The night deepened, and Instinct remained beside the fire.
Hours passed.
The elf’s breathing never faltered, her chest rising and falling in the slow rhythm of unconsciousness.
Instinct studied her in the flickering firelight.
Her skin was a deep, warm brown, touched by shifting shades of amber whenever the flames moved.
Long black hair spilled around her shoulders and across the stone beneath her, thick and naturally wavy, several strands clinging to her face with sweat.
Her features were elegant but strong—high cheekbones, a defined jaw, and long pointed ears emerging through the dark waves of her hair.
Even unconscious, there was nothing fragile about her.
The faint tension remaining in her body, the old marks left by battles, the way her hand occasionally shifted as though searching for a weapon that was no longer there—all of it suggested someone accustomed to danger.
Instinct wondered what her eyes looked like.
He had only seen her stumbling through the darkness before she collapsed.
Now they remained hidden beneath dark lashes.
He would later learn they were a vivid emerald green.
If she ever opened them.
His attention moved toward the claw wounds across her shoulder.
The swelling had worsened.
Dark discoloration spread beneath the brown skin surrounding the wounds, making the damage even more apparent.
Thin corrupted veins reached outward from the torn flesh.
Nyx had told him the truth.
She was dying.
Perhaps not tonight.
Perhaps not tomorrow.
But without help, the contamination spreading through those wounds would eventually claim her.
And he possessed the means to stop it.
The bond.
There was only one problem.
She couldn’t accept it while unconscious.
Instinct leaned back against the cave wall.
“Nyx.”
Her presence stirred immediately.
” MISSED ME ALREADY?
”
Instinct ignored the teasing.
“Is there any way to speak to her?”
A pause.
” YOU’RE GOING TO HAVE TO BE MORE SPECIFIC.
CONVERSATION GENERALLY REQUIRES BOTH PARTICIPANTS TO BE CONSCIOUS.
”
“You know what I mean.”
Nyx laughed softly.
“She’s dying.
You said the bond could save her, but she has to accept it willingly.”
” CORRECT.
”
“And she can’t make that choice like this.”
Instinct looked toward the elf.
“So is there another way?”
For once, Nyx didn’t answer immediately.
Instinct felt something shift within his consciousness.
Her presence became more focused.
More serious.
” THERE MAY BE.
”
His attention sharpened.
“How?”
” HER BODY IS UNCONSCIOUS.
HER MIND IS NOT.
”
Instinct frowned.
“What does that mean?”
” CONSCIOUSNESS DOESN’T SIMPLY DISAPPEAR WHEN THE BODY SLEEPS.
IT WITHDRAWS INWARD.
DREAMS, MEMORIES, FEARS, DESIRES… THEY CONTINUE BENEATH THE SURFACE.
”
The fire cracked between them.
” EVERY SENTIENT BEING POSSESSES WHAT COULD BE CALLED AN INNER REALM—A PLACE WHERE MIND AND SOUL INTERSECT.
”
“Inner Realm.”
” THE TERM ISN’T IMPORTANT.
IT’S SIMPLY THE CLOSEST DESCRIPTION I HAVE FOR IT.
MEMORY CAN BECOME LANDSCAPE.
EMOTION CAN TAKE FORM.
TRAUMA… CAN BECOME SOMETHING FAR LESS PLEASANT.
”
Instinct’s golden eyes returned to the unconscious elf.
“And I can enter hers?”
Another pause.
” POSSIBLY.
”
“Possibly?”
” YOUR CLASS CREATES CONNECTIONS BETWEEN LIVING BEINGS, AND I CAN SEE A METHOD THAT SHOULD ALLOW YOUR CONSCIOUSNESS TO REACH HERS.
BUT YOU HAVEN’T FORMED A BOND WITH HER YET, WHICH MAKES THE CONNECTION FAR LESS STABLE.
”
Instinct considered that.
“Then I’ll do it.”
” NO.
”
The answer came so quickly that Instinct blinked.
“No?”
