The snow howled between them, whipping against shattered pillars and cracked stone. Ren stood in the center of the ruins, his boots half-buried in frost, Vultherin growling at his side—its twin tails erupting in a violent surge of fire and frost, the colors dancing like two warring stars.

  Ren lowered his head, breath misting, shoulders rising and falling with the weight of every wound, every bruise. Then he straightened, blade poised.

  Ren (quiet, steady):

  "Now..."

  The Aequinox froze, their expressions flickering between curiosity and disdain.

  Ren's knuckles whitened on the hilt. His gaze burned like molten ice.

  Ren (louder):

  "How many of you are dying with me?"

  ...

  For a heartbeat, silence fell.

  Not the silence of fear—

  —but of insult.

  Caden tilted his head, the grin on his lips twisting into something sharper. His Infernal Beast growled low, the ground cracking under its claws.

  Caden (mocking laugh):

  "...You? Kill us? Bold talk for someone who looks like he's two breaths away from coughing up his lungs."

  Isolde, coils of her Wyrm-Serpent writhing around her, narrowed her eyes.

  Isolde:

  "He's not talking to us, Caden. He's declaring a death wish. And it stinks of arrogance."

  Ren didn't spare them a glance. Instead, he looked over his shoulder—past Rica, who was still on her knees, breath ragged, Queen looming like a ghostly sentinel at her side.

  Ren:

  "Queen."

  The Aether Dragon's slit-pupiled eyes turned toward him, shimmering in icy luminescence.

  Ren's voice wavered—soft but firm.

  Ren:

  "I know why you chose her. Rica's worthy. Stronger than I'll ever be. But right now..."

  His gaze lingered on Rica, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

  Ren:

  "She can't stand. She's given everything. So if you deemed her worthy... then fight with me. Lend me that strength you see in her."

  Rica's breath caught. She reached out weakly.

  Rica:

  "Ren... No. Queen—don't—"

  Queen's wings shifted, faint ripples of energy rolling through the ruins. It let out a low, resonant hum, as if considering. The dragon's gaze lingered on Rica—then flicked back to Ren, pupils narrowing.

  Lyra's voice cut through the frost, low and sharp:

  "Are you mocking us, boy? Calling another Bond as though one isn't enough to meet us? Or are you just desperate?"

  Her Owl-Beast screeched, feathers shedding faint embers of violet light.

  Sierra stepped forward, her panther prowling at her side, its golden eyes fixed on Ren.

  Sierra:

  "No... it's not desperation. He's saying we're not enough. He thinks we can't handle him even as he bleeds in the snow."

  Caden (grinning, snarling):

  "Oh, I like him. Maybe I'll carve that grin off myself."

  Laeryn hadn't moved yet. She stood still, Saint hovering like a silent wraith behind her. Her voice carried no anger—just quiet, unnerving pity.

  Laeryn:

  "Pitiful. A lone wolf howling at the storm, asking for more teeth to bite what he cannot reach. Do you think calling a dragon makes you less broken, wolf? Or does it only make your failure louder?"

  Queen growled low, the sound reverberating like thunder under ice.

  The Aether Dragon stepped forward, her body arching protectively over Rica for one last moment—then moved to Ren's side.

  The dragon's translucent wings unfurled, brushing Ren's shoulder as if sealing a pact.

  Ren inhaled sharply at the sudden surge of energy—Queen's power coiling into him like a river of stars. Vultherin's flames flared in response, almost jealously, before harmonizing with the dragon's radiant energy.

  Ren (smirking faintly, to Queen):

  "Guess I wasn't wrong about you."

  The air shifted.

  The Aequinox, insulted, felt the sharp sting of his challenge.

  Caden's grin widened:

  "Alright then, mutt. Let's see if you can dance with all of us."

  Isolde's serpent reared high, hissing like steam.

  Isolde:

  "He thinks he's strong because he stands alone. Let's see how long he lasts when we bury him."

  The ruins roared with chaos.

  Snow was no longer falling—it was boiling in the air, whipped up by heat and frost, slashed apart by claws, steel, and flame. At the center of it all stood Ren, Vultherin at his left, Queen at his right—two Bonds of fire and starlight flanking him like avatars of war.

  Ren's breath came slow, steady, his gaze burning with a reckless clarity. His coat fluttered in the tempest of power around him. For a moment, even the Aequinox hesitated, their shapes wreathed in shadow and frostlight.

  Ren (calmly, low):

  "Vultherin, take the panther."

  (Then, with a sharp glance at Queen.)

