Cold wind moved continuously through the shattered eastern wall of the ruined cathedral while dust drifted across cracked scripture tiles beneath weakened candlelight still burning along several surviving silver holders mounted beside fractured pillars. Loose feathers, powdered holy crystal, broken parchment, and debris shifted slowly through the airflow crossing the prayer hall while lingering blood aura rolled through the chamber in dense crimson currents that distorted the weakened holy pressure leaking intermittently from damaged inscriptions embedded beneath the floor.
Nocthyrael still held Noctis's bleeding hand between both of hers while warm blood continued sliding across her tongue beneath the drifting dust crossing through the ruined cathedral. Crimson mana pulsed repeatedly beneath her skin hard enough for loose black feathers to shift around her shoulders while fragmented memories, combat instincts, and unfamiliar knowledge pushed continuously through her thoughts in uneven waves. Her breathing briefly lost rhythm whenever another surge of memories surfaced through the communion, and the black wings resting behind her spread gradually wider through the cathedral airflow while blood aura rotated around both bodies in overlapping currents.
The cut across Noctis's palm continued feeding blood steadily into her mouth.
Warmth spread through Nocthyrael's throat and chest with every swallow while crimson mana circulated harder beneath her skin and caused the black feathers behind her to tremble faintly through the cold cathedral airflow. Weapon handling instincts surfaced beside memories of movement, recoil management, body positioning, and blood shaping techniques while holy mana pathways and abyssal circulation structures settled unevenly into her understanding through the communion.
Nocthyrael tightened her grip around Noctis's wrist again while another flood of inherited experience surfaced hard enough for her shoulders to tense beneath the crimson-black armor covering her body. The ruined cathedral creaked softly around them while weakened holy inscriptions beneath the floor flickered intermittently through the surrounding blood aura saturating the hall.
Finally Nocthyrael released his hand slowly.
A thin strand of blood stretched briefly between her lips and the wound before snapping beneath the cold airflow entering through the shattered wall behind them. Crimson eyes remained glowing faintly while black feathers drifted around her through the candlelight flickering unevenly across the broken pillars surrounding the ruined chamber.
Nocthyrael lowered her gaze toward her own hands.
Blood mana moved beneath her skin instinctively now.
Not forced.
The circulation followed naturally through her body while lingering memories continued settling deeper into place beneath the drifting cathedral airflow.
She slowly extended one hand outward.
Blood seeped from her fingertips and gathered above her palm in rotating crimson strands while the unstable mana structure fluctuated repeatedly through the surrounding air. The liquid initially collapsed apart before reforming again while Nocthyrael adjusted the circulation instinctively through the inherited understanding continuing to settle inside her mind.
The blood compressed tighter.
The shape stabilized gradually.
A pistol formed within her hand beneath the weakened candlelight drifting across the ruined prayer hall.
The weapon looked noticeably smaller than Nocturne and Ruin while crimson veins pulsed faintly beneath the darkened surface like circulating blood beneath skin. Gold and faint purple reflections shimmered intermittently along the barrel whenever drifting candlelight crossed the weapon through the moving dust filling the ruined cathedral.
Blood flowed from Nocthyrael's other hand immediately afterward.
A second pistol formed gradually beside the first while black feathers drifted around her shoulders through the cathedral airflow crossing between the broken pillars and shattered eastern wall.
Nocthyrael rolled both pistols loosely around her trigger fingers while blood aura shifted faintly around her body. The smaller frames spun quickly enough for the crimson reflections along the barrels to blur beneath the candlelight before she caught them again and adjusted her grip through several quick aiming motions toward the damaged pillars standing deeper inside the ruined prayer hall.
The weapons moved lightly through her hands.
Faster than she expected.
The slimmer frames rotated smoothly while her fingers shifted instinctively around the grips beneath the inherited weapon familiarity settling through the communion still lingering inside her thoughts.
Noctis watched quietly while drifting dust crossed slowly through the ruined chamber around them and weak candle flames bent sideways beneath the circulating blood aura spreading through the cathedral.
Nocthyrael turned toward one of the surviving cathedral pillars several meters away afterward.
The structure already contained multiple fractures from the earlier destruction spreading through the prayer hall while loose stone continued shifting intermittently around the cracked base beneath the damaged ceiling overhead.
Nocthyrael raised the left pistol first.
Her footing adjusted instinctively while one shoulder angled slightly backward beneath the shifting mantle attached around her waist. The black feathers behind her moved softly through the airflow entering the ruined cathedral while crimson eyes narrowed toward the damaged pillar ahead.
Then she fired.
