Healing— "It... it's healed, but how is this possible?" — Hitory asked, fused, as his eyes lifted to meet Elyndra’s.Elyndra stared at him with an intrigued expression, her narrowed eyes refleg skeptical curiosity.— "Only absolute magic or a ritual could do this," — she replied thoughtfully. Her lips pressed together slightly, revealing her .— "But I don’t know ah such power."

  Before Hitory could process her respohe sound of hurried footsteps echoed through the corridor. Tekime came running, still wearing only Hitory’s shirt and her undergarments, her hair disheveled and tears streaming down her face. Her expression was a mix of joy and irritation. She seemed pletely unaware of her own state.— "Why didn’t you call me, Hitory?" — she said, her voice choked with emotion. Her eyes sparkled even more, now overflowing with tears.

  Hitory, caught off guard by the sudden outburst of emotions, took a step forward, fused.— "What’s wrong, Tekime?" — he asked gently, his voice filled with sincere .

  Tekime covered her face with her hands and sobbed loudly, trying to speak between hiccups.— "I thought you had left me," — she said, her voice breaking uhe overwhelmiions.

  Hitory’s eyes softened, and he didn’t hesitate. He stepped forward and pulled her into a warm embrace, holding her gently against his chest. He felt her trembling body as she cried and spoke in a reassuring tone:— "What did I promise you yesterday?" — he asked, his voice calm and filled with warmth.

  Tekime lifted her faow showing a fragile smile betweeears. But then her eyes were drawn to Hitory’s arm. She widened her eyes upon notig something ued.— "What? Your arm... it’s pletely healed?" — she excimed, the surprise evident ione. Her tears momentarily stopped as she stared at his arm as if witnessing a miracle.

  Elyndra, with a serious expression, observed Tekime and Hitory, her gaze uling as she analyzed them.

  Unfortable Iion— "You two slept together, didn’t you?" — she questioned, her gaze a mix of seriousness and a hint of suspi, her light eyes pierg through their iion.

  Hitory, pletely embarrassed, stepped back slightly, avoiding the mage’s eyes. His face flushed from a light red to a darker shade, a clear sign of his shame. He stammered, trying to hide his fusion:— "Yes, but we didn’t do anything..."

  The sense of guilt was evident, as if he was trying to justify something that wasn’t actually wrong.

  Elyndra tinued, shifting her gaze to Tekime, and her question carried the same iy.— "Do you know how to use magic, Tekime?" — she observed carefully, as if searg for more than just a simple answer.

  Tekime, visibly flustered by the shift in versation, didn’t know how to react. She blirying to prehend before replying simply:— "No, I was aught..." — her voice was uain, g her usual fidence.

  Elyndra watched her for a moment, as if p their words and as, before silently turning away and heading to her study with a thoughtful expression.

  Tension in the RoomIn the room, Hitory and Tekime exged awkward gnces before heading to the bathroom, where the young womao ge. The soft m light filtered through the window, illuminating the se in a peaceful glow. When Tekime came out, still flustered, she asked, trying to uand what had really happened:— "Why do you think Elyndra asked those questions?"

  Hitory, with a smile, replied:— "No idea... maybe it has something to do with my arm being healed."

  His expression was doubtful but also curious. He looked at Tekime, his eyes shining with uainty.

  Tekime, trying to hide her own embarrassment, replied quickly:— "Maybe... but when she asked the first question, you turned pletely red."

  She let out a nervous ugh, which didn’t do much to ease the temosphere between them.

  Hitory, still smiling, shrugged and joked, though there was a hint of seriousness in his tone:— "Of course... you’re not helpiher. You ran out of the room wearing only my shirt."

  His voice was soft, but there was humor in it, giving the tensioween them a lighter tohough not pletely dissipating it.

  Tekime turned her face away, utterly embarrassed, trying to ge the subject:— "Alright, alright, that doesn’t matter now, but I still don’t get why she asked if I could use magic."

  Unveiling MysteriesMeanwhile, iudy, Elyndra flipped through her a books, a trated expression on her face. The room was filled with soft light filtering through the window, and the sound of turning pages was the only noise in the air. Elyndra focused on the reading of the tomes, her fingers gliding over the words as she reflected on what she had just discovered.

  — "Healing magic..." — she murmured to herself, her gaze sharp and attentive.

  Frustration grew as she read about magic that required the use of mana—something that Hitory’s body apparently could not accept. Elyndra let out a small sigh and muttered to herself:— "It’s useless... none of this helps."

  She dropped the book with an expression of dissatisfa. What intrigued her now ecific book she found after searg through several shelves, its title catg her attention: “Blessing of Aether: The Sacrifice of a Pure Soul.”

  Elyndra began reading more carefully, her eyes narrowing as she absorbed the words of the text.

