Heartbond

Heartbond

Chapter One

Ignition

Right… Wrong…

Good… Bad…

Water… Fire…

Light… Dark…

The typical phrases used in our world today...words tossed around carelessly...words with no meaning in the depth of what has been written; words that cannot begin to cover, or justify, the damage that has been done. They hardly matter in the grand scheme of things.

But what if the war has gone on so long, what if destruction has grasped so savagely at the depths of our planet’s very core that the line between – what once were – completely opposite terms has become blurred?

Hope… Trust…

Mentality… Physicality…

Justice… Mercy…

Love… Lust…

War...and peace…

No one really knows which path is right anymore. We have been following what has been laid out for us...what morals our ancestors believe will protect us against harm and darkness. But what they have ultimately done...is pull the unreachable peace into the sky...where no one can obtain it...and lay the ocean of taint right at our feet...where anyone can sink in and be consumed.

This, none of us can deny.
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“Coiyuri?” a light male voice called from behind her, the door to her room opening in accordance. She
turned away from the window sill, to greet her friend as he slipped into view.

“Hakumo,” she smiled slightly, though she couldn’t keep the worried expression off her face.

He smiled when his gaze fell upon her, and she couldn’t help but relax the tiniest bit at his presence.

“You look nice,” he said, his smile splitting into a handsome grin.

The girl felt her face flush as she looked down at her simple white robe and red sash, what every student of the academy wore on a regular basis.

“I wear this every day...” she murmured with a slight laugh, bringing her hand up to hide the red staining her cheeks.

“Yes, but it’s something different today...” he stated cheerfully. She felt her hand leave her face as he grasped it and playfully spun her in a pirouette on the spot. A chuckle escaped her.

“I don’t know about that,” she admitted sheepishly as she stopped the spin at his front. “Besides feeling sick with nervousness...”

His eyebrows furrowed, and for a moment she wondered if she had let something slip that she shouldn’t have. She bit her lip as she waited for him to speak.

“But...you are happy, aren’t you?” he questioned seriously. “This is a big deal.”

Coiyuri stared at him for a moment, taking in peaceful blue eyes and the shoulder length blond hair that was hanging to the side as he tilted his head.

She smiled. “Of course I’m happy Haku. I’ve been waiting...” she trailed off, finding that the blush was creeping up on her again. He placed a hand on her shoulder, his enthusiasm obviously returned.

“Do not worry, Coiyuri. There is nothing to be afraid of...there is no test this time, merely reward for our hard work.”

She let out a nod and a slow sigh of relief, but she kept her eyes safely on the floor.

“What were you looking at?” he asked, walking around her to the window.

“Oh...”she started absentmindedly, coming up beside him and also gazing out the window. “Do you see that grey cloud over there?”

He nodded; his pale, smooth face assessing. His eyes were locked onto the cloud she was looking at without her having to point it out.

After a moment he turned his face slightly to her but did not raise his eyes. “I’m afraid that is no cloud Coiyuri...”

She nodded sadly. “I know… it’s smoke. There is a village burning over there.”

Hakumo pursed his lips and also nodded. “Judging by the distance...its most likely one of our own...”

“It’s so sad that it’s within our gaze, and yet we are helpless...” she stated out loud, feeling the weight of being useless fall onto her shoulders again. “I...I want to help...but...b-but...”

“Calm down,” her friend stated softly but firmly as he turned fully to face her. He placed his hands on her shoulders and looked right into her pale eyes. She suppressed a shudder for what was to come. She suppressed the fear when he supported her this way.

“You will be great,” he murmured gently. She blinked in surprise.

“N-no...Hakumo...” she stuttered horribly, “You could do better...you could be a hero...if only you’d choose someone else...”

Surprising her again, he laughed. “You’re not usually this hard on yourself. What are you so worried about?”

She placed a hand on her forehead and closed her eyes as she considered. “I don’t want you to get hurt because of me...I care too much...”

Like he had occasionally, but not often, in the past, he pulled her into a hug. It was one of the few times she didn’t blush in the seriousness of the moment. Affection of this sort was frowned upon before graduation...but she knew neither of them cared.