  "Dragon—keep the owl grounded."

  They didn't hesitate.

  Vultherin leapt first, twin tails of fire and frost whipping like scythes. It slammed into Sierra's panther-beast, the two predators snarling, fangs flashing, sparks flying as claws ripped against frozen earth.

  Queen soared upward with a single beat of her translucent wings, light refracting through her scales like shards of starlight. She slammed into Lyra's Owl-Beast, dragging it down from its vantage with a roar of fury.

  Ren darted through the chaos like lightning, his blade carving arcs of fire and frost in perfect harmony. Every swing was calculated, a command woven into motion.

  Caden lunged at him with a jagged, infernal blade, his six-limbed beast snapping behind him like a crimson nightmare.

  Caden (grinning):

  "COME ON THEN, HERO!"

  Ren met him head-on—sparks flaring as their blades clashed. Vultherin lunged from the flank, forcing Caden to twist, his grin faltering as Queen's tail whipped across his side, sending him skidding back.

  For the first time, the Aequinox faltered.

  Isolde's serpent hissed, circling Ren with predatory precision, but he moved like he'd been born for this—every step a blend of instinct and strategy. He used Vultherin's fire to drive the serpent back, then pivoted, signaling Queen with a flick of his blade.

  The Aether Dragon understood—no hesitation, no doubt. A beam of starlit energy cut through the serpent's path, forcing Isolde to retreat a step.

  Lyra (to Sierra, gritting her teeth):

  "He's reading us."

  Sierra (low, tense):

  "He's controlling the field. Like a commander..."

  Their panther lunged again—only to be slammed into the ground by Vultherin's frost-flamed claws.

  Ren's voice cut through the storm like a war-drum:

  "Vultherin—flank left! Queen—cover him!"

  The Bonds moved as if they'd rehearsed it a thousand times. Vultherin darted between Sierra and Caden's beasts, leaving trails of fire that melted the snow into steaming scars. Queen swept overhead, wings deflecting Lyra's volley of razor-sharp feathers.

  Marques, who had been quiet until now, narrowed his eyes. His pale crocodilian beast unfurled its parchment wings and lunged, snapping its jaws with a sound like breaking stone.

  Ren spun, parrying its strike with a single, precise slash. His blade flared blue-white, and for a second, the crocodilian recoiled as frost seared its maw.

  Kristie, watching from the sidelines, whispered:

  "Is... is he winning?"

  Elly, trembling, clutched her chest.

  Elly:

  "No... he's holding. Barely. But... he's holding."

  Valter's tarnished casket floated closer, chains writhing like serpents.

  Ren's eyes narrowed. He felt that presence like a shadow clawing at his bones.

  Ren:

  "Vultherin, now!"

  The fox-Bond charged, smashing through Valter's chains with a burst of frostfire, while Queen swept low and caught the casket with a thunderous strike from her tail. Sparks and shards of energy erupted as Valter stumbled back, forced to raise a wall of shadow to shield himself.

  Valter (cold, muttering):

  "...Unacceptable."

  For the first time, their formation broke.

  Ren moved like lightning through the gap, slashing Caden across the arm—his blade glowing with both fire and frost. The Infernal Beast howled as Queen dove to pin it down, Vultherin's tails lashing like whips of raw energy.

  Caden (snarling, clutching his arm):

  "You little bastard..."

  You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

  Lyra's voice shook slightly, her composure cracking:

  "He's... controlling them. He's fighting with two Bonds like they're one. That's not—"

  Sierra (interrupting, grim):

  "That's not normal. That's..."

  She didn't finish. But the fear was there.

  Ren planted his blade into the ground, frost racing through the cracks. He looked at them—all seven—and smiled.

  Not a grin of arrogance.

  A smile of defiance.

  Ren:

  "You're afraid, aren't you?"

  Caden growled.

  "Keep talking. Let's see how long that smile lasts when I take your head."

  But even as they tried to sneer, the Aequinox shifted uneasily. Ren's stance was unwavering, Vultherin and Queen snarling at his sides like twin wolves under the moon.

  And then... Laeryn stepped forward.

  She hadn't moved once during the battle. Saint hovered behind her, hands pressed in eternal prayer. The air grew heavy.

  Laeryn (soft, almost pitying):

  "You think this changes anything?"

  Saint raised its hands. A pale, crushing light gathered—an attack that blanketed the entire field.

  Ren's eyes widened.

  Ren:

  "Queen! Vultherin! Guard!"

