- 3 hours ago
Welcome to Focal.Point. This is a Dailymotion channel dedicated to sharing Boy Love drama episodes and romantic short films. We focus on emotional storytelling, meaningful relationships, and beautifully crafted moments that explore love, connection, and youth. Whether you are a fan of BL series or romance stories, Focal.Point aims to be a place where heartfelt stories come into focus.
Category
🎥
Short filmTranscript
00:00Battlefield in ruins. The ground trembles. Lava cracks open. After the war, I was the one who kept the frost
00:06wing alive. The frost wing shifts into a man. And the first thing he did was choose her. Serafina in
00:12his arms. They kiss. Serafina ss.my jr. The ground splits. Lava surges. She smiled at me.
00:19Thank you, senior. For raising him. For me. He turns back into a beast, lifting her onto his back. He
00:26didn't even look at me. He lowers his head. Lifts the heroine in his jaws. And somehow, I thought he'd
00:32save me. He lets go. I falls into lava. Ten years, just to raise someone else's mate. Eyes snap open.
00:40No. Bright hull. Crowd murmuring. Banners. Sigils. The binding royal. This place. The gray marsh binding right.
00:48My name is Rowan Ashford. Top of my class, the headmaster's ward, the academy's brightest prodigy. The frost wing was
00:55the center of the hall, perched on a golden stand. His blue-green feathers glinting like ice. The bird's cold
01:00eyes passed over me as if I were nothing. Then Serafina stepped forward. In her arms lay a half-dead
01:05black sea serpent. Tears trembled on her lashes. And the frost wing lowered his head to her. Just like that,
01:11I became the villain. Professor Hargrove frowned.
01:14Serafina, your arcane vessel is too weak. You can't handle a creature like that.
01:18Rowan, I was never trying to compete with you. I just...
01:22Then I'll take this one. Since the frost wing likes her so much, she can have him.
01:27Has Rowan lost her mind?
01:29I ignored them. In my last life...
01:33I ignored them. In my last life, I gave that bird everything. In the end, he made me die. So
01:39this time, Serafina, he's all yours. Good luck raising that greedy beast. Professor Hargrove couldn't talk me out of it.
01:45But he looked sick to his stomach. Handing a legendary pureblood frost wing...
01:49To a rookie transfer student with zero foundation? It was a criminal waste of potential. But the frost wing acted
01:55like he was drugged. Clinging to Serafina as if he couldn't live without her. Afraid to hurt the bird, the
02:01professor sighed and activated the rite. A soul bond is a leash.
02:04Once the contract is sealed, the familiar is bound to the caster's will. If it ever dares to harm its
02:10owner. The magical backlash is lethal. The ritual array flared to life. Runes pulsing with raw power. The sudden surge
02:17of magic terrified the sea serpent.
02:18With its last bit of strength. It quilled tightly around my wrist, desperate. As if afraid I'd change my mind
02:24and throw it back into the trash. In the opposite circle, Serafina basked in her moment of triumph. She looked
02:30at me and smirked.
02:32You and that snake really are a perfect match, Rowan.
02:35I didn't even have to open my mouth. My classmates did it for me.
02:39Watch your tongue, boss! If Rowan hadn't handed him to you on a silver platter...
02:44You wouldn't even be allowed to touch a frost wing's feather!
02:47If I were you, I'd be kneeling in gratitude.
02:50Seeing Serafina get picked on, the frost wing grew frantic, trying to shield her, but he failed.
02:55There was a problem. After a bond, a familiar shares its master's mana.
03:00And Serafina? She's a total amateur. What magic could she possibly give him?
03:05Get used to it, buddy. Life with a weak binder is a long, slow crawl.
03:09I looked down at the little serpent on my wrist. Finally sure that I wouldn't abandon it.
03:14It went limp and passed out in peace.
03:17Back at my house. I started studying my new familiar. He was tiny. By the looks of it.
03:23He had just reached maturity. But he wasn't like any sea serpent I'd ever seen.
03:28His tail was flat with a sleek fin, more like a fish. Most likely, he's a hybrid.
03:33Part sea serpent, part siren. My yard had a natural magic spring.
03:37The second I put him in, the little guy came back to life.
03:40Splashing around and greedily absorbing the mana from the water.
03:43You've got some nerve. Aren't you worried I'll poison you just to trade up for something better?
03:48He froze, staring at me with his tiny, bead-like eyes.
03:53Then, he spat water right in my face.
03:56I gave his head a playful flick.
03:58Fine. Just focus on healing.
04:01I raised a frost wing. One little snake won't be a problem.
04:05The next morning, I opened my eyes and immediately froze.
04:09A man was in my bed. Sun-kissed skin. Dark lashes fluttering like butterfly wings.
04:14I shrank into the corner.
04:16Who are you?
04:18This is Grey Moth Academy. Don't even think about trying anything.