“Ah...my dearest friend...” he murmured. “You think not being together would hurt me any less?”
“Either way, you’ll be hurt...” she mumbled into him.

“You’re so stubborn,” he laughed.

She clenched the fabric of his attire. “Sorry...”

He shook his head. “From an academic stand point, you did well, very well. So what if you have things to learn? We learn as we do...books teach us what’s out there. It’s completely up to us to find it, right?”

She didn’t answer; considering.

“Right?” he urged, taking the palm of his hand and pushing it playfully against her forehead. She laughed at him, and then at herself.

“There is that pretty smile,” he said, smiling charmingly himself. She quietly turned her head away and started for the door, though her footsteps had lightened considerably. He followed closely behind her, even being so bold as to place his slender hand on the small of her back.

An act that would have certainly gotten them both suspended.
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“Are you sure Hakumo? There are...many choices...” The elder said, sweeping his hand as if to draw the blond male’s attention to the crowd of waiting academy students, though the majority he gestured to were female. Coiyuri shuffled her feet and kept her head down in avoidance as she stood in front of Hakumo and the elder who was beside him. It wasn’t like the elders were ever...discrete with their opinions.

However her friend’s eyes never left her face. “I have made my decision.”

But the elders were relentless. A withered hand came down onto the younger male’s shoulder, as if to squeeze another truth out of him.

“But why?” the elder questioned, “So much potential at your fingertips, and yet your vision is undoubtedly clouded by single pretty face?”

The small girl felt her face go hot, and the heat travelled all the way down to the souls of her feet.

‘Hakumo...I’m so sorry...’

“Coiyuri understands me,” the young male clarified, turning his hard blue-eyed glare onto the elder. “Is that not, the most valuable asset a partner could ask for? Many of the elders have said it themselves.”

“And yet, a true understanding comes from the bond we wish to grant to our students. But does knowing someone truly, change any sort of disagreement between the two after the bond is forged? Answer me that, young Hakumo.”

He turned his head away and looked her in the eyes again, though she could tell with relief that the answer changed nothing.
“No.”

“Exactly, and yet you still wish to proceed with this reckless decision?”
A smile came to the blonde’s face that had her heart racing.

“I’ll take the good with the bad, Elder. A pretty face is just the wind beneath a bird’s wings. It means little.”

Surprising both her and Hakumo, the rest of the academy students burst into appreciative nods and smiles. Some even clapped. Coiyuri relaxed slightly, suddenly feeling that the rest of her schoolmates were on their side...or at least Hakumo’s side.

“Quiet!” one of the other elders hissed. They reluctantly obeyed, though the smiles still lingered.

“Is this truly your decision, young master? You know as well as anyone that your glory will be diminished by such careless choices.”

The blond took a deep breath in, but she knew it was because he was losing patience with their pressuring attitude, and not because of her.

“Why don’t you ask Coiyuri?” he said, letting a strained smile onto his handsome face. “I don’t think some dumb numbers on a piece of school paper prove she is any less human than me.”

Hardly being able to believe he could aim such words at the elders without fear, she let out a small gasp. Some of the elders in the back rose astounded in their chairs.

The boy suffered through a small blow to the back of his head, but no one jumped. It was a small punishment compared to what could have been given instead.

As the young girl stared at his face, her eyes wide, the elder spoke to her.

“And you, little Coiyuri, have you seduced Hakumo enough to your liking?”

She took a step back in alarm. The other students broke out into a wave of whispers and gasps not unlike her own.

Everyone knew that to accuse someone of seducing... was to lower them to enemy standard; to accuse them of being alike.

‘Seduce...?’ she wondered in disbelief, letting her eyes fall partly shut and covering her face with her hand.
“How dare you!” Hakumo shouted, wrenching away from the elders near him and standing with his back to her. “How dare you talk to her like that? You profess to know her as if you were her bonded! Assumptions are what they live off of! Are you, too, like those savage beasts!?”

Uproar rose up from the on lookers, voicing their agreement.

Narrowing his eyes to a severely dangerous level, the elder tore his eyes from Hakumo and dropped them onto her. She felt her skin chill, and she knew it wasn’t just from his fury… it was the reaction of the atmosphere around them, the magic he controlled.

