(Opening Scene: Kurozane and Astrid continue their trek through the moonlit monster forest, Zephyr occasionally taking flight to scout ahead. The concept of familiars and Astrid's bond with Zephyr have been ঘুরপাকing in Kurozane's mind.)
As they walked, the image of the shadowy egg in the silent void resurfaced in Kurozane's thoughts. He remembered the strange pull he had felt towards it, the accidental touch, and the subsequent emergence of Eclipse. Could that have been his own unconscious form of a bonding ritual? It certainly wasn't a deliberate act, but perhaps the unique energies of the void and his own nascent powers had initiated a connection in a way that differed from the local traditions Astrid described.
The cold energy that had surged through him upon touching the egg, the immediate appearance of Eclipse… it felt significant, a point of origin for their unusual bond. Maybe the void itself had its own form of connection, a silent, instinctive resonance rather than a spoken or practiced rite.
He glanced at Zephyr soaring gracefully overhead, a clear extension of Astrid's will. His connection with Eclipse felt different, more mysterious and less defined. Eclipse acted with its own agency, yet there was an undeniable link, a silent understanding that had guided them through the void and in their fight against the Shadowed Maw.
He considered sharing this thought with Astrid, the idea that his "familiar" might have been born from a touch in another dimension. But a deep-seated caution held him back. He still didn't fully trust this noblewoman, and the truth of his void connection felt too strange, too unbelievable to share so readily. Let her believe it was an unusual familiar bond, if she insisted on that term. He would keep the bizarre origins to himself for now.
Instead, he asked Astrid a more general question about familiars. "Do familiars… do they always stay with their wielder?"
Astrid considered his question. "Usually, the bond is strong and enduring. Some last a lifetime. However, the specifics can vary. Some familiars have their own needs or origins that might occasionally draw them away, but a true bond ensures their eventual return."
Her words offered a small comfort regarding Eclipse's sudden departures. Perhaps their connection, however unusual, was strong enough to ensure its return when needed.
Kurozane nodded slowly, absorbing her words, his mind still filled with the silent mystery of the void egg and the shadowy serpent that had emerged from it. The concept of a familiar provided a potential framework, but his own experience felt far stranger and more profound. He kept his theories to himself, a silent understanding blooming in the quiet corners of his mind.