The peace did not last.
For two nights, the halls of Everhart remained quiet. Andy's wounds closed slowly under Nia's constant care, her magic steady though it drained her to exhaustion. Rumors continued to fester beyond their chamber walls, but inside their shared space, there was warmth.
On the third night, Andy finally stood unaided, testing his balance. He stretched his arm, wincing as pain still throbbed through his ribs.
"You shouldn't push yourself yet," Nia scolded softly, rising from the bed where she had been watching him.
He gave her a small smile, though it didn't reach his eyes. "If I don't push, we'll never be ready when he comes again."
Her hands clenched at her sides. The memory of crimson eyes in the forest still haunted her. "You almost died. Andy… I almost lost you. Can't you let yourself heal?"
He turned toward her, his expression torn. "That's just it. If I'm not strong enough, next time you'll be the one I lose. I can't—" His voice cracked. "I can't let that happen."
She stepped forward, pressing her hand against his chest where his wound had been. Her eyes shone with tears, but her voice was steady. "Then stop thinking it's only your burden. If we fight, we fight together. If you bleed, then let me share it. That's what it means to be bound, Andy."
The rings on their fingers pulsed faintly, their shared heartbeat quickening. Andy swallowed hard, then pulled her into his arms. "Together. Always."
For a moment, there was only them, their foreheads pressed close, their breaths mingling. But then—
Dragon Sense screamed.
The air chilled. Shadows lengthened unnaturally across the chamber, crawling up the walls like living veins.
Nia froze, silver light sparking instinctively at her fingertips. "He's here…"
Andy seized his blade, fire roaring along its edge despite his half-healed body. His voice was low, grim. "Hunter."
The windows shattered inward. He stepped from the dark as if he had always been there, crimson eyes gleaming with hunger. His voice was calm, almost gentle. "Recovering nicely. Good. It would be boring if you died too soon."
Andy raised his blade, forcing his pain down. "You'll find us harder prey this time."
The Hunter's smile widened. "Then show me."
He moved.
The clash shook the chamber. Andy blocked the first strike, but the impact hurled him back into the wall. Blood filled his mouth. Nia raised her staff instantly, silver shields flaring to life.
"Twin Star Barrier!"
The Hunter's blades carved into it, sparks flying as cracks spread faster than before. "Still fragile," he mused. "Even devotion has limits."
Andy roared, flames exploding outward. "Stellar Flame Judgment!"
The Hunter blurred through fire, his blade cutting deep into Andy's side. Andy cried out, staggering, his vision blurring.
"Andy!" Nia's scream tore the air. She pressed her mana into him, her light searing against his wound. But the Hunter's other blade struck, shattering her barrier and sending her sprawling.
They were cornered.
The Hunter stood over them, his twin blades gleaming. His crimson eyes burned brighter than ever. "Pathetic. So much promise. So much wasted."
Andy forced himself up, one knee barely holding, blood running freely. He looked at Nia—bruised, trembling, but still reaching for him. Their hands brushed, rings glowing faintly.
In that instant, everything else vanished.
"I won't lose you," Andy whispered.
"I won't let you," Nia breathed back.
Their fingers locked.
The rings blazed. The System's voice roared in their minds.
> [Bond Progression Increased: 90% → 100%]
First Star Achieved.
> [New System Feature: Star Domain Unlocked]
Shared battlefield created. Rules rewritten by unity.
The world around them shifted. The chamber dissolved into starlight, walls fading into an endless sky filled with constellations. They stood on a platform of light, fire and silver weaving together beneath their feet.
The Hunter paused, crimson eyes narrowing. For the first time, his smile faded. "So… the Domain awakens."
Andy rose, his wounds knitting under the surge of power. Flames wrapped around him, steady, no longer wild. Nia's aura blazed, her hair shimmering like strands of starlight, her eyes radiant.
Together, they faced him—not broken, not bleeding, but reborn.
Andy lifted his blade, his voice steady. "This is our world now."
Nia raised her staff beside him, her smile fierce. "And in our world—you can't win."
The stars above pulsed, answering their vow.
The battle for the First Star had truly begun.
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