“What say you, Coiyuri?” he barked.

When she glanced at the rest of the elders though, she found that the rest of them were calm. Apparently they had accepted Hakumo’s choice. However she knew that is was protocol that she be asked her wishes too.

“Haku...Hakumo is my friend...” she stuttered, though she felt stronger in the heart due to his bravery and his closeness.

“You came to this academy to make friends, did you?” the elder mocked.
“No...” she answered quickly, her voice quiet. She lifted her head.

“I came here to make peace.”

”Tch...” he sneered, although it appeared he was finally done talking.

“Enough,” one of the elders in the back called sternly. “There will always be mistakes. We’re wasting time now. Forge the bond.”

She felt her heart drop as the words slipped into her. It didn’t appear as if any of the elders believed in her.

‘Who can blame them...look at me...’ she laughed sadly to herself. ‘I don’t even believe in me...’

Suddenly a pair of strong hands clasped around hers. She didn’t need to look up to know who it was.

“Coiyuri...” Hakumo began firmly, moving his face so that she had no choice but to look into his
determined blue eyes, “It’s time. I choose you. I won’t have anyone else...but you must allow yourself to believe it.”

She swallowed, attempting to keep her hands from shaking. The last thing she wanted to do was be a burden. She felt his hands grip tighter on hers.

“And you must also choose me,” he whispered. “There cannot be any doubts between us or the bond won’t forge.”

She closed her eyes and calmed herself for the briefest of moments. “I do Hakumo...”

He nodded. “Then no more thought. Believe in both of us.”

“Enough talk. There are other students who are waiting patiently to be bonded and you are wasting time with this nonsense. Stand before me and keep quiet,” the elder performing the bond demanded.

They did as instructed. The elder raised his hands and faced both of his pale palms towards each of them.

“Are you ready?” the older man asked with what was perhaps the first sign of humanity in him since the ceremony started. “Should this bond be cut by another, it can never be salvaged. Are you willing to accept this fate?”

They both nodded, not needing to look at each other to know the answer.

It began at last. The elder slipped into what appeared to be a deep trancelike state...his eyes focusing on neither of them in particular.

At first there were a few long moments of feeling nothing at all. Just the two of them standing there preparing themselves as best they could for what was going to hit them.

Coiyuri thought back in the silence, trying to remember if there was any formal training protocol that she was supposed to be following. All that came to her head though were many of the elder’s previous words and numerous phrases in her text book.

They stated that little could be done to prepare someone for the making of a heartbond. It stated that the experience was different for everyone. Some felt a tranquility, some cried, some laughed, and some personalities changed completely.

All this rushed from her head in the next instance however as the nothing that was happening before her turned into a very noticeable grasp on her heart
.
She gasped when she felt the ice cold presence grip her core. It was the elder, reaching into her and attempting to pull it out into the open where everyone could see.

She couldn’t bear the feeling though...like something sacred was about to be touched. She shied away from it, clutching her pale hand over her chest and unwillingly going down onto one knee.

“Stop...” she begged, but finding that her words were oddly slurred. “Get out...”

She felt Hakumo’s pure blue eyes turn onto her weary state but when she also turned to look at him and perhaps try to understand why he also wasn’t begging for mercy, she found him standing perfectly straight with an expression of worry and confusion on his face.

“Ugh...” she breathed unsteadily.

The grasp finally completely closed around her heart and she couldn’t stop her hands from clenching, her nails digging into her palms.

“D-dont...!” she whimpered. “I cant...!”

“What...!?” she heard the elder hiss just then, though his grip on her heart didn’t indicate any mercy.
He tore, and the essence of her heart was ripped from her physical body
.
“No!” she screamed, curling into herself. He was laying his hands on what was not his to touch. Her very heart was exposed.

“What is this blasphemy!?” the elder yelled.
Coiyuri wearily lifted her head, feeling her muscles shake. She couldn’t seem to focus past the daze that seemed to dwell within her...it wasn’t something she could just shake off.

What she saw were two hearts. Two hearts that were floating in each of the elders carefully levelled hands. Two hearts that were hers and Hakumo’s.

Two hearts that were anything but compatible.

