Three days later, exhausted and low on supplies, they stumbled into a village nestled in a valley between mountains. The Village of Memoria, according to their map.
The villagers were a mix of species—humans, elves, dwarves, and others Akira couldn't identify. They greeted the travelers warmly, offering food and shelter.
"We don't get many visitors," the village elder said. She was a tiny woman with wrinkled skin and eyes that had seen centuries. "Especially not Bound Souls."
"How did you know?" Kaori asked.
The elder smiled and gestured to their marks, which were glowing softly. "Your souls sing to each other. Anyone with eyes can see it. Come, rest. You're safe here."
They were given a room in the village inn—one room, with one bed. Both stared at it awkwardly.
"I can sleep on the floor," Akira offered.
"Don't be ridiculous. The bed is big enough for both of us. We're adults. We can share without making it weird."
"Right. Not weird."
"Totally normal."
They both knew they were lying.
That night, lying on opposite sides of the bed with a careful distance between them, neither could sleep.
"Akira?" Kaori's voice was soft in the darkness.
"Yeah?"
"Do you think we can actually do this? Save the world?"
"Honestly? I don't know. But I think we have a better chance together than we would apart."
"The Oracle said we need to trust each other."
"Do you? Trust me?"
Kaori was quiet for a long moment. "I'm starting to. Which is weird because you chased me for two years."
"And you made my life hell for two years."
They both smiled in the darkness.
"Kaori?"
"Yeah?"
"I'm glad you're here. I mean, I wish we weren't in a magical world fighting demons, but if I have to be here, I'm glad it's with you."
He felt the bed shift as she rolled over to face him. He did the same, and in the faint moonlight, he could see her expression—soft, vulnerable.
"I'm glad it's you too," she whispered.
They fell asleep like that, facing each other, the distance between them slowly closing through the night.