Aster couldn't contain himself anymore. Looking at the proud, puffed-up bird, his heart melted, and he pulled the eagle tight against his chest in a massive, affectionate hug.
"Ahh! You're so cute!" Aster squeezed, rubbing his cheek right against Kayler's pristine, white feathers.
Kayler's eyes went wide with pure shock. The eagle's majestic dignity was completely ruined. His sharp beak twisted into a hilariously furious, mad face, and he began to frantically flap his wings, scratching his talons against Aster's arms in a desperate attempt to break free. He let out a series of angry, muffled squawks, wiggling violently to get out of Aster's iron grip.
Sylas had to lean against the oak tree just to stay upright, clutching his ribs as he practically wheezed with laughter.
"Aster, let the poor guy go!" Sylas choked out between laughs. "He's an apex predator, not a teddy bear! You're going to offend his royal highness!"
Aster finally took the hint and loosened his grip, letting a deeply offended Kayler fly out of his arms. The white eagle soared up to a high branch of the oak tree, immediately flattening his ruffled feathers and glaring down at Aster with absolute betrayal.
Sylas wiped a tear of laughter from his eye and shook his head, finally calming down. "Alright, alright, fun time is over. Now for the really important part."
He straightened up and looked at Aster, his expression turning serious again.
"Now that you've met Kayler, it's time to learn the next step," Sylas said, pointing up at the glaring bird. "You need to learn how to turn him into your weapon. Remember what the man in the church said—against the Upper-Rank monsters, a regular blade won't do anything. You need your soul weapon."
Aster looked up at Kayler, who gave a defiant chirp. "How do I do that? Do I have to squeeze him again?"
"Definitely don't do that if you want to keep your fingers," Sylas chuckled. "It's similar to summoning him. You need to call him back to your soul, but instead of letting the magic form an animal, you have to visualize the weapon you want to hold in your hands. Call his name, focus on your bond, and command him to change."
"Listen closely," Sylas continued, his voice dropping to a serious, guiding tone. "You and Kayler need to connect your hearts together. You have to feel that pulse in your chest and find the exact same rhythm beating inside of him. Once you feel that connection lock into place, you need to say: 'We're together to protect the world.'"
Aster stopped joking around. He looked up at the high branch, his eyes locking onto the magnificent white eagle. Kayler stopped preening his feathers, as if sensing the sudden shift in Aster's energy. The bird tilted his head, his sharp, golden eyes staring intently back down at his summoner.
Aster took a deep, steadying breath and closed his eyes once more. He tuned out the rustling leaves of the ancient oak.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
There was his own heartbeat. Aster reached deep into his soul, searching for the magical thread that connected him to the bird. A moment later, he felt it—a second, much faster pulse vibrating at the other end of the bond. It was fierce, proud, and sharp. Aster focused, pouring his will into the thread, slowing his own rhythm and urging Kayler's to meet him in the middle.
Suddenly, a click echoed in his mind. Their heartbeats snapped into perfect unison.
Aster opened his eyes, which were now swirling with residual golden magic. He held out his right hand toward the tree and called out with absolute certainty:
"Kayler! We're together to protect the world!"
Aster kept his right hand extended, his eyes squeezed shut as he braced himself for the epic transformation. He waited for the sudden burst of light, the rush of wind, or the heavy weight of a legendary sword or bow to materialize in his palm.
Silence.
A few seconds passed. The only sound was the gentle rustling of the oak leaves above.
Aster slowly cracked one eye open.
Kayler hadn't moved an inch. The white eagle was still sitting comfortably on the high branch, looking down at Aster with an incredibly bored expression. He even tilted his head and let out a soft, dismissive chirp, as if to say, "Nice speech, but I'm comfy up here."
Aster's jaw dropped. "HUH?!" He checked his own chest. He could literally feel their hearts connected—the bond was locked in, pulsing perfectly in sync like a well-oiled machine. The magic was ready, the souls were intertwined, but Kayler was simply choosing to ignore the command.
Sylas clapped a hand over his face, letting out a heavy, exhausted sigh that turned into a chuckle.
"Well, the connection is definitely there," Sylas said, walking over and tapping Aster's shoulder. "But it looks like your partner is a little stubborn. Just because your hearts are connected doesn't mean he's going to listen to you without a fight. You're going to have to actually convince him to cooperate, Aster!"
Aster let his hand drop to his side, looking up at the high branch where Kayler was now casually preening a wing feather, completely unbothered.
"Hey, Sylas," Aster said, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "How exactly am I supposed to make him listen to me? Is there a trick to this, or do I need to bribe him with a giant worm?"
Sylas rubbed the back of his neck, looking a bit sheepish. He glanced down at the sleek, glowing panther resting quietly in the shade of the oak tree.
"To be honest with you... I don't really know," Sylas admitted, giving an awkward laugh. "Cane has listened to me since the very first second I summoned him. We just kind of clicked. I've never had to argue with my own soul before."
Cane lifted his majestic head, letting out a low, rumbling purr that sounded suspiciously like he was bragging.
Aster groaned, looking back up at his stubborn white eagle. "Great. So I got the only defective heart-animal in the whole cathedral."
Kayler stopped preening and glared down at Aster, letting out a sharp, offended screech, as if he understood every word.
Sylas tapped his chin thoughtfully, staring up at the stubborn bird, then back to Aster's frustrated face.
"Hm... maybe it's a matter of necessity," Sylas suggested, a sudden spark of realization in his tired eyes. "Think about it. Right now, we're safe under this oak tree. There's no pressure, no stakes. Kayler is proud, and he clearly doesn't feel like being a sword or a bow just for a practice round."
He stepped closer, his voice dropping into a more encouraging tone.
"Maybe when both of you are actually in danger, your hearts will truly connect out of survival. When a monster is lunging at you and there's no other choice, that's when the real bond tests itself. I bet Kayler will turn into the weapon and help you the second he realizes your life—and his—is on the line."
Up on the branch, Kayler rustled his pristine white wings and let out a sharp, knowing chirp, almost as if agreeing with Sylas's theory.
Aster sighed, looking at his glowing palm. "So I just have to wait until a monster tries to eat me to find out what my weapon is? That's comforting."
Sylas grinned, clapping Aster on the back so hard it made him stumble forward a step.
"Exactly! So, until a monster tries to bite your head off, we need a backup plan," Sylas said cheerfully. "You should go and get a regular sword or some other weapon right now. You can practice the basic stances and fighting forms with me first. That way, you won't be completely defenseless while you wait for Kayler to finally listen to you."
Up on the branch, Kayler let out a smug, condescending chirp, as if proud that he was forcing his summoner to do extra work.