Sagara Valley was always bustling as night approached.
The city was built between two great hills along Arcapura's main trade route. Caravans of cloth and spice merchants arrived from the north. From the south came wagons carrying farm produce. Travelers, mercenaries, wandering mages, and even nobles hoping to pass themselves off as commoners often came through the area.
That was why no one really cared about anyone else.
Someone could arrive without a name.
Someone could leave without a trace.
And for people with secrets, Sagara Valley was the perfect place to hide.
Yet that night, the city welcomed two people carrying secrets far greater than it could bear.
Raka arrived first.
He entered the city gates with Dimas just as the sun was nearly setting.
"It's so crowded."
Dimas looked from side to side.
"Every time I come here, it feels like this city has gotten bigger."
"Or we're getting older."
"We're only twenty."
"That's old enough to complain."
Dimas laughed.
Raka didn't.
Ever since he left home, his thoughts had been consumed by one thing.
The pulse inside his body.
The closer he got to this city, the stronger the pulse became.
He didn't know what he would find.
But the old book he carried had given him one clue.
A symbol identical to the one he'd seen in his vision.
A circle with a single line running through the center.
Raka saw the symbol on the door of a shop.
He stopped.
Dimas nearly ran into him.
"What is it?"
Raka pointed.
"That symbol."
Dimas examined the wooden door.
"Why?"
"I've seen it before."
"Where?"
"In a book."
Dimas stepped closer.
The door looked ordinary.
But when Raka touched the symbol, something happened.
Heat.
Scorching heat.
He jerked his hand back.
The shop's owner came outside.
He was a thin man with white hair.
"Don't touch that."
Raka stared at him.
"Why?"
"Because you don't know what you're touching."
Raka smiled.
"If I knew, I probably wouldn't need to ask."
The old man studied Raka for a long moment.
Then his expression changed.
"You..."
"What?"
"That's impossible."
He took a step back.
Dimas immediately went on alert.
"Why are you looking at my friend like that?"
The old man shut the door.
"Go."
Raka didn't move.
"Who are you?"
"Go."
The door slammed shut.
Dimas looked at Raka.
"I think we should leave."
"I think we should come back."
"You just said the same thing."
Raka stared at the door.
"He knows me."
Several streets away, Alya entered Sagara Valley.
She was walking alone.
The simple clothes Mira had given her made her look like an ordinary village girl.
No one would have guessed that the woman behind that face had once been the mage hunted throughout the kingdom.
Alya pulled her hood over her head.
She stopped in front of a tavern.
Her stomach was growling.
But she had very little money.
She went inside.
"A bowl of soup."
The server nodded.
Alya sat in a corner.
She watched the people around her.
An old habit.
Find the exits.
Count the people.
Watch for weapons.
Find cover.
It was all still automatic.
But then she realized something.
She was sitting in someone else's body.
She sighed.
"Annoying."
A man at the next table turned toward her.
"Did you say something?"
Alya shook her head.
"No."
The man went back to his drink.
Alya stared at her hands.
She tried to call forth energy.
A faint light appeared.
Then went out.
She frowned.
"Better than nothing."
But she soon realized something was different.
The energy hadn't come from this body.
It seemed to come from outside.
Flowing through the air.
Then into her body.
Alya closed her eyes.
For the first time, she could feel the energy around other people.
It was incredibly faint.
But real.
She opened her eyes.
"So this body..."
Her sentence was cut short.
The tavern door opened.
A royal guard entered.
Alya immediately lowered her head.
Her heart pounded.
The guard walked over to the owner's table.
"Have you seen a woman?"
The owner shook his head.
"What kind of woman?"
"Around twenty-five years old. Black hair. A wound on her right shoulder."
Alya held her breath.
The guard pulled out a drawing.
But the drawing showed the face of her old body.
Alya watched from the corner of her eye.
Something strange stirred inside her.
Seeing that face made her ache with longing.
It was the face she'd seen for years.
Her own face.
But now, that face was nothing more than a wanted poster.
The guard left.
Alya stood.
She couldn't stay there any longer.
But as she was about to leave, someone bumped into her.
"Sorry."
Alya turned.
A young man stood in front of her.
Black clothes.
A sword at his waist.
A calm face.
Raka.
They stared at each other.
Neither of them said a word.
Yet the world seemed to stop.
The pulse in Raka's body exploded.
Alya felt something slam into her chest.
A white light appeared between them.
Raka stumbled backward.
"What..."
Alya clutched her chest.
She knew that energy.
It wasn't merely magic.
It was her soul.
Someone inside her screamed.
**Him.**
Alya stared at Raka.
"What's your name?"
Raka looked confused.
"Why?"
"Answer me."
"Raka."
Alya fell silent.
That name.
The name that had appeared in her vision.
A name she'd never heard before.
Yet her body knew it.
Raka looked at Alya's face.
There was something familiar about her.
Not her face.
Not her voice.
A feeling.
As if he'd known her for years.
"Who are you?"
Alya didn't answer.
She turned away.
Raka grabbed her arm.
"Wait."
Alya reacted instantly.
Her body moved on reflex.
