That night, back at the palace after a long day of hunting (we had defeated three more beasts, none as dramatic as the first), something strange happened.
I was in my room, still processing the events of the day. The smell of blood still seemed to linger in my nose. The sound of the bear's roar echoed in my ears.
Sylvie flew in through my window, something she had started doing regularly.
"Kael needs the colors," she announced, landing on my bed.
"The colors?"
"Yes. Kael is sad. The colors will make him feel better."
I didn't have the energy to argue. I sat on the bed, and Sylvie curled up in my lap as she always did during my meditations.
I closed my eyes and let the mana rotation resume. Particles of all the elements flowed toward me in their familiar dance.
But then I felt something different.
Sylvie's mana intertwined with mine.
It wasn't just sensing her presence like I usually did. It was as if our mana circuits had temporarily connected, freely sharing energy between us.
The colors she always described feeling in me, I could now see as well, from her perspective. Bright red, deep blue, vivid green, radiant yellow. All spinning and blending in a pattern that was beautiful beyond words.
And through that connection, I felt her pure emotion. Her unconditional love. Her absolute trust that I was safe, that everything would be okay.
The trauma of the day began to fade, replaced by a sense of peace I hadn't known I needed.
What is this? I asked telepathically.
Sharing, Sylvie replied simply. Kael's colors make me strong. So now my colors make Kael strong.
It was more than that—I knew it. This was a bond connection, similar to what Sylvie had with Arthur but different. With Arthur, it was a beast-companion bond. With me, it was… something else.
It was a bond of resonant souls.
The Legacy within me and the draconic essence within Sylvie had recognized each other and formed a connection that transcended the normal.
When I finally opened my eyes, Sylvie looked different.
She had grown again. Noticeably. She was now the size of a large wolf, her outstretched wings could easily cover two meters. Her scales shone with an almost metallic luster.
And I knew, without her telling me, that we could now share power when necessary. Her draconic strength could amplify my Legacy. My Legacy could accelerate her growth and development.
We were, in a sense, symbiotic.
"Sylvie," I said carefully, "does Arthur know you can do this?"
"I haven't tried with papa," she admitted. "Only with Kael. Kael's colors call to mine."
My mana makes dragons evolve. This is going to complicate things, I thought. But I couldn't deny that the idea of having Sylvie as a genuine ally, not just Arthur's companion, was comforting.
"Then this will be another secret," I decided. "Just between us for now."
"I like secrets with rainbow brother," Sylvie said, with what I could only describe as a draconic smile.
Three days later, I was once again on the balcony that had become my favorite place for reflection.
The first hunt had been a success, technically. We had survived, we had learned, we had grown.
But it had also been brutal. Terrifying. Real.
And I knew it was only the beginning.
"Thinking again?"
Arthur appeared beside me, now completely healed thanks to Tessia's magic and the palace healers.
"Always," I replied.
"About the hunt?"
"Among other things."
Arthur leaned against the railing. "Your first kill is the hardest. It gets easier with time. I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing."
He spoke with the experience of someone who had killed before. Many times. In his life as the Grey King.
"Do you ever regret it?" I asked. "Killing?"
"Every day," Arthur said quietly. "But I also know that sometimes it's necessary. To protect. To survive."
He turned to me.
"You saved my life out there. When that bear hit me, if you hadn't acted, I'd probably be dead."
"Sylvie saved me first."
"And you saved her by teaching her to share her power with you."
I blinked. "You noticed that?"
"I'm observant," Arthur smiled slightly. "I saw how she glowed when the bear attacked you. I saw how your mana changed, became stronger. You have some kind of bond with her, don't you?"
There was no point in denying it.
"Yes. I'm not exactly sure what it is. But Sylvie and I… resonate in some way."
He studied me with those piercing blue eyes.
"I'm not going to ask what it is. Not yet. But Kael, when you're ready to tell me, I want you to know that you can trust me."
"I know," I said honestly. "And someday, I'll tell you everything. But not today."
"That's fine," Arthur accepted without pressing. "Just remember that you're not alone in this, whatever it is."
We stood there in comfortable silence, watching the stars.
I had survived my first real battle. I had killed my first beast. I had formed a deeper bond with Sylvie.
The future was changing. Slowly but steadily.
And for the first time, I felt that maybe—just maybe—I could truly change the destiny I knew was coming.
To be continued…