Essence Link System: The Healer's Awakening

Ryan's P.O.V

They used to whisper our names like curses in the north.

Frostfangs.

Wolves of ice. Born from blizzards. Bred for blood.

They called us legends once. Shadows in the snow. Death given claws and breath that froze the marrow of men.

I was born under a blood moon—first howl to pierce the skies of Winterhollow that night. That alone made me special, but among the Frostfang wolves, power isn't given... it's earned.

We didn't live in dens. We ruled mountains. I led them—not because they loved me, but because I bled for them. Killed for them. Won for them.

Each fang, a victory. Each scar, a tale. We weren't beasts—we were kings wrapped in fur.

To see us was to be hunted. To hear us... was too late.

But even kings fall.

One cursed winter, the southern kingdom came with their mages—fools with hands dipped in artificial cold. They brought incantations. We brought wrath. The snow ran red that day.

We tore through them—claws cutting spells, jaws snapping through steel. But they had numbers. And cursed fire.

Half of us died.

Including her—my mate.

And my pups.

They screamed.

Then they burned.

I was too late.

That smell... it haunts me.

I stopped being an Alpha that day. I became a shadow. A monster that even monsters feared. I wandered. Fought. Killed. Never stopped. Never healed.

Until he showed up.

Or maybe I showed up for him.

Lord Caelen.

He didn't lift a sword. Didn't speak threats. He just stared. Not at my fangs, not at my scars… at me.

Like he knew.

Like he saw.

A silence passed between us.

Then—Ding.

[ESSENCE LINK INITIATED — SUBJECT: RYAN]

Link Type: Soul-Bond

Emotion Thread: Loyalty | Pain | Kinship

Sync Rate: 61%

Trait Unlocked: Frost Dominion (Tier 1)

In that moment, everything changed.

I wasn't a ghost anymore.

I was bound. Not by chains. But by purpose.

His voice rang deep inside me. A whisper through the link.

"Fight for me."

So I did.

Just like that... I wasn't alone anymore.

The howl I buried in ashes came roaring back.

But this time, I wasn't Alpha.

I was his.

His beast.

His shield.

His brother in arms.

Because wolves never forget pain…

But we never forget the one who heard our howl.

---

Present Day

I kneeled outside Lord Caelen's chamber,i bowed my head low, my large paws pressed tightly over my ears. My tail flicked once in annoyance as muffled moans echoed through the thick wooden walls behind me. With a long, frost-tinged sigh, I muttered beneath his breath, "I guess even a devil needs some sauce and pleasure in his life…"

Inside the dimly lit room, the air was heavy with heat and the scent of sweat. Beneath tangled blankets, Caelen moved above Veralia, their bodies pressed together in a rhythm that blurred between dominance and desperation. His breath came in ragged bursts, her nails dug into his back, and their sweat clung like dew in a storm.

"Arghhh—" her voice trembled, lost between pain and ecstasy.

Their bodies moved as one—fierce, raw, wild—until Caelen finally slowed. He collapsed beside her, chest rising and falling with every breath. Veralia slid closer, resting her head against his heart, her fingers tracing lazy patterns over his skin.

"I… I'm sorry, my lord," she whispered. "I did awful things to you…"

Before she could say more, Caelen raised a hand and touched her lips. "It's no big deal. You've been reborn. You're not Lyra anymore."

Tears pooled in her eyes. "Thank you… for forgiving me."

He smiled, gently patting her head like a master with his pet—but his eyes glinted with mischief, his thoughts darker than his touch revealed.

Let's see, he thought silently, just how devoted you truly are, Veralia.

Later that morning, Caelen sat calmly in his chair, a crimson glow from the fire licking his skin. Veralia entered the room with a tray of food, her steps soft, her face calm.

"It's time to eat," she said gently.

Caelen looked up and smiled faintly. "I was waiting."

She set the tray down. "I'll be heading to the market now. We're out of a few supplies."

His fingers paused above his plate.

The link told him she was honest… but her memories still held the past. Could he let her walk freely? Could he trust that no old ties would tempt her?

He weighed the options. Freedom… or safety.

