The world was nothing but silence.No light. No air. No sound.
Lyra floated in a void — cold, weightless, endless. Her body felt distant, fading. Then, faintly, she heard a heartbeat — not hers, but Kael's.
Thump. Thump.
Each beat pulled her closer to something, a tether of warmth dragging her from the dark. Her system flickered to life, glowing faintly before her eyes:
[System Rebooting…][Cursed Bond: Stable – Life Risk Reduced: 70%][New Skill Unlocked: Shared Soul Resonance]
She gasped as her lungs filled with air again. Her eyes snapped open — and she saw Kael lying beside her, motionless. The forest around them was gone, replaced by a barren wasteland of glowing cracks and shifting winds. The divine figure was nowhere to be seen.
"Kael!" she cried, crawling to him. His pulse was faint, but there. His skin shimmered faintly with golden runes that pulsed in time with her own heartbeat.
The system pulsed again:
[Shared Soul Resonance: Active]Effect: Both parties share life energy. Death of one results in the death of the other.]
Lyra froze. "No… that can't be…"
Her vision blurred with tears. If he dies, I die too?
Kael stirred slightly, eyes fluttering open. His voice was weak but steady. "You… used the relic."
"I didn't mean to," she said quickly. "I thought it would help us—"
"It did." His golden eyes locked with hers. "You saved us both. But now, we're bound. Deeper than before. If one falls, the other follows."
Lyra's breath caught. "There has to be a way to break it."
Kael's expression darkened. "Not easily. The gods cursed me for defying them once. This bond—they'll see it as another rebellion. They'll come for us again."
The air shimmered as he spoke, and the system suddenly flashed:
[New Quest: Survive Divine Pursuit]Objective: Reach the Temple of Tears before the eclipse.Reward: Partial curse purification.
Lyra stared at the panel, her pulse quickening. "Temple of Tears…? That's real?"
Kael nodded grimly. "It's real. And it's where my curse began."
The ground trembled slightly beneath them, a reminder that the divine presence was not gone — only retreating, waiting.
Kael stood, wincing as he steadied himself. "We need to move now, before the next wave finds us."
Lyra pushed herself up, though her legs shook. She tried to summon her magic again, but it flickered weakly — unstable.
Kael noticed. "The bond's draining your energy faster than before. We'll have to share power if you want to keep fighting."
"Share power?"
He held out his hand. "Trust me."
Her fingers trembled as she took it. The instant their palms touched, golden and silver light erupted between them. Lyra gasped as warmth surged through her, her strength returning. For a moment, she could feel his heartbeat inside her chest.
The system pulsed in her vision:
[Energy Transfer Active – Compatibility: 92%]
Her cheeks flushed. "That's… high."
Kael smirked faintly despite the exhaustion. "Means we work well together."
Lyra rolled her eyes, trying to hide the flutter in her chest. "Don't get cocky. We're still dying."
He laughed — a rare sound — then turned serious again. "Let's go. The Temple lies beyond the Silver Vale. If we're lucky, we'll reach it before the next divine trace finds us."
They walked through the wasteland, guided only by the faint pulse of their bond. Occasionally, Lyra glanced at Kael — his calm expression, his steady presence. Despite everything, she felt… safe.
But then the system flickered again:
[Warning: Divine Tracer Detected][Distance: 2.4 km and closing.]
Kael's eyes narrowed. "They found us."
Before Lyra could react, the horizon split open with a blinding flash. From the rift, shadowy creatures burst forth, each carrying weapons forged of divine light.
Lyra's heart leapt into her throat. "We can't outrun that!"
Kael unsheathed his blade, golden runes flaring to life along its edge. "We don't run. We make them regret following."
Lyra summoned her barrier again, the air crackling around her. The system responded instantly:
[Skill Upgrade: Shield of Unity Lv.2 – Duration Increased to 10 minutes]
The battle erupted in chaos. Kael moved like lightning, his sword cutting through divine soldiers with impossible precision. Lyra stood behind him, amplifying his power with her magic. Each spell she cast intertwined with his aura, forming intricate golden sigils that burned through the darkness.
But every moment of connection also deepened the curse.
The system flashed again and again:
[Cursed Bond Overload – 98% Critical][Warning: Overload will cause mutual collapse.]
Lyra grit her teeth. "We're losing control!"
Kael didn't stop. "Then take it all!" he shouted. "I'll handle the pain—just don't stop!"
Tears blurred her vision. "Kael, you'll die!"
"Then I'll die protecting you!"
She screamed his name, pouring every ounce of magic she had into the final spell. Their energies collided, forming a massive burst of light that tore through the battlefield. The divine creatures vanished in a shockwave of fire and gold.
When the dust cleared, Kael was on his knees, blood dripping from his lips.
Lyra rushed to him, panic surging. "No, no—stay with me!"
He smiled weakly. "You did good… princess."
Before she could respond, the sky darkened. A single streak of divine light descended, piercing the ground beside them. A new figure emerged — cloaked in white, face hidden, voice cold as death.
"So… the Cursed Prince found love again."
Lyra froze. The system pulsed violently, her screen flashing red.
[Divine Executor Detected – Threat Level: Omega][Warning: This entity can permanently terminate your bond.]
Kael's eyes widened, recognition flashing. "No… not you."
The figure lifted its hand, and a halo of golden light formed above its head.
"Your time has come, Kael."
The ground split open beneath them. Lyra reached for Kael's hand, screaming—