Chapter 19– The Pocket Realm Trials Begin
Part 1 – Into the Shifting World
Scene One: The Entry Gate
The sky above Aflety Academy was unnaturally still.
The vast tournament grounds had been replaced by an enormous glowing circle of runes that pulsed with ancient magic. Floating just above it, a massive gate of swirling silver and blue light hovered, humming like a living thing. This was the entry to the Pocket Realm, a hidden dimension used only once every hundred years—when trials of both beasts and bonds were deemed necessary.
Evan stood with his team—Lilith, Kael, Rena, Dorian, and Aelric—each bearing fresh gear, replenished potions, and eyes sharpened by war. Nex slithered at Evan's side, eyes glowing with unreadable intelligence.
Professor Arvax, the Grand Referee, floated above the platform, his robes rippling in the breeze conjured by the portal. His voice boomed like thunder, but every word was measured with gravity.
"The final phase shall now commence. Twenty-two teams remain. Inside the Pocket Realm, five trials await. Each one will test your strength, your strategy, your unity, and your resolve."
He raised a hand, and five stars ignited in the sky above the portal.
"The Elemental Storm. The Beast Hunt. The Mind Labyrinth. The Pact of Echoes. And finally—Dominion's Judgement."
Gasps rose from the crowd. Even some professors looked surprised. Dominion's Judgement had not been spoken of in centuries.
Evan exchanged a look with Lilith.
"They're using an ancient trial set," she whispered. "This is no longer just about competition. This is a purification gauntlet."
"They're preparing us for war," Kael added grimly.
Scene Two: Entering the Pocket Realm
One by one, the teams stepped into the portal and vanished.
When Evan's team crossed the threshold, the world bent.
Colors twisted. Gravity faltered. Space folded.
And then—
—they landed in a world that looked like nothing from the Feral Lands.
The sky was cracked with shifting auroras, and vast floating islands drifted through the air. Rivers flowed upward, forests roared like oceans, and enormous elemental beasts slumbered in the distance, their bodies partially fused with the terrain.
"It's like the laws of nature broke," Rena muttered.
"No," Dorian said, adjusting his monocle. "This realm predates the laws."
Above them, a stone monolith shimmered, displaying each team's insignia. Below it: a scoreboard.
Evan's team—Team Rochel—was listed in third place. First and second were held by Elyndor Academy and Moonvale Institute, both foreign powers with deeply rooted beast traditions.
"We'll need to climb that list fast," Aelric muttered.
Just then, a deep horn echoed through the realm.
"FIRST TRIAL: THE ELEMENTAL STORM… COMMENCING."
The temperature dropped instantly. The winds turned to slicing razors of frost. Firestorms ignited across the horizon. Lightning bolts tore open the sky—and from the north came a thunderous growl.
A massive beast made entirely of pure storm essence descended from the clouds.
Its name boomed in their minds.
"I AM XHAL'RUUN, STORM OF THE FIRST SKY. SHOW ME YOUR SOUL, OR BE SHATTERED."
Evan stepped forward, heart pounding, Nex coiling upward behind him in full size, divine eyes burning.
"Everyone," Evan said, his voice calm. "Formation Duskfang. Shields up. Elemental syncs active."
The others moved without hesitation. Kael's sword glowed crimson. Lilith summoned shadow wings. Rena pulled twin daggers of ice, while Dorian and Aelric began their dual incantation, weaving lightning-eating wards.
The beast roared.
And the storm trial began.
____
Scene One: Storm of the First Sky
Xhal'ruun descended like a calamity given form—its body a swirling maelstrom of clouds, lightning, and cutting wind. Its eyes were two suns of plasma, glaring down upon Evan's team with primal fury. This was no mere summoned elemental—it was an Ancient Construct, forged at the dawn of the Beast Pact Era to judge worthiness.
It was power incarnate.
Evan's body tensed, but he didn't waver. "Engage!"
Kael dashed ahead, cloak fluttering, his crimson blade Ignis Vein roaring to life as it clashed with a tendril of wind-laced lightning. Lilith vanished into a shadow flicker, emerging behind the beast to launch chains of darkness aimed at binding one of its storm-wings.
