"Are you okay?"
Ailayne spoke, her voice carrying unease as she stared at Revran.
Revran looked at her, then glanced at the dark entrance for a brief moment before meeting her eyes again.
He remained silent for a long moment, his voice emotionless when he finally spoke.
"Yeah… I'm fine."
He turned his gaze to the ground.
Ailayne shifted her attention to the dark entrance, then slowly returned her gaze to him.
"Did anything… unusual happen during the Ravspire Rite?" Ailayne's voice was soft, filled with concern.
Revran froze, completely silent, as if her words hadn't reached him...
After a long pause, he slowly looked down at the Seakin in his hands, then back at Ailayne, who was now on her knees, watching his pale face.
Revran took a small, uneven breath.
"No, nothing happened…"
He gently stroked the Seakin's head, lost in thought.
Ailayne stared at him, the unease on her face deepening. She opened her mouth, then closed it, unable to find the words.
...
Finally, Revran spoke, his voice low and hollow.
"It's just that… biting my fingertips off was more painful than I thought it would be…" He tried to smile but failed.
Ailayne remained silent, unable to respond.
After a while, she hugged him and the Seakin tightly, holding them for a brief moment.
Revran stood still, his face completely blank.
"Nice work… you successfully formed a Link… and at such a young age…"
Ailayne slowly let go of him, a small, awkward smile forming on her face, before gently taking Revran's hand, which still held the Seakin.
"Now… how about we go to the Azure Ascendent's Arena?" Ailayne spoke softly, her voice nothing more than a whisper.
"I just found out that Lirayn's Debut hasn't happened yet. We… still have time… so… will you watch it with me?"
Revran said nothing, continuing to stare at the Seakin.
Ailayne continued staring at him.
But Revran didn't look at her. He didn't speak.
Ailayne shifted slightly, her heart tightening at the sight of him.
She stayed silent.
A few moments passed.
Then, he slowly turned to her, blinked slowly, and gently spoke, his tone flat.
"Fine."
***
Revran and Ailayne slowly walked along the Avyshore, making their way towards the Arena.
While walking, Ailayne glanced at Revran again, her gaze scanning his body for the fifth time.
After a moment, she spoke a few words.
"Are you really fine?" she asked softly, her eyes fixed on him.
A few moments passed.
Revran looked at her, then slowly lowered his gaze to his own body, pressing a hand lightly to his chest.
A faint wince crossed his expression.
"I'm fine… really. If anything, I feel like my vision has improved a bit," he said, his voice low.
Ailayne's eyes swept over him again, then she lightly murmured,
"Oh… that's… nice, right?"
...
A few moments passed.
Revran's gaze met hers briefly as sadness started flickering across his face and he started looking at the ground again.
"Yeah…" he whispered.
As his steps slowed down and his face started paling, Ailayne slowly pressed both her hands to her head and gripped it tightly.
'Why… why did I say that?' she thought, exhaling slowly.
Her gaze drifted to the Seakin in Revran's hands, lingering there as if searching for an answer to her mistake.
After a quiet moment, she spoke again.
"How… do you feel about your Link with it?" Her voice wavered, clearly uncertain.
Revran remained silent, eyes fixed on the ground.
Slowly, he turned to the Seakin in his arms.
"I don't feel anything unusual with it…" Revran spoke, his voice flat and detached.
...
He studied the creature for a long moment, then slowly turned to Ailayne, a hint of colour returning to his eyes.
"Also… it's not an 'it'."
Ailayne blinked, quietly processing his words.
Revran looked back at the Seakin, which had been gazing at him ever since they left the Aevoria Academy.
"It's a 'she,'" He corrected, his voice low but steady.
...
A moment passed.
Ailayne's expression softened, a complex mix of surprise and understanding crossing her face.
Her lips curved into a small, hesitant smile.
"Oh… thanks for telling me. I just… couldn't tell, even though we're both Seakins. So… stupid, right?" She scratched her head.
A silence slowly stretched between them.
...
Then Ailayne reached out and lightly touched Revran's head.
He looked up at her, and she remained quiet for a moment, not saying anything.
Then, finally, a few words broke the silence.
"So… what do you think of naming her? If you don't have any ideas, we can figure it out together… what do you say?"
Her hands clenched gently, awaiting a response, any response.
Revran's gaze returned to the Seakin.
"A name…" he murmured, lost in thought.
He studied the creature carefully, taking in her crimson-red eyes, her delicate curves, and her small features.
Then, as if a realization had struck him, he turned to Ailayne.
A faint spark appeared in his eyes.
"I know what to name her." His voice now carrying a new determination.
Turning back to the Seakin, he stared at her for a long moment, memorizing every detail, before looking at Ailayne again.
