As it turns out, the information Kenan got from the book about bonds didn’t include much more than what Nattura told him. It briefly apprised him how to form one, which was as simple as the dragon claimed. When one is created, some traits are shared between the participants. As the bond grows, they gain certain abilities. One of the common ones is telepathy. It was also explicitly said that each bond is uniquely its own. Then it got into the finding of bonds, and how they have been used throughout history. It also lightly touched on magical oaths. Another thing he would save for a later time.

Noctis and his companion had traveled outside the village. Not incredibly far, but enough not to be disturbed. For some reason, Kenan thought it would be wise to avoid any and all eyes. At first he was apprehensive, not because of the lack of knowledge, but the fleeting thoughts of déjà vu. In the back of his brain, locked away underneath, he knew what was going to happen. Yet, when he looked back to see how he secured that information, he drew blanks.

The sun decreased its rays to relay the information that the final hour was near. Noctis sat criss crossed and opposite of him, less than a yard away, was Dion. Kenan was amazed at the rate he had grown. At first he was the size of a medium dog, now he rivaled the likes of small, regular wolves. Noctis didn’t think he was going to stop anytime soon either.

“I never said thank you.” Noctis said, staring into the uncanny intelligent eyes. “How did you know?” Dion lifted his paw to his snout. As if to say he smelled them. Kenan chuckled, and reached to pat his friend.

Noctis closed his eyes, he felt Dion do the same. Mana obeyed its commands as it traveled down his arm, and burrowed it’s way into the wolf. He felt it reach all the way to Dions dantian. A moment passed as he perceived another power invade his system, but he allowed it to penetrate. That foreign mana mingled with his own. Inside of Kenan's mind, an image started. On a large balance scale stood both himself, and Dion. The scale titered before settling on equal terms. Intention was clear.

Suddenly the alien power was rejected, and his own was forced out of the wolf. Kenan opened his eyes in surprise, and Dions opened in anger. The wolf bared his teeth and barked. “What?” It barked again, sending spittle in Noctis’ face. “What?!” Dion growled in annoyance, and Kenan wasn’t sure, but he thought he saw the wolf roll his eyes. Dion crouched his hind legs, tucked his tail, bowed his head and licked hip lips. Eyesight strictly away from Kenans.

It didn’t take long for Noctis to receive the message given. “Why? I don’t understand.” Dion didn’t move from his position.

Kenan gave thought a while. Trying to process the reasoning behind Dion's actions. After he had seen what Roshu did to the two wolves, Dions parents, and the boundment of the survivors. Kenan didn’t want to be the one to force another being into service. After some time the wolf barked. Telling Noctis to get on with it. “Fine.” Kenan held out his hand and began the process once more. Mana was given and taken from both of the beings. Surrounding and invading each other's core.

This time, in Noctis’ mind. He imagined a collar forming in his hands. Attached to it was a chain connected to a thin, metal vambrace. Kenan put on the arm armor. Then in his mind, Dion appeared in front of him. The wolf bowed and licked his lips. As gently as he could imagine, Noctis put on the collar. As soon as it snapped shut, they both were kicked out of the mental image.

Mana churned violently, neither of them had any control of what was happening. Power was siphoned from the cores as it was quickly replaced by the other's mana. A mix of strain and deprivation started to erode the duo. Kenan’s mana was blue, and always imagined it so. When he perceived Dion's, it was red. As the power turned and twisted, dividing and forming into each other. The power eventually mixed to create a purple hue.

A new sensation came. Pain. Kenan’s skin felt as if he had been ignited in a thousand different pricks and needles. His eyes, nose, and tongue roiled at the feeling of fire. Cracks were heard from his jaw as it broke and reformed. Noctis spat out teeth. The canines and the two surrounding teeth were replaced with sharp fangs. At once all his fingernails were ripped out, quickly taking their place were a set of black, slightly pointed ones. The rest of his body started to change. His back slowly stretched as he grew taller, and his muscles were inflicted with so much pressure, they became denser than ever before.

Dion wasn’t saved from pain. As Mana rushed with the force of a hurricane. The sides of his dantian were forcefully pushed upon and it felt like he was going to burst. From his core erratic lines were etched into Dion, creating new mana viens. Power built inside of his two open gates as they too, like the dantain, were starting to slowly become wider. As more and more purple mana generated inside of the wolf. Pressure built in his mouth, eyes, ears, claws, and tail. Whatever was holding back the build up broke, flame erupted from those points.

As the full moon shone in its entire brilliance, shunning away the sun. A last surge of pain pulsed. Dion howled, the flame whipped as it turned a turquoise color. Nostis yelled too as the pricks became an overbearing force.

As the last of their voices died, the connected two passed out.

***

By the time Kenan's eyes opened again, the sun was a quarter way up in the sky. The brain in his skull was roaring. Sensory overloaded his thoughts. It was hard to explain, but he felt his sense of touch widened. He felt everything, each little blade of grass touching his back, every micro bump in the soil. He tried to stand. It took a moment, his center of gravity changed. The tunic he had been wearing now cut off at the lower stomach, and his pants stopped above his ankles. Slowly his eyes got used to the sun. When it did, he was amazed. The new information his oculus system brought to him was astonishing. Noctis was even more surprised when he involuntarily sniffed. Soil, wolf, and other smells. Bread and manure wafted from the village. His ears twitched as he muffedly heard the thump of a far off hare, he smelled it too.

Dion roused at the same time. The flame attached to him fizzled out. As he arched his back to stretch, he yawned. Out came a plume of fire. A bark of surprise came out of him, again he released flame. Heat came out of his ear, using his paw he tried to wipe it away. Then his claws ignited. Eventually he won the battle with the flame.

Noctis traced his new teeth with his tongue and scraped his palm with the newly minted claws. He looked towards Dion. His friend's eyes are no longer gray, but the same as his own."You smell bad." The wolf gave an indignant bark. Smoke raised from his snout. Dion layed down and covered his nose with his paws and growled out his annoyance.