Nex grew, wings unfurling to blot out the chaos above. With a deep hiss, Nex launched a spiraling black beam laced with divine venom—Godbreaker Fang—straight at Xhal'ruun's chest.
The storm beast shrieked, its elemental body rippling as part of it was blown away.
But it reformed almost instantly.
"Elemental cores!" Dorian shouted, scanning the beast through his enchanted monocle. "It has three! One wind, one lightning, one pressure core. Destroy all or it'll keep regenerating!"
Rena flipped through the air, her ice daggers aimed precisely. "Then we cut it apart piece by piece."
Scene Two: Trial Formation – Duskfang
Evan's team shifted into their coordinated formation: Duskfang, designed specifically to battle large enemies with regenerative or multi-core structures.
Evan took center—channeling Beast Resonance with Nex, his aura glowing dark blue and gold. Nex's eyes blazed as Evan fed him strength, their bond deepening by the second.
Kael and Rena handled the flanks, forcing the beast to focus on multiple angles.
Lilith and Aelric supported from range—Lilith binding elemental flows with her night magic, and Aelric weaving spatial delays around the enemy's limbs.
Dorian anchored the center with magical shields, manipulating the storm's currents and keeping their team grounded amidst tornados.
And Evan?
He became the storm's core antagonist.
He jumped into the air—propelled by Nex's breath—and drew the sword given to him by his family, the enchanted relic of the Rochel bloodline: Stellafury.
The blade glowed with anti-magic runes.
"Burst Core: Pressure!"
Evan slashed through the air.
A shockwave of beast aura and divine suppression exploded forward, slicing straight into Xhal'ruun's pressure core.
For the first time, the beast roared in pain.
Kael immediately followed up, leaping and piercing the Wind Core with a flame spiral slash.
Rena dashed into position and flung both blades into the final lightning core.
A chain reaction of explosions shattered the storm entity from within.
Scene Three: Judgment and Reward
The battlefield quieted.
Xhal'ruun's form dispersed into swirling particles. From them, a massive stone obelisk emerged, carved with ancient runes and glowing blue veins. The obelisk floated down in front of Evan.
Words inscribed themselves across its surface:
"Trial of the First Sky — Passed. Team Rochel: 1st Completion."
Bonus: 'Unbroken Formation' — +20 Points.
Secret Core Interference — +10 Points.
Bond Strength Above 78% — +5 Points.
Total: +35 Points. Ranking Updated.
The scoreboard in the sky shifted.
Team Rochel: Rank 1.
Cheers erupted from spectators watching through the magical broadcast crystals. Professors exchanged shocked glances. Even Syralein looked impressed.
But Evan wasn't smiling.
Because deep within the obelisk, Nex was growling. A single thought entered his mind from his beast:
"Something watched us through the storm. Something ancient. And it wasn't part of the trial."
Scene Four: Other Teams, Rising Pressure
Elsewhere in the Pocket Realm, rival academies were locked in their own trials.
The elite from Elyndor Academy—led by the silver-haired tactician Prince Ralvon—faced off against an even more aggressive version of Xhal'ruun, using high-elf spell constructs and a dragon-born summoner bonded to a pseudo-God Beast.
Meanwhile, Moonvale Institute's dark-arts team bypassed half the storm with illegal teleportation glyphs—drawing attention from the judging committee.
But all of them saw the update in the rankings.
Evan's team had taken the lead.
For the first time, everyone was now hunting not just victory—but him.
Scene One: The Jungle Awakens
The moment the storm cleared and the monolith faded, the realm shifted again.
The floating islands trembled, and the sky darkened. What once was wind and lightning morphed into dense, suffocating mist. Beneath Evan and his team, the platform gave way—plunging them into darkness.
They landed, softly, in a vast primeval jungle.
Massive trees with glowing roots towered overhead. Leaves whispered with intelligence, and the air was thick with magic and tension. Vines moved like serpents. The ground breathed.
From above, a phantom voice echoed:
"SECOND TRIAL: THE BEAST HUNT."
"You are now prey. The first to slay three Apex Beasts and retrieve their cores will proceed. But beware—each core claimed calls more dangerous predators. And among them… walks one who does not belong."
The message faded. A chill went down Evan's spine.
