<h4>Chapter 36: Selene</h4>


    Ss, Jace, Rowan, Nadia, and Lyra huddled together, their voices a mix of excitement and disbelief as they recounted their individual battles.


    "I can''t believe we actually fought goblins and ogres," Jace said. "It''s one thing to read about them in books, but to face them in realbat..."


    Rowan nodded, his usually stoic expression softened by a hint of pride. "We held our own, though. I''m surprised my summons did as well as they did. Not like the fight with the basilisk."


    "Your summons were impressive," Nadia agreed. "But did you see how every one of my shots was a head shot? Now, that''s impressive, if I do say so myself," sheughed.


    Lyra chimed in, her voice tinged with a mix of excitement and schrly interest. "Experiencing the differences in their fighting styles was fascinating. We should document our observations while they''re still fresh in our minds."


    Ss listened to his friends, a small smile ying on his lips. He felt a surge of pride in how far they''d alle, how they''d worked together to ovee such overwhelming odds.


    "What about you, Ss?" Jace asked, nudging him with an elbow. "That berserker rage of yours was something else. You tore through those ogres like they were made of paper!"


    Ss felt a twinge of unease at the memory of his transformation, the raw power that had coursed through his veins. "It was... intense," he admitted. "I''m just d we all made it out in one piece."


    Ss watched as Rowan summoned a magnificent ck horse with a mohawk of unicorn horns. The creature materialized in a swirl of magical energy, its coat gleaming in the fading light. Nadia approached the horse cautiously, her eyes wide with admiration.


    As the group prepared to mount their steeds for the journey back to Arcanium, Tiffany''s gaze suddenly locked onto the ck horse. Her eyes widened in recognition, and she strode forward with purpose.


    "Rowan," Tiffany called out, her voice tight with barely contained emotion. "How did you summon this horse? Where did you find her?"


    Rowan blinked in surprise at the intensity of Tiffany''s question. "I... I''m not entirely sure, Professor. My summoning ability sometimes brings forth creatures I''ve never encountered before. Is there something special about this horse?"


    Tiffany didn''t answer immediately. Instead, she approached the horse and gently pressed her forehead against its muzzle. The two remained still for a long moment, and Ss could sense a powerful connection between them.


    When Tiffany finally pulled away, her eyes were glistening with unshed tears. "This is Selene," she said softly, her voice thick with emotion. "My sister."


    The students exchanged shocked nces, and Ss felt a pang of sympathy for Tiffany. He remembered the story she had shared about sacrificing her freedom to save her sister.


    Tiffany stroked Selene''s mane, her fingers tracing the line of unicorn horns. "She was in a dark, hot ce," she continued, her brow furrowed with concern. "I''m certain the Unseelie fae have her trapped in a dungeon somewhere."


    Tiffany took a deep breath,posing herself before turning to face Rowan. Her eyes, usually sharp and focused, now held a vulnerability that caught the young mage off guard.


    "I apologize, Rowan," she said, her voice steady despite the emotion behind it. "It was... quite a shock to see my sister after all this time. I didn''t mean to startle you or make you ufortable."


    Rowan shifted his weight, clearly unsure how to respond to this unexpected situation. "It''s alright, Professor," he managed, his usual stoic demeanor softening slightly. "I had no idea. If I''d known..."


    Tiffany shook her head, a sad smile ying on her lips. "How could you have known? This isn''t something I''ve shared with many people." She turned back to Selene, running her hand along the horse''s nk. "It''s been so long since I''ve seen her like this."


    Ss watched the exchange, feeling a mix of sympathy and curiosity. He''d known about Tiffany''s past, but seeing the reality of it unfold before him was something else entirely. He nced at his friends, noting their varied reactions - Jace''s wide-eyed fascination, Nadia''s guarded interest, and Lyra''s thoughtful frown.


    Ss watched as Tiffany''s gaze shifted between Rowan and Selene. The professor''s usualposure wavered, a flicker of hope dancing in her eyes.


    "Rowan," Tiffany began, her voice softer than Ss had ever heard it, "I know this is an unusual request, but... would you be willing to summon Selene during our sses?"


    Rowan blinked, clearly caught off guard by the request. He nced at Selene, then back to Tiffany. "I... I suppose I could, Professor. But I''m not sure how long I can maintain the summon."


    Tiffany nodded, understanding the limitations of Rowan''s abilities. "Of course. I wouldn''t expect you to keep her manifested for the entire ss. Perhaps just for a short while?"


    Ss could see the conflict in Rowan''s eyes. The stoic young man rarely showed emotion, but now he seemed torn between wanting to help and feeling ufortable with the responsibility.


    "I''ll do my best, Professor," Rowan finally said, his voice steady despite his evident uncertainty.


    Tiffany''s face lit up with a smile that transformed her usually stern features. "Thank you, Rowan. You have no idea what this means to me."


    Ss felt a pang of empathy for both Tiffany and Rowan. He understood the professor''s desperate need to reconnect with her sister, even in this limited form. But he also recognized the weight this ced on Rowan''s shoulders.


    As the group prepared to mount their steeds for the journey back to Arcanium, Ss caught Rowan''s eye and gave him a supportive nod.


    Ss exhaled deeply, the adrenaline from the recent battles finally beginning to ebb. As the group made their way back to Arcanium, he turned his attention inward, essing his system interface. The familiar screen materialized before his eyes, and he couldn''t help but raise an eyebrow at what he saw.


    His levels had reset, and he was now a level 4 leviathan youngling. The fights against the goblins, ogres, and the fire sprite had earned him three level-ups, leaving his current experience at 20 out of 400 points needed for the next level.


    Ss felt a mix of excitement and trepidation as he noticed the 80 affinity points waiting to be allocated.


    What really caught his attention, however, were the 11 stat points avable for distribution. These could enhance his physical and mental attributes, making him stronger, faster, or more resilient.


    Ss knew he''d need to think carefully about where to allocate these points to bestplement his fighting style and newfound abilities.


    As he closed the interface, Ss nced at hispanions. They rode in silence, each lost in their own thoughts after the day''s events.


    He wondered if they, too, had experienced simr growth in their abilities. The challenges they had faced together had undoubtedly forged them into a more cohesive and formidable team.