The morning after the Festival of Moons was nothing like its splendor. Where once lanterns had floated like stars, now only ash and scraps of ribbon clung to the cobblestones. The river still shimmered faintly with drifting lights, but the laughter of children had faded into heavy whispers.
Everhart was split.
Andy walked through the market square with Nia at his side, every step like a stone dropped into water. Eyes followed him—some in awe, some in fear, and some in naked suspicion. He felt their stares crawl along his skin, burrowing beneath his scales.
"Look," one merchant whispered. "That's him. The dragonblood."
"Saved us, yes," another muttered, "but fire doesn't choose its prey."
"I saw it—he almost lost control."
Andy clenched his jaw, fingers brushing the hilt of his blades. Every word stung worse than any cut.
Beside him, Nia straightened, silver staff in hand, voice calm but firm. "Ignore them," she murmured. "They saw a spectacle, not the truth. We'll show them today."
He exhaled through his nose. "If the truth isn't enough?"
"Then we'll burn brighter," she said simply.
---
By noon, the great training ground of Everhart had been opened—at Lord Everhart's silent command. Nobles stood along the marble steps, commoners pressed close at the edges, guards forming a wary ring.
This was no ordinary exhibition. This was a test.
Andy stood in the center of the stone plaza, his dual blades gleaming. Nia raised her staff, the crystal at its tip pulsing faintly with silver. Together, they drew the gaze of the crowd.
Kayla was there too. Of course she was. Draped in another modest gown of gold, standing just close enough to watch, her smile serene. Andrew—once rival suitor, now pawn—stood near her, his chest puffed, his voice carrying as he muttered to nearby nobles. "We must be careful who we crown with trust. A fire that burns too brightly will consume us all."
Murmurs followed like ripples.
Andy's teeth ground. She planted him here. Every word, another thread in her web.
Nia touched his arm. "Eyes on me, not her."
He nodded, breath steadying.
---
"Begin," Lord Everhart's voice boomed, cold as steel.
Andy raised his blades. Fire surged along one edge, water spiraled along the other. He slashed them in unison, the plaza exploding with a shockwave of steam that rolled harmlessly across the crowd.
Gasps rose.
Nia lifted her staff, her voice ringing. "Resonance of Flame and Light—Lunar Spiral!"
Silver light twisted with crimson flame, forming a helix that spiraled into the sky, scattering sparks that shimmered like falling stars. The heat was fierce, but controlled; the light was blinding, yet gentle.
The crowd murmured, awe mixing with doubt.
Then chaos struck.
From the edges, a man screamed, flames erupting from his sleeve. Panic rippled instantly—children crying, guards shouting.
"Sabotage," Andy hissed.
Nia was already moving. Her staff flared, a dome of silver Light Barrier snapping around the burning man, extinguishing the unnatural fire. Her eyes narrowed, Arcane Detection blazing.
"There!" she cried, pointing toward a cloaked figure slipping through the crowd. "Kayla's thread!"
Andy dashed forward, wings of aura unfurling—Dragon Warrior Form Tier 2 ignited. His speed blurred, blades flashing. Fire carved a wall, water froze the ground, cutting off the saboteur's escape.
The man snarled, eyes glazed gold. Kayla's puppet.
Andy struck. Twin Surge! Fire and water collided, detonating in a blast of steam that hurled the puppet to the ground, unconscious.
The crowd gasped again—some in fear, some in awe.
Above it all, Kayla's smile never wavered. Her golden eyes glimmered faintly.
---
The System chimed in their minds.
System Notice: Crowd Panic Mitigated.
Political Influence: −12% (Hostile), +9% (Supportive).
Bond Progression: Star 2 – 45%.
Andy panted, wiping sweat from his brow. "We handled it."
Nia lifted her chin, facing the nobles directly. "You see? His fire protects. My light shields. Together, we preserve Everhart—not tear it down."
Whispers rippled. Some nodded. Some looked away. The balance was fragile.
Andrew stepped forward, voice dripping with venom wrapped in honey. "Or perhaps," he said loudly, "we are all witnesses to how fragile this bond truly is. What happens when Lady Nia is not there to anchor him? What happens when the dragon is left unchecked?"
The crowd erupted again, voices clashing.
Kayla's smile widened by a fraction.
Andy's hands tightened on his blades. He wanted to answer, to shout—but Nia stepped forward instead, her staff glowing brighter, her voice cutting through the din.
"What happens?" she said coldly. "Then I will be there. Always. That is what bonds are. Not chains, but oaths. And unlike words whispered in corners, our oath is recognized by the System itself."
Silver sparks danced across her staff, twining with Andy's fire, pulsing in rhythm. The crowd hushed, their breath caught.
Kayla's smile faltered—just a hairline crack—before she turned away, golden aura shivering faintly.
---
That night, as the crowd dispersed, Andy and Nia stood alone in the garden behind the keep. The moonlight spilled across the grass, silver upon silver.
Andy lowered his blades, his voice rough. "Every word feels like a battle. I don't know if I'm winning."
Nia stepped closer, her hand finding his. "Then let's stop thinking of it as winning. Think of it as enduring. Every step we take, every truth we show—it frays her web."
He met her eyes, the fire in his chest steadying. "I don't know what I'd do without you."
"You won't have to," she whispered.
The System chimed softly.
System Notice: Bond Stabilization reinforced.
Progress locked at Star 2 – 45% (Stable).
Above them, the moons shone quietly, as though watching. And somewhere beyond the light, Kayla smiled in the dark, her golden cracks spreading wider.
---