Ash didn't sleep that night. The valley around them was silent, the only sound the whisper of the wind through jagged cliffs and the occasional drip of water from stalactites. But her mind raced faster than the river below.
Ren had stayed silent after their battle with the fiend. The way he had moved… precise, unflinching, terrifying. And yet, beneath the armor of his control, she could feel it—the small flickers of care when she'd been in danger.
She tried to deny it, of course. It's just instinct. I'm not… anything special.
But the strange warmth at her chest, that pulse that had seemed to surge every time he protected her—it wouldn't stop. Ash pressed her hand against it. A faint glow, soft and golden, shimmered under her palm.
"What… is this?" she whispered.
Ren had noticed, of course. He didn't comment, didn't touch it, didn't speak. Only those sharp, unreadable eyes of his watched her from across the dim campfire.
Ash flopped onto the cold rock, arms crossed. "Figures. I'm always the special one, whether I like it or not."
Ren's brow twitched. He didn't say anything. He didn't need to. Silence was his way of speaking, and she knew it.
The first rays of dawn lit the valley in pink and gold. Ash finally stood, brushing the dust from her clothes. She had to move. Waiting, doing nothing—it was worse than facing any fiend.
"Ren," she said softly. "We need to keep going. Whatever that mark is… it won't just disappear."
He gave a curt nod. "The path ahead is dangerous. Keep focused. You'll survive if you follow my lead."
Ash smirked, stepping closer than necessary. "Ah, so I'm just your liability again?"
Ren's lips twitched faintly. "You're stubborn. That makes you… interesting."
Ash felt her cheeks heat, though she refused to admit it. She spun toward the trail, keeping a safe distance—just enough to remind him I'm still in charge of my own survival.
The Hidden Token
By midday, they came to a crumbling temple half-buried in mist. Ancient stone pillars leaned precariously, etched with glyphs glowing faintly in the sunlight. Ash's pulse quickened. This felt… different.
"Looks abandoned," she muttered, brushing moss from a glyph. Her fingers tingled as they passed over it. Wait… that's the same pattern as the mark on my chest.
Ren stepped beside her, sword in hand. "Do not touch recklessly. These wards are strong. Even a novice could be killed by the wrong movement."
Ash smirked. "Noted. But isn't that why I'm here?"
He didn't answer. His eyes scanned the area with razor precision, as if he could see the spirits hiding in the shadows.
Ash's gaze fell to the center of the temple floor. Embedded in the stone was a faintly glowing crystal, pulsating in sync with her own heartbeat. That can't be a coincidence.
"Ren…" she said, lowering her voice. "This crystal… it's connected to me. I can feel it."
Ren's jaw tightened. "It's dangerous. Many before you have come here… few left."
Ash's lips curved into a teasing grin. "Oh, I love a challenge. Besides, you're here to protect me, remember?"
Ren's eyes flickered—briefly, almost humanly. "That's not the reason."
"Uh-huh." Ash raised an eyebrow. "Sure it isn't."
First True Trial
The moment she touched the crystal, the ground trembled. Shadows poured from the temple walls like black smoke, forming monstrous, humanoid shapes with glowing red eyes.
Ash gasped. "Oh, you have got to be kidding me."
Ren stepped in front of her, sword drawn, energy flaring. "Stay behind me. Do not engage unless I tell you."
Ash raised her hands, feeling the strange power coursing from her mark. She could sense the shadows reacting to her pulse, almost… waiting for her to act.
Ren glanced at her. "You may have more power than you realize. But control is essential. One mistake—"
Ash grinned, cutting him off: "One mistake, I'll die spectacularly. Got it."
The shadows lunged. Ren moved like lightning, sword tracing arcs of gold energy, cutting through them with lethal precision. Sparks and dark mist collided, sending shards of stone flying. Ash kept close, instinctively drawing on her own pulsing energy, forming rudimentary shields to deflect attacks.
"You're not half bad," Ren muttered, barely keeping his voice above the clash of energy.
Ash smirked through the tension. "And you're way too serious. Lighten up, sword boy."
Ren's lips twitched again, almost imperceptibly. He didn't answer. He never did when she teased him—but Ash could tell from his eyes that he noticed.
The battle raged, and Ash's connection to the crystal deepened. The shadows recoiled whenever her mark pulsed with energy. She realized… they weren't just being tested. They were being shaped together.
Foreshadowing Fate
As the last shadow dissipated under Ren's final strike, Ash leaned against a pillar, breathing heavily. "So… does this mean I'm officially cursed with destiny now?"
Ren's gaze softened—just slightly. "Not cursed. Chosen. Fate binds you to this place… and to me."
Ash's heart skipped. She blinked, looking up at him, teasing smirk fading into something more serious. "Binds me… to you?"
Ren's expression remained unreadable, but the intensity in his eyes left her breathless. "Yes. And we both have no choice in this."
Ash laughed nervously, brushing hair from her face. "Great. So now I'm a liability and fated partner. Lucky me."
Ren didn't respond. He simply sheathed his sword, the temple falling silent around them.
Ash glanced down at the crystal. Her heartbeat synced again with its pulse, faint golden light flickering over her chest. Whatever this fate is… it's only beginning.