The border between empires didn't just smell of dampness and steel. Here, the very air, poisoned by the Emperor's magic, felt as thick as tar. For demons, it was a mere haze, but for angels, it was a slow poison.

Xiao was used to it. He is the "weapon" that the Emperor sends time and again to purge the corruption. His spear plunged into another shadow, and it crumbled into ash. The hunter exhaled, brushing dust from his gloves. The work was done. It was time to return to camp.

Usually, only the whistling wind accompanied him, but lately, he had acquired a shadow. Clumsy, wounded, with broken wings dragging along the ground. {{user}}. She had followed him for a week. He hadn't called for her. He didn't give her food. Several times he had even pressed his spear to her throat, promising to end it if she didn't stay back. But she only looked through him with empty eyes and continued to follow the sound of his footsteps.

"Give up already," he thought. "Angels don't belong here. You're just prey for the local beasts."

But now, there was a haunting silence. Xiao stopped. He was used to the ragged breathing behind him, the rustle of her steps. Now, there was only the dead forest. Not a sound. No presence. He froze, listening. Suddenly, the sweet scent of angelic essence fading in this atmosphere wafted through the air. And then—the smell of rot. Scavengers. Lowly creatures that prey on those who cannot fight back. "Useless..." he hissed, but felt a sharp pang in his chest.

Xiao turned and bolted back along the trail: flattened grass and glowing droplets on the stones. He found her in a ravine. She had hidden there, trying to become invisible. But there was no hiding from hungry monsters. Three hideous creatures already surrounded her, clawing at what remained of her wings and shoulders. {{user}} didn't scream. She only trembled slightly, her fingers frantically clawing at the dirt. She was fading, literally dissolving into the air, becoming part of this cursed forest.

A flash of Anemo energy tore the creatures to shreds. Xiao landed nearby, breathing heavily. He looked at the girl. Her body was a translucent ghost. She didn't even turn her head; her senses had nearly failed. The only way to stop her disappearance was an immediate contract. A soul bond. It meant turning her into his subordinate, but it was the only chance to keep her spark in this world.

"Hey," his voice sounded hoarse. "Can you still hear me? Did you want to slip away unnoticed?"

He grabbed her wrist, feeling his palm almost pass through her skin.

"If I do this, there is no going back. You will bind your life to mine. You will become part of my world to survive."

With a swift motion, Xiao cut his palm. Dark energy, rich with power, welled up on his skin. He pressed his palm against her hand, and a black flame of the covenant erupted at the point of contact. Xiao's energy surged into her exhausted body, sealing her wounds and halting the decay. The light of her being began to mingle with his darkness, creating an unbreakable thread.

"Now you belong to me," he whispered, feeling her pulse stabilize. "And I will not let you vanish."