04:21He sat up lazily.
04:28The sea serpent?
04:31Rude. I have a name. It's Ness.
04:36Apparently, he'd been on the run from something trouble.
04:39And somehow, he ran straight into my uncle Percy.
04:41You know Percy.
04:42The man has a gift for picking up treasures off the street.
04:45Broken clocks, purse rings, apparently, dying snakes included.
04:49Nix had disguised himself as one, half-dead, barely breathing, just to get help.
04:53And Percy? He brought him home like he'd just hit the jackpot.
04:56The problem is, Nix isn't just anything.
04:59He can already manifest.
05:01Which means his power is off the charts.
05:02And if he's this strong, then whatever's clanking him?
05:06Yeah. Monsters.
05:09Great. Just great.
05:11Tell me something.
05:13Your enemies aren't going to track you here, right?
05:15Nix stepped closer.
05:16His golden eyes locked onto mine, pinning me against the wall like I had nowhere else to go.
05:20He smiled.
05:21We're bound now, a contract.
05:24Excuse me?
05:25You're the owner.
05:27And I'm your guardian.
05:28He leaned in, voice lowering.
05:30So master, you better start training.
05:34Try not to hold me back.
05:38Nix actually had some tricks up his sleeve.
05:41My magical essence was water-based, which perfectly complements his nature.
05:45He taught me an ancient spell weaving from the sea clans, to draw magic directly from the water.
05:50The results were incredible.
05:51Even the headmaster noticed my rapid progress.
05:54My new daily routine was simple.
05:56I'd soak in the magic spring to train, while Nix watched over me from the branches of the cherry tree.
06:01Under the sunlight, his bronze skin gleamed, his collar hanging open to reveal sharp collarbones.
06:06With his eyes narrowed in a lazy nap, he looked dangerously beautiful.
06:10The man was a total heartbreaker.
06:12But before I could enjoy the view, someone had to ruin the mood.
06:16Serafina poked her head through the gate.
06:18Rowan?
06:19I rose from the spring.
06:20Nix flipped down from the tree in one smooth motion, casually draping my cloak over my shoulders.
06:25The moment Serafina saw him, she froze.
06:29What are you doing here?
06:30She didn't answer.
06:31She was too busy staring at Nix.
06:33Who... who is he?
06:35I took Nix's hand and gave her a thin smile.
06:38You remember him?
06:40The pathetic little black serpent from the right?
06:43Didn't you say he and I were a perfect match?
06:46Annoyance flashed in her eyes.
06:48Out with it.
06:49What do you want?
06:50She hemmed and hawed.
06:52I want you...
06:53to help me raise the frost wing?
06:55I felt Nix's grip on my hand tighten.
06:58I looked back, met his displeased gaze, and gave him a reassuring smile before turning back to her.
07:03If you can't afford him, figure it out yourself.
07:05I don't owe you a thing.
07:06What do you mean you don't owe me?
07:08Serafina snapped.
07:09Her victim act finally slipping.
07:11Six months ago, you took my serpent and shoved that frost wing onto me.
07:15You don't get to just walk away from this.
07:18The audacity was breathtaking.
07:19It had been six months, and she'd finally realized the academy's standard rations were a drop in the bucket for
07:25a pure blood beast.
07:26She'd spent all her own potions on him, and now her own arcane progress had stalled, while everyone else in
07:32her year had surpassed her.
07:33He is your responsibility!
07:35If a divine beast can't evolve, it's a loss for the whole academy!
07:39I didn't wait for her to finish.
07:41With a flick of my wrist, a surge of mana swept her off her feet, and sent her tumbling out
07:45the gate.
07:47Don't treat everyone like a fool, Serafina!
07:50I called out as the gate slammed shut.
07:52Kind of martyr?
07:53Spend ten years doing the heavy lifting just so you can reap the rewards?
07:57If you can't afford him, cut him loose and stop hogging the spotlight.
08:02In just a few months, I transcended the senior ranks and was ordained as an arcanist.
08:06Right around then, the headmaster spent two top-tier artifacts.
08:10To trade for a rare spirit wolf from the alchemy guild,
08:12He sent Professor Whitmore and me to escort the beast back to the academy.
08:16When we arrived, she suddenly giggled.
08:18Little Rowan, your serpent certainly is a clingy one.
08:22I didn't catch her meaning, until I headed up the mountain,
08:25and saw a figure leaning against a tree by the path.
08:28Nyx?
08:28He didn't move.
08:30Then he grabbed me, fingers locking at the back of my neck,
08:33forcing me to look at him, golden eyes burning.
08:35Rowan Ashford, have I not treated you well?
08:38His grip tightened.
08:39What are you talking about?
08:40That woman came by again today.
08:43She said you left me to her.
08:45Are you regretting our bond already?
08:47You're replacing me with another mate?
