Morning came quietly. Not the broken dawn of battle, not the false-light of corruption, but a simple morning — the kind that smelled of bread baking in stone ovens below, of wet earth drying in the sun, of horsehair and leather saddles prepared by early riders.
The town was alive when Andy, Nia, and Aurelia stepped out of the inn. Their cloaks shifted in the light breeze, and though they bore the marks of travel, their presence drew the eyes of every passerby. Merchants paused mid-shout, a girl froze with apples in her hands, and one old man bowed so low his forehead nearly touched the stones. Word of the ridge had spread.
Andy ignored the stares. His face remained calm, his breath steady. Behind him, Nia walked close, her staff stowed but her aura still faintly luminous, as though dawn had chosen her skin as its favorite canvas. Aurelia sauntered on his other side, hair unbound, daggers at her hips, grin sharp and knowing.
They did not linger in the market square. By dusk, they had made camp beyond the town, the river murmuring nearby. Villagers had pressed food into their hands as they left: bread wrapped in cloth, smoked fish, dried fruit. They ate it without ceremony, the three of them seated close, firelight painting their faces in warm amber.
It was Aurelia who broke the silence, leaning back on her elbows, smirk gleaming. "So… who's first tonight? Or do we make him prove he can handle both at once?"
Nia's eyes flickered, sharp, but she held her voice soft. "This isn't a contest. It's a vow."
Andy said nothing. He let the words pass between them like sparks, choosing not to quench nor to feed them. Instead, he closed his eyes — and felt the bond stir.
The system chimed, low and insistent.
[Constellation Sync — Orion]
Participants: Andy × Nia × Aurelia
Bond Status: MAX
Tier III Progression: Saturated
Condition Met: Shared Horizon Ritual
He inhaled, deep, the air carrying pine and smoke and the faint sweetness of Nia's perfume, the salt of Aurelia's skin still clinging faintly to him. He opened his hands, palms upward.
"Both," he said simply.
Nia's brows arched, but her cheeks flushed faint rose. Aurelia grinned wide, wolfish. Together, they placed their hands in his.
The system flared, not a whisper now but a roar.
[Bond Alignment Initiated]
Shared Horizon Protocol: ACTIVE
Synchronization: 72% → 89% → 100%
Warning: Overdrive threshold exceeded
Light exploded across the campsite.
It began at their joined hands — white-gold from Andy, silver-blue from Nia, sharp argent from Aurelia — braiding into a helix of power that shot skyward. The fire at their feet guttered, then swelled, flames bending outward like worshippers bowing. The river hissed, waves rising despite no wind.
Andy's breath caught, not from strain but from recognition. He felt their pulses in his own chest: Nia's steady, Aurelia's quick, both threading into his heart until his ribs ached with fullness. His aura stretched wider than his body, covering them, covering the camp, stretching until even the stars seemed to lean closer.
Nia gasped, light running across her skin in glyphs that needed no staff to anchor them. "I can cast without moving," she whispered in awe. A glyph spun above her palm, perfect, effortless, and dissolved into the night air like a star exhaling.
Aurelia laughed, wild, rising to her feet even as the bond held. Her body flickered, split into three echoes at once, all moving independently, all smiling the same wicked grin. "Three of me," she said, half-joking, half-reverent. "You'll never keep up now."
Andy rose between them. His wings unfurled, flame-feather and scale, phoenix light crowning dragon strength. The Oathblade appeared in his hand without summoning — the system had already obeyed the bond. The steel glowed with every element, humming low and deep like the heartbeat of the earth itself.
The log unfolded, long and final.
[System Log — Orion Constellation]
Stage: FINALIZED
Bond Saturation: COMPLETE
Shared Resonance Form: PERMANENT
Constellation Overdrive: 100%
Unlocked:
— Shared Constellation Horizon (Triad Bond).
— Nia: Glyph Ascendant EX (sustained).
— Aurelia: Moonveil Huntress EX (sustained).
— Andy: Dragon-Phoenix Form (permanent).
Passive: Triad Field Aura
— Movement, defense, offense amplified within 300m radius.
— Fear resistance: Absolute.
— Aura contamination: Nullified.
The log flickered once, then shifted. A new line scrawled across his vision, trembling with uncertainty, letters half-written, like stars still deciding where to belong.
[Next Constellation: Loading…]
Status: Pending Alignment
Manifestation: 1 day
Hint: "The Hunter is not alone in the sky."
Andy's jaw tightened, but he said nothing. He lowered the Oathblade, the glow dimming. His eyes swept skyward.
Above them, Orion burned bright, steady, but as they watched, its edges blurred. The stars trembled, shifting as though preparing to yield their place to something else. A cluster far to the east flickered once, faint, almost shy, but there.
Nia followed his gaze, her hand still in his. "A new map," she whispered.
Aurelia leaned against his shoulder, her voice softer than usual, though the grin remained. "New game."
Andy said nothing. He only breathed, steady, and felt the bond pulse through him — a rhythm of three hearts, three vows, one horizon.
The world slept. But above, the stars began to redraw themselves.