She twisted Raka's arm and nearly threw him to the ground.
Dimas, watching from behind, immediately drew his sword.
"Hey!"
Alya let go of Raka's hand.
"Don't touch me."
Raka stared at her.
"Are you a mage?"
Alya fell silent.
"Why do you ask?"
"Because the way you move isn't ordinary."
Alya gave him a faint smile.
"You're not ordinary either."
Raka froze.
The pulse in his chest returned.
Stronger this time.
Then the same symbol appeared on his palm.
Alya saw it.
Her expression changed.
"You..."
"What?"
"You have a seal."
Raka immediately pulled his hand away.
"How do you know?"
Alya didn't answer.
Because she understood something now.
Raka's body held the same energy that had displaced her soul.
They hadn't met by chance.
They went to an empty warehouse behind the city.
Dimas initially refused.
But Raka insisted.
Alya stood by the window.
Raka sat at the table.
Dimas guarded the door.
"Explain."
Alya looked at Raka.
"Explain what?"
"How do you know about my seal?"
"Because I can see it."
"How?"
"Because I'm a mage."
Dimas let out a short laugh.
"Then use your magic."
Alya looked at him.
"I can't."
Raka frowned.
"Why not?"
"Because this body isn't mine."
The room fell silent.
Dimas looked at Raka.
Raka looked at Alya.
"What do you mean?"
Alya drew a breath.
"My soul moved."
Raka stood.
"A soul exchange."
Alya stared at him.
"You know about it?"
"I've read about it."
"Where?"
"My family's library."
Alya stepped closer.
"Give me the book."
Raka took out the old book.
Alya opened it.
The moment she saw the symbol on the first page, her expression changed.
"This."
"Do you recognize it?"
Alya nodded.
"It's the symbol of the ritual I used."
Dimas immediately shut the door.
"You used that magic?"
Alya nodded.
"To escape."
"And your body now?"
"It isn't mine."
"Who does it belong to?"
Alya shook her head.
"I don't know."
Raka took the book.
"Then we have to find out."
Alya looked at him.
"Why?"
"Because I have a problem too."
He showed her his palm.
The seal was clearly visible.
"There's something inside my body."
Alya stepped closer.
"Let me see."
Raka held out his hand.
The moment their fingers touched, white light filled the room.
They both flinched.
Then a vision appeared.
They saw an old building.
A woman stood in the middle of the room.
In her arms was a baby.
A baby boy.
Raka.
A little girl stood beside her.
Alya.
But they were different ages.
They had once been in the same place.
Many years ago.
Before they knew each other.
Before Alya became a killer.
Before Raka became the heir of the Wira family.
An old man stood before them.
"Their souls have been connected."
"When?"
"When they were born."
"Then why separate them?"
"Because if they grew up together, that power would awaken too quickly."
The vision changed.
Someone placed a seal inside Raka's body.
Then a woman carried Alya away.
Little Alya cried.
Little Raka cried.
But they couldn't see each other.
Then everything vanished.
Alya jerked back.
Raka dropped to his knees.
Dimas stared at them.
"What did you see?"
Raka answered softly.
"We've met before."
Alya looked at him.
"More than that."
They looked at each other.
"We've been connected."
The night grew late.
Alya sat on the warehouse steps.
Raka sat beside her.
For a while, neither of them spoke.
Then Raka asked,
"Why did you become a fugitive?"
Alya didn't answer right away.
"I killed people."
Raka turned toward her.
"How many?"
"A lot."
"And do you regret it?"
Alya looked at the sky.
"Some of it."
"Some of it?"
"There were people who deserved to die."
Raka didn't argue.
Alya continued,
"But not all of them."
She clasped her hands.
"One day, I realized I'd become something I hated."
"Why didn't you stop?"
"I didn't know how."
Raka was silent.
Alya looked at him.
"What about you?"
"Me?"
"Why are you seeking power?"
Raka gave a small laugh.
"Because I'm tired of being treated like I'm useless."
Alya stared at him.
"That's a bad reason."
"I know."
"Then find a better one."
Raka thought about it.
"I want to know why my father sealed my power."
"That's better."
"And I want to know why you can appear inside my mind."
Alya fell silent.
"I want to know too."
Raka looked at her.
"Then we have the same goal."
The next morning, they began searching for information.
Alya learned that the body she inhabited belonged to a girl named **Nadia**.
She was a girl from a minor family who lived in a village near Sagara Valley.
She had disappeared several days before Alya appeared.
No one knew where Nadia had gone.
Raka began to grow suspicious.
"What if your body was chosen?"
Alya nodded.
"It's possible."
"Why?"
"Because this body was able to accept my soul."
"And who chose it?"
Alya looked at Raka.
"The person who performed the first ritual."
They found a clue in an old house.
There, they discovered notes about a mage named **Arman Darsa**.
A name neither of them had ever heard.
But the notes said that Arman Darsa had once studied the soul exchange.
He had also once worked with the Wira family.
Raka read the sentence over and over.
"My family was involved."
Alya nodded.
"Looks like it."
Raka crumpled the paper in his hand.