"I'll name her… Seralyn." A few colors returned to his face.
Ailayne froze for a heartbeat, a small, painful smile forming on her face as she tilted her head slightly.
"Oh… nice choice…"
Ailayne stared at Revran for a moment, then slowly stepped a little ahead and bent down, her back facing him.
Revran looked at her with a hint of confusion on his face.
"Get on. If we keep walking, we probably won't reach the Arena before Lirayn's Debut finishes," Ailayne said softly, her voice low and calm.
***
"We're here…"
Ailayne spoke as she stared at the massive structure standing before them.
The Arena rose like a colossal hemisphere, many times larger than even the Aevoria Academy.
Its surface was black, wrapped in slowly circling gray bands that never seemed to stop moving.
Deep cracks ran across its body, acting as the scars left behind by the passage of time.
High above, several enormous transparent screens hovered in the air, projecting two massive Seakins engaged in combat.
At the very top, a much larger screen displayed glowing words:
'Drifters' Debut'
A vast, dark entrance could be seen in the distance.
Even from outside, the roar of the crowd spilled out endlessly.
Revran slowly looked around.
A large number of people filled the area around the Arena — some seated, some standing, others in the middle of their daily routines, all watching the fight unfolding on the screens above.
Ailayne gently tugged at Revran's clothing, drawing his attention back to her.
"Let's go watch from up close…"
She took his hand and began guiding him towards the entrance.
The pathway leading inside was enormous, gradually sloping upwards as they moved deeper.
With every step they took, the noises grew louder.
Waves of cheering, shouting and roaring endlessly crashed together.
As the noises increased, Revran's face slowly drained of colours.
Soon, his steps shortened and his pace faltered.
Ailayne kept glancing at him, her expression slowly growing increasingly strained, yet no words left her mouth.
They continued moving forward in silence, but slowly, very slowly...
Eventually, they reached the seating area.
At the center of the Arena stood a massive dome filled with water.
Inside it, countless Stremoras of varying shapes, colors, and shades clung to its interior, spreading like living coral.
The dome itself appeared to be formed from a thick, transparent liquid substance, faintly glowing as light flowed endlessly across its surface, holding the water within.
Seats surrounded the dome completely, rising from its base all the way up towards the entrance where Revran and Ailayne stood.
A wide circular pathway separated the seating area from the dome, stretching around it endlessly.
Several floating screens hovered above, displaying the battle taking place inside.
Revran's body slowly began to tremble, as his gaze turned around the people seated inside the Arena.
'So… many noises…'
Then, Suddenly — the cheering stopped...
The Arena got swallowed by complete silence.
...
Revran froze.
All colour suddenly vanished from his face as his breathing spiked sharply.
He clutched Seralyn tightly, too tightly...
Seralyn started squeaking loudly, writhing in his grip as she struggled to escape.
Revran snapped back to himself, panic flooding his eyes as he hurriedly loosened his grip.
As soon as he did, Seralyn slipped from his hands and fell to the ground.
His breathing grew frantic, uneven, painful. His entire body shook violently.
He stared down at Seralyn lying on the floor, staring back at him in confusion as she let out soft, distressed squeaks.
Revran bent down quickly, his vision blurring as he reached for her—
"Hey, Revran! Are you really okay?"
Ailayne gently grabbed his wrist, stopping him.
Revran turned towards her, trembling uncontrollably.
"Y-Yeah… I'm fine. I j-just accidentally dropped Seralyn… s-sorry," He spoke in a shaky voice.
His shaking only worsened as time passed on.
Ailayne stared at him for a moment.
Then, Ailayne pulled him into a tight embrace, so tight it almost hurt.
The pressure grounded him, and a shaky whisper left his mouth.
"M-Ms. Ailayne…"
Ailayne didn't reply.
Her body began to tremble as she held Revran tightly in her embrace.
Then, a crimson liquid slowly seeped from her hands, enveloping them both in a spherical barrier.
Soon, a thin red thread extended from her fingertips, gently lifting Seralyn and guiding her safely inside the sphere.
Then, a soft, rough sound of the sphere hardening reached them.
Outside, the crowd's roar seemed to return, but inside — there was only silence that could be heard.
Ailayne continued holding Revran, her breathing quickening as she slowly rubbed his head.
She said nothing... she couldn't think of saying anything.
Ailayne simply held Revran tightly for a moment.
Her gaze wandered around the Arena as she searched for what to say.
---
Then, a few words... barely more than a whisper... escaped her lips.
"Revran… it's okay if you're not f-feeling okay," Ailayne said, her voice trembling.
She gently loosened her grip around him slightly, her hand still gently rubbing the back of his head.
"You don't have to tell me… not if you don't want to..."
Her hands slowly moved away from him.
