Zerrei woke to the sound of Lyra's heartbeat.
Not to sunlight.
Not to voices.
Not to the forest's morning breeze.
But to her.
Soft, steady, warm.
He clung tighter without opening his eyes, arms instinctively tightening around her waist as if afraid she would vanish. The cracks along his body glowed faintly when he moved—each shift sending a ripple of discomfort through his core.
Pain.
Actual pain.
Not the dull mechanical sensation of damage he was built to recognize.
Something deeper.
Something raw.
Something he had no name for.
Zerrei shivered.
"…Lyra…"
Lyra stroked his back gently.
"I'm here. Does it hurt?"
Zerrei hesitated, then nodded against her shoulder.
"…yes…"
Arden groaned dramatically from behind a tree stump.
"Of course he feels pain now. Of COURSE."
Oren didn't even look up from his notes.
"It was only a matter of time."
Arden jabbed a finger at Zerrei.
"He learns emotions—he learns affection—now he learns PAIN? What's next? Taxes?!"
Oren blinked.
"…What are taxes?"
"DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT," Arden snapped. "IT'S WORSE THAN DEATH."
Zerrei slowly lifted his head from Lyra's shoulder, blinking groggily.
"…hurt… here…"
He placed a hand over the fractured glow on his chest.
Lyra gently touched his fingers.
"It'll get better. Oren is helping me learn how."
Zerrei's eyes softened—fear mixed with trust.
"…Lyra… protect…?"
She smiled—warm, soft, determined.
"I'll protect you too."
His glow flickered in confusion.
"…Zerrei… protect Lyra.
Lyra… protect Zerrei…?"
Arden whispered:
"Oh gods, he just discovered 'mutual support.'"
Oren scribbled furiously.
"Fascinating. His identity frameworks are rewriting themselves."
Zerrei ignored both of them.
His gaze never left Lyra.
"…Lyra… strong?"
She nodded quietly.
"I will be."
He hesitated.
Then whispered—
"…Zerrei… scared."
Lyra cupped his face instantly.
"Of what?"
He leaned forward until their foreheads touched.
"…if Lyra strong…
Lyra not need Zerrei…?"
Everything stopped.
Arden froze mid-breath.
Oren crushed a page of his notes.
Lyra inhaled sharply, eyes softening with heartbreak.
"Oh, Zerrei…"
She pulled him into her arms, holding him tight.
"You don't understand," she whispered fiercely.
"I don't want you because you protect me."
He trembled.
"…then… why…?"
Lyra stroked the back of his head.
"Because you choose me."
Zerrei blinked.
Slow.
Fragile.
Innocent.
"…choose… Lyra…"
"Yes."
He closed his eyes, resting against her with a soft hum.
"…then… Lyra… stay…"
She kissed his forehead.
"I will."
OREN'S FIRST LESSON
"Alright," Oren said, adjusting his spectacles and lifting a glowing book. "Emotional reunion aside—Lyra, your training starts now."
Arden raised a brow.
"Like… now now?"
"Yes," Oren said flatly. "And you will not interrupt."
Arden opened his mouth.
Lyra shot him a glare.
He closed it immediately.
Oren drew a circle in the dirt—careful, intricate patterns that glowed faint blue.
"This," he said, "is a resonance sigil. It attunes your emotions into magic."
Lyra leaned closer.
Zerrei lifted his head weakly to watch.
"…Lyra… magic…?"
She smiled at him.
"I'm learning for you."
Zerrei blinked, confused but pleased.
"…warm…"
Lyra placed her hands in the circle.
Oren instructed:
"Think of something that fills your heart. Something that stabilizes you."
Arden muttered:
"She's absolutely going to think about Zerrei."
She did.
Instantly.
The sigil glowed gold.
Oren's eyes widened.
"Remarkable."
Arden nearly fell over.
Zerrei blinked sleepily.
"…pretty…"
The sigil pulsed—
once
twice
then collapsed into a small burst of light.
Lyra flinched.
"Ow!"
Zerrei nearly leapt up—cracks lighting dangerously.
"…Lyra—!!"
She quickly placed both hands on his cheeks.
"I'm okay! I'm okay—don't move!"
He froze, breathing fast (or the vessel equivalent).
"…hurt Lyra…?"
"No," she said quickly. "Just a small shock."
Zerrei lowered his forehead to her collarbone.
"…don't like… Lyra hurt…"
Lyra stroked his back.
"Then help me learn."
He nodded weakly against her.
"…help…"
Oren cleared his throat.
"Alright. Again, Lyra—but slower this time."
Arden whispered:
"Oh boy. This is going to be a week."
ZERRI'S FIRST PAIN
As Lyra touched the sigil again, Zerrei rested his head on her lap, watching her every movement.
But then—
A tremor ran through his chest.
A sharp one.
He flinched visibly.
Lyra felt him jolt against her.
"Zerrei?! What's wrong?"
He clutched at his chest, runes flickering.
"…pain…"
Lyra immediately placed her hands over his.
"Where?"
He pressed her hand gently against the central crack.
"…here…"
She kissed his forehead.
"It's okay. I've got you."
Arden exhaled.
"This is heartbreaking."
Oren nodded slowly.
"This is normal. His soul-core is rebooting. Pain means he's waking properly."
Lyra held his trembling form close.
"Breathe with me."
Zerrei blinked slowly.
"…don't breathe…"
She laughed softly.
"Then hum with me."
"…hum…?"
"For comfort."
She hummed—soft, gentle—stroking his cheek.
Zerrei's trembling eased.
His glow steadied.
He hummed back—a tiny, broken sound—matching her rhythm.
Arden wiped his eyes.
"Great. I'm crying. Wonderful."
Oren nodded.
"Expected."
THE BREAKTHROUGH
Oren clapped his hands.
"Alright. Lyra—try again."
Lyra placed her hand in the circle—
But Zerrei crawled into her lap again, resting his head against her stomach.
"…close…"
She smiled.
"Okay. Stay close."
The sigil glowed.
Gold.
Warm.
Bright.
The ground vibrated with pure emotional resonance.
Oren's jaw dropped.
"…She's channeling him. Their link is strengthening."
Lyra whispered:
"Zerrei… stay with me."
He nudged her gently.
"…always…"
And the sigil blazed upward—
a pillar of golden resonance light.
Oren stumbled backward.
Arden shielded his face.
Lyra stayed perfectly still—hands steady—eyes soft.
Zerrei whispered:
"…pretty…"
Then—
BOOM—
The light collapsed.
The sigil burned into the ground.
And Oren stared at her like she had just rewritten magic itself.
"…Lyra," he whispered.
"That wasn't beginner level."
Lyra blinked.
"Was it… bad?"
Oren shook his head slowly.
"No.
It was genius."
Arden pointed.
"Or luck."
Oren glared.
"Genius."
Zerrei tugged Lyra's sleeve gently.
"…Lyra… strong…"
She kissed his forehead.
"I will be."