The morning sun filtered through the mist of the forest clearing, bathing the training field behind Liora's house in golden light. It had been two days since they returned from the Void Dungeon, and neither Reynar nor Liora had rested for long.
There was no time. The next rift was coming. Twelve days.
Reynar exhaled sharply, shifting his stance. The wooden training sword in his hands felt heavy—not from weight, but from the fatigue setting into his arms. Across from him, Liora stood with her arms crossed, watching his every move.
"Your swings are too wide," she said, walking forward. "Wasted motion invites death."
Reynar frowned, adjusting his grip. "Then show me."
Liora didn't hesitate. She stepped behind him, close—too close—and reached over to adjust the position of his hands. Reynar stiffened as her fingers wrapped over his, guiding his grip with precision. Her breath was warm against his neck, and for a moment, the forest around them seemed to fall silent.
"There," she said softly. "Now—strike again."
Reynar swallowed. "R-Right."
He swung. The movement was sharper, tighter. Clean.
Liora stepped back, nodding. "Better."
But as Reynar turned to face her, his foot caught a raised root. He stumbled forward—straight into her. Liora let out a soft gasp as he collided into her chest and instinctively caught her by the waist.
They froze.
Her hands were pressed against his chest. His arms wrapped around her hips. Their faces were inches apart.
For a heartbeat, neither moved. The wind whispered through the trees, the leaves rustling like laughter.
Reynar's face flushed deep red. "S-Sorry! I didn't mean to—"
"It's fine," Liora said quickly, stepping back, her cheeks also dusted with color. She looked away, brushing imaginary dirt off her clothes. "Accidents happen."
An awkward silence fell between them.
Reynar rubbed the back of his neck. "You okay?"
"I'm fine," she said again, too fast this time.
He glanced at her. Liora wasn't usually this flustered. She was composed, sharp, usually a wall of calm focus. But now… she wouldn't quite meet his eyes.
He stepped forward. "Hey, Liora. About before—"
"I said it's fine," she said, more gently this time, but firmly. Then after a pause, she added, "But… maybe we should take a break."
Reynar nodded. "Yeah. Good idea."
They sat under the tree at the edge of the clearing, letting the quiet wash over them.
Reynar leaned back on his hands, eyes fixed on the clouds above. "I've… never really had this before."
"What?" Liora asked.
"Someone to train with. To talk to. To trust."
She looked at him. "You trust me?"
He smiled faintly. "I didn't, at first. But now… yeah. I do."
Liora looked down at her gloved hands. "I used to think being strong meant keeping people away. That if I let anyone close, they'd slow me down. Or get hurt. Or… leave."
There was a vulnerability in her voice that Reynar hadn't heard before.
"But you didn't," she continued. "You kept up. You fought beside me. And in that dungeon… you saved me."
Reynar turned toward her, his expression soft. "You saved me first."
They sat in silence for a long while, the distance between them slowly shrinking—not physically, but in something deeper.
Then:
❖ Companion Affinity: 78%Status: Emotional bond strengthenedNew Trait Unlocked: "Unspoken Understanding" — Slight increase in combat synergy when fighting beside Liora.
The system alert blinked across Reynar's vision, but he barely noticed. Because when he looked at Liora, and she looked back at him, something shifted—subtle, quiet, undeniable.
They weren't just comrades anymore.
Not yet lovers. Not quite.
But something had begun to grow in the space between them.
Something more.