” DID THE ABSOLUTE PART OF YOUR CLASS DAMAGE YOUR ABILITY TO UNDERSTAND THE WORD “DANGEROUS”?
”
“You didn’t say it was dangerous.”
” I WAS GETTING THERE.
”
Instinct gestured for her to continue.
Nyx gave what sounded suspiciously like an irritated sigh.
” ENTERING SOMEONE ELSE’S INNER REALM ISN’T LIKE WALKING THROUGH A DOOR.
YOU WOULD BE PROJECTING YOUR CONSCIOUSNESS INTO A PLACE SHAPED BY ANOTHER PERSON’S MIND AND SOUL.
”
The teasing vanished completely from her voice.
” MEMORIES MAY NOT BE STABLE.
EMOTIONS MAY BECOME PHYSICAL EXPERIENCES.
FEAR, PAIN, TRAUMA—ANY OF THEM COULD REACT TO YOU AS AN INTRUDER.
”
Instinct looked at the elf.
“And if something happens to me inside?”
” I DON’T KNOW.
”
That answer carried more weight than any warning could have.
Nyx continued.
” YOU COULD BE FORCED OUT.
YOU COULD BECOME DISORIENTED.
YOU MIGHT EVEN LOSE THE CONNECTION BACK TO YOUR OWN BODY.
I DON’T HAVE ENOUGH INFORMATION TO TELL YOU EXACTLY WHAT WOULD HAPPEN.
”
Instinct’s expression hardened.
“My body?”
” WOULD REMAIN HERE.
UNCONSCIOUS.
DEFENSELESS.
”
His gaze moved toward the mouth of the cave.
The forest beyond was dark.
Anything could wander inside while he was gone.
“How long would I be inside?”
” ANOTHER EXCELLENT QUESTION WITH NO RELIABLE ANSWER.
PERCEPTION INSIDE AN INNER REALM MAY NOT MATCH TIME OUT HERE.
MINUTES COULD FEEL LIKE HOURS.
OR THE OPPOSITE.
”
Instinct was silent.
Then he asked the question that mattered.
“Could I reach her?”
Nyx hesitated.
” I BELIEVE SO.
”
“And could she understand me?”
” IF YOU FIND THE PART OF HER CONSCIOUSNESS CAPABLE OF RESPONDING TO YOU.
”
“Then she could make the choice.”
Nyx immediately understood where he was going.
” INSTINCT— ”
“She’s dying.”
” I AM AWARE.
”
“If I wait for her body to recover enough to wake naturally, she may never wake.”
Nyx said nothing.
Instinct stared at the unconscious elf.
He knew almost nothing about her.
Not her name.
Not where she came from.
Not why she had been alone in the forest.
He didn’t owe her anything.
Yet that thought felt strangely hollow.
She had collapsed in front of him.
He had caught her.
Now he knew there was a possibility—however dangerous—of reaching her.
Doing nothing was still a choice.
“How strong should I be before attempting something like this?”
Nyx was quiet for several seconds.
” BASED ON WHAT LITTLE I CAN DETERMINE?
LEVEL FIVE AT THE ABSOLUTE MINIMUM.
”
Instinct was Level Two.
“And ideally?”
” TEN.
PERHAPS HIGHER.
YOU HAVE ALMOST NO EXPERIENCE USING YOUR CLASS, AND THIS WOULD BE YOUR FIRST ATTEMPT AT DIRECTLY PROJECTING YOUR CONSCIOUSNESS INTO ANOTHER SENTIENT MIND.
”
Instinct looked toward Moonfall.
He could hunt.
The forest was full of creatures.
Three levels.
That was all he needed to reach Nyx’s minimum recommendation.
“How long would it take me to reach Level Five?”
” THAT DEPENDS ENTIRELY ON WHAT YOU FIND AND WHETHER IT KILLS YOU FIRST.
”
“Helpful.”
” I’M SERIOUS.
YOU HAVE SURVIVED A WOLF AND TWO BOARS.
PLEASE DO NOT INTERPRET THAT AS EVIDENCE THAT THE ENTIRE FOREST EXISTS FOR YOUR PERSONAL LEVELING CONVENIENCE.