Everyone knew that pure blue hearts were hearts than were innocent...not yet exposed to the link of a heartbond, not yet having to share the space within a person’s chest with another heart.
Her heart was not blue. It was of the deepest red.

Red like love, or blood.

Her eyes widened in astonishment seeing it before her. Seeing the light.

‘Is that...mine?’ she wondered in disbelief, slowly getting to her feet as she gazed at it. Murmurs broke out around her. The elders eyes snapped from their trance and onto her with such anger that she froze up.
“Coiyuri!” he yelled, taking a few steps towards her and pushing the red heart back at her savagely. She took a step back in surprise, not knowing how to receive the heart from the angry man.

It wasn’t up to her though. She noticed the hard pounding on the inside of her chest and before she could question what was going to happen, the heart was swallowed up by her body.

It knocked the very wind out of her and she thought she was going to be sick from the sensation. It was like her body had suddenly remembered how to breathe without knowing it had even forgotten. It had happened so fast...but she knew that it was because it wasn’t healthy for a heart to be exposed too long.

‘That was pretty rough though...’ she thought, clutching the white cloth over her racing heart and letting herself collapse onto her knees.

The girl swallowed and attempted to calm herself while she wearily watched the elder walk over to Hakumo.

Unlike her own harsh receiving, the elder was gentle when guiding the blond boy’s heart back into his own chest. She watched the blue light dance on his face for a moment before his heart disappeared within him. He took a steady breath.

She breathed deeply from the strain as her friend’s eyes and the angry elder’s turned onto her.

“Coiyuri...?” Hakumo asked, worry clearly streaking his tone as he took a step towards her. Already he looked recovered from the situation, while she was still having trouble dragging in her breaths.

The elder stepped closer to her. “I bet it hurts doesn’t it?”

The black haired girl pushed a few loose strands away from her face, exhausted. She stayed silent.

“Do you know why that is? Why you were struck why such intense feelings of revulsion when I touched your heart?” he asked, “Or why it’s red by any chance? Why don’t you tell us, little Coiyuri?”

The little girl furrowed her eyebrows and looked around. She knew the basic facts, was that what he wanted to hear? The others gazed at her curiously.

She stayed silent again, unsure. She did not understand what was going on any more than anyone else did.

“Speak!” he roared.

She shrunk back and opened her mouth, hoping something useful would come out.

“I...it’s...it’s not blue...” she murmured to the floor.

“Good,” he praised, though the tone was clearly mocking. “Now tell us why that is.”

She shook her head. “I don’t know...”

“You do know,” he growled. “You just don’t want to say it!”

“No—”

He cut her off and whirled around to face the young onlookers. “It’s common knowledge that any heart besides that of blue has already been bonded, does anyone disagree?”

Coiyuri knew no one would voice otherwise. That was the very first lesson that was taught to the younger students as soon as they were old enough to understand the concept of colours.

‘Already bonded...how?’

“In other words...” he trailed off for a moment as he cast his almost-white eyes over his shoulder. “You have betrayed the academy!”

“I haven’t! I promise you!” she pleaded as loudly as she could in her shaking voice.

“You have lost your right to speak! Do you mean to say your very heart is a lie? Say it little Coiyuri, or prove our eyes differently!”

The feeling that struck her with those words was like something she had never experienced. Never before had she been so painfully aware of the own beating of her heart, of emotions that washed over her like pulse of the wind. This was more like being struck by lightning.

The words she was expected to say – that were on the tip of her tongue – would not come out. What she was expected to state was completely different than what her heart...what the bond she apparently had, was telling her.

‘A lie...?’ she thought, feeling her heart almost tremble. Without realizing it for a moment, she placed her pale hand on her chest. Why did she feel...threatened?

Moments passed. It seemed like everyone was afraid of breaking the silence.

“I can’t...” she whispered. He came to stand in front of her, and she couldn’t help but feel dominated in his shadow.

“What was that?” he asked darkly, his ancient voice cracking.

The black haired girl was still for a moment longer as her pale eyes wandered over to Hakumo. His face was worried...but she could also tell he was hurt.

‘I’m so sorry Hakumo...’

She turned her face back to the elder’s feet. “I can’t say it’s a lie...” she whispered. “It’s all I’ve ever known...”

