I woke up with Natalia curled against me, her breathing slow and even. Morning light spilled through the window, illuminating her purple hair spread across my chest like a silken waterfall.

The System interface hovered persistently in my peripheral vision, the faint blue glow a constant reminder of last night's gacha pulls and our subsequent advancement. That new Ice Spike ability I'd imparted to Natalia through our strengthened bond—she didn't even know she possessed it yet. The thought of showing her, of watching those ice-blue eyes widen with surprise and then narrow with predatory delight, made me smile. My Ice Queen needed her proper crown, and I'd be the one to gift it to her. Another link in the chain I was methodically wrapping around her.

I carefully extracted myself from Natalia's grip. She made a small grumble of protest—a sound so unlike her usual composed demeanor that I almost laughed—before rolling over and burying her face in my pillow, instinctively seeking my lingering warmth and scent.

"Where're you going?" she mumbled.

"Get some sleep," I said. "I've got something to show you later."

Her only response was a sleepy hum as she drifted off again.

Three hours later, I stood in the doorway of our home gym, watching Natalia work through her morning stretches. She'd changed into a purple sports bra and black leggings that hugged every curve of her body. Her hair was pulled back in a high ponytail, revealing the elegant line of her neck.

I took a moment to appreciate the view. My queen. My first pillar. And now, with that rank 5 bond, my personal SP generator.

What a fucking upgrade.

"Are you going to stand there staring all day?" Natalia asked without turning around. She bent forward at the waist, touching her palms flat to the floor. Show-off.

"Just admiring my handiwork," I replied, stepping into the gym. The morning light streamed through the panoramic windows, catching dust motes in golden beams.

Natalia straightened and turned to face me, a slight smile playing on her lips. "Your handiwork?"

"Well, I did help shape all this." I gestured at her body.

She rolled her eyes. "You're such an ass."

"Love you too," I replied, approaching her. "And I have something important to show you."

She tilted her head, her gaze sharpening. "What is it? A new training regimen?"

"A new part of you," I replied, stepping closer. I'd lead her to the center of the floor. "The ring on your finger... what does it feel like? Not the metal. The power inside."

"I don't know… cold?"

"Close your eyes."

She obeyed without question, and I moved to stand directly behind her. I pressed my body flush against her back, my chin resting just above her head. I wrapped my arms around her, covering her smaller hands with mine and slipped off the ring.

"Forget everything you know about just pushing with your power," I whispered, my lips close to her ear. She shivered at the proximity. "This is different. Feel the energy from the Cryo-Lich Ring. Feel its cold. Don't fight it. Welcome it. Let it flow into your telekinesis."

I guided her hands, palms facing forward. "Now... shape it. Don't just project force. Will that cold into a form. A point. A blade. Something sharp."

Her first attempt sent a wave of intense cold through the room. The temperature plummeted, and frost feathered across the floor, but nothing solid formed. Natalia's body shivered uncontrollably against mine.

"I-I can't," she said, teeth chattering. "It's just fucking cold. I can't get it to hold a shape."

"You're too tense," I said, releasing her hands to slide mine up to her shoulders. "You're trying to force it. Power like this requires finesse. Relax. Let me help you."

I found the pressure points at the base of her neck with my thumbs. Thank you, Intermediate Pressure Points skill. I applied gentle, rotating pressure, sending a jolt of pleasure through her nervous system.

"Hnngh!"

Her entire body went limp against me, her head falling back against my shoulder. Her eyes fluttered beneath closed lids.

"Satori..." Her voice was breathy and weak. "What was that...? I... I can't concentrate..."

"Yes, you can," I whispered.

I moved my hands back down to cover hers. I felt the shift in her energy—no longer a scattered blizzard, but a focused, pinpoint vortex of immense cold. The air in front of her palms began to shimmer, not with heat, but with its absolute absence. "Now," I commanded. "Unleash it."

With a guttural cry from Natalia, a massive spike of crystalline ice detonated from the training floor. The sound was deafening—a crack like a glacier splitting in two, followed by the tinkling aftermath of ice shards settling.

The spike was taller than Natalia, a crude but terrifying monument of jagged, semi-translucent ice. It glittered in the morning light, throwing fractured rainbows across the gym walls. The air around it shimmered with cold.

Natalia stood panting, her chest heaving, sweat beading on her brow despite the freezing temperature. She was trembling, not from cold, but from the raw adrenaline of unleashing a power she never knew she possessed.

She stared at the monstrous ice spike for a long moment, her eyes wide with disbelief and awe. Then, she slowly turned her head, looking up at me over her shoulder.

"I did that?" she whispered.

I nodded, pride swelling in my chest at what we'd accomplished. "You did."

She launched herself at me, wrapping her arms around my neck and kissing me hard. I caught her easily, one hand sliding down to cup her ass through the thin material of her leggings.

"That was incredible," she breathed against my lips. "I felt... I felt so powerful."

"You are powerful," I said. "And now you're even more so."

She turned back to look at her creation, her eyes gleaming with possibilities. "I wonder if I can make it sharper. Or maybe multiple spikes at once. Or—"

The door to the gym swung open, and Luka's voice boomed through the room. "What the hell was that noise? I thought the building was collapsing."

He froze in the doorway, his eyes fixed on the enormous ice spike dominating the center of the room. His jaw dropped.

Natalia and I jumped apart, looking like guilty teenagers caught making out.

"Dad!" Natalia said, her voice unnaturally high. "I, um..."

"Natalia did it" I called out, my face completely straight. "And I'm not cleaning that up."

Luka continued to stare, speechless.

Natalia's head whipped around to face me, her expression shifting from embarrassment to indignation. "You're the one who showed me how to do it!"

"Showed you how? I was just standing here innocently. You're the one who nearly took out the ceiling with your Elsa powers."

"Why you—" She punched my arm, hard enough that I'd probably have a bruise later. "You know damn well this was your idea! And who the fuck is Elsa?"

I grinned at her, delighted to see that familiar flash of fire return to her eyes. "Don't worry about it. Looks like the Ice Queen has a temper."

Luka finally found his voice. "This... this is remarkable, Natalia." He approached the ice spike cautiously, examining it from all angles. "I've never seen you manifest actual ice before. Just the telekinetic frost effect from the ring."

Natalia shot me a private glance, then straightened her shoulders. "I've been training. Pushing my boundaries."

"Well, it's impressive," Luka said, reaching out to touch the ice. He pulled his hand back quickly. "And extremely cold. How did you learn to do this?"

I watched Natalia struggle for an explanation. "I just... felt it." She looked at me, a secret smile playing at the corners of her mouth. "Sometimes the most important lessons come when we're not even looking for them."

Luka nodded, oblivious to the subtext. "Well, this is perfect timing. The Academy entrance exams are all about pushing your Aspect to new limits." He clapped me on the shoulder. "And what about you, son? Any new developments with yours?"

"Still working on control," I said smoothly. "Not all of us can make giant ice sculptures on our first try."

Natalia stuck her tongue out at me.

"Well, keep at it, both of you," Luka said, heading back to the door. "But maybe take it outside next time? Your mother will have a fit if you flood the condo when that thing melts."

When he was gone, Natalia turned to me, her face flushed with excitement. "That was amazing! How did you know I could do that?"

I tapped my temple. "The Covenant. Our bond. It's growing stronger."

She stepped closer, wrapping her arms around my waist. "Thank you," she said softly. "For showing me what I'm capable of."

I gave her a kiss on the top of her head. "Don't thank me yet. We're just getting started, my Ice Queen. Now, how about we see what else you can do with that power?"

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