Her body trembling noticeably.
"But if you don't… how can I help you?" she asked in a low, quiet voice.
Ailayne looked at Revran with soft, unsteady eyes.
"Even if you don't say anything… I'll still try to help you. I'll do whatever I can," she said, forcing a fragile smile.
"I promise..."
...
She slowly lifted her hand and gently brushed his cheek.
"So… please," she whispered.
"Trust me… just a little."
A few moments passed.
Revran's hands started trembling again as he clenched them into fists.
Colours slowly started returning to his face as tears started welling up in his eyes.
Suddenly, he stepped forward and hugged Ailayne tightly.
He didn't say anything. Ailayne didn't either, and the silence lingered between them for some time...
The tears fell freely now — silent and unrestrained, nothing like the ones during the Ravspire Rite.
Ailayne didn't interrupt him.
She didn't try to comfort him with words either.
She just held him… and let him cry.
…
After a long while, Revran slowly pulled away.
He gently wiped his eyes and looked at her.
"I… don't have anything bothering me," he said quietly.
"But if I ever do… I'll tell you." He added.
Ailayne looked at him for a moment. Then, her lips curved into a sorrowful, genuine smile.
"I see," she said softly.
"Thank you… for trusting me."
•••
'Thud!'
A massive Seakin slammed into the floor
of the transparent dome, the impact reverberating through the Arena.
The audience fell silent in an instant.
Gasps rippled through the stands, and for a brief moment, everything stopped.
"Aaaand THERE it is, folks! Isera is DOOOOOWN!"
The announcer's voice echoed across the Arena.
The moment it did, the silence shattered.
Shouts erupted from every direction, layered with murmurs and sharp breaths. Every person's face was twisted with excitement, awe, and unease all at once.
"Now then!" the announcer continued, his voice rising again.
"Let's hear it!—what does Instructor Averin have to say about our young and talented Drifter — Aelira!"
The crowd got quiet again, their attention snapping towards a green-haired man standing atop a large, bulky Seakin tinted in deep emerald hues.
Instructor Averin wore a calm smile as his Seakin glided forward, closing the distance between him and the fallen opponent.
Below him, Aelira stood atop the defeated Seakin's head.
A few wounds marked their body, but their eyes remained fixed on the instructor, waiting for him to speak.
Then, instructor Averin finally spoke.
"Good work. You performed well. Your Link was remarkably stable for someone your age, and you showed excellent control—"
He continued, offering praise alongside important advice.
As he spoke, the crowd watched him intently, their anticipation growing with every passing word.
Then, the instructor turned towards the stands.
Everyone held their breath, waiting for his response.
"Putting everything aside," he said, his voice steady and calm.
"You did well. I believe you are qualified to be recognized as a Shallow-Stage Twilight-Bonded. I'll be looking forward to your future achievements."
Everything was silent for a moment, then the Arena exploded.
Cheers roared through the dome as applause thundered from every direction.
Many voices overlapped, chanting Aelira, murmuring in disbelief and excitement.
Instructor Averin stepped back onto his Seakin, which slowly turned and swam away, returning to its original position as the crowd's noise continued to surge.
•••
"She did well, right, Mom?"
Ailariya spoke excitedly, her eyes shining as she looked up at Solayn with a wide smile.
"Yeah. She did well," Solayn replied calmly.
"I'm sure she'll achieve great things if she keeps working hard."
Ailariya turned back towards the massive transparent dome, her gaze fixing on one of the floating screens inside.
She stared at it for a moment, then quickly spun back to Solayn, her eyes sparkling.
"It's Lirayn's turn next!"
A small smile curved onto Solayn's lips as she followed Ailariya's gaze towards the screen.
"Oh? Really?" Solayn said, a hint of amusement in her voice.
"Well then… let's see how she performs in her debut."
Solayn slowly clutched both her hands as she stared at the dome, waiting for Lirayn's arrival.
Then, for a brief moment, Solayn's eyes glowed crimson. Her gaze slowly shifted towards the circular ring outside the seating area.
There, she saw Ailayne slowly approaching her, gently holding Revran's hand.
His face looked pale and his eyes were fixed on the ground...
Solayn studied him carefully.
'Was there a problem during the Link Formation?'
Just then, the announcer's voice thundered through the Arena.
"Alright, folks! Get comfortable in your seats, because you do NOT want to miss what's coming next! The next Bonded test is about to begin, and stepping up iiiisss—Lirayn!"
Applause and excited murmurs spread through the stands as a black-haired girl entered the dome from below, riding atop a massive Seakin that surged through the water at high speed.
Yet Solayn didn't look at her.
Her eyes remained fixed on Revran,
completely ignoring her own daughter's entrance as Ailayne slowly guided him towards her.
…