Lyra had stay quiet but she couldn't let this happen right in front of her eyes.
The oppressive silence following Aki's grim oath of servitude was shattered by the impossible.
From the glowing white scar where Lyra's essence had been violently pulled away from Aki's human core, a small, radiant figure began to bloom. It was a visible echo of Lyra's form fully back , a dazzling miniature of the goddess, shimmering with a defiant, palpable fury. Her arms were instantly crossed, her posture radiating thousands of years of cold displeasure.
The Guardian stared, her red eyes widening in genuine, profound shock, the first time she had shown genuine emotion since their arrival.
"Well, hello," the Guardian drawled, recovering quickly, though her voice was laced with disbelief. "Look who decided to crawl out of the life-force drain. I thought the big, bleeding brute had used up every last drop of your pathetic little spark, Lyra. Clearly, some things cling to life with irritating tenacity."
The light form of Lyra floated forward, her voice ringing with the clear, melodic authority of a being who had known the Guardian for millennia. "And I thought centuries of solitude would have taught you some manners, Axiom. Your attire is just as regrettably minimalistic as ever. Did you finally find the time to patch the holes in your dignity, or are you still relying on that ridiculous veil of elemental silk?"
The veiled insults and mocking pleasantries flew like sharp, ancient knives. They were slight rivals, two powerful forces who had spent ages sparring across dimensional politics, and their contempt was a language of false kindness.
"Don't flatter yourself, dear. My dignity is entirely intact," the Guardian Axiom retorted, her voice still sharp, but a tremor of underlying caution was visible. "Unlike your champion's lifespan, which I now rightfully own. He made the Oath. You know the rules of this realm."
Lyra's luminous eyes narrowed. "And you know that I will not permit it. I did not sacrifice my existence to turn my champion into a glorified groundskeeper for your overgrown rock garden. Aki will not be a protector of your land, nor a slave to your selfish paranoia. The bargain is void."
Before Axiom could launch another sarcastic defense, Lyra acted. The small, incandescent figure darted forward with impossible speed. She didn't attack; she simply seized Axiom's wrist, the pure light of her form contrasting violently with the Guardian's elemental power.
Axiom cried out in surprise, not pain. "Let go of me, you infuriating little echo! What in the eternal hells are you doing?"
Lyra made no reply. She used the full, focused strength of the Divine Incarnation's remaining will to force Axiom's hand closer to her face. Then, in a truly shocking act, Lyra bit the tip of Axiom's finger.
It was not a destructive bite, but a powerful, ancient transfer of essence. Axiom's red blood, which was not liquid but a dense, living elemental energy, pulsed out. Lyra pulled the glowing droplet away, releasing the stunned Guardian.
Lyra then floated back to the collapsed Aki, who watched in breathless confusion. She pressed the glowing red droplet of Axiom's elemental life-force to his lips.
"Swallow it, Aki," Lyra commanded, her voice weak but firm. "It's the ultimate cosmic equivalent of an emergency transfusion. It's life. It's years."
Aki obeyed. The moment the fiery, elemental blood touched his tongue, a wave of profound, vibrant warmth spread through his body. It was a complete reversal of the aging process he had just endured. The immense burden on his life force vanished. He felt the terrifying, sharp edge of exhaustion dull to a manageable throb. He felt the years he had sacrificed, and then some, flood back into him. He was not fully healed, but his life was no longer mortgaged.
Aki pushed himself to his feet, feeling significantly stronger. The Architect's malice still lingered, but the clock on his life had been rewound.
Axiom stood frozen, rubbing her finger, her red eyes blazing with a mix of fury, astonishment, and reluctant admiration.
"You—you absolute lunatic!" Axiom finally hissed, her voice shaking with controlled rage. "You just consumed decades of my Sanctuary's core essence! Do you have any idea what you've done to my energy reserves? You owe me more than servitude now, you insolent pest! You've just created a debt that transcends reality!"
Lyra's light form flickered, fading back into Aki's core, her mission accomplished. The terms of the engagement had changed completely. They were no longer slaves to a bargain; they were debtors to a powerful, enraged entity who now had a direct, personal grievance.