Roxanne walked forward.
Not rushed. Not hesitant. Each step had weight, measured, purposeful. The air shifted around her, heavy with intent. The wind, still touched by the aftermath of battle, curled around her like it knew something sacred was unfolding.
Leo felt it.
A shift.
No threat in it. No bloodlust. Just presence. Old. Resonant.
He turned his head slightly, arms still locked with the beast, voice steady. "What do you need?"
She stopped just short of him, her breath stirring dust as it settled between them. The space buzzed with something that wasn't quite magic. Something older.
He felt it build.
A pull, deep in his chest.
With a roar, he threw the monster again. Its body crashed through trees, snapping trunks like twigs. Dust exploded into the clearing.
Then,
Light.
Soft at first. Like moonlight brushing against old stone.
A magic circle unfolded beneath them. Symbols curled outward from its center, pulsing white-blue with every heartbeat.
Leo turned fully now.
Roxanne lowered herself, slowly, gracefully, each movement deliberate. Her voice rose. Not loud, not theatrical. Just clear. Resonant.
"By the ancient bond of Arcanites," she began, one knee lowering to the glowing ground, "I, Roxanne, call upon the power of our ancestors."
The circle responded, glowing brighter.
Leo blinked. "Ai," he murmured, without taking his eyes off her. What's happening?
Ai's voice reached his mind, calm and clear. Roxanne is an Arcanite. A legendary being. She's initiating a pact.
Normally, the adventurer kneels. Not the other way around.
"In this moment of need," Roxanne continued, her voice unwavering, "I seek to form a sacred pact with you. Let our energies intertwine and our strengths merge as one."
She looked up. Her eyes didn't plead.
They offered.
Ai added, This is rare. Arcanites don't just try again after failure. And they don't kneel.
Roxanne raised her hand.
"Through this union, may we become an unstoppable force against the darkness that threatens us. I offer my essence, my power, and my unwavering loyalty."
Her hand hovered, steady, though Leo caught the slight tremble in her voice.
"Will you accept this bond?" she asked, "and together, shall we forge a path of victory and honor?"
The circle brightened.
Leo felt a familiar stillness. The kind that came right before everything changed.
He thought of Earth.
Whenever Leo found himself clouded by irrational thinking or simply unsure of what to do, he often thought of his idols. Both real and imaginary. This time, he thought about how Keanu might respond to this kind of situation.
Keanu was well known for his kind heart and being a true gentleman. The stories of his generosity. Humility was legendary. He would give up his seat for someone in need, engage in heartfelt conversations with fans, and even take pay cuts to ensure his colleagues were well-compensated.
So, if Keanu were standing there, what would he do? Leo imagined him standing where he was. Responding with the utmost grace. Respect.
In his mind's eye, he saw Keanu gently taking Roxanne's hand, helping her up, and then kneeling himself to show humility and honor.
With Keanu's image guiding him,
Leo inhaled.
Then he reached out and took Roxanne's hand.
Warm.
Electric.
He gently pulled her up, her eyes widening. Not in fear, but something deeper. Gratitude. Maybe even disbelief.
Then Leo knelt.
The light wrapped around him like a breath.
He raised her hand to his lips, kissed it lightly, and met her eyes.
"Yes," he said, voice low and sure. "I accept this bond."
The magic circle exploded in color.
White, then violet, then something like starlight. It lifted around them like mist and wrapped into a dome. Inside it, silence.
Outside it, the world waited.
Roxanne's core bloomed.
As she felt her core starting to get full, Roxanne readied herself for another failure. Her hand tightened its grip a little as she gently bit her lip, bracing for the familiar disappointment. But then, as the core filled, she was elated, her heart racing with joy. She had finally succeeded in forming a pact.
But the pact was not yet complete. Something was still missing, but she couldn't pinpoint what it was.
Until,
A spill.
Another core.
Roxanne was ecstatic.
She had never experienced this before. The second core was larger, and as it filled, she marveled at the sensation.
Throughout the process, she felt waves of energy coursing through her. Each new core that was filled was aligned in a circular path, resembling a mandala design. The energy flowed smoothly, creating a harmonious pattern within her.
As each core filled, it emanated different hues. Vibrant blues, radiant greens, fiery reds, and soft purples. Each color dances. Merging in a symphony of light.
Her experience was out of this world.
With each core that filled, the colors grew more intense. Breathtaking. And then, a last core began to fill, it was the largest of them that housed all the previous cores, forming a grand orb that pulsed with a dance of vibrant colors.
This final core was a kaleidoscope of hues. Brilliant than the last, swirling in an intricate, harmonious dance.
As the final core filled, Roxanne's heart swelled with an overwhelming sense of victory. For the first time in centuries, she had succeeded. The crushing weight of failure, which had haunted her for so long, evaporated in an instant. Tears welled in her eyes, but they were not born of sorrow; they were a testament to the joy. Liberation.
She had found her partner at last.
The forest around them seemed to come alive with their newfound energy, the trees whispering and the air buzzing with magic.
Roxanne's heart soared.
The pact was complete.
No collapse. No backlash.
Just light. And connection.
She breathed out, and the tears came. Not from weakness. From release.
The forest shimmered around them, trees leaning ever so slightly toward the circle. Magic ran through the roots, curling through leaves, whispering in the grass.
A quiet notification blinked in front of Leo's vision—
[System Notification] Achievement unlocked: Meet a Legendary Figure!
But the moment didn't last.
The monster rose again.
Its feet hit the ground like falling stone, limbs stretched wide. Its six tails now split into even more, each one armed with talons curved like sickles. It leapt into the air, a shadow of teeth and fury.
The light around Roxanne fractured.
Her form dissolved. No pain, no sound. Just motion.
She erupted into butterflies.
Thousands of them.
Red. Luminous. Each one glowing with heat and precision. They swirled around Leo, an orbit of wings and motion, and began to converge.
Into his hand.
A blade took shape.
Blood-deep crimson. No excess. No flair. Just perfect edge and presence.
A weapon born for him.
[System Notification] Achievement unlocked: Obtain the Bloodmoon Blade!
New skills poured in like rain. Leo's eyes flicked through them, but one caught his breath.
The name pulsed.
He gripped the sword. Felt Roxanne within it. Not just power, but intention. Purpose. She was there. With him.
The forest froze.
The monster roared, rage uncontained.
Leo moved.
Mana flowed down his arm like liquid light.
He bent slightly, the blade drawing back.
Then—
He slashed.
A full arc. Mana surged behind it. His body spun 360, clean and sharp, and the motion carved the sky.
A crescent-shaped wave erupted forward.
"Celestial Arc Slash!"
The energy tore through the air.
The monster never had a chance.
The slash struck its center, cutting deep. Its body convulsed. Blood thick, black, steaming, gushed across the clearing.
It dropped.
Limbs twitching.
Tails writhing.
Its death cry bubbled up and choked itself silent.
Then stillness.
Even the clouds split above them. The crescent slash had cleaved the sky, just for a second. The red trail it left glowed, suspended.
A moment of color.
A moment of silence.
The forest breathed again.
Leo stood still, the Bloodmoon Blade resting at his side, glowing soft and steady. Not with fury.
But with a promise.