Ren awoke the next morning feeling a strange sense of equilibrium. The cold thrum of the scar was still present, a dissonant note in the symphony of his being, but it was a note he now recognized. He no longer felt like its victim. After a brief meal of strange, sweet fruit that grew near the grotto's edge, he presented himself before the Eldest, his heart steady.
The Great Serpent regarded him from the still, clear pool, its emerald eyes seeming to hold the light of ancient stars. "Yesterday, you learned to face the darkness within. Today, you will learn to amplify the light of the Covenant. Your bond with the serpent on your arm is your greatest asset. It is a legacy of a time when the spirits of beast and man were intertwined. Thus far, you have been the river, and he has been the channel for your power."
The Eldest's voice filled his mind with a new concept. "The Covenant is a two-way path. A true bond is not one of master and tool, but of shared existence. You must learn to become the pool, and allow him to become the spring. You must trust him not only with your life, but with your very power. Today, we teach the snake to roar."
Ren looked at Shiro, who watched the Great Serpent with rapt attention. A roar? The idea was absurd, yet in the heart of this magical place, he knew the word was a metaphor for something far more profound.
"Sit," the Eldest commanded. "Center yourself. Feel the bond between you, the silver thread of the Covenant that joins your spirits. Now… let go of your end of the thread. Do not push your magic to him. Open the gate and invite him to draw it for himself."
This was, in its own way, as terrifying as facing the blight. To cede control of his own magic, to make himself a passive conduit for another being, required an absolute and unconditional trust. He took a deep breath, the memory of Shiro's unwavering support during his previous trial giving him strength. He closed his eyes and focused on the shimmering, spiritual link between them. He pictured it not as a line he could control, but as an open doorway. With a silent act of will, he unlocked it and held it open.
The sensation was immediate and startling. He felt a distinct pull on his magical reserves, a gentle but insistent drawing of power. It was Shiro.
On his arm, the small snake began to transform. A brilliant, golden light, far more intense than ever before, emanated from Shiro's body. His small form seemed to become more substantial, more solid, his scales shimmering as if cast from pure, molten gold. His eyes were no longer just intelligent; they were blazing suns of ancient power. He was still small in size, but his presence suddenly filled the grotto with an energy that rivaled the great beasts outside.
"Good," the Eldest's voice hummed. "He has the instinct. The blood remembers. Now, he must have a target."
From the pool before them, a sphere of water the size of a large boulder lifted into the air, hovering and spinning. It was a simple object, yet Ren could feel the immense power holding it together.
"Strike it, little one," the Eldest commanded Shiro. "Unleash the voice you have never had."
Ren, acting as the anchor, felt Shiro gather the power being drawn through their bond, compressing it within his small form. Shiro opened his mouth, and what came out was not a hiss.
It was not a sound at all.
It was a silent, concussive wave of pure magical force, a psychic roar that distorted the very air. Ren felt it as a deep, soul-shaking vibration that traveled up his arm and resonated in his chest. The golden energy around Shiro erupted outwards in a focused beam. The beam struck the sphere of water, and for a moment, nothing happened. Then, with a deafening crack, the sphere did not splash or fall apart; it was annihilated, instantly vaporized into a cloud of mist that dissipated into nothing.
The moment the energy was released, the connection snapped shut. The golden light around Shiro faded, and he went limp on Ren's arm, utterly exhausted. Ren himself slumped forward, gasping, feeling as though a torrent had just been unleashed from his very soul. The sheer power of the act left him dizzy and weak.
He looked down at Shiro, who managed a weak flick of his tongue. The small snake was just a snake again, but the memory of the immense power he had just wielded hung in the air. They had done it. They had acted as one symbiotic being.
"The roar of a serpent of the Covenant is not sound, but will," the Eldest explained, a deep satisfaction in its tone. "It is the assertion of a perfect bond against a world of chaos. It is a power the Hollow, with their philosophy of isolation, cannot comprehend. You have much to practice. The strain is great, but with time, this will become as natural as breathing."
Ren carefully cradled the sleeping Shiro, a wave of awe and affection washing over him. Their partnership had been forged anew. Shiro was not just his companion, not just a focus for his magic. He was a second heart, a second will, a partner in power. Looking at the small, exhausted snake, Ren understood. Together, they were more than a Guardian and his beast. They were a single weapon, waiting to be aimed.