I Started By Summoning a Small Fire Dragon

The Familiar Theory classroom felt colder than I expected. Maybe it was the ancient stone walls that made it feel like a cave, or maybe it was the cold stares I had been getting since I entered the room.

The incident of the crystal explosion yesterday had spread throughout the academy. I could feel whispers following me in the corridors, curious stares, and most annoyingly - the fearful expressions of some students when they saw Sol.

The little familiar was now sitting quietly on my shoulder, occasionally scratching its head with its tiny paws. It seemed completely oblivious to the commotion it had created. Or maybe it was just pretending not to care.

"Still sleepy?" I asked myself.

"A little," it replied with a yawn. "But I'll try to stay awake today."

At least it had learned from yesterday's mistake.

I sat in the back row, as usual. A safe position to observe without drawing too much attention. Neris sat two seats away from me, occasionally smiling reassuringly. Luna curled up on her lap, her crystal tail sparkling softly.

In the front row, of course, Kaelion sat with perfect posture. Aurelius perched on the desk with his head held high, as if to show their superiority. Since the incident yesterday, Kaelion had not spoken directly to me, but I could feel the aura of dislike emanating from him.

The classroom door swung open with a heavy thud. A tall man with gray hair and emerald green eyes stepped in. Perched on his shoulder was a beautiful snowy owl, its feathers pure white with silver flecks.

"Good morning, young aspiring Summoners," he said in a deep but friendly voice. "I am Professor Orvek, and I will be teaching you the basics of the summoning system."

He walked to the front of the class with a confident stride. The owl on his shoulder - whose name I think is Argentum from what I've heard - moved its head to scan the room.

"Before we begin," Professor Orvek continued, looking at each student, "can anyone explain what the summoning system is?"

Several hands went up. He pointed to a red-haired girl in the middle row.

"The summoning system is how we communicate and work together with familiars to use magic," the girl answered confidently.

"Correct, but incomplete," Professor Orvek said with a nod. "The summoning system isn't just about communication. It's about resonance—the harmony between a human soul and a familiar's soul. When that resonance is perfect, you can access power far beyond the limits of the individual."

He raised his hand, and Argentum flew from his shoulder. Suddenly, the air around the owl began to shimmer with tiny ice crystals.

"Familiars have different elemental affinities," he continued as Argentum flew around the room, leaving a trail of ice in the air. "And understanding these elements is key to being an effective Summoner."

Argentum returned to his shoulder, and the ice crystals disappeared.

"There are five basic elements in the summoning system," Professor Orvek said, writing on the board with sparkling chalk. "Fire, Ice, Wind, Earth, and Shadow."

That last word made me straighten my back. Shadow. Why does that sound familiar?

"Fire is the most aggressive element," Professor Orvek continued as he drew a fire symbol on the board. "Familiars with fire affinity usually have high attack power, but high energy consumption. They are the front-line fighters in battle."

Several students nodded, especially those who had dragon or phoenix familiars.

"Ice is the opposite of fire. A defensive element that focuses on control and protection. Ice familiars excel at crowd control and team defense."

He pointed to Luna who was curled up on Neris' lap. "Familiars like Luna over there are perfect examples. Strong healing and barrier abilities."

Neris smiled proudly as she stroked Luna.

"Wind is the element of speed and mobility. Wind familiars are usually very fast and agile, perfect for reconnaissance and hit-and-run tactics."

Aurelius flapped his wings slightly, as if showing off his elegance.

"Earth is the element of stability and resilience. Earth familiars have incredible defensive capabilities and high stamina. They are the tanks in team formations."

Professor Orvek paused and looked at the class with a more serious expression.

"And finally, Shadow." He wrote the word in larger letters. "The most mysterious and rare element. Shadow familiars have abilities that are... unique. They can do things that cannot be explained by the logic of other elements."

My heart began to beat faster. I glanced at Sol who was sitting quietly on my shoulder. Was he...?

