The sun dipped low over Everhart's spires, painting the sky in streaks of amber and crimson. The training grounds beneath the keep glowed faintly, torches already being lit by guards as dusk approached. For once, the stone plaza was cleared of squires and knights—reserved tonight for only two.
Andy stood in the center, palms sweaty against the hilts of his dual blades. His chest rose and fell in heavy breaths, not from fatigue, but from anticipation. The ground beneath his boots seemed too still, too quiet. He hated the silence before battle. Even if tonight's opponent was not a beast of shadow or a hunter's spear, the trial before him was no less dangerous.
Nia stood a short distance away, her silver hair catching the fading sunlight like threads of moonlight. In her hand, her staff gleamed softly, its crystal tip glowing in rhythm with her heartbeat. Her silver-blue eyes never left Andy, sharp yet tender all at once.
"You don't have to push so hard," she said, voice steady but warm. "The Dragon Warrior Form… it's not something to conquer in one night."
Andy forced a wry smile. "If I don't try now, when will I? You saw what happened in the hall. Kayla already has them doubting me. If I lose control again…" His grip tightened on his blades. "I can't give her that weapon."
Nia stepped closer, her aura brushing against his like a cool breeze over flame. "Then don't fight it alone. That's what I'm here for."
The words anchored him, as they always did. He nodded, exhaling sharply. "All right. Let's begin."
He closed his eyes, sinking into the rhythm of his blood. Heat pulsed in his chest, spreading through his veins like molten fire. His heartbeat quickened, every thump a drumbeat echoing in his skull. He felt the dragon stirring inside—fierce, restless, clawing for freedom.
Flames licked across his arms. Scales flickered along his skin, crimson streaks glowing faintly beneath. His eyes burned, vision sharpening until every grain of sand on the ground seemed alive.
But with it came the whispers.
Release me. Tear them apart. You are not man—you are fire, you are fury.
Andy clenched his teeth, grounding himself with the pressure of his blades. But the heat surged, threatening to consume reason. His knees trembled.
"Andy."
Nia's voice pierced the haze. He looked up, and her silver aura wrapped around him like a tether. Her staff glowed brilliantly as she invoked Arcane Detection, eyes narrowing as she peered past the flames into the deeper corruption stirring inside.
"I see it," she murmured. "The dragonblood. It's not evil, but it's raw. Wild. You're not meant to smother it—you're meant to shape it."
Her light expanded, weaving threads that laced into his flames. His fire roared, but instead of consuming, it spiraled, controlled by the rhythm of her resonance. Andy gasped, the heat stabilizing, burning not against him, but with him.
Scales receded slightly, his form shimmering with power instead of chaos. For a moment, he stood taller, the flames wreathed around him like armor rather than a cage.
The System chimed.
System Notice: Dragon Warrior Form – Tier 2 (Stability 47%).
User requires partner synchronization to exceed 50%.
Andy exhaled, chest heaving. "So it really… depends on you."
Nia smiled faintly, stepping closer. "Everything does, doesn't it?"
He laughed breathlessly. "I guess that's true."
But she didn't let go. Instead, she raised her staff, her eyes burning with resolve. "Again. Push further. Let me see how deep it runs."
Andy gritted his teeth, nodding. He surged again, fire and scales flaring, the dragon's roar echoing in his chest. This time, he leaned into her resonance, letting her light weave into his flame. Their bond throbbed, not just in mana, but in emotion—trust, devotion, something deeper.
Flame and light collided, twining into a radiant spiral that engulfed the training ground.
Andy shouted, driving his blades into the air as arcs of fire-water fusion burst forward. Nia raised her staff, amplifying the surge until the plaza lit like day. The clash of elements roared, scattering sparks and silver fragments that rained down like stars.
Then silence.
Andy dropped to one knee, panting, sweat streaming down his brow. Nia rushed to him, catching his arm before he fell fully. Her hand was warm against his, steady.
"You did it," she whispered. "You didn't lose control."
Andy looked up at her, and for a moment, the world blurred. Not from exhaustion, but from her—the glow in her eyes, the pride in her voice. He wanted to say something, anything, but the words caught in his throat.
She leaned closer, brushing his hair from his face. "You're stronger than you think, Andy. You just need someone to remind you."
His chest tightened. He wanted to thank her, to tell her what she meant—but instead, he laughed softly. "Then don't stop reminding me."
The System stirred again.
System Notice: Resonance of Flame & Light (Synchronization Efficiency increased by 12%).
Bond Progression: Star 2 – 30%.
Nia's eyes flicked at the faint glow only they could see, then back to him. Her cheeks flushed softly, but she didn't look away. "We're getting closer."
Andy smirked, despite the exhaustion. "Closer to what?"
Her lips curved faintly. "Closer to everything."
Silence fell between them, heavy but warm. The torches crackled around them, casting long shadows across the training ground. Slowly, she helped him to his feet, and though his legs trembled, he stood tall—because she was there.
"Tomorrow," she said softly, "we'll push further."
He nodded, his hand brushing hers, lingering longer than necessary. "As long as it's with you."
For a long moment, neither moved. The fire in his veins pulsed in rhythm with the light in hers, and though the night closed in, the bond between them blazed brighter than any torch.
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