"Apex Beasts," Aelric muttered. "Ancient entities mutated by time magic. They're hyper-territorial and immune to most control spells."
Lilith narrowed her eyes. "And one doesn't belong? That's a warning."
"We're being hunted too," Evan confirmed. "Stay in tight formation. We move silent, fast, and ready."
Scene Two: The First Hunt – Echo Panther
Their first enemy found them in the shadows.
It was a beast shaped like a panther, but twice the size of a horse. Its body shimmered with illusion, and its growl distorted the air. Every sound it made echoed—creating dozens of false signals.
"It's manipulating sound and light," Rena said, flipping to the side as an illusion lunged past her.
Nex lunged forward—fangs glowing—and dispelled two copies with a single sweep of his tail. But the real Echo Panther struck from behind, slashing toward Evan.
Kael blocked the blow, sliding backward, boots sparking against the earth. "Fast!"
Lilith threw a shadow net—ensnaring the beast mid-leap. Evan dove forward with Stellafury, his blade humming with Beast Severance.
One clean strike—through the illusion field.
The Echo Panther collapsed, and its body turned to smoke, leaving behind a glowing Resonant Core.
"1 Apex Core claimed."
Scene Three: The Second Beast – Mirrorhorn Ravager
They barely had time to breathe before the next one arrived.
It crashed through the trees like a juggernaut—its body covered in crystalline armor that reflected magic and beast aura. A single massive horn on its head pulsed with energy.
"Mirrorhorn Ravager," Dorian said in awe. "We're in trouble."
Every spell they cast bounced back. Lilith's shadow spears reversed. Aelric's delay fields inverted. Rena's daggers snapped against the hide.
Evan narrowed his eyes.
"Then we break it with something real."
He mounted Nex—and their beast bond flared.
Nex's scales glowed gold-black. He wrapped his tail around Evan and launched them both into the sky.
"Divine Beast Technique—Gravity Coil Descent!"
With a roar that split the realm, Nex and Evan crashed down like a meteor, punching through the Ravager's horn with pure force. Crystals shattered.
"2 Apex Cores claimed."
But the jungle stirred violently in response.
From all around, the air grew darker. Whispers began.
"It watches."
Scene Four: The Imposter Appears
As they moved toward their third prey, a strange presence entered their awareness.
It looked like a student—red uniform, standard beast crest, no team symbol.
But the beast with him… was wrong.
Its aura was suffocating, like a dead star given breath.
Evan instinctively moved in front of Lilith. "That's not one of ours."
The "student" smiled.
"You're quick, Rochel. No wonder she warned me about you."
Then he moved.
So fast the air warped.
Nex barely blocked his first strike. But the imposter was gone again—reappearing behind Dorian, then Kael, then Lilith.
Evan activated Divine Sight—and saw it.
A brand on the boy's arm. A corrupted rune.
The Black Nest.
"Scatter!" Evan shouted. "This isn't part of the trial—this is sabotage!"
Scene Five: An Unexpected Ally
Just as the imposter launched a deathblow at Rena, a silver blur intercepted it—deflecting the strike with a gust of wind.
A boy landed beside them—elegant, silver hair, calm gaze. His uniform bore the symbol of Elyndor Academy.
"Prince Ralvon," Lilith said in surprise.
Ralvon held up his staff. "I don't care for petty sabotage. This is still a sacred trial. I will not let it be stained."
Together—two rival teams faced the intruder.
Nex and Evan fought in sync. Ralvon summoned storm sigils.
And though the imposter vanished under their combined assault, Evan felt no relief.
Because Nex whispered again, this time deeper and darker:
"The Black Nest has breached this realm. And they are searching… for something buried here."
Here is Chapter 18 – The Pocket Realm Trials Begin, Part 4 of Awakening in the Beast World:
Chapter 18 – The Pocket Realm Trials Begin
Part 4 – Heart of the Pocket Realm
Scene One: The Final Apex Beast – Tyrant Serpent of the Deep Roots
After the mysterious Black Nest agent vanished, a grim silence lingered over the jungle. Prince Ralvon stood nearby, regal even in bloodstained robes. His team was regrouping somewhere farther off, but for now, he remained with Evan.
"I didn't come to help you," Ralvon said coolly, "but if we allow the Nest to twist these trials, none of us will walk out alive."
