The monk's eyes lingered on Kin. His voice was calm but heavy, carrying an unspoken command.
"Leave me with Zavrion and Kenny. There are things I must say to them alone."
Kin nodded silently, taking Vixen's hand. Together, they stepped out of the dim hall, leaving Kenny and Zavrion under the monk's piercing gaze.
For a moment, the air inside the monastery felt colder. The candle flames trembled, stretching long shadows across the stone walls.
The monk turned to Zavrion, his tone quiet yet sharp.
"You care for him, don't you?" His gaze flickered toward Kenny. "If so… there is a way to bind you to him. To tie your souls together. But this can only happen if both of you agree."
Zavrion's brow furrowed, confusion flickering across his face. He didn't quite understand the monk's words at first. His eyes shifted toward Kenny, searching.
Kenny, caught in Zavrion's gaze, felt his cheeks burn. His heart pounded wildly, caught between fear and something he couldn't name.
The monk turned his attention directly to Kenny.
"If I perform the sacred ritual, would you accept him as your partner? Truly accept him from your heart? That is the only way this bond can protect you."
Kenny's breath caught. His lips parted, but no words came at first. His mind swirled with chaos—love, fear, longing, grief.
The monk's tone deepened, becoming grim.
"Your dead lover's spirit has placed a curse upon you. It watches, waiting for the right moment. And if left unchecked, it will harm you in the worst ways."
Kenny's eyes widened. His voice shook.
"H–harm me? What do you mean?"
The monk's expression darkened further.
"It will use your body. Twist your desires. Drain your soul until you are nothing but a hollow shell. And then it will drag you into the abyss, never to return."
Kenny's blood ran cold. He began trembling, his throat tightening with dread.
"That's… that's impossible. My Megas would never… he never even touched me when he was alive. He wasn't like that."
The monk leaned closer, his voice dropping to a chilling whisper.
"Death changes everything. A spirit does not remain the same as the man you loved. Love turns to obsession. Obsession turns to hunger. And now… he wants only one thing—to take you with him."
Kenny's body shook. He looked down at his trembling hands, whispering, almost pleading,
"I… I like Zavrion. But I can't just erase my lover from my heart. I can't forget him."
"That is natural," the monk replied. "But he no longer belongs to this world. And his love has already rotted into something dangerous. If you don't choose, he will destroy you."
Kenny's eyes lifted, meeting Zavrion's. In that single glance, all his fear and hesitation spilled into the silence. Then he turned back to the monk, his voice breaking.
"Is there… no other way?"
The monk shook his head slowly.
"There is only one way. You must be tied to someone whose pheromone is strong enough to overpower the spirit's claim. Only then will you be protected."
Kenny lowered his head, his heart thundering inside his chest. His breath came quick and shallow.
The monk continued, his tone sharp but certain.
"I can perform the ritual here and now. But…" He turned to Zavrion, his gaze steady.
"…it cannot be forced. If your partner does not accept, the ritual will fail."
Zavrion's throat tightened. His jaw clenched as the monk's words sank into him.
"And know this," the monk narrowing his eyes and said,"If Kenny is marked even once by you, no evil spirit, no human threat will ever touch him again. Especially not in… that way." His voice turned colder, darker. "Because nothing is stronger in this universe than the pheromones of an Enigma."
The silence that followed was unbearable. Only the sound of Kenny's unsteady breathing filled the sacred hall. His fear, his longing, his fragile hope—all of it now rested on Zavrion's answer.
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