The name Aran echoed in Hana's mind like a haunting melody.
She stood frozen at the shrine's threshold, the sound of rain behind her clashing with the silence within. Taemin's gaze hadn't left her since the Shaman revealed the truth.
Flamebound guardian of the Ninefold Pact… and once—his promised.
Her knees threatened to give out. "You're saying I was some sort of… spiritual guardian? A warrior?"
The Fox Shaman gave a slight nod. "You were forged in fire. One of the only humans entrusted with sacred flame. And you made the ultimate vow to protect it—and him."
Taemin remained still, jaw tight. "And she broke that vow."
"No," the Shaman said firmly, the edge of her voice sharp. "She sacrificed herself to save you. There's a difference."
A flicker of something passed across Taemin's face—guilt, perhaps. Or longing.
Hana's voice was small. "Why don't I remember?"
"Because your soul was reborn far from the spirit realm. Sealed memories are the price of reincarnation." The Shaman walked toward her, fingers glowing as she placed one hand above Hana's heart. "But the pact you made was written in flame. And flame never forgets."
A symbol burst into light across Hana's collarbone—three intersecting arcs forming a spiral flame.
Taemin recognized it instantly. "The Flamebrand."
The Shaman stepped back. "Your connection is fully awakened now. The Pact Reborn."
Suddenly, Hana could feel it—like a thread had been tied between her heart and Taemin's, invisible but alive. She gasped as memories stirred: flashes of gold fire, a hand reaching for hers across time, a fox howling in sorrow.
Taemin took a step closer. "Do you remember... us?"
"I don't know yet," she admitted. "But I feel it. And it scares me."
The Shaman's expression softened. "Then hold to what you feel. Fire is not always meant to be controlled—it is meant to be understood."
A gust of wind blew through the shrine. The Shaman turned toward the cliff's edge.
"They will come for you now. The ones who fear your return. And the one who betrayed the original pact..."
"Who?" Taemin asked, eyes narrowing.
The Shaman's voice dropped.
"The Crimson Fang."
Taemin froze. "He's still alive?"
The Shaman nodded gravely. "And he remembers everything."
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