Heart Of

Chapter 59 - Pacts and Agreements

Uncomfortable silence settled upon the room. Rien, still standing between Tsuru and the Dragon, had no idea what they were talking about. Valleus had an idea, but there was a depth of emotion that he wasn't prepared to handle, especially in this scenario. Tsuru seemed taken aback by the Dragon's candor, and his rage died down as quickly as it had built up.

"Tsuru, uh, sir," Valleus managed, faltering slightly in his attempt not to offend the tengu. "Rien doesn't want to force you to stay cramped up in here, unable to have any agency. He just wants the same respect shown towards himself as he'll afford you."

"Oh? Are you an expert now, dragon's vessel?"

Valleus blinked at the title. He'd never thought of himself that way, but he supposed it fit. "I mean... I can't say I know how it feels, really. But I've been treated kindly by the Dragon, and it makes me want to help him too. We're stuck with each other, so we might as well make the most of it. For example, I've let the Dragon take control when he's asked. In return, he's never done anything I would disapprove of."

The Dragon looked at the knight in surprise as he spoke. "Knowing Rien, he's not looking to use you or profit off of your power. If you two learn to communicate and work together as a team, you'll both find life a lot more enjoyable."

"Um," Rien had stepped out from between Tsuru and the Dragon, and now found his voice once more. "Will I always have to come back to this place to talk to Tsuru? I don't know how."

The tengu sighed, shaking his head. Before they could discuss matters of power and worth, he needed to explain to his new host the finer points of what was going on. "You heard my voice just now while you were walking, didn't you?"

"That was you?"

Rien's astonishment caused Tsuru to roll his eyes. "There's no one else living in your head besides me. I'll be witnessing life through you, and will be able to interact with you at any time. In the same way, my powers will be available for your use... as I see fit."

"'As you see fit' really can't include murdering humans," the Dragon quipped.

Tsuru balked. "I mean, if they deserve it..."

"No!" Rien interjected. He was clearly upset by the memory of what Tsuru had done before. "You can't kill anyone using my body. If you're telling me I can't use your powers unless I change my mind, then I guess I'll just have to go without."

Tsuru and the Dragon were surprised by Rien's strong declaration, but Valleus looked on in pride. The young man had taken to heart the things Valleus and Aushen had taught him the night before.

"Might I suggest sealing it with a pact?" the Dragon asked, a hint of slyness in his tone. Tsuru scowled, while the two humans tilted their heads, questioning what he meant. "We 'spirits', as you call us, are significantly more powerful than humans. The only reason Tsuru hasn't been able to force you back and take over completely is because he's still recovering from being sealed for so long. Given enough time, he would be able to force you into your mind, and take over your body."

Rien and Valleus looked quite disturbed, while the tengu merely narrowed his eyes. "That said—and you may not know this, Tsuru—the power you can wield in partnership with your host is far, far greater than the power you could wield alone, forcing him into the background. Such is the nature of the way you were sealed."

Subconsciously, Tsuru and Rien exchanged a surprised glance. "I'm saying that it's in your best interest to work together."

"But why a pact?" Tsuru asked suspiciously.

"Simple," the Dragon sniffed. "Words are power. Connections are power. A pact would bind you both to the very fiber of your being—even more than you are bound now. It sounds constraining, but because of that very 'constraint', Tsuru's soul would have all the more ability to mingle with Rien's. It's like widening the mouth of a river."