Fedrick woke in a starlit chamber aboard the Aurealis Myrrh.
His head throbbed—not from pain, but memory. That moment. The fear in Serenya's eyes.
She sat by his bedside, reading from a black-bound book. Her hair was tied back, her expression soft, but guarded.
"...You stayed," he said.
"I told you to let the warship handle it."
"I told you I'm not interested in safety."
She sighed and closed the book. "Then you're an idiot."
He grinned. "The charming kind?"
"The exhausting kind."
A moment passed. Then she placed a hand on his.
"You scared me."
"I scare myself sometimes," he said honestly.
Silence.
Then—quietly—she asked, "What do you want, Fedrick?"
He stared at the ceiling, the cosmos swirling above in holographic brilliance.
"I want to master every Law. I want to walk through galaxies unchallenged. I want to rewrite the fabric of power and tear down the thrones that chained my ancestors."
He turned to her.
"But more than that… I want a place where I don't have to fight to survive."
Her eyes widened.
"I want someone who doesn't see me as a weapon."
She swallowed.
"I don't," she said. "I see you."
He reached out, touched her cheek.
The system surged.
[Emotional Bond Strengthening]
Target: Serenya Nyelle
Trait Progress: 31% — Moonlight Link
Effect: Serenity Boost, Decision Clarity, Core Stabilization
He leaned closer. Their breaths mingled.
"Promise me," he whispered, "when I fall too deep into the dark, you'll pull me back."
She nodded.
"Promise me," she said, "that when you stand atop the stars, you'll still look down for me."
"I'll look beside me," he said. "Because that's where you'll be."