The sky was a pale sheet of grey, the kind of morning that struggled to remember the sun. Smoke from the ruined granaries curled lazily upward, drifting into the mist that still hugged the edges of the village. Ash clung to the air, sharp in the lungs, mixed with the metallic tang of blood that had dried on stone.
Survivors worked in hushed voices, patching what could be patched, burying what could not be saved. They looked often toward the square, where Andy sat against a wall that had half-collapsed, his blades propped at his side. His body bore the weight of bruises and cuts, but his eyes—though ringed with exhaustion—still carried fire.
Nia knelt before him, her hands hovering above his ribs. Light glowed soft from her palms, seeping warmth into wounds that smoldered with corruption.
"Hold still," she ordered gently, though her voice quivered.
Andy gritted his teeth as pain flared. "I've had worse."
Her gaze shot up, sharp and fierce. "And you'll live to have worse if you keep dismissing it."
For a moment, the tension cracked. Andy let out a breath that almost resembled a laugh. "You don't miss a step, do you?"
Nia's lips curved faintly. "Not when it comes to you."
The system's tone slipped into his mind, soft as the glow beneath her fingers:
[Wound Treatment Initiated]
[Corruption Residue: 37% → 16%]
[Stamina Restored: +14%]
Andy's breath eased, though the ember inside him pulsed violently, as if mocking the system's calm. He pressed his hand to his chest, jaw tightening. "It won't settle. Every time I close my eyes, I see him. Hear the blade."
Nia shifted closer, her hand sliding from his ribs to rest over his chest. "Then focus on me instead. The ember isn't your master. It's power. And you don't face it alone."
The ember pulsed hard once, then stuttered—suddenly syncing with the steady rhythm of her touch. Andy's shoulders dropped.
The system chimed, clearer this time:
[Bond Synchronization Detected]
[Current Bond: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | 36%]
[Passive Unlocked: Ember Suppression – Shared Anchor]
Effect: Nia can stabilize Andy's aura at cost of her mana.
Andy blinked. "Shared anchor?"
Nia smiled, though her cheeks colored faintly. "Looks like even the system knows you're hopeless without me."
He smirked despite himself. "Not going to argue that."
---
By midday, the square had cleared enough for training. Survivors gathered at the edges, cautious, their eyes wide with a mix of awe and dread.
Andy stood in the center, blades in hand, sweat already dampening his brow. Nia circled him, staff glowing with steady light, every bit the anchor she had promised to be.
"Again," she commanded. "Draw it, but don't let it consume you."
Andy inhaled sharply. The ember answered, fire flaring along his veins, water surging in counterpoint. Scales rippled faintly over his arms and shoulders, vanishing as quickly as they came. The ground hissed under his boots, smoke curling from the dirt.
His body shook as the ember pressed harder, eager to burst free. His vision narrowed, colors sharpening into reds and whites. He clenched his teeth, fighting for control.
"Focus!" Nia's voice cut through the haze. "Look at me!"
His gaze snapped to her. Silver eyes like calm water locked onto his, and for a heartbeat the ember slowed, its fury tethered by her presence. His breathing steadied.
[Training Progress Logged]
[Skill Acquired: Ember Discipline (Lv. 1)]
Effect: Reduce aura instability by 15% when synchronized with Nia.
Andy exhaled, letting the flames dim. His knees buckled, but Nia was already there, catching him before he hit the ground.
"You're pushing too hard," she whispered, breath warm against his ear. "Step by step, Andy. The ember won't bow in a day."
He smirked weakly. "You sound like a drillmaster."
"Someone has to be," she said, though her smile betrayed her pride.
From the sidelines, a child whispered loudly to his mother, "Mama, he doesn't look like a monster when she's with him."
Andy heard it. His chest tightened—not from the ember this time, but something far gentler.
The system pulsed again:
[Hidden Affinity Event Triggered]
[Bond Progress: +4%]
[Current Bond: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | 40%]
Andy leaned heavier against Nia, letting her take some of his weight. For once, he didn't feel ashamed of it.
When he lifted his gaze to the horizon, the mist was breaking, and the first clean shafts of sunlight touched the ruined village. The fire inside him still trembled—but now it trembled in rhythm with her hand on his, and that was enough.
---