Chapter 3

Lionark's POV.

"Hey little bro, I'm sorry about not being able to make it to your calling ceremony. I'm sent on a mission to the Air Kingdom. King Granite wants me and a group of other soldiers to deliver a very important scroll to the royal family. I really have to go now. I hope you call an animal.

Love,

You're amazing Brother, Crystyle.

P.S. Globe says hello!"

I read my brother's letter to me out loud. Why did the king have to send Crystyle out of all of his soldiers out to deliver it?! I thought bitterly.

"Why now?" I cried, clutching the envelope. I groaned and sprawled out on my bed. Of course, I'm not surprised, my brothers literally the best soldier in the king's army. My father is also second in command. My mother is a successful merchant. I imagined my brother hiking mountains with a group of soldiers with his border collie partner Globe.

"Stay safe," I whispered. We lost our uncle from a military mission the king sent him on. I don't want to lose my brother.

Wiping my eyes, I slowly got ready for the ceremony. Putting on my emerald green suit. I combed back my forest green hair and confidently walked out of my room. I glanced at the Earth element flag hanging on my wall with a griffin on it. There has been a rumor about the 4 beasts returning and being summoned. People claimed that yesterday Zalop was called and on the same day, in the early morning, Sactom was summoned.

"I'm so sorry about your brother," My mom said, the moment I entered the kitchen.

"Yeah, it's ok," I replied "I just hope he stays safe."

Just then, my father walked in, grunted a good morning, and walked out telling the cook that he wanted breakfast delivered to his office. You see, my father and I don't really get along. I've never taken an interest in fighting like him or my brother. And him, being 2nd in command in the military, doesn't like that. He made me learn the basics of sword fighting, using a bow and arrow and I'm pretty good at it... but I never really felt the need to learn these so we soon began to drift apart.

"Lionark, the guards will escort you to the city hall, that's where the ceremony will take place. Your father and I will leave soon, but you need to get their early," My mother said as 2 guards followed her into the room.

"Yes, mother," I replied, sighing while following them out the room.

I entered a fancy carriage pulled by 2 earth ponies.

After a short ride, we arrived at the city hall. Today, there is a long rectangular stage in front of it. 2 large banners of Minbor are hanging down from the roof of the city hall on both sides of the stage. I entered the grand hall of the building and was led to a large room by a short woman. Ther's only 1 other person inside of it. Range, a good friend of mine. His birthday was 3 days ago, my birthday happens to fall on the day of our ceremony.

"Did you hear?" He asked the moment I walked in.

"About what?" I questioned, confused.

"About the beasts that have been summoned!!!" He exclaimed

"Oh, yeah I head about it," I responded and grinned.

"Which means that one of us might summon a beast!" He blurted.

"Yeah... not possible," I said rolling my eyes.

"It's so possible! 2 of the beasts were both summoned very close to each other. Which means that Minbor might be summoned today or tomorrow." Range replied thoughtfully.

"Okay, fine. Maybe it's possible. But Minbor defiantly won't be summoned by me. There are about 25 other ceremonies going on right now, and more will happen later in the day. It's literally 1 in a billion chance that one of us will summon him!" I said collapsing onto a couch.

"But there's still a chance!" He said happily.

I just sighed and shook my head.

‧͙⁺˚*･༓☾　TIME SKIP　☽༓･*˚⁺‧͙

"Boys, it's time," A dark-haired lady told us after a bunch of people poked with needles while adjusting out clothing.

"Follow me, the ceremony is about to begin," She said. The lady guided us through the maze-like hallways. When we stepped onto the stage, the audience cheered and clapped loudly. I can see Range's and my parents clapping politely. My father looking really bored.

One of our element's Wise-One came up onto the stage, creating a boulder seat in the middle of it and settling down. He did a small speech about the ceremony and being lucky enough to be performing it to the son of the 2nd in command general and to the son of the mayor of the town. (That's Range)

"Let the ceremony begin!" the Wise-One shouted, the crowd roaring in response.

"Range, please approach me," he said as the roaring died down.

"Good luck," I muttered,

He smiled and went up to the elder man, holding out his hand. The Wise-One smiled at him and places a glowing green jewel into his palm. "Close your hand, you will easily crush this jewel," He said to Range.

Range closed his eyes and crushed it, turning it into a cloud of pale green dust that disappeared before it landed onto the ground.

Suddenly a bright green light exploded outwards. I blinked my eyes a few times then looked at Range. There stood a brown bear towering over him. "Wow," I said quietly while the crowd muttered and clapped.

"What will you name your partner?" The Wise-One questioned Range.

He thought, pausing then said, "Timber, I will name him Timber because he is strong enough to knock down a tree with one mighty blow."

"Very well, please welcome Timber to the mayor's family!!!" The Wise-One shouted as Timber and Range kept down from the stage to join his family, the crowd whistled, clapped and stomped.

"Lionark," The Wise-One said, beckoning me forward. I did what Range did and walked forward, putting my hand out, palm facing the sky. He placed a shiny green gem into my palm, nodding at me. I closed my hand, crushing the gem, turning it into green dust. Suddenly everything stilled, the trees stopped swaying, the banners stopped flapping in the wind, the air stilled. Suddenly a large crack appeared in the ground, moving quickly towards the stage. It stopped right in front of the stage. A thick mist seeped from the crack, surrounding me. In a blinding flash the mist disappeared and a mighty griffin stood before me. Green eyes stared straight into my brown eyes. "IT'S MINBOR!" Someone in the crowd screeched, causing the crowd to go wild "HE HAS RETURNED!!!"

"Minbor... Minbor, the mighty griffin is standing right in front of me. I summoned him." I said quietly, astonished. He has emerald green eyes, brown feathered wings and head, a tawny gold lion body, and deadly black claws.

I looked at my parents. My mother has a look of shock, pride, and happiness upon her face. My father has a look of surprise, sadness, and... something that I don't see on his face very often, but he looked pleased. And some other mixed emotions, I can't tell.

Range lept onto the stage and high-fives me. "And you were saying that it's impossible for one of us to summon Minbor!" He yelled.

Suddenly the sky lit up with a blinding light, silencing the celebrating crowd. A cloaked woman appeared on the stage.

"I am Selia, leader of the Cloaked Callers. You and Minbor need to come with me to join the other 3 callers of the beasts. You are part of the prophecy to stop the Century War. You and the other 3 summoners of the legendary beasts will learn and train in Cloaked Haven." She said.

"To train? On what?" My father asked sternly.

"Self defense, surviving in the wilderness, and lots of different things," Selia answered, "I'm asking you, general for your son to come with me."

"It's up to Lionark," My mother spoke.

Everyone looked at me. I looked around then looked at Minbor. He stared at me with his piercing green eyes and flapped his wings. He stood up and stepped towards Selia. "I'll join. Minbor wants me to join." I said motioning to my griffin who is standing next to the leader of the Cloaked Callers.

"That's a good choice," Selia said, "We're just waiting for Ezera to be summoned, for now, you will stay at Cloaked Haven with the other 3 legend summoners until she shows herself."