Morning bled through the shutters in slow stripes, pale light touching sweat-damp sheets and skin that had no right to feel warm in a corrupted land. The room smelled of cedar from the inn's beams, salt from their bodies, and candle wax guttered to cold puddles.
Andy stirred first. His aura woke with him, not in a flare but a slow, coiled breath—Dragon Resonance, quieter than before, yet denser, refined. It pressed against the wood, testing the walls like a tide pressing against levees.
Nia shifted at his left, lashes trembling before her eyes opened. Her hand was still on his chest, the mark of possession even in sleep. She inhaled sharply, as if waking into prayer, and then stilled, watching him with a softness that only cracked when Aurelia yawned from the other side, hair tousled like a wild banner.
"Alive," Aurelia muttered with a grin, stretching across his right arm. "Barely."
Nia's eyes narrowed, voice a velvet blade. "You pushed too far."
"Funny," Aurelia replied, smirk widening. "I thought he was the one pushing."
Andy exhaled, calm, and sat up. The sheet slipped to his waist. Both women's gazes followed the line of his back instinctively.
The system interrupted with a bright chime.
[Dragon Resonance — Tier II]
Status: Stable
Aura Control: Suppression / Flare (Unlocked)
Note: Resonance balance improved via Shared Bond.
He stood, barefoot on the wooden floor, and let his aura rise. Ember curled along his shoulders, tide whispered around his ankles, gale breathed through his hair. The air grew heavy, the boards creaked, the candle stubs trembled.
Then he snapped it shut. Aura collapsed inward until the room felt suddenly, unnaturally empty. Even Aurelia blinked, thrown off.
"Neat trick," she said, running a finger along the bedframe. "Hide the beast, then show it again."
"Dragon Resonance," Andy explained, tone low. "At Tier II I can smother the scent or make it heavier. Husks will either fail to notice me, or drown in my presence."
Nia rose gracefully, robe pulled over her shoulders, staff flickering into her hand from the Shared Inventory. The room brightened faintly as the Staff of Lumina hummed.
[Shared Inventory Access]
Staff of Lumina summoned.
Moonpiercer Daggers summoned.
Aurelia's daggers chimed into her hands with a flash of silver light. She twirled them once, testing balance, then flicked her gaze at Andy. "Let's test the sharing."
Nia set her staff against the floor. Her aura threaded into Andy's—the lattice's light weaving around his. Andy felt her presence slide into his breath, his pulse, as if his heart had learned a second beat.
Aurelia pressed her dagger to his arm lightly. Her aura slipped in next, hotter, quicker, sparking against Nia's calm threads. Rivalry pulsed across the bond. Andy clenched his jaw, grounding them both.
The system answered.
[Shared Constellation Resonance Initiated]
Participants: Andy × Nia × Aurelia
Output: +15% aura stability | +10% elemental amplification
Warning: Unstable sync (rivalry tension detected)
Andy's aura swelled. For a heartbeat, the room disappeared—walls dissolved into starfields, Orion blazing above their heads. Nia gasped softly, pupils dilating as her glyphs lit unbidden. Aurelia laughed, breathless, her daggers dripping silver fire.
The light faded, leaving only the room again, three chests heaving, breaths uneven.
"It works," Andy said, voice hoarse.
Nia pressed her lips together, hiding the flush in her cheeks. "Barely. It needs… practice."
Aurelia leaned against Andy's shoulder, sweat still glistening along her collarbone. "Then we practice until dawn again," she teased, tongue darting at the corner of her mouth.
Nia's staff clicked against the floor like a warning. "Not every night."
"Every night until I win," Aurelia shot back.
Andy rubbed his brow, but his smile betrayed him. His aura folded once more, calm and steady. Outside, villagers began moving carts and calling for morning prayers. Inside, the system chimed again, amused.
[Constellation Sync — Orion]
Nia ⭐ 96% | Aurelia ⭐ 93%
Tier III Progress: 25%
Shared Resonance: Unstable → Strengthening
The day was waiting. The Corrupter's shadow was not gone. But for the first time, Andy felt three hearts move with his own—and the sky above seemed to listen.