A blood bullet crossed the chamber instantly and punched directly through the center of the pillar hard enough for shattered stone fragments to spray across the surrounding scripture floor. Dust burst outward through the ruined prayer hall while the projectile continued through the wall behind the structure, leaving a molten-edged hole through the cracked cathedral stone before disappearing into the outer ruins beyond.
Nocthyrael immediately raised the right pistol afterward.
The second shot struck higher along the right side of the pillar and blasted another large hole completely through the weakening structure while cracks spread rapidly upward beneath the impact. More stone fragments rained across the floor while loose parchment lifted briefly through the displaced pressure moving through the ruined hall.
Nocthyrael continued alternating fire between both pistols.
One shot tore through the lower section of the pillar while the next struck near the upper center hard enough for broken chunks of stone to collapse away from the damaged structure. Dust rolled continuously through the cathedral beneath the repeated impacts while blood bullets punched through the pillar one after another until the thick support looked riddled with holes beneath the drifting candlelight.
Several larger cracks spread across the remaining structure afterward.
Small fragments dropped continuously around the damaged base.
Nocthyrael lowered both pistols beside her face afterward while a visible smile spread across her expression beneath the surrounding dust and blood aura rotating through the ruined cathedral.
She turned toward Noctis.
"How did I do?"
Noctis looked toward the damaged pillar while drifting dust continued falling through the holes punched completely through the stone. Molten edges still glowed faintly around several impact points while sunlight leaking through the ruined outer wall beyond the pillar crossed visibly through the punctured structure.
Blood aura shifted softly around Noctis beneath the weakened candlelight.
"The penetration is strong." Cold wind moved the edges of his trench coat gently while loose debris shifted around the damaged pillar beneath the continuing structural strain. "Your bullets passed through both the target and the wall behind it."
Nocthyrael's wings shifted slightly behind her while she continued holding both pistols loosely near her shoulders.
"But there's an issue."
Noctis nodded once.
"The target wasn't moving." Dust drifted downward from the pillar while another small fragment cracked loose and struck the floor beneath the weakening support. "And you were standing still while firing."
Nocthyrael looked back toward the damaged structure thoughtfully.
"In direct combat," Noctis continued while blood aura circulated faintly around his body beneath the drifting dust crossing through the ruined prayer hall, "remaining stationary makes you easier to kill. Hitting a moving opponent is also much harder."
Nocthyrael lowered the pistols slightly while listening.
Noctis reached toward his holsters afterward.
Nocturne and Ruin slid smoothly into his hands beneath the weakened candlelight flickering across the surrounding cathedral walls.
He fired once toward the pillar beside him.
The damaged structure exploded apart immediately.
Large chunks of shattered stone launched through the ruined prayer hall while dust burst outward beneath the collapsing debris scattering across the scripture floor. Several fragments rotated rapidly through the air while weaker pieces crumbled apart beneath the displaced pressure spreading through the chamber.
Noctis raised both pistols again.
Then his body moved sideways through the drifting debris.
Blood bullets crossed the cathedral continuously while shattered pillar fragments burst apart repeatedly midair beneath direct impacts. His feet shifted smoothly across cracked scripture lines while loose stone scraped beneath his boots and drifting dust rolled through the ruined chamber around him.
He stepped around fractured debris.
Turned beneath falling stone.
Twisted sideways while firing upward through rotating fragments crossing above him.
Blood bullets continued striking moving targets throughout every movement while shattered pieces burst apart continuously through the ruined prayer hall. Recoil shifted naturally through his shoulders and wrists while his footing adjusted instinctively around broken floor sections beneath the moving debris surrounding him.
Nocthyrael watched quietly while black feathers drifted around her through the cathedral airflow.
The movements already felt familiar.
The body positioning.
The recoil adjustment.
The foot placement.
The inherited memories settling through the blood communion recognized every movement naturally before it happened.
Noctis finally stopped while dust continued settling around the ruined chamber and several remaining fragments struck the floor behind him moments later.
Blood aura rolled softly around both pistols while he lowered them slightly.
"This is the level you should aim for."
Nocthyrael nodded slowly.
"I understand."
Noctis slid Nocturne and Ruin back into their holsters afterward while weakened holy pressure leaked intermittently through damaged scripture engravings beneath the surrounding floor.
Nocthyrael raised both pistols again.
Then paused.
Her crimson eyes shifted toward Noctis while drifting dust crossed between them beneath flickering candlelight.
"According to your memories," she said quietly while black feathers shifted behind her through the cold airflow entering the ruined cathedral, "you named your blood pistols."
Noctis smiled faintly.
"Yes."
He rested one hand casually against the holsters beside his hips.
