Kael looked at her, truly looked at her. He saw the cost of his life, written in the dark circles
under her eyes. He saw the sacrifice she had made, a sacrifice she brushed off as a "logical"
choice to study a new 'Dao,' but he knew it was more. She had defended him. She had stood as
his shield, when she was born to be a sword.
He closed his eyes. He felt the system, his Path, thrumming in his soul. It was waiting. He had
received power from Vows to protect strangers. Now, a Vow was forming that was so personal,
so powerful, it burned.
He sat up, ignoring the scream of his healing muscles. "Lin Yue."
She turned.
"You stood for me," he said, his voice quiet, but ringing with an absolute, unshakeable finality.
"You lost your world to be my shield. Now... I will be yours."
He placed his good hand over his heart. The bronze bell chimed in his soul, a sound so deep
and resonant that Lin Yue heard it, a low, vibrant DOOM that shook the air in the room. A faint,
golden-bronze light flared in Kael's eyes.
"I am Kael. I am a Knight. You have sacrificed your Path for me. So I make this Vow. I will be
your shield. I will stand between you and the world that hunts you. I will protect you from your
past, and I will defend you in your future. Your enemies are my enemies. Your fight is my fight.
This I Vow."
The world changed.
[VOW OF CONVICTION (PERSONAL) REGISTERED!] [VOW (Personal): "I will be her
shield. I will protect her."] [Path Evolving... Guardian Path -> PROTECTOR PATH] [This
Vow is bound to a single soul. All power gained is amplified by this bond.] [System Core
Adapting to Vow... Power Overwhelming!]
[LEVEL UP! Level 4 -> Level 5!] [Experience: 0/6000]
[Body Tempered by Lightning! System Core Adapted!] [Max HP: 200 -> 300] [Max
Stamina: 200 -> 300] [New Passive Skill Unlocked: [Arcane Resilience (Minor)] - 10%
resistance to all elemental Qi.]
[New Skill Unlocked: [Knight's Charge (Active)]] [Knight's Charge (Active) - Lvl 1: Infuse
your Vow into your body. Perform a short, unstoppable dash to intercept a threat or
charge an enemy. Breaks all low-level snares and repels enemies. Cost: 50 Stamina.]
Name: Kael Path: The Knight (Protector's Path) Level: 5 Vows: (3)
Stats: HP: 300/300 Stamina: 300/300 (All wounds and negative status effects purged by
Level Up and Vow! Arm mended!)
Kael let out a sharp breath as power, pure and warm, flooded his body. His broken bones
finished knitting with a snap. His [Overcharged] status vanished. His burns healed, leaving fresh
skin. He stood up from the bed, his body not just healed, but denser. Stronger.
Lin Yue was staring, her hand on her flute, her face pale. She had felt that. It was not Qi. It "Kael…" she whispered. "What… what was that?"
He looked at his hands, then at her. He gave her a small, true smile. "That," he said, "was a
promise."