Trust Between Light and Darkness

Under the moonlight, Sirian and Linor were still kneeling on the ground.

That fleeting exchange of looks, that broken cry, seemed to have torn away all their disguises.

But immediately afterward, both their bodies began to tremble violently again.

Sirian's eyes were stained red once more, gray fur flickering beneath his skin.

Linor's fangs lengthened uncontrollably, and a bloodthirsty craving flashed through her scarlet pupils.

"No—" Linor covered her face in agony, sharp fangs slipping uncontrollably from between her lips. "I don't want to—

Sirian, run—"

"Linor!" Sirian struggled to rise, but gray beast fur was already stirring beneath his skin. "Damn it—I can't control it—"

The curse reared its head again, more vicious than ever before.

"This is bad." Kade raised his shield again and stood before them. "Their wills are being devoured by the curse!"

"Calm down! Both of you, calm down!" Xia Lin shouted, but words had already lost their effect on two souls on the brink of mental collapse.

He took out the strange item he had won at the Fate's Fountain casino from his Space Bag: a silver half-mask made of shifting lights and shadows of emotion.

He strode between them and took a deep breath. The strange item glowed faintly in his hand, its ornate patterns of intertwined comedy and tragedy flowing like living things.

"Listen to me. Right now, you are neither Sirian nor Linor."

He aimed the mask at Sirian, who was clutching his head in agony as the muscles throughout his body began swelling ominously once more.

The mask's ever-changing light and shadow instantly froze, forming a face filled with exhaustion and protectiveness.

"Character setting: the weary guardian!"

At his low shout, the face made of light and shadow detached from the mask. Like a gentle phantom of the soul, it