CHAPTER 23 - 23: BONDS BEYOND CONTROL

Arden didn't rush toward the crystal formation. He had something more pressing to handle first, his promise to Nyra.

She wouldn't be of much use if things got dangerous behind that glow, and she deserved a fair chance to protect herself.

He stepped out of the cave and called to her where she waited in the clearing.

"We're not done here," he said, walking up with steady steps. "You still need control. And this might be the best place to push it."

Nyra glanced between him and Zephyra, already sensing what he meant. Her brows pulled together.

"You want her to fight me?" she asked, backing away slightly.

Arden nodded. "Not to hurt you. Just enough to trigger a response. We've seen it before, you don't tap into the affinity until you're pushed."

"That's insane," she said, her voice low. "I barely controlled it last time. I could've hurt either of you."

"You didn't," Arden replied, calm and even. "Because we were ready. We'll always be ready. But this.. this is the only way you'll learn to call it instead of fear it."

Nyra hesitated. Her hands clenched at her sides.

"I'll be there to stop things if they go wrong," he added.

That seemed to steady her. She took in a breath, then nodded. "Fine. Let's try."

Zephyra didn't need a signal.

She darted forward, claws flashing as sparks of wind gathered at her paws. Nyra braced herself, throwing up a weak Aether barrier that shattered almost immediately under the impact. She stumbled back, panting, as Zephyra pressed on with precision, never too hard, but unrelenting.

Cuts and bruises began to show. Nyra grit her teeth, eyes wide and wild.

Then, finally, something snapped. The wind and ice burst out again, surging in a wave from her core.

Zephyra twisted away just in time, leaping back as frost cracked the earth and the wind howled. And Arden moved in without hesitation.

He blinked forward using Steptrace Mirage, appearing beside Nyra, body already hardened with defensive layers of life energy.

She didn't even register him at first. Her eyes were distant, the power inside her flaring out like it had a mind of its own.

Without a word, Arden placed his hand on the same pressure point as last time and sent a steady stream of life energy into her. Her limbs trembled as the energy rushed into her core. Slowly, the storm began to settle. The swirling winds thinned, and the frost started to melt.

Her breathing evened out.

Then she was calm again.

Zephyra circled around them, ready in case it flared up once more.

Arden stepped back.

"Again," he said quietly.

And it did happen again.

Over the next few hours, then the next few days, the same pattern repeated. Zephyra pushed her, triggered the storm, Arden stepped in to help stabilize it.

With each cycle, Nyra lasted longer before losing control. Her aura began to change. Not quite stable, but learning.

When she wasn't fighting, she sat quietly under the trees, absorbing aether from the air like every other mage. Her growth was slow, but steady. Her affinities fed on the aether, surging when she least expected it. But now, she faced it with less fear.

Still, Arden wasn't satisfied. The temporary stabilizing wasn't enough. He wanted more for her. A real fix. Something lasting.

Truthfully, he didn't have a solution yet. But he had a theory.

Just like it happened with Zephyra, he hoped the system would respond, if not to the chaos in her, then to the determination in both of them. All she had to do was trust him long enough for it to work.

Today, her control slipped again.

And again, Arden moved in without pause. Life energy surged from his palm into her core, but this time, something else stirred.

A flicker in the back of his mind.

The system had responded.

A soft pulse echoed through his mind, and then the system interface appeared.

Corebind Resonance Link Formed

Effect: A living life energy circuit has been established. Formed through genuine trust, its strength increases the closer the bonded individuals are in both distance and emotion. Grants steady core stability to the bonded target and enhances synergy in combat or training. The link grows over time.

Arden let out a short breath, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips.

"This might actually work," he muttered.

With the bond formed, Nyra's chaotic core began to settle. It wasn't instant, but it was clear. She straightened slowly, her hands glowing faintly with channeling aether. She didn't look afraid of it anymore.

She raised one hand, took a breath, and focused. Ice formed, clean and sharp, twisting into a simple frozen shard before launching into a nearby tree. The impact cracked the bark, splinters flying. She stared at the result, eyes wide.

"It's... easier now," she whispered. "Like I can feel your energy holding the pieces together."

Her aura no longer spiked or flared out of control. It flowed.

Without warning, Nyra ran forward and threw her arms around him. Arden froze, caught off guard, but through the bond, he could feel what she wasn't saying. Relief. Gratitude. A deep, wordless trust.

Since awakening, she'd been seen as unstable, dangerous. Something to be contained or discarded. But Arden had stepped in, not once, but twice. Not because he had to. Because he chose to.

He let out a short chuckle and returned the hug.

"You earned this," he said simply. "You've been fighting for it every day."

Nyra pulled back, a little flustered, cheeks flushed pink. "Sorry... I just.. I didn't mean to jump on you like that."

Arden gave her a knowing look. "You'll live. Now go get some rest. We've still got a glowing rock to chase."

She gave a small laugh, wiping at her face with her sleeve, then nodded and turned toward the cave.

Arden watched her go, his expression thoughtful.

The system didn't just reward strength. It responded to choice. Trust. Maybe that was the real path forward. Not just growing stronger, but lifting others along the way.

And now, it was time to see what exactly the basilisk had been guarding.

A/N:

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