The cabin swayed with the rhythm of the sea, timbers creaking like a heartbeat. Morning sunlight slipped through the shuttered window, spilling gold across tangled sheets and three lives bound by choices and desire.
Andy woke first. His silver hair—no longer the same as before, now streaked with faint iridescence—caught the light. His breath carried heat, cool mist, a whisper of storms, and the deep pulse of the earth itself. It wasn't a form he activated. This time, the power was simply there. Woven into every muscle, coiled under every thought.
On his left, Nia pressed against him, auburn hair spilling across his chest. Even in sleep, her hand curled firmly against his ribs, as if telling Aurelia silently: This man is mine. Her lips brushed lazily against his skin, a tender anchor of loyalty.
On his right, Aurelia stirred. She hadn't been asleep long. Golden hair spilled loose, catching light like molten silk. Her near-transparent gown clung daringly to her body, revealing curves and shadows she knew would stir both envy and heat. She tilted her head, smirking, eyes fixed on Andy.
"Well," she murmured, voice honey-smooth, finger tracing idle circles on his chest, "you slept like a king. Some of us… less so."
Nia's sapphire eyes flickered open, gaze sharp as a blade though still heavy with sleep. "Oh? Was it the sea… or the sounds from our cabin keeping you awake?"
Aurelia's lips curved. She leaned across Andy, close enough her breath warmed his ear. "Sounds? Please. Music. Every gasp, every whisper, every… crescendo. Do you know how hard it is to lie still while someone else performs the entire symphony?"
Andy let out a low laugh, though his hand flexed against the sheets, betraying tension. His voice was cool, steady, amused. "If this ship doesn't sink, it'll be because the sea itself fears the three of you."
Nia pressed a kiss to Andy's jaw, murmuring silk and steel, "You mean the two of us. She's just listening at the edges."
Aurelia's nails skimmed lightly over Andy's chest, down to his collarbone. "Listening? Darling, I was living it, even if secondhand. And… I could hear how deep you went, Andy. Do you expect me to stay silent through that?"
Andy smirked faintly, gaze calm, as if unshaken. Two stars in orbit. And I'm the gravity they circle.
---
[DING—System Notification Detected]
The chime rang inside his head, silent to the women. His body shifted slightly, aura pulsing once. The four swords nearby trembled as if acknowledging the change.
Ember Edge burned bright crimson, flecks of coal rising.
Tide-Singer hummed with droplets spilling phantom streams.
Stormbreaker Fang whistled faintly like unseen gales.
Terrafang glowed, earth vibration rumbling low.
[Bond Threshold Achieved — Transition in Progress]
Star System → Constellation System
Constellation Unlocked: Orion – Tier I
System Visibility: Host Only
---
Nia shifted, kissing down his neck deliberately, her whisper intimate. "You're stronger. I feel it. Don't you dare tell me nothing changed."
Aurelia pressed herself closer, tone daring. "I can feel it too. You're… dangerous now. Whatever you're hiding, I'll chase you into it."
Andy's lips curved, but he said nothing, cool gaze steady. Neither of you can know. Not yet.
---
[Constellation Link Activated]
Orion Tier I
→ Passive: Dragon-Heart Resonance (+30% output).
→ Active: Orion's Binding Light (resonance between bonded partners).
→ Restriction: Host Only.
Bond Progress Update
Andy x Nia: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ → Constellation Orion (Tier I – 5%)
Andy x Aurelia: Constellation Initiation – 0.5%
---
Nia's POV:
Even if the system hides itself from me, I feel it. The man beside me is climbing higher. He's no longer the boy I clung to… he's something greater. And still, he's mine. He'll always be mine.
Her fingers trailed down Andy's abdomen, just enough to make Aurelia scowl.
Aurelia's POV:
So this is power. To lie beside a man who can bend elements without lifting a hand. To be part of this… even if I was second, I'll carve my own place. He's too bright for one woman alone. And last night… no matter how possessive Nia gets, my body will always remember it.
She brushed her lips near Andy's ear, voice husky. "I still ache, Andy. But I don't regret it. If anything, I want more."
Nia hissed, low but sharp. "Careful. Keep pushing, Aurelia, and you'll be burned."
Aurelia laughed softly, shameless. "Maybe I like the fire."
Andy breathed out slow, steady, unbothered. His hands slipped across both their waists, grounding the tension with silent dominance.
---
[Orion Resonance Stable]
Next Threshold: 20% → Dragon-Phoenix Convergence Available
---
They lay tangled there—two women vying, one man carrying silent power, and a system that now only whispered in his mind.
Outside, the sea drummed the hull. Inside, three hearts tangled like constellations threading across the sky.
And Andy knew: this was only the beginning.
-