A Will Sovereign Chapter 40: Chapter 40— Asterion.

Read chapter 40 of A Will Sovereign by Sloche on NovelPedia.

--- After the bond was formed, Soldret and Zephyr made their way back toward the massive gate. The little black chick remained nestled peacefully in Soldret's hands, still asleep but breathing steadily. The Elder guarding the grove was waiting near the exit. When his eyes landed on the small chick, the old guardian's calm expression cracked with visible surprise. "That… is a Void Shadow Raptor chick?" The elder leaned closer, studying the tiny creature with wide eyes. "That's a surprise. I've guarded this grove for centuries and I wasn't even sure one was here. They are incredibly rare and proud. The mothers usually throw them into spatial rifts the moment they hatch to test their survival instinct. To think one found its way and actually bonded with someone…" He looked at Soldret with newfound respect. "You have good fortune, young disciple." Soldret smiled lightly, gently stroking the chick's feathers. "Thank you, Elder. I'll take good care of him." Zephyr bowed respectfully. "Thanks for your guidance today, Elder." The Elder waved his hand, still staring at the chick in wonder. "Hmmm… I wonder if I might be as lucky if I venture deeper into the grove." The elder thought to himself before dismissing the thought as a hamster-like primal beast crawled out from his robe. "I was just joking, just joking," he said nervously. The portal rippled open once more, and the two disciples stepped through, leaving the radiant sanctuary behind. --- The return flight on the manta ray was just as majestic. Soldret kept the little chick safely tucked against his chest, protecting it from the wind. The creature remained fast asleep the entire way, occasionally letting out tiny, content chirps in its dreams. When they finally landed back on Martial Peak, the familiar bamboo courtyard greeted them. The summit felt different now — warmer, more like home. Soldret headed straight to one of the bamboo houses. He prepared a bath similar to the medicinal ones he had used before, filling the tub with warm water and adding some of the milder healing herbs Bam had shown him earlier. He didn't want the bath to be too potent for the chick, just enough to avoid any unforeseen crisis. He gently placed the sleeping bird into the shallow water, making sure its head stayed above the surface. The little creature didn't wake, but its breathing became even steadier as the healing essence soothed its bent wing. Bam and Medici soon appeared, drawn by the commotion of their arrival. Bam's eyes widened when he saw the small black chick floating peacefully in the bath. "Is that… a primal beast chick? You actually got one! Don't tell me you stole it from its nest?" Medici leaned in closer, her golden snake-like eyes sparkling with curiosity. She gently touched the chick with keen observation. A few moments later, her face turned vivid with realization. "The night-like feathers, metal-like beak, and starry-like eyes… this is a Void Shadow Raptor? And such a young one at that… It seems to be a little bit older than when it probably hatched. It must have already undergone the survival test of being thrown into a space rift and it somehow survived, albeit injured… Where did you find it?" Soldret smiled, a bit proud by the attention. "I heard a weak cry near a crystal spring. He was injured and alone. When I approached… we just connected then, like a resonance…" Bam whistled softly. "You must have saved the world in a previous life or something to have such luck. Look at that bluish crown on its head — I've never seen that before." Soldret almost laughed after hearing Bam talk about him saving the world in a previous life. If the one in his memory really was him, then rather than saving the world, he had been hunted by it. The contrast felt like a bitter twist of fate. Medici nodded, gently touching the edge of the bath. "Void Shadow Raptors normally have silver-like crowns, but a blue one… this is a first." She was silent for a few moments before saying in a mix of shock an