08:48Just because you've ascended.
08:50Nyx's pupils narrowed into thin lines.
08:52He bent down, burying his face in the crook of my neck,
08:55and gave the skin a slow, deliberate lick, then bared his fangs,
08:58his voice a low growl against my ear.
09:00The scent of a spirit wolf, your new mate?
09:03Nyx, listen.
09:04No need.
09:05Once I devour it.
09:06A faint smile.
09:07You won't have a choice.
09:09You'll keep me.
09:16You hit me?
09:17Over her?
09:18That's the headmaster's spirit wolf, you idiot.
09:20It's an academy asset.
09:21Ness stopped throwing a fit and followed me like a loyal shadow.
09:24The dorm area was quiet.
09:25A few lower years told me Serafina had taken the frost wing to the back mountain.
09:29Turns out, they were having a lover's spat.
09:33Wipe that look off your face.
09:35I've done nothing wrong.
09:37Do you know how many potions I've wasted on you?
09:39I have nothing left for my own training.
09:42I gave you everything and you're still not satisfied.
09:44You want me to risk my life outside the academy for materials?
09:47You're insane.
09:48If you want me dead, just say it.
09:50Rowan C. Reflin has already shifted.
09:53And look at you.
09:55You can't even speak.
09:58Stop scratching words in the dirt.
10:00I'm done reading your pathetic notes.
10:04In my last life, I spent 10 years begging for a single glance from that bird.
10:07Now, he was literally scratching love letters in the mud.
10:10Just to get Serafina to look at him.
10:12The irony was delicious.
10:14Serafina.
10:15I've been looking for you.
10:16The frost wing immediately scrambled to claw over the words on the ground.
10:19When Serafina saw me with Ness, her face went pale, then tight with forced calm.
10:23What do you want, Rowan?
10:24I patted Ness's arm.
10:25He let out a low, amused chuckle, dropped to one knee, and let me sit on his leg,
10:30his hand steady and possessive on my waist.
10:32Serafina bit her lip.
10:33Her eyes glued to Ness.
10:35She completely forgot about the bird beside her.
10:37I'm here to ask why you've been stalking my familiar.
10:39The frost wing's feathers flared in a jealous rage.
10:41Serafina panicked.
10:42No, you've got it all wrong.
10:44I was looking for you.
10:46She's lying, master.
10:48She told me you snatched me away from her.
10:50Claimed I was rightfully hers.
10:52Ness rested his chin on my shoulder, acting like a kicked puppy.
10:55I kissed his cheek a little pat as a reward, then looked at Serafina.
10:59Beside her, the frost wing's chest exploded.
11:01He was livid.
11:02Finally, Serafina realized what was happening.
11:04You're trying to drive a wedge between us!
11:07You started this game, Serafina.
11:09Don't cry when I'm the one who finishes it.
11:11If you touch my famil again, I'll see you at the tribunal.
11:15On the way back, I was in a great mood.
11:17Ness, however, was strangely quiet.
11:19As we entered the yard, he grabbed my arm.
11:21You know that bird, don't you?
11:22Well.
11:23We have a history.
11:24A miserable one.
11:25Want to hear it?
11:26No.
11:27I'm 10,000 times better than that trash bird.
11:29You're never bonding with anyone else, period.
11:32Don't worry.
11:33I'm a one-fenishing kind of mage.
11:35You gave me your loyalty.
11:37I'll give you my word.
11:4810 years vanished in a flash.
11:50I climbed the ranks.
11:51Rising from a lowly neophyte to an elite arcanist.
11:54Then, the former head of the beast taming hall suddenly went on a trip.
11:57And the position fell into my lap.
12:04Professor Whitmore told me.
12:06We thought the Frostwing would raise Graymorrow's strength to a new level.
12:10But even now, there's no sign of him achieving his human form.
12:15The faculty even tried pooling resources to fuel his evolution.
12:18It's not enough.
12:19I cut in.
12:20Graymarsh was small.
12:22We didn't have the deep pockets of the top magic academies or the alchemy guild.
12:25Raising magical creatures took massive amounts of time and resources.
12:29There was never a surplus.
12:30But more importantly, the Frostwing couldn't be allowed to manifest.
12:34I remembered the bloodbath from my last life.
12:36I'd avoided that bird at all costs.
12:38But I knew his kind.
12:40A divine beast with a dark heart is a walking apocalypse.
12:43I'd thought about killing him.
12:44But every time I tried to warn Nyx or the headmaster about the future.
12:47It was as if an invisible wall blocked my voice.
12:50They couldn't hear a thing I said about my past life.
12:52I could only watch him.
12:54Suppress him.
12:56After all, in my last life.
12:58I didn't survive past this year.
13:02I was so busy I barely had time for Nyx.
13:04So he went off to find his own fun.
13:07That evening, before I even reached my front door.