A hand came down and seized the front of her training robes. She flinched noticeably as he dragged her to her feet, but she was of the minority when it came to retaliating.

“Coiyuri!—” Hakumo yelled in obvious worry. Her eyes flashed to him in surprise. Even after this he still would follow her?

“I’m surprised young Hakumo,” the elder stated while still maintaining his grip on her. “She betrayed you.”

The blond haired boy turned his eyes onto her slowly. She felt the stinging behind her eyes begin to well up as she locked her gaze onto him. He looked lost.

The girl looked away, trying to stop the trembling.

“After we took you in, trained you, taught you to harness the magic that runs through every Wistyrials viens...this is how you repay us? With that filthy excuse of a heartbond?!”

Her dark eyes snapped open and locked onto the old man.

It was also common knowledge that to insult a bonded was to make two enemies at once. Now there was no denying that she could completely understand. It didn’t matter whether she knew who it was or not. It mattered how she felt.

The anger...the rage.

His hand clenched harder on the fabric around her neck.

“Your heartbond...it looks like blood. Wretched.”

She opened her mouth to speak but before she could, Hakumo cut her off.

“Stop!” he pleaded loudly, both his fists clenched at his sides. Both the master and student turned to look at him.

“Are you never satisfied?” he asked quietly. “You got your wish...” the blond boy murmured, turning his eyes onto her. “We are not bonded. It is clear she has already chosen someone.”

Coiyuri felt her eyes widen in hurt. “No Haku—”

“Silence ingrate!” she was ordered instantly. “If you are bonded then we are going to find your partner here and now...and then you can tell Hakumo what possessed you to betray his trust. A deep understanding you two have indeed...” he mocked.

The next thing she knew she was being roughly pulled through the crowd of students.

“Dont move!” the instructor snapped at them all.

They did as instructed for the most part, only choosing to move out of the way if they were about to be completely run over.

There weren’t many others who were soon to graduate like her. Fifty at the most. The heartbond would appear if she got within range.

The link between partners only materialized when one or both of the pact were struggling with doubts or inner fears of some sort. Secretly she was curious to know who her bonded was...who was somehow sharing her heart without her knowing.

The heartbond would appear she knew, because there wasn’t anything she wasn’t doubting at this point.
But they came to a slow stop after weaving through the crowd for a minute or two, and no bond appeared for anyone to see. Hakumo appeared at her side, though his expression had turned determined...and she could only assume it was because he didn’t see the heartbond either. There was little proof for him yet.

“Well, well...this is interesting...” The elder said, finally releasing her wrist and stroking his beard. “It appears Coiyuri’s bonded is not among us. That’s too bad...”

She tensed up as he turned to face her, though his eyes were on the blond boy standing at her side.

“Well Hakumo...I think you should wish Coiyuri luck on her first mission without her bonded. You will have a bonded, whether you like it or not.”
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The moment seemed very slow to him as he watched the silver edge of his blade glide through the air. Nothing else mattered when he was in this state of mind. Nothing else seemed to catch his eye other than the enemy, other than his weapon of choice.

He chased those moments in battle where he could be completely alone. There had been moments where he could barely stop himself from striking his own his own teammates in training missions or lesser missions because he was so wrapped up in his own rhythm. Feeling guilty was not his thing though, because it only showed him that others had not achieved the same state of mind, or else instead of scolding him for almost striking them down, their blade would stop his instead.

Never had he found his equal...anywhere. Even the spire trainers had a hard time controlling him. There has been numerous times where he had to be pinned down because he could not snap out of his duelling state.

But still, while they held him down...they praised him. Always praise. Never scolding or advice. Even while he was growling and thrashing as a child.

He knew they were building him up, creating him, feeding the beast within him so that one day he would turn into this...a killer. That’s what they wanted...

And that’s what they got.

He supposed he should have been angry the way they brought him up, but when he swung his temporary blade, or dodged even the leaders feral weapons that were meant to punish him...he felt strong...like he was one step closer to attaining his goal.

But perhaps why he allowed them to push him so harshly...was because on top of not knowing what goal he was chasing, he didn’t know how powerful he would have to be to keep it within his grasp.

