The wolf slept at the foot of his bed, chest rising and falling in steady rhythm. Its silver eyes no longer blazed with malice; instead, they flickered faintly with a soft glow, threads of fractal light pulsing in time with Arion's heartbeat.
Arion sat upright, back against the wall, watching it. The bond tugged faintly at his soul, fragile but unbroken. Every throb carried both pain and reassurance, a reminder that the impossible had been done.
[Fractal Bond: Established.]
[Bond Stability: 37%.]
[Entity: Lesser Fractal Wolf.]
[Warning: Instability may result in backlash.]
The Nexus's voice was quiet, almost contemplative. For once, it didn't mock him.
He exhaled slowly. In another life, this wolf had torn apart everything he held dear. Now, it was curled like a shadow at his side. A second chance… and a responsibility heavier than iron.
The door creaked open. Lyra peeked in again, eyes wide. When she saw the wolf, her jaw dropped.
"Arion—" she gasped. "You—You brought it home!?"
"Keep your voice down." He pressed a finger to his lips.
She scrambled inside anyway, staring in awe. The wolf twitched, opening one silver eye. Instead of snarling, it only regarded her with weary disinterest.
Lyra crouched beside it, reaching out cautiously. "It's… not going to eat me, right?"
Arion almost smiled. "Not unless I tell it to."
Her gasp turned into a squeak, and she punched his arm. "Don't joke about that!"
But her fear melted into wonder as she stroked its fur. The wolf huffed softly, tolerating her touch. A bond, fragile but undeniable, tethered them now.
For a fleeting moment, the weight of his lifetimes eased. Watching Lyra laugh—watching her marvel at something that would have been horror in another life—felt like reclaiming a stolen star.
But the moment couldn't last.
By noon, the village was alive with whispers.
"Did you hear? The Valestar boy faced a Fractal Beast!"
"Not just faced—it bonded with it!"
"Impossible. A child can't do that without a seal. He's cursed."
"Or blessed. Maybe the gods favor him."
Eyes followed him wherever he walked. Admiration burned in some gazes, suspicion in others. He had become a living rumor overnight.
The instructor, Garrek, met him at the square. The grizzled man's face was pale, his knuckles white as he gripped his sword hilt.
"Boy," Garrek muttered lowly, "what you did… I don't know how you did it. But listen well—keep your head down. Villagers are fools, but outsiders won't be so forgiving."
Arion tilted his head. "Outsiders?"
Garrek's jaw tightened. "Fractal Beasts are rare this far inland. The fact that one appeared here will not go unnoticed. And you—" He cut himself off, glancing at the wolf padding silently at Arion's side. "—you've just painted a target on your back."
Arion's gaze sharpened. So soon. The ripple had already begun.
That evening, the Nexus stirred again.
[Directive Update.]
[Survive → Rise.]
[System Prediction: External intervention imminent.]
Arion clenched his fists. He knew what was coming. Messengers, scouts, recruiters—forces that had once ignored this village would soon descend upon it. And with them came opportunities… and dangers.
But this time, he was ready.
As the last light of day faded, the bond pulsed between him and the wolf. Its silver eyes glimmered in the dark, mirroring his resolve.
The world had noticed him.
And he would not hide forever.
—————
The house was silent, save for the crackle of firewood. Shadows danced along the walls, painting the Valestar home in flickering warmth.
Arion's father, Darius Valestar, sat at the head of the table, his weathered hands clenched. His gaze was fixed not on the food, but on the wolf curled obediently at Arion's feet.
His mother, Selene, tried to mask her unease as she ladled stew into bowls. But her trembling hand betrayed her.
Finally, Darius spoke. His voice was gravel, heavy with the weight of a man who had seen too many winters.
"Explain."
Arion met his father's eyes without flinching. "It attacked the village. I stopped it."
"You stopped it," Darius repeated, his jaw tightening. "With a wooden stick. And now it follows you like a hound."
Selene's voice cracked. "Arion, do you understand what this means? You've bonded with a Fractal Beast! That bond—it will not go unnoticed. If word spreads—"
"It's already spread," Arion interrupted softly.
Silence fell. Lyra fidgeted beside him, glancing nervously between their parents. The wolf huffed quietly, as if sensing the tension.
Selene set the ladle down with a sharp clang. "We're farmers, Arion. We live quiet lives for a reason. The powers beyond these borders—they devour children like you. You've painted a mark on your own back."
Darius leaned forward, eyes like steel. "Listen well, boy. Power is not freedom. It's a chain. A chain that kings, academies, and gods alike will pull until you break. Do not think for a moment that this… beast makes you untouchable."
Arion lowered his gaze. For a moment, he let them believe he was the child they feared he was. But within, his thoughts burned. He knew better than anyone what chains awaited. He had lived them, died by them.
And this time, he would not bow.
The Nexus stirred.
[Directive: Conceal or Reveal.]
[Option 1: Hide the bond. Maintain anonymity. Probability of survival: 21%.]
[Option 2: Accept exposure. Draw the gaze of power. Probability of survival: 73%.]
[Recommendation: Option 2.]
The text flared before his eyes, unseen by the others. Its cold logic mirrored the clinical certainty of the Nano Machine. The Nexus wasn't advising—it was directing.
His lips tightened. He hated how right it was.
A knock shattered the silence.
Three raps, heavy, deliberate.
Darius rose, hand drifting to the hunting spear mounted on the wall. He opened the door.
A figure stood there, cloaked in deep blue, bearing the sigil of the nearest kingdom. Behind him, two armored escorts loomed, eyes scanning the humble home with sharp precision.
"Darius Valestar?" the man asked, his voice smooth, practiced. "We come on behalf of the Crown."
Selene gasped. Lyra clutched Arion's sleeve. The wolf growled low, silver eyes narrowing.
The man's gaze swept the room, lingering on Arion… and the beast at his feet. A slow smile tugged at his lips.
"So it's true," he murmured. "The village child who bonded a Fractal Beast without seal or ritual. The Crown takes great interest in such… prodigies."
Darius's hand tightened on the spear. "My son is no soldier."
The messenger ignored him, eyes locked on Arion. "The Royal Academy awaits, boy. And with it, opportunity beyond your wildest dreams—or your darkest fears."
The Nexus whispered, urgent now.
[Directive Updated.]
[Survive the Academy → Conquer the Academy.]
[Failure Condition: Family Annihilation.]
Arion's breath stilled. His gaze shifted to his family—their fear, their fragility, their love. The very things he had lost once before.
This time, he would not fail them.
He rose slowly, the wolf padding to his side. His voice was steady, cold.
"Tell the Crown," he said, silver eyes burning, "I'll come."
The messenger's smile widened. "Good. Very good."
But deep within, the Nexus pulsed like a chain tightening.
And Arion knew: the game had only just begun.