13:09The world spun.
13:10Nyx had slung me over his shoulder like a sack of grain.
13:13What are you doing now?
13:15Come on.
13:15I'm taking you to see a show.
13:23The show was Serafina and the Frostwing arguing.
13:26Well, more like a one-sided screaming match.
13:28A loudspeaker yelling at a mute.
13:30Don't you dare blame me.
13:33I didn't took her that stick, Grayman, did it?
13:36Right odd, you fundy of Playmart.
13:39I didn't force you to come to Graymart.
13:41You said it was a good place to hone your magic.
13:45If it weren't for you, I'd be at the Alchemy Guild by now.
13:49Instead, I'm stuck in this pathetic, broke academy.
13:57Do you think I knew the monthly rations would be this meager?
14:00Professor Hardhack tried to give you to Rowan, but you had to be arrogant!
14:06You feel as the...
14:07Now she's the Headmaster's golden child!
14:10She has everything!
14:12If you'd stayed with her, you'd have ascended ages ago!
14:15I clenched my fists.
14:16So that was it.
14:18I always wondered why the Frostwing chose Serafina.
14:20They'd known each other all along.
14:22In my last life.
14:23If I hadn't been the fool who bled for them.
14:26It would have been someone else.
14:27Graymarsh was never a home to them.
14:29It was a stepping stone.
14:31The more I thought, the colder my blood ran.
14:33There are only two ways to break a soul bond.
14:35The caster willingly ceders it, or the caster dies.
14:42So I must die.
14:46The Frostwing was lurking outside my gate, glaring at Nyx as he soaked in the spring.
14:51Nyx was being his usual petty self, shifting into human form just to mock the bird.
14:55I didn't give the Frostwing a second glance.
14:57You're a familiar, aren't you?
14:59Why aren't you with Serafina while she trains?
15:02Nyx followed my lead, dripping wet and leaning against me.
15:05Yeah.
15:06My mistress actually cares about me, so she lets me rest.
15:11Why aren't you with yours?
15:12He's decades older than me, yet he says master like it's candy on his face.
15:15I walked into the yard and glanced at the spring.
15:18At least that girl's manipulative aura hadn't tainted my spring.
15:21Nyx pressed closer, his damp skin radiating heat.
15:24I just wanted that bird to know there's no vacancy in this house, or our relationship.
15:28And what relationship is that?
15:30His golden pupils shimmered with mischief.
15:32We are whatever you desire us to be, master.
15:34Something shifted behind us.
15:36I went to turn, but Nyx caught my face in his hands.
15:39Don't bother.
15:40The trash bird flew away.
15:42I need to know why he was here.
15:44That bird is rotten to the core.
15:46He's regretting his choices, obviously.
15:48He realizes he's stuck with a loser novice and wants back in your good graces.
15:52I looked at the empty gate.
15:53My gut told me it was more than that.
15:55In this life, I'd gone out of my way to avoid him.
15:57If he wanted a new master, he could have asked the faculty.
16:00Unless, he's reborn too.
16:02The thought sent a chill down my spine.
16:04I teleported to the back mountain instantly.
16:06The seal was intact, thank god.
16:08But then I saw them.
16:09Blue-green feathers scattered near the array.
16:12He'd been here.
16:13He's too weak to break the seal now.
16:14But he knows it exists.
16:16Only a handful of people knew about the abyssal monster sealed here.
16:19My parents died protecting this place.
16:22And in my last life.
16:23I'd only ever shared that secret with one person.
16:26The Frostwing.
16:27Why was he here?
16:28He hasn't even manifested yet.
16:30There's no way he could survive letting the monsters out.
16:33I'll have to watch him like a hawk.
16:34This just got a lot more dangerous.
16:38Rumors started flying through the academy.
16:41Mostly about Serafina.
16:42What annoyed me was that I got dragged into the crossfire.
16:45Anyone with eyes could see that Serafina.
16:47And her familiar had hit a wall.
16:49The Frostwing was a high-profile beast.
16:51And at first.
16:53Serafina lived for the attention he brought her.
16:55Now.
16:55He refused to even enter her room and openly defied her commands.
16:58She'd already made a fool of herself on the training grounds more than once.
17:02The reason I was involved was simple.
17:04While the Frostwing rejected Serafina.
17:06He started obsessively hovering around me.
17:08Every time I appeared.
17:09He'd follow me like a lost puppy.
17:11If looks could kill.
17:12Serafina would have left me dead in a ditch a thousand times over.
17:16Little Roba.
17:16Doesn't that bird remind you of the kind of guy who dumps you.
17:19Then realizes you were totally out of his lage and comes crawling back.
17:23He ignored you when you were beneath him.
17:25And now he can't get enough.
17:27Nyx was currently coiled around my neck in his serpent form.
17:30If I hadn't ripped him in time.
