Myles lay on the rooftop feeling utterly exhausted but filled with an overwhelming sense of happiness. The world around him, the chaos, fire, and destruction, faded into the background. What had just happened between him and Lilian felt like the most important experience of his life. It was something he knew he would keep in his mind forever. A satisfied smile formed on his lips as he stared up at the darkened sky, his body slowly cooling down from the intensity of their sex.
Beside him, Lilian lay still naked, her perfect body unbothered by the cool air. Her vigor don’t seem to changed as if the wild encounter they’d just shared had not affected her stamina at all. She turned her head towards Myles, her eyes glinting playfully.
"How are you feeling?" Lilian asked.
Myles blinked, still dazed. "Huh?" he mumbled, turning his head to meet her gaze. "It was... great," he managed to say, though the words felt not enough to express what he had just experienced. He struggled to find the right vocabulary for what had happened mere moments ago.
Lilian giggled with was surprisingly cute tone.
Suddenly as if a fog lifted from his mind, Myles’ clarity returned. He sat up slightly and propping himself on one elbow, and his eyes narrowed as he looked at her.
"Why... why did you wanted to do that?" Myles asked in uncertain voice.
Lilian smile and give a knowing look as she looked back at him. "It was to seal our bond," she said, her voice calm. "Now, we’re bound to each other."
Myles felt a sudden surge of anxiety creep into his chest. "Wait... bond? What do you mean?"
"Just like I thought... it’s all a trap!"
His body tensed as he glanced at her again, realization dawning slowly.
Lilian looked at Myles’ expression and burst into laughter.
"Your face looks ridiculous," she teased.
Myles who still caught up in the storm of emotions swirling inside him, could only stare, not sure of how to react.
"What?" Lilian asked, her tone playful but with a hint of mockery. "Now, after enjoying me, you will hate me?"
Myles tried to find the right words, but they eluded him. His mouth opened, then closed again as if he didn’t know how to answer. He was still trying to process everything.
Seeing his confusion Lilian spoke again, her voice softer this time.
"Don’t worry, Myles. It’s not like I’m going to take your soul or something." She leaned in closer, her eyes sparkling with a mix of amusement and something darker. "Instead, I’m going to give you power. Now that we’ve established a bond I can share my power with you."
Myles blinked. "Power? What do you mean now?" he asked.
Lilian smirked and tilted her head slightly. "Why don’t you open your Etherium Record?"
Myles frowned, looking more puzzled. "Etherium Record?"
"It’s the bunch of text that shows your condition and abilities," Lilian explained, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
Myles furrowed his brow, trying to make sense of what she was saying. "Is she talking about my status window?"
Myles then summoned his status window, the familiar translucent screen appearing before his eyes. His heart skipped a beat as he saw something new displayed there, his eyes widening in shock at the sight that something had indeed changed.
[Bond skills.]
Shadow Bind. (A Rank)
Description: You can bind a target by anchoring their shadow to a surface and preventing them from moving. The strength of the bind depends on the size and complexity of the target’s shadow, and it lasts for up to 10 seconds at this Level.
Range: 15 Meters from you.
Consumption: 30 Mana.
His heart racing with excitement when he see his new skill.
"I can stop my enemy’s movement for 10 seconds?"
He could hardly believe it. This ability could be a game changer that could tilt the odds in his favor during battles.
But then, as the thrill surged through him, a nagging thought cut through his excitement.
He turned to Lilian, who was still lying beside him with her naked body.
"What’s the price?" he asked with sharp voice.
Lilian stretched lazily before answering.
"There’s no price, darling," she said, as if the question itself were absurd. "If I wanted something something from you, I would’ve told you from the start. That’s the rule for making contracts with creatures from another world."
Myles stared at her, still unconvinced. He’d heard too many stories about powerful beings offering gifts only to demand something far worse in return.
Yet, despite his doubts, he felt an odd sense of honesty from Lilian. There was no reason for her to deceive him when she was clearly so much more powerful.
After a moment of internal debate, he nodded slowly. "Alright."
Suddenly, the ground beneath them began to tremble, the entire building vibrating signaling its collapse. The distant sounds of crumbling concrete and metal groaning filled the air.
"We’ve gotta go now," said Myles.
Lilian gave a small nod with calm expression. Without another word they both stood, ready to leave the rooftop before it crumbled beneath them.
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