The light faded, and Kaien Aros found himself clutching a stranger in a world that wasn't his.
Lirae, the silver-haired woman he'd pulled from the abyss, stirred in his arms.
Her breath was shallow, her skin cold as moonlight, but her presence burned against his soul like a candle in a storm. The platform beneath them trembled, a jagged slab of stone floating in the Void Sea's endless expanse. Above, a fractured sky swirled with violet and black, stars winking like eyes in the dark.
Below, the Void churned—a sea of shimmering fragments, memories of worlds long shattered.
Kaien's heart pounded. He wasn't dead. Not yet. But the shrieks of Voidspawn, formless horrors clawing at the platform's edges promised he might be soon.
[Soulbond Initiated. Emotional Sync: 2%. Physical Sync: 0%]
[Constellation Node Unlocked: MOONVEIL ORACLE. Immediate Synchronization Advised.]
The Soulbound System's voice echoed in his mind, crisp and mechanical, yet laced with an ancient weight.
A translucent interface flickered before his eyes, a star-shaped web with twelve nodes, one pulsing faintly with silver light. Lirae's node. The rest were dim, waiting.
"What the hell does that mean?" Kaien muttered, his gamer instincts kicking in.
Systems meant rules, mechanics, progression. But this wasn't Soulforge Online. This was real. Too real.
Lirae's eyes fluttered open, twin moons glowing in the dimness. "You… shouldn't be here," she whispered, voice fragile but sharp, like glass. "No one survives the Void's call."
"Yeah, well, I'm not big on following scripts," Kaien said, forcing a grin despite the fear clawing his chest.
He eased her upright, scanning the platform. It was barely thirty feet across, cracked and glowing faintly with runes. Beyond its edges, the Voidspawn writhed—shadowy limbs and gnashing maws, their forms shifting like nightmares given flesh.
[Warning: Voidspawn Incursion Detected. Combat Required to Stabilize Soulbond.]
"Combat?" Kaien's voice cracked. "I'm a gamer, not a warrior. I've got no weapon, no skills..."
Lirae's hand gripped his wrist, surprisingly strong. "You have me," she said, her gaze steady despite her weakened state. "The system chose you. That means you're not helpless."
Her words sparked something in him, not courage, not yet, but defiance. He'd died once. He wasn't about to let some cosmic glitch finish the job.
"Fine," he said, standing. "Tell me how to fight."
Lirae struggled to her knees, silver hair spilling like liquid starlight. "The Soulbound System… it binds us. My power is yours, but only if we sync." She hesitated, a flicker of distrust in her eyes. "You must trust me, Kaien Aros. And I… must trust you."
"Trust a guy who just fell out of a lightning storm?" He smirked, hiding his nerves. "Tall order."
Her lips twitched, the ghost of a smile. "You reached for me in the Void. That's a start."
The platform shook violently, a Voidspawn's claw raking across the stone. Kaien stumbled, catching Lirae before she fell. The system pinged again.
[Synchronization Tutorial: Access MOONVEIL ORACLE Node.]
[Initiate Emotional Sync to Unlock Basic Qi Manipulation.]
"Emotional Sync," Kaien repeated, glancing at Lirae. "What's that supposed to mean? We hold hands and sing?"
Lirae's expression hardened. "It's not a game. To sync, you must open your soul to mine. Let me see you, your fears, your will. And I must do the same."
Kaien's throat tightened. Opening up? He'd spent years behind screens, avoiding exactly that. But the Voidspawn were closing in, their shrieks vibrating through his bones. No time for hesitation.
"Okay," he said, meeting her gaze. "Show me."
Lirae extended a trembling hand. "Close your eyes. Feel my soul. Let yours answer."
Kaien took her hand, her skin cool yet sparking with faint energy. He shut his eyes, expecting nothing but darkness. Instead, a warmth bloomed in his chest, like a ember flaring to life.
Images flickered—Lirae's memories, fragmented and vivid. A moonlit temple, its spires crumbling under a tide of Voidspawn. A prophecy whispered in her ear: "The Ascendant will rise, or all will fall." Her fear, sharp and raw, of failing a destiny she didn't choose.
