Days passed quietly.
Too quietly.
What had happened that day in the sky… the chains, the voice, the power—
It didn't disappear.
But it faded.
Like a dream that slipped through your fingers the moment you tried to hold onto it.
Kion still remembered.
Fragments.
A voice calling him Watcher.
A presence that felt… endless.
And a promise.
A mission.
But even that felt distant now.
Like it belonged to someone else.
The Announcement
One evening, the family gathered together.
The atmosphere felt… different.
Kion noticed it immediately.
His father stood at the center of the room, unusually serious.
"We're moving."
The words fell heavy.
Kion's sister blinked.
"…Moving?"
"To a port village," his father continued."By royal order."
His brother frowned.
"Why?"
His father exhaled slowly.
"The king has created something new… a Sharing Class."
No one spoke.
"Noble families will be paired together," he explained."To protect each other."
His mother added quietly,
"After what's been happening… it's not a request."
"It's a command."
Silence.
Then—
"…Neighbors?" his sister repeated.
Something in her voice changed.
Kion's brother slowly turned toward her.
They both already knew.
A name neither of them wanted to say.
A family they had heard about.
And one specific person.
A girl.
His sister stood up immediately.
"No."
His brother followed.
"Absolutely not."
Their parents stared at them.
"What do you mean?"
His sister crossed her arms tightly.
"We're not letting some random girl take Kion."
Kion blinked.
"…Take me where?"
His brother spoke seriously.
"He's our little brother."
His sister nodded.
"We waited years for him."
Their father sighed.
"You didn't raise him."
"We emotionally did," they said together.
Even Kion couldn't help but stare.
His mother pressed her fingers to her forehead.
"This isn't something you can refuse."
They tried anyway.
Arguments.
Complaints.
Even dramatic speeches.
None of it worked.
The decision had already been made.
Aurelia
Far away, in the quiet halls of the temple—
Aurelia stood still.
Listening.
Her hands trembled slightly.
"They're… coming here?"
Her voice was barely a whisper.
One of the attendants nodded.
"Yes. The families have been paired."
For a moment—
She couldn't move.
Then slowly…
A smile formed.
Soft.
Real.
"It's earlier than we thought…"
Her heart began to race.
Ten years.
Ten long years since they were separated.
Since everything was taken away.
And now—
"I'm going to see him again…"
She turned toward the window.
The sky looked endless.
For a second, she placed her hand over her chest.
Her heartbeat wouldn't calm down.
"…Kion."
Before Leaving
The day before departure, Kion stood outside his home.
The wind moved gently through the trees.
The same place.
The same sky.
But something felt different.
He looked around quietly.
Then—
The air shifted.
A soft glow appeared.
Almost invisible.
Almost like dust floating in sunlight.
Kion frowned.
"…What?"
Then he heard it.
Faint.
Soft.
Voices.
"Thank you…"
"…for saving us…"
"…for protecting us…"
Kion froze.
His eyes widened slightly.
The spirits of nature.
Wind.
Earth.
Life itself.
They were speaking to him.
Not loudly.
Not clearly.
But enough.
He didn't remember saving them.
Not fully.
But his body did.
His soul did.
Kion lowered his gaze.
"…I didn't do it for thanks."
The wind brushed against him gently.
Like a quiet reply.
For a moment—
He felt… seen.
Not as Kion.
Not as the Old One.
Just… as someone who mattered.
The Journey
The road was long.
The world slowly changed as they traveled.
Green fields turned into rocky paths.
The air grew heavier.
Then—
Salt.
The smell of the sea.
Waves crashing in the distance.
The port village came into view.
Ships swayed gently.
People moved busily.
A new life.
A new place.
But something inside Kion felt… familiar.
As if he had been here before.
Not in this life.
But somewhere deeper.
The Day
Two weeks passed.
The meeting was set.
Both families stood across from each other.
Formal.
Polite.
Controlled.
But beneath that—
Something else.
Kion stood quietly.
Then—
He felt it.
A presence.
Familiar.
Warm.
He lifted his head.
And saw her.
Aurelia.
Standing there.
Looking at him.
For a moment—
Everything else disappeared.
The noise.
The people.
Even time itself.
Just them.
Her eyes softened.
"…It's been a while."
Kion didn't answer immediately.
Because something inside him… hurt.
Not painfully.
But deeply.
Like something he had lost…
And finally found again.
"…Yeah," he said softly.
"…It has."
A faint glow passed between them.
Invisible to everyone else.
But real.
The connection.
Still there.
Still alive.
Something Watching
High above the ocean…
Beyond the sky itself…
Something moved.
A crack.
Small.
Unstable.
And from it—
A faint purple light emerged.
Watching.
Silent.
Patient.
"So… they've met."
Its voice was distorted.
Almost amused.
"Good."
A pause.
Then—
"Let's see how long this peace lasts."
The crack slowly closed.
But the presence remained.
Hidden.
Waiting.