  The Bonds lunged, starlight and frostfire clashing against Saint's divine blast. The ground quaked. Shards of ice and stone tore through the air.

  When the light faded, they were on their knees.

  The ruins fell silent except for the crunch of heavy steps and the distant hiss of burning frost where Ren had fought. Snow swirled around them in jagged eddies, the light of the runes dimming under the oppressive weight of the Aequinox's power.

  Ren struggled to stand—his breath sharp, uneven—but Laeryn's voice sliced through the chaos with chilling calm.

  Laeryn (soft, decisive):

  "Enough games. You're done."

  Her pale gaze swept over the field, her veil fluttering like a ghost's whisper. She raised one slender hand, her voice carrying like a commandment.

  Laeryn:

  "Marques—pin him down.

  Sierra, Lyra—control the Bonds.

  Valter—bind the girls."

  The Aequinox shifted at once.

  Sierra snorted, resting her blade against her shoulder as her panther prowled toward Vultherin.

  Sierra (sarcastic):

  "Oh, so now you're the boss? Should we start calling you Saint's little saint?"

  Laeryn didn't even glance her way. Her serene expression remained untouched, and the silence that followed was enough to answer.

  Sierra (grumbling):

  "...Fine. Whatever. Just don't expect me to pray to you."

  With a lazy roll of her shoulders, she gave a sharp whistle. Her panther lunged, claws extended, pouncing onto Vultherin's back. The fox-Bond howled, thrashing, but Lyra's owl swooped down next, talons glowing with runic bindings that wrapped around Vultherin's legs like spectral chains.

  Marques stepped forward without a word. His massive frame seemed to blot out the light, and his pale crocodilian Bond slithered around him like a living executioner's blade.

  Ren raised his sword, but his grip trembled. He'd been fighting for too long, pushing past every limit he had. And Marques knew it.

  Marques (low, rumbling):

  "Stay down."

  The ground cracked as Marques lunged.

  Ren:

  "Tch—"

  He barely had time to brace when Marques slammed into him like a falling mountain. Ren was driven into the frozen earth, the air exploding from his lungs.

  Kristie (shouting):

  "REN!"

  Valter's casket floated forward, chains slithering like living snakes through the snow. The tarnished coffin glowed with a faint, sickly light, its metal groaning as if it was hungry.

  Valter (cold, mechanical):

  "Do not resist. Struggle, and the chains will bite."

  The chains lashed out, coiling around Rica's arms and waist before she could call Queen again. Another set wrapped around Elly, dragging her to her knees with a cruel jerk. Kristie swung her blade in defiance, but a third chain snatched her wrist mid-swing and twisted it backward, forcing her to drop her weapon.

  Kristie (snarling):

  "Get your rotten jewelry OFF ME!"

  Valter (calmly):

  "You're not worth the effort."

  Queen roared, her wings thrashing violently, but Sierra and Lyra's Bonds were relentless. The panther dug its claws deep into her scaled flank, holding her down, while the Owl-Beast's talons clamped over her neck, binding her with chains of spectral light.

  Koirin, spinning in distress, was ensnared by Lyra's spectral threads, forced to spiral into the snow where she shimmered like a fish gasping for air.

  Snarl, growling and snapping, was slammed down by the crocodilian's tail, pinned hard enough to leave cracks in the earth beneath.

  The battlefield looked like a slaughterhouse.

  Ren gasped under Marques's crushing weight. He could feel the ice beneath him cracking, the world pressing down like a mountain. His sword arm trembled, pinned to the ground, his breath fogging the air in ragged bursts.

  Rica and Elly struggled against their chains, their eyes wide with horror. Kristie's voice cracked as she shouted again.

  Kristie (desperate):

  "Ren! Don't you DARE give up!"

  Ren (through clenched teeth):

  "...I'm not... done..."

  Snow continued to fall, thin and steady, as though mocking them with its quiet beauty. The glowing runes beneath their feet dimmed further, pulsing like a dying heartbeat.

  Laeryn stepped forward slowly, her bare feet barely sinking into the snow. Saint hovered behind her, its faceless, praying hands glowing faintly.

  Laeryn (soft, almost pitying):

  "This is over. None of you have the strength to stand anymore. Look at yourselves."

  Her voice was calm, but cruel in its serenity.

  Laeryn (to Ren):

  "You stood alone. And for what? To protect them?"

  She tilted her head slightly, her veil shifting like mist.

  Laeryn:

  "From where I stand, all I see is a failed knight crawling in the snow."

