The koi woke in the cold current as always—whole, unscarred, unchanged. But this time, the river carried something different.
Sense stirred before his eyes adjusted. A faint aura brushed against him—one he could never mistake. Ian. The bond pulsed with familiarity.
Yet it wasn't the same.
Once, Ian's will had burned like fire—steady, stubborn, unyielding. Now it flickered faint and brittle, like embers guttering in the wind.
The koi's chest tightened. He thrashed his tail and surged through reeds and currents, chasing the fading aura.
The closer he swam, the stranger it felt. The river itself tugged at him, pulling memories from deep within. The bend of the water, the worn stones, the trees leaning low—he knew this place.
Where they had first met. Where Ian had crouched with the red cord. Where everything had begun.
The koi broke the surface.
Ian was there.
But not the Ian he had known.
The man on the bank was bent with age. His hair was white, his back curved. His right sleeve hung empty, pinned at the shoulder. His face was lined deep with years, his body worn down by time.
The koi froze. Realization struck harder than any dragon's flame. How long… how many years had he slept?
Ian turned, slow but deliberate, and his eyes fell on the koi. For a heartbeat, recognition sparked.
"I know you," Ian whispered, voice cracked with age. "The koi… from Ember Lake. The one who fought with me and Rakkel."
The koi's fins trembled. He darted in frantic circles, splashing. His chest ached, his heart tore open. He wanted to scream, to apologize, to explain—but only bubbles rose.
Ian watched with a tired smile. "You're still alive. I wondered if I'd ever see you again."
His voice grew heavier. "We killed it, you know. The Dark Fire Dragon. Rakkel… gave his life. I lost my arm. But together, we finished it."
—
Sense pulled at Ian's memory, and he saw.
Rakkel leaping straight into the dragon's jaws. The tiger's body igniting, flames colliding with black fire. A sacrifice, pure and absolute.
Ian seizing that moment. Driving his blade with both hands into the dragon's chest. Fire tearing away his right arm, but he did not let go. With a scream, he pushed the sword through the beast's heart.
The Dark Fire Dragon collapsed, molten blood boiling Ember Lake until steam shook the cavern walls.
When silence fell, Ian stood alone—one arm gone, his partner gone—but victorious.
The dragon was dead.
—
Ian's voice quivered with grief, but pride steadied it. "I lost Rakkel. I lost my arm. But I avenged Mari. I avenged our family. I avenged the village… and you too."
He lowered his head, smiling faintly. "So no, I don't regret it. Not any of it."
The koi's fins shook violently. His chest hurt so badly he thought it would break. He swirled the water in anguish.
No regrets? How can you say that?
It was his weakness that had forced them to pay that price. If he had been stronger, maybe Rakkel would still live. Maybe Ian would still have both arms. Maybe Ian wouldn't have carried decades of scars alone.
He hated himself.
I was too weak.
—
The System's voice stirred, cold as ever.
[Sacrifice recorded: Rakkel's life, Ian's right arm, Ian's battle experience]
[System Response: New function unlocked — Sense (Telepathy)]
The koi froze. Telepathy?
[Skill: Sense (Alternate Mode: Telepathy)]
Type: Passive/Active
Effect: Transmits fragments of thought to bond partner.
Limitations: Extremely unstable. Range: short. Clarity: poor.
The koi trembled. It wasn't enough. It would never be enough. But it was all he had.
Ian's shoulders sagged, his breathing shallow. "Strange, seeing you now. I thought… maybe you'd died long ago. But here you are."
The koi gathered every ounce of will, forcing thoughts into the new skill. His mind scraped raw as words clawed free.
…sorry… i… weak…
The message was jagged, broken, but Ian stiffened. His eyes widened. "You… spoke?"
The koi thrashed in the water, trying again. …forgive… too… weak…
[Telepathy unstable]
[Message clarity: <30%]
Ian's face softened. He lowered his hand, fingers brushing the surface. "No," he whispered. "You weren't weak. You were there. You fought with us. That's all that mattered."
The koi spun tighter, guilt tearing at him. His thoughts fractured, spilling the same desperate plea. …sorry… i… weak…
Ian heard. His lips curved into a faint, peaceful smile.
Then his body sagged, breath slowing, eyes closing. The koi circled helplessly in the river, heart crushed beneath the weight of silence.
No matter what Ian said, no matter the victory, he couldn't forgive himself.
He blamed himself for Rakkel's sacrifice. For Ian's missing arm. For the years Ian had carried alone.
And as Ian's final breath faded, the koi sank beneath the current, his heart drowning in the only truth he knew:
Still too weak.