Then made a choice.

"You can go," he said. "But you won't go alone."

He turned toward me.

"Ryan."

I stepped from the shadows in full beast form—my fur glistening like snow under moonlight.

"I have an assignment for you," Caelen said.

"Anything, my lord," I bowed.

"You'll accompany Veralia to the market."

I nodded without hesitation.

He moved closer and placed a hand on my head. "Thank you for doing this. I know you have other things to focus on."

"You don't need to thank me," I replied. "I'm your servant beast. Command me as you will."

Caelen chuckled. "Still… walking into town like that will turn heads. A twelve-foot frost wolf might cause… unnecessary panic."

"I could shrink," I offered.

He smirked. "No. I've got a better idea."

He turned to Veralia. "Wait outside for a moment."

She nodded and left.

Lord Caelen faced me. His hand glowed crimson-red.

"How would you like to be human?"

"…What?"

"Heal."

Light exploded around me. It wasn't just magic—it was transformation.

My body convulsed as my limbs twisted, bones reshaped. Fur receded, muscles reformed. Power surged through my veins like fire through ice.

And then—silence.

"Veralia," Caelen called.

She entered and froze.

Her breath caught.

Gone was the beast. In his place stood a storm… wearing skin.

My hair was shoulder-length, wild and icy-blue, glowing under the firelight. My eyes—crystal blue like frozen rivers—held the same raw instinct of my wolf self.

I wore dark armor trimmed with white fur—the last memento of my fallen kin.

Faint glowing markings traced across my skin—echoes of my past. Frost tattoos. A legacy of the Alpha I once was.

I stepped forward, bowed slightly.

"My lady. Apologies if I startled you."

She blinked. "Y-you didn't. I just… wow."

Caelen grinned and tossed me a pendant. I caught it.

It was shaped like a fang. Silver. Cold.

"A reminder," he said. "Of who you are. And who you've been."

I stared at him, stunned.

"Why would you do this?" I whispered. "I'm just a beast."

"No," Caelen said firmly. "You're no longer just a beast."

He walked toward me, eyes glowing faintly.

"You're my knight of ice. A shadow with a face. A soul reborn."

I froze.

He placed a hand on my shoulder.

"I value your life, Ryan. Just as much as Veralia's."

Those words…

They shook me deeper than any blade ever had.

"I'll protect her," I said, voice trembling, "Even if it costs me my life."

Caelen stepped closer, pulled me in by the shoulder.

"No," he said. "Don't ever throw your life away. You matter. You both do."

I didn't know how to respond.

So I just nodded.

"Now go," he said. "Be her sword. Her shield."

I turned. Veralia followed. I opened the door for her, stepping into the fading sun.

Behind me, Lord Caelen watched from the window… and a ping echoed in his mind.

[ESSENCE LINK SYSTEM — NOTICE]

New Milestone Achieved: True Bond Established

The bond between Lord Caelen and Companion Ryan of the Frostfang has transcended instinct and duty.

Through loyalty, sacrifice, and trust—your souls now resonate in unison. Beast and man. Master and knight. Two hearts, one purpose.

Link Title: Soulbound Knights

Sync Rate: 82%

Emotional Thread: Brotherhood | Devotion | Unshakable Trust

Affinity Type: Evolutionary Bond (Tier II)

New Link Skill Unlocked:

"Shared Burden"

Description: Pain, once a burden carried alone, is now shared. When one of you suffers a wound or injury, the other absorbs a portion of that pain, splitting the weight between two souls.

Damage Reflection: 30% of pain is transferred to the partner.

Activation: Passive (Always On)

Effects increase with higher Sync Rate.

Use with caution: This bond reflects strength—but also vulnerability. Unity demands sacrifice.

Caelen leaned back in his chair, a soft smile curling at the edge of his lips.

"Shared burden, huh…" he muttered. "I wonder… could I forge the same bond with Reina… or Veralia?"

He looked at his hand—at the glowing red sigil that pulsed on the back of his palm.

There was still so much to learn.

So many layers to this system.

But one thing was clear.

He was no longer walking this path alone.

And neither was I.

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