He didn’t even know what it was that made him swing his blade so forcefully. Perhaps the frustration, or because he was never shown how to be submissive.

He could blame it on anyone.

But he was taught to blame it on the Wistyrials.

Someone yelled in front of him and his dark brown eyes narrowed a fraction of an inch in realization that this was no enemy, but rather a ‘comrade’. He turned his blade at the last instant and slammed the man with the flat of the cheap training sword.

It did not matter either way to him, but he knew the leaders would probably punish him lightly for such little consideration for the up-coming mission. If he was to lead it, and come back to receive the bond of the partner of his choosing...he needed little to no stains on his hands directly before.

The other padded man tumbled out of the white chalk ring that was around them and lay motionless.
“Ah Raiga, did you severely injure another one of the mission members?” a voice echoed.

Raiga narrowed his eyes and looked over his shoulder. “Probably...” he sneered in disgust.

‘Weaklings...’

The new arrival shrugged cheerfully. He was really just a messenger of sorts, but Raiga had actually learned a thing or two from the man when he was younger about moving his feet.

So he was tolerated, but not liked in Raiga’s books.

“At any rate it doesn’t seem like what you do at this point really matters...” the messenger laughed.

Raiga started a slow walk towards stone stairway where the man was standing.

“What do you mean...?” he asked, unsure. He really didn’t like asking questions because he knew it showed vulnerabilities...but sometimes curiosity completely got the better of him.

“You’ve been officially assigned as leader of the graduating mission! You’re all the leaders talk about...what I hear is that if this mission is successful...meaning you come back alive, you’ll be set for nobility for the rest of your life! Any woman of your choosing, although it’s obvious who you’ve already chosen, isn’t it?”

Raiga closed his eyes and winced as he passed the rambling man although the knowledge pleased him.
It was not such a secret that the leaders had their eyes on him and were planning to marry him straight into nobility after his first successful mission. He knew they did that with promising pupils...really whether they wanted it or not.

But in this case, the use of force was not needed.

“Speaking of nobility...” the messenger started slyly, “There is a little present waiting for you upstairs. The leaders sent her along. Don’t make her wait for you...you know how that one is,” he laughed while walking off back towards the elder’s hall.

‘Aleath...’ he thought quickly, managing to keep his pace steady as he turned and started up the sandy, stone stairs. She would be his bonded.

He felt strange shivers come over him when he thought about the fiery noble girl. For as long as he could remember, he longed to hold one of the great feral weapons that heartbond’s created. Being bonded with a noble was a prize in itself, but the pure blood that ran through her veins was something he knew would enhance his forthcoming weapon.

The girl was young too, barely scratching the surface of her nineteenth year.

‘The younger the better...’ he thought. It was something that was quietly implied through his studies. Not only did younger student produce stronger weapons, they learned faster and were capable on the battle field. Especially younger girls whose emotions were easily influenced.

Emotion was power.

Males were taught to close off their emotions, while females were told to embrace them. He knew that was where the differences in their studies ended though. Females of the Oblivae race were not given special treatment, or treated softly. It wasn’t uncommon for females to knock some males flat on their back...of course since the treatment was the same, females were no better off when it came to being knocked down.

Because of the hard work, most of the females were tall and strong with tanned skin from the sun. Most were beautiful, in Raiga’s opinion...because they could clearly demonstrate the pride he felt when he gazed upon his race. They were not afraid to show themselves off either.

Unlike the weak Wistyrials...both male and female.

He turned the corner of the staircase and positioned his gaze onto the figure sitting below the window.

It was his bonded to be; a beauty of a noble who had hunted him down with her clever charm, not that he minded. A noble was far better than someone randomly selected at the spire. He knew noble women didn’t leave the safety of the city, so he would be working alone with just the weapon his heartbond with this girl would provide. Then when he was tired, or after a mission, he could easily return to her company.

He knew the taste of freedom would be too much to turn down. He couldn’t have someone pestering him all along the way.

She turned her deep cherry-wood eyes onto him when he approached. It was a trademark quality within her bloodline that had been passed down...and he could only assume that the reason she stated that she liked his brown eyes was because this trait would not be tarnished.

Or that she liked his dark red hair.