17:31The professor's unicorn would have been his lunch.
17:34The professor clutched her unicorn.
17:36Saying how terrifying.
17:37Though her eyes were twinkling with mischief.
17:39Since that girl can't afford to raise him anyway.
17:42Why don't I talk to her?
17:44We'll find her a more suitable pet.
17:46And just transfer the Frostwing to you.
17:48Professor Dawn.
17:49The unicorn's human form.
17:51A cute little girl.
17:52Finally had enough.
17:53She clamped her hands over Whitmore's mouth.
17:55Looking miserable.
17:56Please stop talking.
17:58I patted Nyx to calm him down.
18:00I'll pass.
18:01I'd rather stay far away from the tribunal.
18:03Besides.
18:04Nyx is all I need.
18:05Besides.
18:06Nyx is all I need.
18:07Whitmore looked disappointed.
18:09But the bird clinging to you like this isn't a long-term solution.
18:12A familiar estranged from its partner is worthless to the academy.
18:16He's just a drain on Seraphina.
18:17She hasn't progressed past the novice stage in 10 years.
18:20The faculty is discussing sending her and the bird down the mountain for field training.
18:24I knew exactly what the headmaster and the professors were doing.
18:27They were protecting me.
18:29They had also officially given up on the Frostwing.
18:31This was largely thanks to the terrifying combat power Nyx displayed.
18:34The Leviathan clan is born for war.
18:36Together.
18:37He and I could even hold our own against high-level professors.
18:42When Seraphina heard the academy wanted her to leave for field training.
18:45She burst into tears on the spot.
18:46Gray Marsh might not be rich.
18:48But it never mistreats its students.
18:50She'd finally found a place that offered protection.
18:52There was no way she was going back to a life on the road.
18:54She even managed to convince herself this was all my idea.
18:57In her head.
18:57I was trying to drive her out.
18:59Just so I could claim the Frostwing for myself.
19:01In front of the professors.
19:02She wept like her world was ending.
19:04Refusing to budge an inch.
19:05If Rowan wants the Frostwing.
19:07She only have to ask.
19:09She's an upperclassman.
19:10Of course I'd say yes.
19:12But if she takes my bird.
19:13Shouldn't she give me Nyx in return?
19:17Trading a mutt serpent for a pureblood Frostwing.
19:20No matter how you look at it.
19:21She'd be getting the better end of the bargain.
19:24The headmaster shut her down instantly.
19:26Uh Miss Vos.
19:30Let's just focus on you and your bird.
19:32Shall we?
19:33We won't be entertaining any.
19:36Creative trades today.
19:38All of this was relayed to me later.
19:40While they were dealing with Serafina's drama.
19:42I was at the beast taming hall.
19:43Investigating a series of strange disappearances.
19:45Any magical creature that was unbonded.
19:47Or too wild to tame was kept here.
19:49But yesterday.
19:49Two Kelbys and a unicorn had vanished into thin air.
19:52The warden looked ready to break down.
19:54I reinforced the wards myself.
19:56If anything had tampered with the locks I would have felt it.
19:59But last night.
20:01Nothing.
20:03Not a single ripple in the manor.
20:06It wasn't Abyssant monsters.
20:07I don't smell their filth here.
20:09I don't smell their filth here.
20:11The beast taming hall is carved directly into the mountain.
20:13The rock itself is enchanted with heavy anti-magic wards.
20:16Teleportation and phasing spells are useless here.
20:18Only those carrying the academy's sigil can pass through.
20:21To steal three large creatures without a sound.
20:23The thief had to be someone who knew Grey Marsh inside and out.
20:25I was still running through the list of suspects.
20:27When I heard the curator using a high-pitched baby voice.
20:30To comfort a trembling pixie.
20:31Don't be scared.
20:33Big brother Nyx only looks fierce.
20:36He won't eat you I promise.
20:38That one sentence made everything click.
20:40Professor.
20:41Do magical creatures ever kill their own kind?
20:44What a terrifying thing to say.
20:47These creatures are sentient.
20:49They would never.
20:50Oh it's okay pixie.
20:52It's okay.
20:53Humans kill their own kind.
20:54Magical creatures are no different.
20:56There's a type of forbib and sorry.
20:58Do you want to hear the details?
20:59Wild magical creatures don't have potions to rely on.
21:02They want to ascend.
21:03The ultimate shortcut is the Magitrain Essence.
21:06Ten years ago Nyx nearly died at the hands of one of those monsters.
21:09The higher the rank of the target.
21:10The swifter the dark wizard gains power.
21:12Once they get a taste for it.
21:13They never stop.
21:15That night.
21:16We set an ambush at the Beast Hang Hall.
21:19But the night passed in silence.
21:22Nothing happened.
21:24A student came running toward us.
21:26Rowan something's happened.
21:27At the dorms.
21:29His face pale as a ghost.