"Shadow familiars are extremely rare," Professor Orvek continued. "In the history of the academy, perhaps only one in a thousand students has had a familiar with a shadow affinity. And usually, they have abilities that are…" he paused, searching for the right word, "…unpredictable."

Kaelion raised his hand. "Professor, how do we find out our familiar's elemental affinity?"

"Good question," Professor Orvek replied. "Normally, Resonance Crystals not only measure power, but also indicate elemental affinity through the color of light they emit. Red for fire, blue for ice, green for wind, brown for earth, and…"

He paused for a moment.

"Black for shadow."

Silence filled the room. I could feel several students glancing my way, perhaps remembering how the crystal exploded yesterday without showing any color.

"Of course," Professor Orvek continued with a small smile, "there are special cases where familiars have abilities that go beyond the normal category. In such cases, the crystal may not be able to provide an accurate reading."

Sol moved his head slightly, as if listening more intently.

"Now, for practice," Professor Orvek said, clapping his hands. "I want you all to try to feel the resonance with your familiars. Close your eyes, empty your minds, and feel the bond that connects you."

The class began to close their eyes and concentrate. I followed the instructions, trying to feel the bond with Sol.

At first, nothing happened. But slowly, I began to feel something - like a warm thread connecting my mind to Sol's. The thread pulsed with a strange rhythm, like an irregular heartbeat.

"I can feel you," Sol whispered in my mind.

"Me too," I replied. "This feels..."

"Strange?"

"Different. Like there's something big behind this bond."

Suddenly, I felt something cold touch my mind. Not cold like ice, but cold like... emptiness. Like deep, endless darkness.

My eyes snapped open, and I saw Sol staring at me with strangely sparkling eyes. For a moment, I thought I saw something very ancient and powerful behind those tiny eyes.

"Okay, that's enough for the first exercise," Professor Orvek said. "How do you feel?"

Several students began to share their experiences. Some felt warm, some felt like they were flying, some felt as steady as a mountain.

"And you, Nova?"

I was surprised when Professor Orvek suddenly asked that. The entire class turned to me.

"I..." I hesitated. "I felt something cold. Like darkness."

Small murmurs began to echo through the classroom. Professor Orvek stared at me with an expression I couldn't read.

"Interesting," he said quietly. "And Sol? Your familiar feels the same way?"

Sol moved his head slightly, but said nothing. I could tell he was a little nervous.

"Hmm," Professor Orvek murmured as he walked over to my desk. "May I see your familiar closer?"

My heart skipped a beat. "Sure, Professor."

I lifted Sol from my shoulder and brought him into my palm. The small familiar sat quietly, but I could feel the tension through our bond.

Professor Orvek bent down to take a closer look at Sol. Argentum on his shoulder also stared with large, attentive eyes.

For a few seconds, nothing happened. Professor Orvek just watched Sol with narrowed eyes, as if trying to solve a puzzle.

Then, his expression changed.

His emerald green eyes widened, and his face turned pale. He took a step back, then two, all the while staring at Sol with an expression that was a mix of awe and... fear?

"Professor?" I asked worriedly. "Is something wrong?"

Professor Orvek didn't answer. He just kept staring at Sol with increasingly wide eyes. The Argentum on his shoulder began to fidget, flapping its wings nervously.

The entire class fell silent, feeling the sudden tension filling the room.

"Professor Orvek?" Neris called in a worried voice.

Finally, Professor Orvek blinked and seemed to snap out of his trance. He looked at me with a very serious expression.

"Nova," he said in a slightly shaky voice. "After class, I want to talk to you. Privately."

"Why, Professor? Is Sol—"

"Later," he interrupted quickly. "We'll talk later."

He turned and went back to the front of the class, but I could see his hands shaking slightly as he picked up the chalk.

"Okay," he said in an attempt to sound normal. "Let's continue the lesson on elemental combinations..."

But I couldn't concentrate anymore. There was only one question on my mind:

What did Professor Orvek see when he looked at Sol?

And why did he look so surprised?