He winced at this thought though. A family wasn’t what was going through his mind.

“You kept me waiting...” she stated absentmindedly as she pretended to flick a piece of dirt off her skirt that had her family’s emblem stitched on it.

He laughed darkly. “I thought nobles were born with patience.”

The girl named Aleath smirked and stood up. “Only the boring ones.”

“And yet you waited in this slum of a training court for me. Tell me why that is.”

She walked charmingly closer to him. “Why my Raiga, I was eagerly watching your impressive duel.”

He closed his eyes and let a smirk onto his face as well. “You weren’t even looking.”

“Can I help if I was...” she brought her pretty face closer to his, “distracted with other thoughts?”

“Hmm...” he murmured quietly, tilting his head. Normally people seeing this would have reported them for unbonded’s being so close...but perhaps they were scared of him...or maybe they were scared of the leaders plans for them both.

“Why don’t we go somewhere...a little more private?” she murmured. He pulled back slowly, reluctantly.

“So what, so you can taint me?” he asked darkly. He honestly liked their little banters...it was amusing.
Aleath pouted and crossed her arms. “You think I’m tainted?”

Raiga was silent for only a moment as he stared into her offended eyes. “I don’t know...are you?” he asked.

The noble girl stared him down for a few seconds, before her mouth pulled into the tiniest of smirks. “I guess you’ll have to wait and see, wont you?”
........................................................................................................................................................................
Coiyuri sighed again as she sat in the back of the large carriage. It was dark in there and they had been travelling for many hours now on their first mission. It wasn’t why she was sighing though, because in truth the dark gave her the time she needed to think...to sort her head out.

It wasn’t going well.

“Coiyuri...?” she heard Hakumo’s soft voice call quietly. She looked up reluctantly at the boy, who was sitting opposite to her on the other bench.

Instantly her heart dropped hearing his tone. He sounded...detached...like he was struggling to be sympathetic.

Struggling to care.

Her dark eyes swept over to his new bonded. Her name was Sayle, and she was also a favourite among the elders because of her focus and high grades. It was only natural that the two of them were selected for each other.

The girl was pretty too, and in many ways had a lot of the same characteristics Hakumo had, although softer. Her hair was white-blond and shoulder length, and her eyes were also blue, though very dark like the middle of the ocean. She was leaning on him slightly in her sleep.

It was because of their bond that Hakumo was now like this. She knew he hadn’t changed, but trying to put his feelings for another above the heartbond that now guided most of his emotions was near impossible.

Coiyuri knew that she would be second from now...and Hakumo knew it too, though she could tell he was struggling to accept it.

The black haired girl swallowed. “W-what does she feel like...in-inside...?” she couldn’t help herself from asking.

Hakumo let a breath out through his nose and turned his head to look at Sayle whose head was on his shoulder.

“She is like sunshine...” he admitted quietly, his pure blue gaze falling to the floor in what appeared to be guilt. “And green grass...and a single oak tree...that’s what she reminds me of...”

Coiyuri felt a lump rise in her throat and a stinging rise up behind her eyes. She didn’t want to cry, but clenching her teeth and turning her head away didn’t fool the sharp blond male in front of her.
“She sounds beautiful...” she murmured. He nodded reluctantly.

Then before she could react, he was reaching gently across and placing his hand upon hers.

“But Coiyuri...I haven’t given up on us being bonded. I told you I wouldn’t have anyone else...”

The tiny girl widened her eyes and took a staggered breath in as she gazed at him. It was one of the academy’s greatest crimes to betray your bonded...to even talk about it would silence a room full of people.

“W-what are you saying...?” she whispered in complete astonishment as she pulled her hands quickly out from under his and looked around to see if anyone else had heard. It appeared that most were sleeping though.

“Coiyuri...I want to know what you feel like...I’ve waited since we were kids to know.”

She shivered and was unable to stop her eyes from flicking over to the sleeping Sayle. If she awoke now, or was pretending, Coiyuri knew she would be crushed.

“H-Hakumo...we...we can’t..!”

Astounded at what the boy was saying, it didn’t even surprise her when he took the deeply sleeping Sayle and guided her to lie down in his now open space. Coiyuri watched him kneel down in front of her, but she could barely move.