21:32Nyx shifted into a serpent form.
21:37And carried me straight there.
21:39His pupils narrowed into sharp slits.
21:42I smell blood.
21:43We heard the gut-wrenching sobs.
21:45It was one of the first years I'd been coaching.
21:47He'd come to Grey Morph with a tiny kitten familiar.
21:49Now he was cradling a blood-soaked clump of fur, wailing in a voice that broke my heart.
21:53You were right.
21:53It was a professional hit.
21:54Gutted for its core and killed in a single strike.
21:56It didn't even have time to scream.
21:57The kid only ran out after he felt the soul bond snap.
22:00But by then it was too late.
22:02My heart tightened with a cold fury.
22:05Instinctively, my eyes searched for the Frostwing.
22:07He was standing obediently beside Seraphina.
22:10My vision blurred with rage.
22:12Don't look.
22:12It was him.
22:14How can you be so sure?
22:16I know the stench of a dark wizard.
22:18That bird reeks of it.
22:20I reported everything to the headmaster.
22:23He listened in grim silence, then finally looked up.
22:26We can't alert him yet.
22:27We need to catch him red-handed.
22:29Keep a close watch on him.
22:30Wait for his next move.
22:32But from that day on, the bird went silent.
22:35Not a single creature went missing for two long years.
22:38But Nex could still smell the stench of a dark sorcerer on that bird.
22:42Night fell, and I was meditating inside.
22:45Suddenly, a pair of blood-red eyes flashed past my window.
22:48A chill raced down my spine.
22:49I rushed outside into the silence.
22:51The moon was thin.
22:53The spring was calm.
22:54But where was nice?
22:55I ran to the water's edge.
22:57A single blue-green feather floated on the surface.
22:59It was an invitation.
23:01Find me, and maybe I'll give him back.
23:03I focused, sensing the bond.
23:05The back mounting.
23:06The seal.
23:07What the hell was that bird trying to do?
23:09The moment I teleported in, a violent shockwave of mana nearly knocked me off my feet.
23:14Nox and the frostwing were locked in a vicious duel.
23:17I froze.
23:18When had the bird attained his human form?
23:19He stood there in robes of teal, dodging Nox's strikes with effortless grace.
23:24And beside the sealing array, sat Serafina.
23:27She looked like a discarded marionette.
23:29I stepped closer, horror clawing at my throat.
23:32She was bleeding from every orasis, her eyes wide with a lingering, frozen terror.
23:36Her abdomen had been gutted, her magical essence ripped out and stolen.
23:40Nox!
23:41Get back here!
23:42Stay away from him!
23:42Nox faltered the second he heard my voice, taking a direct hit from the bird.
23:47He stumbled back to me, clutching his shoulder and looking at me with those damn puppy dog eyes.
23:53The frostwing hissed in rage.
23:55You did that on purpose!
23:56Nex bared his fangs.
23:58On purpose?
23:59You're the one who's rotten to the core.
24:01Killing your own binder wasn't enough?
24:03You had to come after mine too?
24:04If I hadn't followed your trail, she'd be dead by now!
24:08So those red eyes at my window had been his.
24:10He ignored Nyx and turned to me, his gaze burning.
24:13Rowan, you were reborn too, weren't you?
24:16I stared back at him, cold as the abbess.
24:18What do you really want?
24:20Let me guess.
24:23You came back on the day of the rite.
24:25That's why you rejected me.
24:26Tell me, Rowan.
24:27What gave you the nerve to choose that snake over me?
24:31His face twisted into something monstrous.
24:33Fine.
24:34If we can't have this life, we'll try the next!
24:36I'll break the seal, let the monsters out, and we can restart this whole nightmare together!
24:42But next time, I won't give that snake a chance.
24:46Save your fake devotion.
24:50The Frostwing smiled.
24:51Too late.
24:52I'm only one step away.
24:54His hand moved through his flaring behind his back.
24:56The mountain groaned.
24:58The abyssal monsters sensed the array loosening.
25:00The ground groaned and trembled under their growing agitation.
25:03At that moment, a massive bolt of lightning tore through the clouds.
25:07Gathering right above the bird's head, beams of light erupted from the peaks of Grey Marsh.
25:11As the academy's defense systems flared to life, the headmaster's voice cut through it.
25:17Rowan!
25:18Hold the line!
25:19I'll reseal the breach!
25:22Lightning above.
25:23A tide of monsters below.
25:25And yet, the Frostwing showed no fear.
25:27Rowan, it's over.
25:29You can't stop it.
25:31Just come with me to the next life.
25:33I died here once.
25:34Same sky.
25:34Same beard.
25:35I couldn't breathe.
25:36I promise.
25:36This time, I'll give you everything.
25:39Then, a warm, heavy hand landed on my shoulder.
25:42Nick slid out of her.
25:43Sharp laugh.
