Light.
Soft, muted, and strangely alive — like sunlight filtering through water.When I opened my eyes, it wasn't the fire that greeted me. It was silence.And the faint hum of magic flowing through white stone walls.
[Vital Signs: Stabilized.][Resonance Core: 52% integrity.][Link — Luna Vael: Active (Proximity Detected).]
I blinked. "Proximity—what?"
The infirmary was quiet, save for the low murmurs of healing enchantments. Rows of cots lined the chamber, each occupied by exhausted students wrapped in shimmering light.At the far end, beside an arched window, stood Luna.
Her hair caught the sunlight like black silk dipped in moonlight.She wasn't looking at me — she was reading something projected in the air, her fingers tracing slow glyphs that pulsed in rhythm with her breathing.
For a while, I just watched.
The system's pulse echoed faintly in my chest, syncing to hers.It wasn't intrusive — it was steady, grounding. Like hearing someone else's heartbeat and realizing it matched your own.
"Staring is rude," she said without turning around.
I froze. "You— how—"
"You breathe too loud."She looked over her shoulder, one brow raised. "How are you feeling?"
"Like I tried to wrestle lightning."
"That's an improvement," she said dryly. "Yesterday, you looked like lightning had won."
I sat up slowly, every muscle trembling. "What happened? The last thing I remember was… fire. And a lot of pain."
Her expression softened. "You survived the Soulfire Trial. Barely. You burned through your own emotional core and nearly collapsed your resonance field."
"Sounds bad."
"It was bad. And then—" she hesitated, eyes flicking away "—something strange happened."
"The system?" I guessed.
"Yes. Your resonance stabilized when it shouldn't have. You linked mid-trial. That's not supposed to be possible."
She studied me closely, her gaze sharp but searching, as if she was looking through me rather than at me.
"What did you see in there?" she asked quietly. "In the fire."
I hesitated. The memory still hurt — not the flames, but the reflection, the accusations, the truth."…Myself," I said finally. "The part that didn't want to try again."
Her eyes softened just a fraction. "And you fought him."
"...I had help."
A pause. Then, faintly, she smiled. "You mean me."
I smiled back, a little awkwardly. "You were… calm. Even in my head."
She tilted her head. "You heard me?"
I shook my head "No... more... Felt you. Like a hum under the noise."
Luna exhaled slowly, crossing her arms. "That wasn't intentional. Our systems must have overlapped when the resonance synced."
"So we're… connected?"
[Resonance Update: Luna Vael — 52% Synchronization. Emotional Link: Stable.]
I flinched as the text blinked before my eyes. "The system agrees."
Her lips twitched — not quite a smile, not quite a frown. "Don't let it go to your head. Resonance bonds can fade as quickly as they form."
"Right. Temporary connection. Got it."Still, I couldn't stop glancing at the silver thread of light that shimmered faintly between us when I focused. Like moonlight drawn thin.
She noticed. "You can see the bond?"
I nodded. "It's faint. Feels… alive."
"That's rare," she murmured. "Even among high-level resonants."
Silence stretched between us — not awkward, just heavy.Then Luna sighed and reached for a folded cloak draped over a nearby chair. "Rest. You'll need it. The next phase begins tomorrow."
"Tomorrow? I just fought my emotional trauma."
"Welcome to Arcanum Academy," she said dryly.
She turned to leave.And just before she reached the door, she hesitated.
"For what it's worth," she said, her voice softer now, "you did well. Most people who face themselves in the fire don't survive."
"Guess I'm not most people."
She looked back over her shoulder — and this time, her smile reached her eyes."No," she said quietly. "You're not."
The door closed behind her, leaving me alone with the lingering warmth of her presence — and the echo of a heartbeat that wasn't entirely mine.
[New Objective: Understand Resonance Bonds.][Hint: Emotional proximity enhances synchronization.][Warning: Emotional overload may result in uncontrolled energy release.]
I groaned. "So basically… don't fall in love too fast?"
[System Response: That depends on how fast you can handle it.]
I buried my face in my hands and laughed."Great. Even my system's a flirt."