  Elyndra’s Revetioory of Era and the sacrifice of the Blessing of Aether unfolded like an enigma. Elyndra felt a slight unease as she read, uanding that the burden of this magic could have far greater implications than she had imagined.

  “Blessing of Aether: The Sacrifice of a Pure Soul”

  In the fotten legends of Val?nia, it is told of an a ritual called the Blessing of Aether, a gift granted by the Goddess Lunaria, guardian of the baween life ah. The magic was a rare blessing, given only to women of pure souls, whose hearts were free from rese, greed, or selfish ambition.

  The Goddess’s GiftLunaria was worshiped as the Goddess of renewal, ay who watched over souls in transition. It was said that in times of great need, she would choose a single worthy woman to bear the burden of her blessing. This magic was more than just a gift; it was an act of sacrifice. By using the Blessing of Aether, the bearer would el her life energy to heal those on the brink of death. Direct tact between her body and the injured person was necessary, creating a boween the healer’s soul and that of the one she was saving.

  The ritual not only restored physical wounds but also removed curses and illhat corroded a person’s soul. However, the price was steep. Each time the Blessing of Aether was invoked, a part of the bearer’s energy was draihis sacrifice left her weaker with every use, as if a fra of her own life was offered in exge for the healing she granted. While she could recover over time, tinuous use could be fatal, making each decision a delicate baween saving a life and preserving her own.

  The Story of the First BearerIn a small vilge surrounded by mountains, there lived Era, a young woman with a ki. Since childhood, she had been known for her passion, tirelessly g for the sid wounded. Her simple life ged one full moon night when a dream guided her to a shimmering ke deep within the forest.

  There, uhe moon’s silver light, Lunaria appeared before her. The goddess, enveloped in an aura of light and serenity, spoke with a voice that seemed to echh the stars.

  “Daughter of a pure soul, the world calls for your selfless heart. Bear the Blessing of Aether ahe cure where there is pain. But remember, every life you save will be a piece of your owence offered iurn.”

  Without hesitation, Era accepted the burden. Lunaria touched her chest, leaving a silver mark that briefly glowed before vanishing—a sign that the magic was now part of her.

  The SacrificeThe first time Era used the Blessing of Aether was to save a gravely injured child during a bandit raid on the vilge. As she held the girl in her arms, she felt energy flow from her body. A bluish light enveloped them both, and the child’s wounds began to close as if time itself was reversing. When the healing was plete, Era colpsed, exhausted, feeling as if a part of her had disappeared.

  In the following months, Era became a symbol of hope. Wounded warriors, the terminally ill, and even the cursed sought her aid. Each healing was an act of love—but also of loss. Her hair began to turn white, and her once-radiant skin showed signs of premature aging. Yet, she never hesitated.

  The Legacy of the BlessingEra knew her life was nearing its end when she saved the son of a general who, in gratitude, vowed to protect the vilge. As the st blue light faded, she fell, but with a smile on her lips. Her final moments were peaceful, knowing she had fulfilled her purpose.

  It is said that the silver mark on her chest shone o time before disappearing and that Lunaria took her soul to the heavens as a star, where she would watch over the world as a guardian.

  Today, the Blessing of Aether is still revered in ts and prayers, reminding everyohat the greatest power does not e from strength or destructive magic, but from the purity of a heart willing to sacrifice everything for the good of others.

  The DiscoveryDeep in thought, Elyndra begins to ect the pieces. She sighs and murmurs:

  — "How did I not realize this before... Fme of édros... ‘The Mark of the Demon’..."

  Her expression darkens, and doubt grows within her.

  — "But it’s impossible that these two souls have crossed paths."

  She reflects but decides it’s best not to say anything to Hitory and Tekime just yet. For now, she wants to duct a test. Elyndra picks up a book of a prayers, her fingers reverently toug the yellowed pages. She searches for the Prayer to the Goddess Lunaria and to édros, her gaze determined, as if seeking a key to unlog the mysteries surrounding her.

  Elyndra approaches the room where Tekime rests on the bed, and Hitory stands on the baly, enjoying the fresh m breeze. She watches them both in silence for a moment before stepping forward and speaking in a more authoritative tone.

  — "Hitory, e here. I need both of you to sit on the bed."

  Her voice is calm but firm, veying the importance of what is about to happen.

  Still fused, Hitory follows Elyndra’s instrus and sits, waiting for further expnation. Tension lingers in the air, but Elyndra’s presence seems to guide the situation with the posure of someone who knows exactly what they are doing.

  — "Now, I want you both to remove your upper garments."

  Her voiow more serious, resohrough the room. Though both exge gnces, her questions her request. Hitory, his face already flushed, looks away, avoiding direct eye tact with Tekime, his mind swirling in fusion and embarrassment.

  End of Episode 8 - "Are Resonance"