Kaien's own memories surged in response. His lonely apartment, the hum of his gaming rig, the ache of a life spent avoiding connection. He flinched, wanting to pull back, but Lirae's grip tightened.
"Don't hide," she whispered. "I see you, Kaien. Now see me."
He pushed deeper, past his shame. Her soul was a silver flame, flickering but fierce, carrying centuries of solitude. She'd watched worlds die, bound to her role as an Oracle, never allowed to live for herself. Yet here she was, choosing to trust a stranger.
The warmth in his chest ignited, a pulse of energy flowing between them.
[Emotional Sync: 10%. Basic Qi Manipulation Unlocked. Skill Acquired: Lunar Veil (Level 1).]
Kaien's eyes snapped open. His hands glowed faintly, silver light coiling like mist. "What is this?"
"Lunar Qi," Lirae said, rising unsteadily. "My essence, shared through our bond. Use it."
The Voidspawn lunged, a mass of claws and eyes. Kaien acted on instinct, thrusting his hands forward. Silver mist erupted, forming a shimmering veil that deflected the creature's strike. The impact jolted his arms, but the veil held.
"Holy shit," he gasped. "I did that?"
Lirae stepped beside him, her own hands weaving patterns in the air. "Focus. The veil can blind them, but it won't kill." Her fingers traced a rune, and the mist thickened, cloaking the platform in illusion. The Voidspawn hesitated, slashing at empty air.
Kaien's mind raced. This was like a raid boss—find the pattern, exploit the weakness. "Can we trap them?" he asked.
Lirae nodded. "If you sync deeper, we can combine our Qi. But it's… intimate. Are you ready?"
He swallowed, meeting her gaze. Her eyes held no judgment, only a quiet challenge. "Let's do it."
They clasped hands again, souls brushing closer. This time, the connection was electric, Lirae's resolve flooding him, his defiance bolstering her. The system chimed.
[Emotional Sync: 15%. Skill Upgraded: Lunar Veil (Level 2). New Skill: Moonlit Snare.]
Kaien felt the new skill instinctively. He channeled the mist, weaving it into silver threads that lashed out, binding a Voidspawn's limbs.
Lirae mirrored him, her own threads tightening the trap. The creature thrashed, then dissolved into ash, leaving a faint crystal behind.
[Voidspawn Defeated. Qi Absorbed. Soulbond Stability Increased.]
More Voidspawn surged, but Kaien's fear was fading, replaced by a spark of exhilaration. He wasn't just surviving—he was fighting, side by side with someone who trusted him.
"Lirae," he said, dodging a claw. "What's the crystal?"
"Void Essence," she replied, hurling a snare. "It fuels cultivation. Collect enough, and we can strengthen our bond."
Kaien grabbed the crystal, its energy pulsing into him. The SCN flickered, Lirae's node glowing brighter. "Got it. Let's clear this platform."
They fought as one, Lunar Veils shielding them, Moonlit Snares binding foes. Kaien's movements grew surer, guided by Lirae's expertise and his own quick thinking. Each defeated Voidspawn dropped essence, and the system tracked their progress.
[Emotional Sync: 20%. Physical Sync: 5%.]
As the last Voidspawn fell, the platform stabilized, its runes flaring. Kaien panted, adrenaline fading. Lirae swayed, and he caught her, her weight light but real.
"You're not bad for a dead gamer," she said, a faint smile breaking her stoic mask.
"And you're not bad for a cryptic Oracle," he shot back, grinning. But his humor hid a deeper realization: for the first time, he felt connected, not just to a system, but to someone else.
The SCN reappeared, a new node flickering faintly in the distance. Another Soulmaiden, waiting somewhere in the Void.
[Objective Updated: Seek the Second Star.]
[Warning: Void Sea Currents Shifting. Prepare for Transit.]
The platform lurched, spinning toward a distant islet glowing with crimson light. Lirae tensed, her hand tightening on his.
"Kaien," she said softly. "The Void Sea tests us. Not just our strength, but our hearts. Will you face it with me?"
He met her gaze, the weight of her question settling in. This wasn't a game he could quit. But for the first time, he didn't want to.
"Yeah," he said. "Let's find that next star."
As the islet loomed closer, a fiery aura pulsed from its core, and Kaien felt a new soul calling—a spark of flame in the endless void.