”
Instinct almost smiled.
Almost.
His attention returned to the elf.
Two days.
Perhaps less.
And Nyx had already admitted that estimate wasn’t precise.
He studied the dark veins spreading from the claw wounds.
“How much time does she actually have?”
Nyx examined her again.
” I CAN’T GIVE YOU AN EXACT NUMBER.
THE CONTAMINATION IS SPREADING.
HER BODY IS RESISTING IT, BUT SHE’S LOSING THAT FIGHT.
”
“Could she wake before then?”
” POSSIBLY.
”
Instinct disliked that word more every time he heard it.
“But you don’t know.”
” NO.
”
Silence settled over the cave.
Instinct watched the flames for a long time.
Level Five.
He could reach it.
Maybe.
If he found enough creatures.
If they were strong enough.
If he survived.
And if he returned before the elf’s condition became irreversible.
His gaze drifted back to her face.
“If I enter her Inner Realm, can I force the bond from there?”
Nyx’s answer was immediate.
” NO.
”
Instinct nodded once.
Good.
” YOU MAY BE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE WITH HER.
NOTHING MORE.
HER ACCEPTANCE WOULD STILL HAVE TO BE HER OWN.
”
“And if she says no?”
” THEN SHE SAYS NO.
”
Even if it meant her death.
Instinct understood.
“What exactly would the bond do to her mind?”
Nyx became thoughtful.
” FROM WHAT I CAN ACCESS, A DEEP SENTIENT BOND IS A CONNECTION, NOT A REPLACEMENT.
SHE WOULD REMAIN HERSELF.
HER MEMORIES, PERSONALITY, DESIRES, AND WILL WOULD REMAIN HER OWN.
”
“Then why call it taming?”
” BECAUSE YOUR CLASS IS CALLED ABSOLUTE TAMER, NOT ABSOLUTE MAKER-OF-COMPLICATED-MUTUALLY-CONSENSUAL-SOUL-CONNECTIONS.
”
Instinct stared into the fire.
“That would be a terrible name.”
” FINALLY, SOMETHING WE AGREE ON.
”
Despite himself, a quiet laugh escaped him.
It disappeared quickly.
His eyes returned to the elf.
The bond could save her.
But it couldn’t make the decision for her.
Nor would he.
“Then I reach Level Five.”
Nyx was quiet.
” YOU’RE SERIOUS.
”
“Yes.”
” YOU DON’T EVEN KNOW HER.
”
“No.”
” YOU COULD DIE TRYING TO BECOME STRONG ENOUGH TO ENTER HER INNER REALM.
THEN BOTH OF YOU WOULD BE DEAD, WHICH I FEEL COMPELLED TO POINT OUT IS A TERRIBLE RESCUE STRATEGY.
”
Instinct rose.
Moonfall rested beside him.
He picked it up.
“Then I’ll try not to die.”
Nyx groaned inside his head.
” WONDERFUL.
MY ABSOLUTE TAMER HAS BEEN ALIVE FOR LESS THAN A DAY AND HAS ALREADY DEVELOPED A HERO COMPLEX.
”
“I’m not a hero.”
” THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT SOMEONE ABOUT TO DO SOMETHING STUPIDLY HEROIC WOULD SAY.
”
Instinct walked toward the mouth of the cave, then stopped.
He looked back at the unconscious elf.
Firelight moved across her warm brown skin and caught in the waves of her black hair.
Leaving her alone was dangerous.
Entering the forest at night was worse.
He would wait for daylight.
Then he would hunt.
Three levels.
After that, if she still hadn’t awakened, he would enter her Inner Realm.
Not to control her.
Not to force anything from her.
Only to give her the choice she couldn’t make while trapped inside her unconscious body.
The rest would be hers.
Instinct returned to the fire and sat beside her.
For the remainder of the night, he kept watch.
And as the darkness slowly surrendered to dawn, he found himself listening to every breath the wounded elf took.
Counting them without realizing it.
Hoping none would be her last.