The Day We Bonded

I stood up and pointed at a green snake outside the barrier.

“I can bond with him and pray for rain!”

Leigh glanced at the mottled green snake beyond the barrier and pretended to persuade me kindly. “Chloe, there’s no need to rush like this. A rain maiden must ride a dragon to soar into the sky. You must be mistaken, seeing a snake as a dragon.”

The crowd whispered as I pulled the snake toward me with my spirit power.

“Princess Chloe is confused. A white dragon, no matter how weak, is still a dragon. At today’s ceremony, I’m afraid only Princess Leigh can put an end to the drought on Earth.”

Everyone’s eyes turned expectantly to Leigh. The first prayer after a rain maiden and her spirit beast bonding would take place at the rain altar.

If successful, the maiden’s power would grow immensely, giving her a greater chance of ascending.

However, Father suddenly stepped forward to hold Leigh back. “Leigh, your body is frail. Today, just form the bond. Don’t stir up further trouble.

“As a rain maiden, if you can’t bring rain, then even with a spirit beast, ascension will be nearly impossible.”

I admired my fresh manicure and looked at Leigh with a faint smile.

“Who said I can’t? Today, I’ll show you who the true future rain goddess is!”

Leigh held Marty’s hand and stepped onto the rain altar.

Marty hated being touched. In my previous life, I thought he was simply cold by nature, but now I know he just loathed me and my looks.

When facing Leigh, the most beautiful woman in the Wasteland, his heart raced.

He began to summon his true form, preparing to ascend. However, before he could even pass the first heaven, the immense spirit power of the rain altar forced him to crash back down, spitting blood.

“Leigh, help me.”

He looked up at her with puppy-dog eyes.

“Presumptuous! Leigh has been frail since childhood. Do you know how much effort I’ve spent helping her cultivate her strength? How can we waste her power on you?”

Father shielded Leigh and struck Marty hard, sending him flying.

“If you can’t transform into your dragon form and ascend with your own power, then today’s bonding ends here.”

Marty’s gaze shifted to me. “Princess Chloe, you raised me with your heart’s blood since I was young. Can you really bear to watch me suffer like this?”

In the past, I would have given him my spirit blood without hesitation.

However, before I could speak, Evan, the green snake, stepped in front of me. “You humiliated Princess Chloe today, and you still dare ask her for help?”

Shame and rage burned on Marty’s face. He clenched his fists and slowly stood. “Fine. Today, I’ll prove that I can ascend on my own.”

After forty-nine failed attempts, his body battered and bleeding, Marty finally took flight.

Leigh mounted him, and together they called the rain. A fresh, damp aura spread through the area, and the clansmen basked in delight.

Grass sprouted, and spirit power filled the air.

In the crystal orb, the mortal realm appeared. Clouds gathered, and the emperor stood at the rain altar, burning three sticks of incense.

Everyone awaited the long-desired rainfall that would end three years of drought.