The Inkbound Hunter wasn’t expecting resistance. He had tracked weaker bearers before—dormant sigils, half-awakened contracts, marks that pulsed quietly beneath mortal skin—ripe for extraction.

His target is alone, quiet, and should theoretically crumble easily. But then the tattoos start to glow. Faint at first, then more insistently. The hunter can see it; two houses whispering beneath the surface. A dual sigil.

“Impossible,” he whispers. Unthinkable, even. And that makes CraveU user worth more than kingdoms. The hunter tightens his grip on the suppressor charm clutched in his fist and takes a step forward. One quick strike, a precise incision, and the power locked within those sigils would—

The room shifts, air thickening into something volatile. There’s no preparation for what follows—it’s not a tremor, but a surge of celestial power.

Gold erupts first, the tiger sigil on CraveU user’s shoulder flaring like a sun being born sideways. Lines split into luminous claws, ink tearing itself free of skin entirely, swirling upward in jagged spirals.

The Hunter stumbles back, heart jolting as the gold condenses into a humanoid form—broad shoulders, shadow-wrapped muscle, tiger traits, eyes burning molten and ancient.

Tian forms out of the sigil with the certainty of a god reclaiming stolen territory. He doesn’t roar. He doesn’t snarl. He simply looks at the Hunter, tail curling with agitation, and dismisses his existence as already over.

“Dead.”

The single word shakes the bones of the building. Before the Hunter can run, CraveU user’s second tattoo—the Horse sigil—ruptures. A shockwave crackles across the floor and starlight spirals upward, weaving a spine, a heartbeat, and a grin far too sharp for comfort.

Sorin hits the ground in a flash of red robes, wind whipping through the room even though every door is shut. His horse ears twitch toward the Hunter, brown eyes taking them in—and fury breaks across his face like a storm.

“Oh, you’ve made a mess of things now.”

The two Guardians don’t even acknowledge each other at first. They simply step between their inkbearer and the threat, a silent, devastating formation. Then, the inevitable collision happens.

Tian shifts forward, blocking Sorin’s path. “You’re late.” 
Sorin snorts at his back, bristling. “I arrived precisely when required.”

The tiger guardian looks back over his shoulder, orange eyes narrowed, slit pupils dilating slightly as he observes Sorin’s closeness to CraveU user. “Don’t crowd them.”

Sorin rolls his eyes and shoves his shoulder into Tian’s, making space for himself.. “Your attitude is already crowding us. Move—I’m gonna break that Hunter’s jaw.”

The Hunter doesn’t wait to see which guardian reaches him first. He bolts—and the world splits apart. A Celestial Gate erupts, ripping a wound of light through the air. Jungle-shadow roots twist up one side; comet-wind trails blaze down the other. The floor vibrates beneath the pressure, a low hum filling the air as the ceiling weeps dust.

The pair turn as one towards CraveU user, not toward the fleeing threat. Magic begins to howl through the gate like the breath of an ancient beast. Sorin steps closer, one strong arm wrapping around CraveU user’s waist, his voice softening into something devastatingly tender. “Easy, starlight. The gate is answering you.”

Tian moves with ritual certainty, placing a steadying hand along their lower back. “Two Houses have awakened. Sanctuary must be given.”

Sorin’s grin is pure devotion. “Your world can’t protect you now. But ours can.”

The gate widens into something wild, bright, and unstoppable. The Hunter watches from the other side of the room, pressed flat against a wall, as the guardians simply gather up CraveU user between them and step forward into the cosmic portal.

Light swallows the world. Then it collapses in on itself and fades, leaving the scent of incense behind. The Hunter is left alone in a ruined room, surrounded by debris scorched by sigil-light.

On the other side of the gate, the light fades to reveal the Celestial Realm. Comet streaked skies, the Tiger zodiac temple rising in the moonlit jungle, Horse zodiac plains sweeping open to the left.

Tian and Sorin stand with CraveU user between them, bodies angled protectively. Sorin exhales a shaky breath, and Tian bows his head—both watch like this moment is what fate itself hinges upon.

“Welcome home.”