Evan gave him a brief nod. "Truce until this is over?"
"Agreed."
The earth beneath them rumbled.
Trees parted. Roots tore through the soil like writhing tentacles. A monstrous hiss echoed through the realm. Rising from the forest floor came a serpentine creature with bark-like armor, dozens of eyes along its massive body, and an aura of ancient decay.
"The Tyrant Serpent of the Deep Roots," Aelric breathed.
Rena tensed. "It's not just apex-class. That's a relic-class mutated beast! It must've nested here before the trials were even constructed."
Even Ralvon looked uneasy. "Then we kill it. Swiftly."
Scene Two: The Pact of Blades and Bond
Evan stepped forward, hand on Nex's snout. Their synchronization was nearing its peak.
"I'll go high," he ordered. "Kael and Lilith, keep the flanks pinned. Dorian, guard Rena while she targets the central scale pattern. Aelric—space lock the creature's coil radius."
Ralvon hesitated only a second before adding, "I'll shatter its mind defenses."
The team moved.
Evan climbed onto Nex as the Divine Beast rose into the air, wings tearing apart the jungle canopy. They climbed above the trees, staring down at the lumbering serpent. Nex's body shimmered with divine aura—his evolution had sharpened his instincts.
From above, Evan raised Stellafury, and golden threads of his bond with Nex wove through the blade.
Below, Kael engaged the tail in a fiery dance. Lilith's chains anchored one of its coils. Dorian summoned a shield dome, redirecting the serpent's acid breath. Rena aimed precise daggers to open a soft scale behind the jaw. Aelric bent space itself to delay the beast's root strikes.
Ralvon floated above the beast's head, his wind spirals compressing and drilling into the psychic field protecting its mind.
"Now!" Evan shouted.
He dove with Nex, the world slowing around them.
"Divine Severance Technique – Basilisk Claw Strike!"
The blade crashed through the thick scales—cutting into the ancient core hidden beneath the serpent's root-heart.
The Tyrant Serpent screamed, its coils thrashing in all directions before finally collapsing with a tremor that cracked the forest floor.
The third and final Apex Core emerged—twisting with ancient root magic.
"3 Apex Cores claimed. Trial complete. Teleportation Initiated."
Scene Three: At the Heart of the Realm
But instead of being teleported out… the jungle around them disintegrated like dust in a wind tunnel.
The sky shifted to crimson.
They now stood in the true center of the Pocket Realm—a circular island floating in a void of stars, ancient ruins etched with god-script encircling it.
In the middle of the island was an altar. And upon it, a massive cocoon-like crystal pulsing with heartbeat light.
From the ruins, a shadow emerged.
Tall. Pale-skinned. Eyes like broken mirrors. A cloak woven from feathers and blood.
Evan's heart nearly stopped.
Ralvon whispered, "That's not a student. That's a… creature."
The being spoke—not in words, but in thought:
"The egg… stirs. And you… are not ready."
"But you've passed the first veil."
"We will watch. And we will return."
And then it was gone—like it had never existed.
The realm exploded in white light.
Scene Four: Return and Revelation
Evan's team reappeared at the trial gate, the Pocket Realm closing behind them. Cheers erupted from the stands. The scoreboard updated once again:
Team Rochel – 1st Place (65 Points)
Elyndor Academy – 2nd Place (58 Points)
Moonvale Institute – 3rd Place (51 Points)
Professors and nobles exchanged stunned looks. The Emperor's hologram projection above the arena nodded once—silently.
Syralein stood beside Headmaster Varos, her gaze locked on Evan. "He saw it," she muttered. "That boy saw the Heart of the Realm."
Varos grimaced. "Then this trial has gone far beyond an exam."
Back on the ground, Evan exhaled and looked at Nex, who coiled protectively around him.
Lilith placed a hand on his shoulder. "You felt it too, didn't you? That thing… watching."
Evan nodded.
Ralvon walked up beside them, hands clasped behind his back. "We both passed this test. But we unlocked something we were never meant to find."
Evan stared up at the sky, where faint traces of stars still flickered.
The Heart of the Realm.
The Cocoon of the Unknown.
And the Black Nest… searching for it.
[End of chapter 19]