"My father knew."
"Yes."
"And he never told me."
Alya touched his shoulder.
"Then let's not tell him that we know."
Raka looked at her.
"Why?"
"Because someone who's hidden a secret for twenty years won't let us uncover it easily."
The following night, they were attacked.
Three royal mages appeared in the street.
Alya immediately recognized the insignia on their robes.
"Guards."
Raka drew his sword.
"Should we run?"
Alya smiled.
"I can handle them."
"You can't even use magic properly yet."
"I can still use a sword."
Alya moved.
Nadia's body was indeed weak.
But years of experience still remained in her memory.
She dodged the first attack.
Spun.
Kicked her opponent's knee.
Snatched his staff.
But her body couldn't keep up with her mind.
The second attack struck her shoulder.
Alya fell.
Raka stepped forward.
His sword blocked the attack.
"Don't touch her."
The mage in front laughed.
"Who are you?"
"Someone who doesn't want to be disturbed."
He raised his hand.
The seal on Raka's palm lit up.
The ground trembled.
Everyone fell silent.
Alya stared at him.
"Raka..."
Energy exploded.
The guards were thrown backward.
Raka himself looked shocked.
He stared at his hand.
"I couldn't control it."
Alya stood.
"Then learn."
"How?"
Alya smiled.
"From now on, I'll teach you."
Raka stared at her.
"You?"
"Why? Do you have another option?"
Raka smiled.
"No."
That night, they returned to the warehouse.
Dimas was still there.
He looked at the two of them.
"So?"
Raka sat down.
"Alya's going to teach me."
Dimas raised an eyebrow.
"Her?"
Alya folded her arms.
"I'm a mage."
"Whose soul moved into another body."
"That's right."
"Who's being hunted by the kingdom."
"That's right."
"And you want to teach Raka magic?"
"That's right."
Dimas rubbed his temples.
"I already feel like my life is too complicated."
Raka laughed.
But Alya remained serious.
"Raka."
"Yeah?"
"If you really want to break that seal, you have to be ready to lose something."
"What?"
"Yourself."
Raka fell silent.
Alya continued.
"Magic doesn't give power away for free."
"Then what's the price?"
Alya looked at the moon through the window.
"Fate."
That night, they made an agreement.
Alya would teach Raka to control his energy.
Raka would help Alya find a way to reclaim her body.
They would not betray each other.
They would not hide important information from each other.
And if either of them discovered who had caused the soul exchange...
they would face that person together.
Raka held out his hand.
Alya looked at it.
Then she clasped his hand.
White light appeared.
They were both startled.
The same symbol appeared on both their palms.
But this time, it was different.
The symbol changed into two interlocking circles.
Dimas saw it.
"That's not the symbol of the soul exchange."
Alya shook her head.
"That's right."
"Then what is it?"
Alya looked at Raka.
"A Soul Bond."
Raka swallowed.
"What does that mean?"
Alya didn't answer.
Because she knew what it meant.
When two souls were bound together, one could feel the other's pain.
Their energy could flow between them.
And if one of them died...
the other might die too.
Raka slowly pulled his hand away.
"Looks like we made a bad deal."
Alya smiled.
"Too late now."
Outside, the full moon shone brightly.
Atop the city tower, the man in gray robes stood once more.
He watched the light rising from the warehouse.
His expression changed.
"A Soul Bond."
The shadow behind him asked,
"Is that bad?"
"Worse than we anticipated."
"Should we kill them?"
The man shook his head.
"Not yet."
"Why?"
"Because they still don't know who they really are."
He smiled.
"Let them search for answers."
"And after that?"
"We'll take everything."
Inside the warehouse, Alya handed Raka a wooden sword.
"Starting tomorrow."
Raka looked at the sword.
"Tomorrow?"
"Yes."
"Why not now?"
"Because I'm tired."
Raka laughed.
"So you're human after all."
Alya shot him a sharp look.
"Don't make me regret this."
Raka raised both hands.
"Okay."
They then went their separate ways to sleep.
But that night, neither of them truly slept.
Raka stared at the ceiling.
Alya stared out the window.
They were each thinking about the same things.
Who were they really?
Why were their souls connected?
Who had performed that ritual?
And why was Raka's family involved?
Those questions still had no answers.
But at least they were no longer searching alone.
Out there, the kingdom was still hunting Alya.
The Wira family was still hiding its secrets.
And a mysterious mage was waiting for the right moment to make his move.
Meanwhile, far from Sagara Valley, an old woman opened a chest.
Inside was a white cloth gone yellow with age.
She took out a small object.
A pendant.
Its surface bore two identical symbols.
The first circle was for Raka.
The second circle was for Alya.
The woman gazed at it with tear-filled eyes.
"Forgive me."
She closed the chest.
"You should never have been separated."
The night wind blew.
The lamp flame went out.
And in the darkness, a child's voice echoed from the past.
"Don't leave me."
The woman closed her eyes.
Tears streamed down her cheeks.
Twenty years had passed.
Yet the secret was not dead.
Instead, it had finally found its way home.
And Raka and Alya's journey had only just begun.