I took a deep breath as I stared at my reflection in the water of the village well. An ordinary face with dark brown eyes that had no special qualities. Nova Ashford, sixteen years old, a village boy whose name even sounded strange amidst families with traditional names like Bayu, Sari, or Indra.
"Nova! Hurry to the town square!" Mother shouted from the direction of the house. Her voice contained a mixture of joy and anxiety that I had become very familiar with over the past weeks.
Today was the day I had been waiting for and dreading at the same time. The annual Summoning Ritual of Karangasri village, where every sixteen-year-old boy would try to summon their first familiar. For most people, this was the most important moment in their lives. For poor families like us, this was the only chance to change their fate.
I ran towards the town square, passing simple houses with partially leaking tiled roofs.
Karangasri village may not be rich, but we still maintain the tradition of the Summoning Ritual from generation to generation. They say that everyone has a spiritual bond with a being from another dimension, and this ritual will help pave the way for that bond.
In the square, a crowd had gathered. The parents stood at the edge with expectant faces, while we, the prospective summoners, sat in a circle in the middle. There were ten of us from my class: Bayu, the son of a blacksmith, Sari, whose father was a merchant, Indra, the son of the village chief, and seven others including me.
Reverend Wiranata stood in the middle of our circle, wearing a white robe that had yellowed with age. His white hair was neatly combed, and his sharp eyes swept over each of our faces one by one. He was the most respected person in the village, for his ability to summon the Golden Eagle when he was young.
"Children," Reverend Wiranata's voice echoed in the silent square. "You have prepared for a moment that will determine the rest of your lives. The familiar you summon today will be your partner, your friend, and your strength to face the harsh world out there."
I glanced at Indra, who was sitting across from me. He looked confident, even a little arrogant. It was natural, his father had a collection of books about familiars, and Indra had studied summoning theory since he was little. Unlike me, who only learned the details of the ritual yesterday afternoon.
"The ritual will begin with meditation to open your spiritual path," continued Reverend Wiranata as he took out an incense stick from inside his robe. "Then, you will recite the summoning mantra that I have taught you. Remember, concentration is key. The more focused you are, the more likely a strong familiar will respond to the call."
The incense smoke began to billow, creating a calming fragrance. I closed my eyes and tried to empty my mind, but it was very difficult. The image of my family's poverty continued to haunt me. My sickly father, my mother who had to work hard selling vegetables at the market, and me who had no special talents whatsoever.
"Starting now," whispered Reverend Wiranata.
I took a deep breath and recited the mantra that I had memorized: "From the depths of my soul, I call. From the bonds of destiny, I call. Come, my life partner, manifest yourself before me."
The sound of the mantra repeating from ten different voices created a strange harmony. I felt something vibrate in my chest, like energy trying to escape. Heat began to spread from my heart to my entire body.
Suddenly, a surprised scream was heard from the left. I opened my eyes and saw Sari standing with a tiny white cat in her arms. Her eyes were glassy with happiness.
"Healing Cat!" exclaimed Reverend Wiranata in awe. "A very good familiar to support, Sari."
One by one, my friends began to succeed. Bayu summoned a gray fox with glowing red eyes - a Forge Fox that suited his family's skills. Indra, as I had expected, managed to summon a handsome silver wolf - a Leader Wolf, a familiar usually owned by nobles.
I started to panic. Out of ten people, seven had succeeded. Only me, Joko, and Rina had yet to get a familiar. Cold sweat began to pour down my forehead.
"Calm down, Nova," whispered my heart to itself. "There's still time."
I closed my eyes again and concentrated harder. This time, I tried to remember all the difficult moments in my life. When Dad fainted from exhaustion from work. When Mom cried silently because she couldn't buy medicine. When I had to wear torn shoes to school.
The heat in my chest was getting hotter. There was something different this time. The energy that flowed felt... wild, uncontrolled.
"Please," I muttered unconsciously. "I need the power to change my family's life."
The temperature around me suddenly rose drastically. I felt like I was sitting near a burning blacksmith's furnace. Several people began to murmur in surprise.
Then, an orange-red light appeared in front of me. The light swirled into a small vortex, and from within it, something began to come out.
A small creature the size of a palm, with shiny, bright red scales. It had four legs with small claws, thin, webbed wings, and golden eyes that gleamed intelligently. Its tail was long and tipped with fire - not real fire, but something like fire-like energy.
The little lizard landed gently in my hand. My skin didn't burn, although its body felt warm. Instead, I felt a strange connection with it, like an invisible thread connecting us.
Complete silence fell over the square. All eyes were on me and the little creature in my hand. Even Reverend Wiranata looked surprised, his eyes perfectly round.
"What... what is that?" whispered someone from the crowd.
Reverend Wiranata walked over with careful steps. He took out a thick book from his robe - the Familiar Encyclopedia that was the official guide to the village. He flipped through the pages hurriedly.
I stroked the lizard's small head gently. It made a small sound like a purr, and I felt a pleasant warmth spread from my hand.
"Nova," Reverend Wiranata called in a slightly trembling voice. "Can you describe what you feel from that familiar?"
"Warm," I answered quietly. "And... strong. Like there's a great energy stored in its small body. I also sense... intelligence. It's not like an ordinary animal."
The little lizard turned to me and nodded, as if understanding our conversation. This made several people in the crowd take a step back.
Reverend Wiranata continued to flip through his book, his brow furrowing deeper. Sweat began to appear on his temples.
"Strange," he muttered as he continued to search. "Its physical characteristics don't match any recorded fire familiars. Salamander lizards don't have wings. Miniature dragons aren't that small. Even young drakes look different."
The atmosphere in the square grew tense. The parents began to whisper with worried faces. Mother looked pale in the crowd, while Father tried to approach with slightly faltering steps.
"Maybe a new variation?" suggested one of the villagers.
"Or a mutation?" added another.
Reverend Wiranata shook his head slowly. "In all the historical records of the village, there has never been a familiar that was not recorded in the encyclopedia. All familiars have clear lineages and are neatly recorded."
The small lizard in my hand suddenly stood up and flapped its wings. It made a small sound that sounded like... laughter? Then, from its mouth came a thin golden smoke, not red like ordinary fire.
Seeing that, Reverend Wiranata immediately closed his book with a bang. His face turned pale, and his eyes stared at me with a mixture of amazement and fear.
"That creature..." his voice was barely a whisper, but loud enough for everyone in the square to hear. "That creature... is not on any list."
The words hung in the air like a bolt of lightning that was about to strike. Everyone was silent, no one dared to make a sound. Even the wind seemed to have stopped blowing.
I looked down at the small lizard in my hand, still emitting a thin golden smoke from its nose. Its golden eyes stared at me with a gaze that seemed to say: "Our adventure has only just begun."
For some reason, even though everyone looked scared and confused, I felt hope for the first time in my life. This little creature might not be recorded anywhere, but the bond we shared felt so real and strong.
Maybe this was the answer to all my prayers.