Boundless Evolution: The Summoning Beast
Chapter 55: Two Days Later...

Chapter 55: Two Days Later...

The late morning sun barely filtered through the high windows of the Valen estate, casting long streaks of pale light across the polished wooden floors.

Despite the lingering weight of grief from the funeral just a day before, the household was already back in motion. Servants bustled through the halls, tending to their tasks, while the muted sounds of daily life hummed through the grand estate.

Inside his study, Bennet was already at work, the weight of his responsibilities pressing against him. Stacks of parchment and ledgers lined his desk, ink-stained fingers flipping through documents, signing approvals, and nothing estate expenses. His quill scratched against the paper with practiced efficiency, but his mind was already ahead, calculating the next task.

Then, the door opened.

A servant entered, bowing slightly before stepping aside to reveal Ash. The hyena strolled in with his usual casual air, but his sharp eyes took in Bennet’s state.

Dark circles framed his still sharp eyes, a silent testament to the weight pressing on him.

Seeing Ash, he stood from his chair and walked around his desk, his movements slower than usual, weighed down by fatigue. He placed a hand on the table’s edge, "Good. You’re here."

Ash tilted his head as he made his way towards Bennet, ’I didn’t think that you would be calling me...’

Bennet let out a dry chuckle before crossing his arms, "I had to... We have to talk about you."

Ash blinked, ’Me?’

Bennet nodded, his expression serious, "You’ve been here for two days, your time on Terranis is running out."

’Running out?’ Ash repeated the final two words, confused as he asked, ’What do you mean?’

Bennet leaned forward slightly, his arms still crossed as he explained, "When summons are summoned through a summoning circle, they are bound by the conditions set or given by the summoner when it arrives. Once the task it was summoned for is completed, the bond weakens, and depending on the summoner’s aether, the summon will forcefully return to Aegaryn, once the summoner cuts the aether link off or if he runs out of aether. It is not a matter of choice- it’s how magic works."

Ash’s ears perked up in confusion as he absorbed the information, ’Okay... Then in that sense, should I not have disappeared back to Aegaryn already? And not just me, but also the feline summon too?’

Bennet exhaled as a smirk appeared on his face, "That would be the case if you were summoned through a regular summoning circle...That difference there is the nature of your summoning. You were summoned through a battlefield summoning circle. It allows you to be summoned and stay idle for a maximum of five days without a mission."

At this, a sense of realisation struck Ash, ’Ah... So that’s what you mean by my time is running out.’

Bennet nodded, "And that brings us to the best way to stay in Terranis—an actual summoning contract.."

Ash’s ears twitched, ’There are other ways?’

Bennet nodded, leaning back slightly, "There are five primary forms of summoning. The first is Summoning Circles—beasts in the Summoning Realm fight for control over circles, which act as portals to the human world. If they step into a circle and it activates, they are transported to their summoner, often without knowing what fate awaits them."

For a brief moment, his mind flickered back to his first summoning...

’So there’s more ways to get summoned than just that...’ he thought as he updated his head with the information that he was about to receive next. He had only known three forms of summoning but it turns out there were still two more?

Bennet continued, "Then there’s Ritual Summoning, which is pre-planned and highly controlled. It involves incantations, magical circles, and sometimes even sacrifices. The more powerful the beast, the greater the cost—summoners have been known to offer blood, entire life forces, or even other living beings as catalysts to sustain the immense Aether required for such an event. It’s a method not just of power, but of desperation."

"And yet, it’s been done more times than you’d think. Some of the strongest beings in recorded history were summoned this way. Zavareth most likely used this exact method."

For a moment, a flicker of memory surfaced in Ash’s head—his first life, the cold stone chamber, the chanting voices, the searing pain. The ritual that had dragged him into darkness. He had been nothing more than an offering, a tool to be wielded. The scent of blood, the weight of unseen chains, the helplessness—all of it threatened to rise again before he shook the thought away.

