Rebirth of the Crimson Soul
Chapter 10: The Path of the Flame
Dawn came slowly, grey and quiet. The storm had passed, but the fear hadn't.
Alex stood by the broken edge of the training post, running a hand over the fresh gash in the wood. The memory of Valtheran's voice lingered like smoke in his skull.
"He let us live," he muttered.
Lyra came to his side, eyes thoughtful. "No. He spared you. There's a difference."
Alex clenched his fists. "Then we have to be ready next time."
Brann tossed him a travel cloak. "Then you'd better stop playing at survival and start hunting back."
They broke camp that day. The cottage was left behind—empty, scorched, and silent.
They traveled east, toward the lower cliffs of Veylan's Spine. Sparse forests gave way to rocky ridges, and the wind grew colder.
Along the way, Alex trained harder than ever.
Days passed in sweat, pain, and motion. Brann taught him sword forms between meals, forced him to fight blindfolded, disarmed, against odds.
Lyra guided his magic—coaxing small bursts of energy from his palms, teaching him to focus the Soulfire instead of letting it burn uncontrolled.
> [Skill Acquired: Flame Pulse - Rank E]
Launch a short-range burst of magical energy, scaled with emotional sync
Cooldown: 10 seconds
Soulfire Boost: +15% if bonded partner is in proximity
But the most important growth wasn't in his blade or magic.
It was in the bond.
Each night, Lyra and Alex sat closer. Talked longer. She laughed more. He smiled more.
They leaned on each other—until one evening, they simply didn't lean away.
Their kiss was no longer the nervous touch of two strangers clinging to warmth—it was an unspoken promise.
> [Soulfire Link Sync: 99%]
Threshold: Near Completion
System Note: True Link may unlock latent Class Potential
---
Three nights later, they reached a ruined temple, half-sunken into the cliffside. Ivy strangled the ancient stone, but golden script shimmered faintly in the dark.
"This is it," Lyra whispered. "Where the first Soulbound were born."
Inside, they found a circle of cracked stone and a pedestal at its center. Brann stayed at the entrance, weapon ready.
Alex stepped forward—drawn by an unseen force.
The system flared.
> [System Alert: Soulfire Link Maximum Sync Achieved]
Bonded Partner: Lyra Vell
Emotional, Magical, and Physical Resonance: Stable
Unlocking Class Awakening...
A pulse of fire surged from the circle—through Alex's chest, burning but not painful.
Visions flooded his mind: a crimson flame wrapped in white light, two souls dancing around each other in perfect balance.
Then—
> [Class Acquired: Crimson Flamebound]
A rare soulbound path combining martial ability and deep magical fusion
Perks Unlocked:
— Dual Sync Casting
— Flameheart Empowerment (Permanent Boost)
— Bondstrike (New Ability)
Alex collapsed to his knees—breathing hard, eyes glowing.
Lyra rushed to him. "What happened?"
"I think... I just became something they'll really want to kill."
She smiled, fierce and proud.
"Then let them try."