang out again, calm and composed. "Finish it. Blazing Fang."

The Royal Dragon surged forward, its claws igniting with golden energy. In a blur of movement, it struck, its fangs bared and gleaming with radiant power. The Infernal Boar let out a final defiant roar before the impact sent it sprawling across the ground, the flames around its body flickering weakly.

Medea raised her hand, her voice cutting through the murmurs of the onlookers. "The match is over. Victory: Kael Veylin."

The tension in the air eased, though the awe remained. Even among the Gold-grade summoners in the first years, it was clear that Kael and his Royal Dragon stood at the pinnacle.

As I watched my brother calmly recall his Royal Dragon, I felt a conflicting swirl of pride and unease. He had performed brilliantly, commanding his summon with a confidence that left little doubt about his abilities. Yet, I couldn't help but feel the weight of comparison pressing down on me, unspoken but ever-present.

Tentatively, I opened my Diamond grimoire, summoning Aria into the world once more. She emerged with her usual grace, her dark eyes unblinking as they met mine. For a moment, the chaos of the training grounds seemed to still, her presence drawing an odd sort of quiet.

"What do you think?" I asked her, my voice quiet. "Could you win?"

"Easy," she replied simply, her tone flat, as though the question barely deserved an answer.

I smiled at her unflappable confidence. Of course, I had expected nothing less. Kael's Royal Dragon was far stronger than Mary's Golden Lion, but Aria was on an entirely different level—a Prime Eterna among beings that had never seen her like.

And yet, a subtle thump in my chest reminded me of an uncomfortable truth. Aria's overwhelming strength came with its own complications. Her potential was vast, almost incomprehensible, but her pace of growth would be slower than summons like the Royal Dragon or the Golden Lion.

Forming a core—whether divine, miasma, or mana—required absorbing an enormous amount of energy. The higher a being's biological grade, the greater the energy required. For a being like Aria, who relied on both divine and miasma energy, the task was monumental.

Absorbing ambient energy from the air was far too slow to be practical. No, Aria would need to consume powerful beings, devouring their cores to grow stronger.

And therein lay the problem. Divine and miasma beasts were far rarer than mana beasts. The latter were more plentiful, easier to grow, and thus more practical for most summoners. Divine and miasma beasts, while more powerful, required far more effort to nurture, making Aria's growth a daunting challenge.

I glanced back at her, marveling at the calm she exuded despite the odds stacked against her.

"Who's the strongest opponent you've ever fought?" I asked, curiosity getting the better of me.

She tilted her head slightly, as if reaching into the distant recesses of her memory. "Sword Emperor," she said simply.

Her answer caught me off guard. Sword Emperor? Was that the name of a beast? Or perhaps a summoner from her world?

"How strong was the Sword Emperor?" I pressed, hoping for a clearer answer.

"Very strong," she nodded, her tone as steady as ever, "but not that strong."

I blinked at the contradiction, but before I could probe further, her gaze shifted. Her onyx eyes settled on the creature coiled elegantly around the Headmaster's shoulders.

Prime Luminara Miasma Beast: Amethyst Basilisk.

The basilisk's dark, scaled body glinted faintly in the sunlight, its many eyes half-lidded, exuding an aura of lethargic menace. This wasn't just any Luminara beast—it was the pinnacle of its kind, fully matured with twelve miasma cores, making it a level higher than even my father's mightiest summon.

Aria studied it with quiet intensity.

The truth settled over me like a cold shadow. Even now, in her incomplete state, Aria was an unmatched force. But against the basilisk?

She wasn't stronger.

Not yet.

There was no doubt in my mind that Aria would eventually surpass it. Her very existence as a Prime Eterna ensured that. But for now, the gap was clear—a testament to the power of maturity and time.

I exhaled slowly, the weight of my role as her summoner pressing against my chest. For all her overwhelming strength and potential, there was still so much left to discover, to cultivate, to master.

And the path ahead—for both of us—was anything but easy.