The castle of Ryurien rose on the horizon like an ancient promise — dark marble towers intertwined with living roots, held up by stone as much as by magic. Kaito watched from the window, his eyes lost in that unfamiliar landscape.
"How long… have I been here?" he asked.
Ryong, preparing an infusion from bluish leaves that floated on their own into the teapot, answered without turning:
"Three moons since you awakened, sir."
Three moons. Kaito barely understood the flow of time here, but his body had already changed. The mark on his chest now glowed at times — especially when he touched Ryong.
"And why do you call me 'sir'?"
Ryong placed the drink on the table, his golden eyes fixed on Kaito's.
"Because my soul is bound to yours by an oath made before time was counted. Because your blood carries the call of the Ancients. And because… even though my heart fights it, it has already recognized you."
Kaito felt the air catch in his lungs.
Before he could respond, a rumble shook the ground. Outside, trumpets blared. A knight in scarlet armor burst through the door, breathless.
"Ryong! The Dragontine Council demands your presence. The Seal was detected… in the Ashen Mountains."
Ryong paled. His gaze met Kaito's.
"Then they already know," he murmured. "The world is waking… and they'll try to take it from you."
Kaito clenched his fists. For the first time since dying in that alley, he felt something close to purpose.
He might've been a nobody before. But here, in a world where magic lived beneath the skin and love hid between the lines of ancient oaths… he would not be forgotten.
TO BE CONTINUED...