“My friend...” he whispered, once again sliding his hands over top of hers. “I’m not saying it is easy...Sayle has a beautiful heart...but the burden of losing you weighs on both her and I. I’m sure she can feel it too...and there are some things time can’t heal...”

She felt her heart rate quicken in her chest. He leaned in closer.

“I will find your bonded Coiyuri, and I will cut your heartbond so that you are free. Then...I will cut my own...”

“No...!” she pleaded instantly. “It’s not right...she did nothing to deserve this...!” the little girl whimpered, letting her head fall forward in guilt.

The shock of his hands gently coming up to hold her face was enough to stop the tears from falling.
She let her eyes connect with his finally, but what she saw wasn’t first or second place. It was a special place just for her.

It was then she wondered how much he really did care for her in order to be able to completely ignore his own heartbond.

He was strong. But at the same time she felt in her heart that what he – what both of them – were doing was wrong.

“My friend...no...” he murmured as he leaned closer and she felt her body chill in shock. She could feel his breathing against her face. “Friend is not the right word...it never has been...it never will be...”

‘This can’t be happening...!’ she screamed in her head. She wanted him and wanted to reject him at the same time. How could he betray his bonded?
“Coiyuri I lov—”

She slammed her eyes shut.

The next moment was a moment of terror and confusion as suddenly the carriage they were in was not the right way up, but rather on its side. There were instant screams of people being awoken by the savage jerk and the loud noise of the blow.

Coiyuri struggled to get her wits about her, having been on the side that had slammed into the ground. Her head was spinning like a vortex.

“Coiyuri! Sayle!” she heard Hakumo yell.

It struck her that her luck was good and bad at the same time. Her moment with him had been completely interrupted. She pushed herself wearily onto her knees, not pausing to consider the pros and cons at a time like this. Outside she could hear more screaming.

“We’ve been attacked!” Hakumo shouted.

“Such a blow...” Sayle murmured, holding her head and accepting the assistance when Hakumo offered his hand to her. He pulled the blond female to her feet. “Are you ready to fight?”

Sayle nodded and Coiyuri couldn’t help but feel a little envious of her confidence.

“Coiyuri stay inside!” he shouted, the outside noise was starting to rise. “Without your bonded it will be too dangerous!”

But before he could stop her she had kicked out the rest of the glass from the back door and pushed herself out into the open.

Something deep inside crushed her fear...pulled her out into the open.
“Coiyuri!” he shouted after her.

Oddly enough...she wasn’t afraid. Something inside her was stronger than that. It was this feeling that kept her legs moving away from the carriage, it was what cleared her head so that what she had trained for all her life came forth in the form of the most useful spells she could think of.

‘I don’t need my bonded...I can stay alive...!’ she raged in her head. Then she whirled, so that her eyes could take in the extent of the damage around her.

Her pale orbs connected instantly with that of a deep brown.

It was an Oblivae male standing on top of the overturned carriage, his dark red hair being pushed around him by the firm wind. He stood tall and strong as he studied her reflexively in return. He was the born image of what every Wistyrial feared...and were trained to kill.

But for some reason she couldn’t make a move to attack the man, as if her brain completely froze at the idea of it.

‘Is this...is this some sort of magic?’ she wondered in fear, her limbs shaking as she watched him. ‘No...Oblivae don’t use magic! Why can’t I attack!’

His eyebrows furrowed for a moment before he turned away from her with a dark expression. She watched him uselessly as he raised his sword high above his head.

Her mind made the connection somehow. He was going to plunge his blade into the carriage and kill whoever was inside.

‘No! Hakumo! No..!’

“No!” she screamed, her hand reaching out towards the male as if to somehow stop him.

There was a pulse within her and suddenly and slowly at the same time, she could hear nothing...see nothing...feel nothing...

But him.

There was no possible way he could ignore her then. He blinked slowly and turned his eyes onto hers. She was breathing deeply, hardly able to believe that he had stopped his savage assault.

But at the same time, the pure red heartbond that was quietly drifting between them –connecting them – in that moment was as real as air they breathed.
If either of them were breathing.

The Wistyrial girl took an unsure step back.

‘You...you’re my bonded...?’