  Snowflakes drifted down like pale ashes, quiet and merciless, as though the sky itself mourned what was about to unfold. The ruins—once vibrant with the resonance of ancient power—now stood like gravestones in a silent graveyard, each pillar and broken arch casting jagged shadows on the snow.

  The Aequinox moved like executioners, their presence swallowing what little warmth remained. Ren lay pinned beneath Marques's crushing weight, his body trembling as blood streaked down his temple, staining the frost. His breath came in short, ragged bursts. His fingers clawed desperately at the ice, but the ground gave nothing back.

  He couldn't move.

  He couldn't protect them.

  Not this time.

  Laeryn stepped forward, her veil trailing in the snow like a funeral shroud. Saint followed silently behind, its faceless head bowed in mock prayer, hands pressed together as if consecrating the moment.

  Laeryn (softly, almost tender):

  "Do you feel it, boy? This is what failure tastes like. Cold. Heavy. Irrevocable."

  Her voice was calm, like a requiem whispered over the dead. She stopped just a few steps away from Ren, tilting her head as though in pity.

  Laeryn:

  "You fought as if your life meant something. As if their lives meant something. But in the end..."

  (She glanced toward the girls, bound and kneeling.)

  "...the snow will take you all, and not even the stars will remember your names."

  Sierra's panther padded closer to Rica, its yellow eyes gleaming with hunger. Sierra crouched beside her, twirling her glass-thorn dagger with a grin that didn't reach her eyes.

  Sierra (mocking):

  "Such a proud little queen, huh? Let's see how regal you look with a few holes."

  Before Rica could react, the dagger pierced her shoulder. Rica cried out, her voice muffled as Queen thrashed violently against her bonds, screeching in rage.

  Kristie (screaming):

  "HEY! Stop it! STOP IT, YOU COWARDS!"

  Caden only laughed, his crimson runes glowing brighter as he walked toward Kristie.

  Caden:

  "She's noisy. Let's fix that."

  He rammed his infernal blade through Kristie's thigh, grinning as she screamed, her voice breaking.

  Ren (struggling, shouting):

  "NO! STOP! STOP IT! LEAVE THEM ALONE!"

  Ren thrashed violently beneath Marques, his voice raw, almost breaking.

  Ren:

  "—DON'T TOUCH THEM! YOU WANT PAIN? TAKE IT OUT ON ME! DAMN IT—TAKE IT OUT ON ME!!"

  Marques pressed his weight harder, his cold, reptilian eyes unblinking.

  Marques:

  "You are already broken. Watching them suffer is the only lesson you deserve."

  Valter's coffin floated closer to Elly, its chains tightening around her limbs until the metal bit into her flesh. She gasped as one of the chains coiled around her wrist and pulled—dislocating it with a sickening crack.

  Elly (screaming):

  "—Aahhh! Ren!"

  Ren's head snapped toward her, eyes wide, teeth bared like a wild animal.

  Ren:

  "ELLY! NO! DON'T TOUCH HER—PLEASE! PLEASE!"

  Tears blurred his vision as rage twisted his voice.

  Ren (hoarse, begging):

  "Stop this! Torture me, kill me—just don't hurt them! They don't deserve this! PLEASE!"

  The girls' cries echoed through the frozen ruins, mixing with the sound of crunching snow and the rattling chains of Valter's coffin. It was no longer a battlefield—it was an execution ground.

  Kristie's laughter was gone now. She gritted her teeth, blood dripping from her lip as she struggled against the chain binding her.

  Kristie (weakly, to Ren):

  "...Don't... watch, Ren. Just... just don't watch..."

  Rica tried to remain stoic, but every breath was ragged, every stab Sierra made into her arm twisting her lips into a grimace of pain.

  Elly sobbed quietly, her hood fallen, her face pale, tears freezing against her cheeks.

  Laeryn walked past Ren and stood between the girls, her hands folded gracefully, her voice soft—like a mother chiding a lost child.

  Laeryn:

  "See how fragile they are? So weak. So easily broken."

  She turned to Ren, her gaze burning beneath her veil.

  Laeryn:

  "This is mercy, boy. I could end them quickly, but no..."

  (She knelt slightly, her voice lowering.)

  "...you will watch. Watch, as everything you tried to protect shatters. This is your memorial."

  ...

  Kristie's breath came in shallow bursts, her body trembling as blood trickled from the wound in her thigh. Yet even now—broken, chained, and on her knees—she smirked.

  Kristie (rasping, but sharp):

  "You think this... this makes you powerful?"