"The right is Nocturne." Candlelight reflected faintly across the darkened grip while blood aura circulated softly around the weapon. "The left is Ruin."
Nocthyrael lowered her gaze toward her own pistols afterward.
The cold airflow crossing through the shattered eastern wall moved loose strands of black hair against her cheeks while dust continued drifting across the ruined prayer hall around them.
She thought quietly for several moments.
Then tightened her fingers slightly around the grips.
"The right…" Crimson reflections moved faintly across the smaller pistol beneath the candlelight. "Will be called Eclipse."
The second pistol rotated slowly within her other hand.
"The left will be Halo."
The corner of Noctis's mouth lifted slightly while drifting dust crossed through the ruined cathedral between them.
"Eclipse and Halo." Blood aura rolled softly around both bodies beneath the weakened candlelight. "A fitting pair."
Warm color spread gradually across Nocthyrael's cheeks afterward while black feathers shifted faintly behind her.
She willed the armor slightly.
Crimson-black holsters formed naturally against her waist through shifting armor plates while Eclipse and Halo slid smoothly into place beside the mantle hanging around her hips.
Nocthyrael stepped toward Noctis afterward.
Then pressed her face gently against his chest.
His arms wrapped around her naturally while drifting dust crossed around both bodies beneath the flickering candlelight and cold wind moving continuously through the shattered cathedral.
The ruined prayer hall remained filled with weakened holy pressure, broken stone, lingering blood aura, and shifting debris while Nocthyrael stayed quietly against him beneath the drifting black feathers moving softly through the airflow surrounding them.
Several moments passed before Noctis spoke again.
"Are you ready to leave?"
Nocthyrael lifted her gaze slightly.
"Where are we going?"
Noctis looked briefly toward the shattered cathedral entrance where sunlight continued spilling across sections of broken floor beyond the ruined hall.
"I still have a mission tied to this fortress." The drifting airflow moved the edges of his trench coat softly around his legs while weakened candlelight flickered against the damaged walls behind him. "Afterward, we'll return to the academy."
"The academy…" Nocthyrael repeated quietly while warm color spread visibly across her cheeks.
"My residence is there." Blood aura circulated faintly around both bodies beneath the drifting dust. "You'll be staying with me from now on."
Nocthyrael's wings shifted faintly behind her while she remained against his chest.
"I will follow your arrangements."
Noctis nodded once before taking her hand.
Both of them walked toward the ruined cathedral entrance together while sunlight spilled across the shattered floor beyond the broken doorway and drifting dust moved continuously through the bright exterior light entering the hall.
Noctis slowed slightly near the threshold.
His gaze shifted briefly toward Nocthyrael beside him.
The fallen angel stepped into the sunlight first.
The daylight reflected softly across her crimson-black armor while black feathers shifted behind her through the exterior breeze moving across the ruined fortress courtyard. Her skin showed no signs of burning beneath the direct sunlight while blood aura continued circulating normally around her body.
Noctis watched carefully while stepping beside her afterward.
"Do you feel anything?" he asked quietly while loose ash and dust shifted through the courtyard breeze around scattered debris beneath the sunlight. "Even slight fatigue?"
Nocthyrael shook her head gently.
"Nothing." Sunlight reflected faintly within crimson eyes while loose strands of black hair moved across her shoulders through the exterior breeze. "I feel completely fine."
A faint smile appeared along Noctis's face afterward while his grip tightened slightly around her hand.
Then his gaze shifted back toward the fortress structure behind them.
Several damaged corridors deeper inside the fortress still remained intact despite the destruction spreading through the cathedral district earlier while weakened ward traces leaked faintly through cracked stone walls beneath the sunlight.
Nocthyrael noticed the shift in his attention.
"What is it?"
Noctis looked back toward her.
"It isn't normal for a fortress of this rank to contain a bishop." Cold wind crossed through the ruined courtyard while loose dust and ash shifted around collapsed debris beneath the sunlight. "The priests were also discussing something below. A lower sanctum."
Nocthyrael's wings shifted faintly behind her.
"You think something important is hidden there?"
"I haven't confirmed it yet." Noctis looked back toward the fortress entrance where drifting dust still exited slowly through fractured corridors deeper inside the structure. "But I want to verify it before leaving."
Nocthyrael nodded immediately.
"Then let's check."
Noctis turned back toward the fortress afterward while weakened holy pressure continued leaking from damaged walls beneath the sunlight. He kept hold of Nocthyrael's hand while both of them walked back toward the ruined cathedral entrance together, drifting dust and lingering blood aura following them into the fractured fortress halls where cold wind continued moving through the broken corridors leading deeper toward the hidden lower sanctum below.