25:43Taking her?
25:45Try.
25:46Nick stepped in behind me.
25:48Lifting it.
25:49Just slight.
25:50Like this.
25:53Steadying the wand.
25:54Adjusting the angle.
25:55Focus.
25:56His voice dropped low.
25:57Steady.
25:58Don't fight it.
26:00The tremor in my hand slowed.
26:04Say it.
26:05The wand flickered.
26:06His grip tightened.
26:07I guess.
26:07And then, his voice dropped over mine.
26:10Fire.
26:11The wand flared.
26:12Light burst from the tip, blinding, violent.
26:14A barrier surged outward, tearing through the air.
26:20The barrier held.
26:22His hand, still over mine.
26:23I didn't pull away.
26:25Then the ground cracked again.
26:26Something below slammed against the barrier.
26:29Harder this time.
26:30My grip tightened instinctively.
26:32No.
26:33His fingers pressed tighter over mine, guiding the wand forward.
26:36We're not done.
26:37The fight's just starting.
26:39Stay with me.
26:40Nyx shifted into his massive serpent form, and launched his attack.
26:44I immediately wove my seals to cast a heavy shield over him.
26:47Every familiar has its own nature, and a mage must adapt to match.
26:51A leviathan is built for war, so the caster must master defense.
26:55A spirit fox is built for deception, requiring mastery of illusions.
26:59A frost wing is built for speed.
27:01It needs a partner who can keep up.
27:02In my last life, my skills were wasted.
27:05I was a shield maiden trying to catch a bird that didn't want to be caught.
27:08But now, fighting alongside Nyx.
27:10I finally understood that a binder and their familiar, are more than just owner and servant.
27:15They are partners.
27:16Someone you can trust with your life.
27:19A traitorous beast who kills its own kin would never understand that.
27:23Nyx pressed forward with cooler efficiency, herding the frost wing directly into the strike zone.
27:27Divine lightning coiled in the sky like a massive silver dragon.
27:30Ready to descend.
27:31At first, the frost wing relied on his pureblood arrogance.
27:35Assuming a mutt like Nyx could never defeat him.
27:37But a hundred strikes later, his face went pale.
27:40Nyx was hitting every vital point with lethal precision.
27:43While the bird couldn't even put a dent in Nyx's shield, he finally realized the truth.
27:47I wasn't going to die in a monster's jaws today like he'd planned.
27:51He completely snapped.
27:52No!
27:53This is wrong!
27:54You're supposed to die!
27:55We're supposed to die together!
27:57I stopped weaving my seals.
27:59Nyx flashed back to my side in a heartbeat.
28:01Looking down at the bird with a mocking grin.
28:03The frost wing froze.
28:05Realizing he was standing alone in the center of the array.
28:08I raised my hand and pointed to the heavens.
28:10I gave him one last smile.
28:11See you never!
28:12A pillar of lightning, thick as a well.
28:15Rored down and struck him dead center.
28:17He didn't even have time to scream before he was erased from existence.
28:20Just like that, he was nothing but ash in the wind.
28:24With the frost wing gone, the real nightmare began.
28:28The monsters in the back mountain were on another level.
28:30They couldn't be killed, only seal.
28:32Especially the abyssal dragon.
28:34The previous headmaster gave his soul to anchor the seal.
28:37And even then, he barely managed to cage her.
28:39She's been stewing in her own rage for a century.
28:42The second she breaks free, she'll level this academy to the ground.
28:46The current headmaster and the professors were working frantically.
28:49But the seal was cracking faster than they could repair it.
28:51The freezing chill of the abyss was already crawling under my skin.
28:55Nyx was leaning against a tree.
28:56Teasing me about his reward for the fight.
28:58When he suddenly froze, he stared into the heart of the Forbidden Forest.
29:02His eyes sharp and predatory.
29:04What is that?
29:05He asked.
29:06The abyssal dragon.
29:07I replied, my voice trembling.
29:09His face turned grave.
29:11Wait for me out here.
29:12I have to go in.
29:13I caught his hand before he could move.
29:15I'm going with you.
29:16He frowned.
29:17Rowan, it's a death trap in there.
29:19I know.
29:19I said, looking him dead in the eye.
29:21In my last life, I died right here.
29:24I watched the Frostwing shield Serafina and fly away, leaving me to be torn apart by the
29:29monsters.
29:30I tightened my grip on his hand.
29:31I'm not letting history repeat itself.
29:33I'm not leaving you.
29:37Nyx and I charged headlong into the shattered seal.
29:39The Forbidden Forest was a graveyard of toxic mist.
29:42Thousands of eyes tracked our every move from the shadows, hungry and cold.
29:46Nyx was no longer the little snake on my wrist.
29:48He had shifted into his true form.
29:50A massive, lethal serpent.
29:52The abyssal monsters had lost their minds to the darkness.