  Sierra tilted her head, amused.

  Sierra:

  "Oh? The little stray dog still has bark left?"

  Kristie spat blood onto the snow, glaring up at them through strands of messy hair.

  Kristie:

  "Power? Please. You're just cowards with fancy tricks. All of you—every single one of you—is a joke. You think hurting us makes you better than him? Than Ren?"

  Laeryn's eyes flickered in faint annoyance at her tone, but she said nothing.

  Kristie laughed weakly, coughing between words.

  Kristie:

  "Ren... he's ten times the person any of you could ever be. Even bleeding out in the snow, I'd bet my life on him being more human, more real, than all of you combined."

  Ren's chest tightened. His arms strained against Marques's crushing hold. His voice cracked.

  Ren:

  "Kristie... stop... please."

  Kristie didn't even look at him. Her words only grew sharper, venom in every syllable.

  Kristie:

  "What? Did I hit a nerve? Does the great Aequinox not like it when someone tells the truth?"

  For a moment, the ruins went quiet. Lyra's head tilted slightly, her face blank—but her fingers twitched against the hilt of her blade.

  Ren's stomach dropped.

  Ren (desperate):

  "Kristie... STOP! I'M BEGGING YOU!"

  Kristie grinned through blood-stained teeth.

  Kristie (rasping, smirking through blood):

  "... And you, Lyra. You're the worst of them all."

  (Lyra's eyes narrow.)

  Kristie (sharp, venomous):

  "You betrayed Iver. Stabbed him in the back just to stand with these freaks. You think that makes you strong? No..."

  (She spits blood into the snow.)

  "...it just makes you a coward hiding behind feathers and lies. I bet you can't even say her name without choking on it."

  Ren:

  "KRISTIE! DON'T PROVOKE THEM!!"

  It happened in a blur.

  A whisper of feathers.

  A flash of steel.

  The sound of something piercing flesh.

  Kristie gasped—soft, fragile, like air leaving her lungs for the last time.

  Ren's heart stopped.

  Time slowed.

  He saw the blade buried in Kristie's chest. Right where her heart should be. Her eyes widened—then softened, like a light dimming.

  Ren:

  "...No."

  The world muffled around him, the snow falling in silence. He could hear his heartbeat pounding in his ears, but it was drowned out by a voice—his voice, but twisted, echoing.

  The Shepherd's words.

  "You couldn't save Leah."

  "You can't save anyone."

  Ren froze.

  Every sound faded—every scream, every breath, every howl of the wind—replaced by a sharp ringing in his ears.

  His hands trembled violently as memories bled into his mind.

  Flashbacks, like whispers tearing at his skull:

  "If you stand with me... I promise we'll go home. Together."

  "I'll protect you. I'll protect everyone."

  "As long as I'm breathing... I won't let anyone die."

  Ren's breath hitched. His throat burned as he tried to scream—but no words came out. All he could see was Kristie's blood staining the snow.

  Ren (hoarse, trembling):

  "...I promised."

  But the world did not care for his promises.

  Because here, in front of him, she was dying.

  His knees buckled. Marques's crushing hold blurred into the background.

  All Ren could feel was helplessness—pure and suffocating.

  Doubt seeped into his veins. Fear gnawed at his ribs.

  Ren's lips parted, a broken whisper spilling into the freezing air.

  Ren:

  "...I... can't... save them."

  Something snapped.

  The fire in his chest went dark, smothered under the weight of his failure. His heart grew cold, his breath shallow. His mind—blank.

  And yet—

  something inside him stirred.

  A deep, primal roar clawed from the depths of his soul.

  Not Vultherin.

  Something older. Angrier.

  Ren's eyes lifted slowly.

  They were no longer the eyes of the Ren his friends knew.

  They were black voids—empty, consuming, yet burning with something feral, something wrong.

  The ground beneath him cracked. His shadow rippled unnaturally, twisting like ink in water.

  Something inside him was awakening.

  Something that wanted to tear. To devour. To burn everything.

  To be continued.

  That one hurt.

  broke — and it wasn’t from a blade, or a wound, or a battlefield…

  but because he was forced to watch his people — his friends — get hurt, helplessly.

  They killed him for the helplessness.

  that final snap?

  shadow that moved when he didn’t?

  That wasn’t Queen.

  That wasn’t Ren’s rage.

  older than every Bond on that field.

  Is Kristie even still alive long enough…

  to witness what Ren is about to become?

  whatever just woke up inside him…

  It isn’t rational.

  And it does not negotiate.