Bennet’s voice did not stop as he continued speaking, firm and carrying the weight of experience, "Then there’s Battlefield Summoning— the one that you were summoned here with. Spirits and creatures are pulled from Aegaryn onto battlefields, used as disposable tools for war. Many don’t survive."

"Then there’s Summoning by Affinity—a rare but unique form of summoning where a summon is naturally drawn to a summoner through shared affinity, elemental connection, or fate itself. Some of the strongest summon-summoner bonds have been forged this way. However, this type of summoning is only available to actual summoners during their first ever summoning. It is believed that this phenomenon occurs as a result of their raw, unrefined Aether instinctively pulling forth the most compatible being from Aegaryn, creating an unbreakable link between the two."

Ash mulled over the information, his expression contemplative.

Bennet nodded. "And then finally, an actual summoning contract. It usually follows after a summoning circle is done. A summoner is able to sign a summoning contract with the summons, this permanently anchors a summon to this world through the summoner while allowing them to stay in Terranis for as long as they want."

As he reached towards the end, Bennet’s gaze softened slightly as he spoke, "My father’s last wish was for us to take care of you. He wanted you to form a contract with us, especially Lucas."

Ash’s ears perked slightly at the mention of Darius, a flicker of relief washed across his body as he realised that Bennet did not seem to be against this, he assured him, "I am more than willing to sign a summoning contract with Lucas."

Bennet offered a faint smile, though there was still something weighted in his gaze, "It’s not that simple yet. Lucas is yet to awaken his ability and the Coming of Age ceremony is in two days. You, being a shadow hyena, have an affinity to shadow energy. None of my ancestors nor Sera’s have exhibited an affinity to it. I want Lucas to sign a contract with a summon with the same affinity as his. This will ensure that they are able to grow from each other. His first summon is vital and I am afraid that I cannot let you sign a summoning contract with Lucas."

Ash’s brow furrowed, a sudden wave of emotions surging through him. His chest tightened, frustration mixing with something deeper, something raw. Rejection. He had agreed without hesitation, ready to take on the role Darius had intended for him, only to be told he couldn’t. The thought made his claws flex against the armrest, a flicker of something restless stirring in his mind.

But then, Bennet’s gaze sharpened, his observant eyes catching the tension in Ash’s frame—the way his claws flexed, the way his tail twitched with frustration.

With a slow exhale, he softened his tone and leaned forward, his expression steady yet understanding.

"I can see this isn’t what you expected," he said, his voice lacking its usual sharp edge, "But listen to me, Ash. It’s not about rejecting you—it’s about making sure things happen the right way. Lucas isn’t ready yet, but that doesn’t mean you don’t have a place here."

Ash stilled, his chest tightening, but he forced himself to listen.

Bennet laced his fingers together and continued, "Instead of waiting for Lucas, I’m offering you a family summoning contract. This is different from a regular contract—rather than binding you to one summoner, you’ll be linked to the Valen family as a whole. That means you will be available at my, Seraphina’s, and Lucas’s beckoning. You won’t just be a summon to one person—you’ll be part of something greater."

Ash’s tail flicked, his mind processing the implications. "That sounds convenient for you. But what’s the downside?"

Bennet gave a slight smirk, knowing Ash wasn’t going to agree without understanding the full picture, "You’ll be bound to House Valen alone. No one outside the family will be able to summon you while this contract is active. More than that, you can be summoned at any time by any of us, regardless of what you’re doing. It offers stability, but it also comes with responsibilities."

Ash exhaled, crossing his arms, "So, in exchange for staying in Terranis, I’m giving up my independence?"

Bennet’s expression remained steady, "Not really. This contract only requires you to answer when any of us calls—that is the only obligation. Otherwise, you are free to do as you please. You may roam both Aegaryn and Terranis, train, grow stronger, and pursue your own goals. House Valen will provide you with support, resources, and protection, so long as you lend your strength when we need it."

Ash’s ears twitched slightly at that, considering the offer carefully.

He had always despised the idea of being shackled, but this... this was different.

After a long pause, he exhaled and nodded. "Alright, I accept."