29:55But instinct still screamed at them to keep their distance from him.
29:58I clung to his back, whispering, what exactly are we looking for?
30:02His voice rumbled through his massive chest.
30:04The dragon.
30:06I nearly lost it.
30:08I followed him straight into the jaws of death without even asking for the itinerary.
30:11Then, he added softly.
30:13Rowan.
30:14I can smell my mother here.
30:16I'd always assumed he was just a hybrid.
30:18Part sea serpent, part siren.
30:20He never spoke of his past, and I never pushed.
30:23Now I knew the truth.
30:24He had sea serpent blood, yes.
30:26But his mother was a literal ancient dragon.
30:29No wonder he fights like a god.
30:31And sings like a dying toad.
30:33He told me his mother wasn't always a monster.
30:35Two centuries ago.
30:36A dark mage ripped the magical essence from his father's chest.
30:39Consumed by grief and vengeance.
30:41She lost herself to the darkness and fell into the abyss.
30:44I didn't have the words to comfort him.
30:46All I could do was lean forward and press a hand to his scales.
30:49But there was no time for heart to hearts.
30:51The monsters around us were starting to close in.
30:54Their patience wearing thin.
30:55Nick set me down, shifting back into human form.
30:58We stood back to back, a circle of two against the dark.
31:01Rowan.
31:02He said, his voice tight.
31:03If things go south, I'm going to throw you out of here.
31:07Don't look back.
31:08Just run.
31:08In that moment, the fear vanished.
31:10I looked at the horde and felt a strange calm.
31:13If the Frostwing was right, and I can just start my life after I die, maybe that wouldn't
31:18be so bad.
31:18I felt him stiffen.
31:20I leaned my head against his shoulder.
31:21But you told me I can only ever have one family, Max.
31:25I took that seriously.
31:26If you don't want to watch me get eaten alive, then you'd better fight like hell to keep
31:30me standing.
31:34The Abyssal Monsters had been warped by the Void for too long.
31:37They were barely recognizable anymore.
31:39Just walking piles of teeth and homicidal instinct.
31:42They swarmed us in a frenzy.
31:45Forcing us onto a desperate defense.
31:48Max batted away a spray of toxic venom.
31:51His voice thick with regret.
31:52This is on me.
31:54I let my heart get in the way.
31:57I just wanted to see her one last time.
31:59Suddenly, I went turdy.
32:01Max whipped around, his face pale with alarm, thinking I'd been hit.
32:06But then he saw it too.
32:07The monsters that had been clawing at us just seconds ago vanished in an instant.
32:12The silence was deafening.
32:14Through the shifting fog, two blood-red beacons ignited.
32:17She was a mountain of scales and rage.
32:20Every breath she exhaled it tore through the fog like a hurricane.
32:24Beneath the scales, a woman's face.
32:27A horrific mask.
32:29The second she caught our scent, she lunged.
32:32Her massive jaws opened to swallow the world.
32:34I wanted to scream, to run.
32:37But my limbs were lead.
32:39In two lifetimes, I had never stood before a true god.
32:43This wasn't just fear.
32:44It was a primal dread etched into my very soul.
32:47But the killing blow never came.
32:50Nick stepped in front of me, shielding me with his body.
32:53Mother, stop!
32:54Don't hurt her!
32:57It's me!
32:58It's Ness!
33:01N-Ness?
33:02The crimson in her eyes flickered.
33:04Little Nine, end this.
33:06Kill me.
33:07The dragon exhaled her magical essence.
33:09A shimmering, pulsing orb of pure power.
33:11And motioned for Nyx to shatter it.
33:13He caught the crystal.
33:15Those hands, strong enough to crush mountains.
33:17Were now trembling, unable to break a single, fragile stone.
33:20He looked at his mother with pleading in his eyes.
33:23I...
33:24I can't.
33:26The dragon was fighting for every second of control.
33:28Her body jerking as the darkness tried to pull her back under dot.
33:32The core slipped from Nyxa's shaking hands and floated toward me.
33:36Good child.
33:39You do it.
33:40I caught the crystal, my heart racing.
33:42The core's power slammed into me.
33:44A bolt of pure lightning.
33:46Raw energy began tearing through my veins like wildfire.
33:48A warm hand covered mine.
33:50I looked up and saw tears streaming down Nyxa's face.
33:53The first time I had ever seen him cry.
33:54He looked at the dragon one last time.
33:56His grip on my hand tightening with resolve.
34:00Goodbye, mother.
34:01With a sharp, crystal and crack, the core shattered in my palm.
34:05The dragon let out a long, final breath.
34:07At last, I can sleep.
34:09I am Aging.
34:11Now.
34:11You don't know who I am.
34:12You don't know who I am.
34:12How you are about to die out of my arms like me?
34:12I hope to have 노래를 Disc gnome.
Comments