Rio didn't answer.
He couldn't.
Filip's words echoed in his mind, clashing violently with everything he wanted to believe. That this was temporary. A side effect. A mistake that would correct itself if he just waited long enough.
But the truth was impossible to ignore.
White ears rested on his head, twitching faintly with every unfamiliar sound drifting through the forest. Behind him, a soft tail lay curled against the ground, warm, heavy, and undeniably real.
No matter how he tried to look away from it—
his body refused to let him forget.
Filip slowly lowered himself to the ground and sat beside him, careful not to get too close. He left just enough space between them to give Rio room to breathe, while still making it clear he wasn't going anywhere.
Neither of them spoke.
After waking up in unfamiliar bodies, realizing they were no longer human, and seeing the pyramid rise from the forest like a silent god, words felt useless. Too small. Too fragile.
So they stayed quiet.
Time passed slowly as they sat side by side, facing the ancient temple. The massive stone structure stood unchanged, just as it had in the void—but here, it was solid. Real. A part of this world.
Eventually, Filip turned his head and really looked at Rio.
Not to confirm it again—but to understand.
Rio was smaller than before. His body looked younger, lighter, almost delicate in a way that made Filip's chest tighten. White hair framed his face, catching the sunlight softly, and his clear blue eyes reflected far more detail than any human eyes ever could.
His ears never stopped moving—twitching, angling, reacting to sounds Filip couldn't even hear.
He was dressed simply: a white training jacket with blue lines running along the sleeves, white shorts, and white tennis shoes marked with the same blue accents.
Filip glanced down at himself.
The same clothes.
Same colors. Same clean, simple design.
Only the emblem was different.
The symbol was stitched neatly onto their jackets—a circular design formed by two curved lines facing one another, never touching. Between them rested a sharp central point, perfectly balanced.
It didn't feel like a brand.
It felt like a promise.
On Filip's jacket, the emblem rested on the left side of his chest.
On Rio's, it was on the right.
Identical.
Mirrored.
"…Guess the system wanted us paired," Filip muttered quietly.
Rio nodded faintly, his gaze never leaving the temple.
Filip's eyes drifted lower.
Rio's tail lay still against the moss. Without thinking, Filip glanced at his own. Same color. Same shape.
Then his gaze returned to Rio's ears as they flicked again.
Something strange stirred in his chest.
An urge he didn't fully understand.
He swallowed. "Hey… can I touch them?"
Rio stiffened instantly.
For a moment, Filip thought he'd crossed a line.
Then Rio nodded.
Slowly.
Carefully, Filip reached out and touched one ear—then the other.
They were soft.
Much softer than he expected.
And sensitive. Every small movement made them twitch beneath his fingers, reacting before Rio could stop them.
Rio froze.
The sensation caught him completely off guard.
Then—unexpectedly—something inside him loosened.
The tight knot in his chest eased. His breathing slowed. Before he realized it, his eyes slipped shut, his body responding on instinct rather than thought.
Filip noticed.
And then he noticed something else.
Rio's tail had begun to move, swaying gently behind him.
"…Does it feel okay?" Filip asked quietly.
Rio nodded.
After a few seconds, Filip pulled his hands away.
The warmth vanished instantly.
Rio opened his eyes.
The disappointment on his face was immediate—raw and unguarded. His ears drooped slightly. His tail went still. His fingers tightened against the fabric of his jacket.
Filip blinked. "…You wanted me to keep going."
Rio looked away.
He didn't trust his voice.
After a moment, Filip smiled softly. "Can I touch your tail too?"
Rio didn't answer.
He simply turned around and knelt in front of him.
Filip let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding and reached out carefully.
The tail was warm.
Soft.
But that wasn't what made him pause.
It was the scent.
A calm, gentle fragrance surrounded it—clean, soothing, almost unreal. Without thinking, Filip leaned closer and inhaled.
Then realization hit.
…This is weird.
Rio noticed too.
With his heightened senses, the scent wrapped around him even more strongly, easing the last of the unease he hadn't known how to name.
After a moment, Rio turned back toward Filip.
"My turn," he said quietly.
Before Filip could respond, a faint blue light flickered into existence between them.
It shimmered.
Then took shape.
Oathkeeper.
The small Soul Dragon hovered weakly in the air, its glow dim and unstable. Its wings trembled, movements slow and strained.
Something was wrong.
Rio's chest tightened. He gently pulled the tiny dragon into his arms, holding it close.
Filip frowned—then remembered the Voice.
"It said the dragon connects worlds," he said softly. "It's probably exhausted from the transfer."
Rio nodded, still cradling Oathkeeper as the small creature slowly relaxed.
After a moment, Filip straightened.
"The equipment," he said. "Did you see where it landed?"
Rio lifted his head and pointed toward one of the statues near the temple—the stone archer standing watch.
"There," he said quietly. "By the base."
Filip followed his gaze and spotted a small pile of items resting against the stone.
He stood and offered a faint smile.
"Let's check it out," he said.
Then he glanced back at the dragon resting in Rio's arms.
"Oathkeeper can rest for now."