The village streets were quiet, the sun low on the horizon. Kaito's eyes scanned every shadow, every corner, following the faint pulse Teren had traced. Dex trotted at his side, alert, tail flicking with anticipation.
And then—he saw him.
A figure standing alone near the edge of the market square, tall, with eyes that glimmered with the same unmistakable recognition Kaito felt stir inside him.
Without thinking, Kaito stepped forward. The air between them felt electric, heavy with an unspoken understanding.
Eryo's gaze locked with his. And in that instant, both of them froze, hearts skipping, instincts flaring.
The world seemed to slow. Memories, emotions, fragments of their shared past—long buried—rushed forward. The battles, the laughter, the trust forged across skies and oceans… all of it surged back, unfiltered.
Kaito's voice broke the silence. "Eryo?"
The name hit the air like a spark, and Eryo's eyes widened, recognition flaring. "K-Kaito…" he breathed, voice trembling. "It's… it's really you."
Dex barked softly, sensing the reunion, but neither Kaito nor Eryo moved at first, rooted in instinctive certainty. They knew each other without needing explanation. Every movement, every glance, carried the weight of their bond.
Eryo stepped forward, slowly, almost cautiously, though his eyes never left Kaito's. "I… I remember now," he whispered. "I've been… waiting, in a way I didn't understand."
Kaito's hand tightened around his spear, though it was almost unnecessary. "I've felt you all this time," he said. "Even when I thought you were gone… you were still here."
Eryo nodded, swallowing hard, emotions flooding through him. "I didn't know why, but… I could feel you. Your presence… it pulled me. And now…" His gaze softened, almost awed, "…now I remember everything."
From Eryo's POV:
The air was thick with memories—flashes of scales and waves, of flying through skies that stretched beyond human comprehension, of battles fought shoulder to shoulder with Kaito. Each memory was vivid, painful, and beautiful.
He could feel Kaito's energy, steady and grounding, matching his own. Every instinct screamed recognition, every muscle remembered the rhythm of their teamwork, their trust, their bond.
"I never thought I'd see him again," Eryo thought, chest tightening. "After everything… the betrayals, the loss… he's here. He's really here."
The fragments of their past lives were no longer fleeting—they were alive, intertwined with the present. He could feel the weight of their shared experiences, the victories, the failures, and the promise they had made to one another long ago.
Eryo stepped closer, letting the memories guide him. The village, the sun, the faint smell of dust and market stalls—all of it anchored him in this life—but it was Kaito who drew him fully back, fully awake.
For the first time since his rebirth, Eryo smiled, not just instinctively, not just from memory, but truly. "We're together again," he thought. "And this time… we won't be apart."
The bond that had survived centuries, lifetimes, and rebirth had finally returned—whole, alive, and undeniable.