The peace that settled after the storm felt fragile, like a held breath. Maybe it stemmed from those who'd stared death in the face; claws raking too close to them, or the gut-wrenching pull of the colliding skills birthing gravitational spikes and fleeting black holes. Who could say for sure?
Dust drifted down from the air, grain by grain, while the dome's barrier crackled less insistently under the fading strain. The warped atmosphere eased back to its usual subtlety, nearly invisible unless you stared hard, its light-fracturing haze tugging at the edges of your vision. It was never meant to be visible, but the way it fractured light made you notice it subconsciously.
The group slumped onto the ruined manor's grounds. Even those who hadn't tangled with the beast had poured their strength into evacuating civilians from the dome's vast expanse; a grueling relay of shouts and shoves.
The once beautiful courtyard was nothing more than wasteland now. Craters dotted the earth like a colossal wanderer had walked through and left footprints. Trenches had been gouged into the ground from claw swipes, some from boots skids, and at least one from a body being dragged mercilessly across the dirt.
"It's nice to rest, even for a minute," Jay said, stretching her arms overhead. Her chest bounced with the motion but she didn't seem to notice or care. Despite the night, her vivid green eyes caught the light from the ethereal aether-charged sky and the moon, giving them an almost hypnotic gleam.
Kaelen turned, dislodging a shower of dust from his dark hair, streaked red and now caked brown. More of the dirt clung to his face and shredded clothes. He eyed her jiggling chest with the weary curiosity of someone baffled by her endless energy. Even if the physical aches had dulled, the mental grind of what they'd survived still lingered like a shadow.
"Yet you keep jiggling those humongous babies," Lira teased, her arms still looped possessively around Kaelen's, with no intention of letting go.
"Oh? You're just jealous you'll never reach the pinnacle of beauty." Jay smirked, shaking her chest deliberately, making sure Lira caught the motion.
Lira's face twitched, her lips curling into a mocking grin. "You think guys care about that? Chest plates barely fit you. You should be ashamed."
Jay's cheeks flushed hot as she pouted. "It's not my fault they don't make them to fit."
"Yeah, it's your humongous boobs," Lira shot back without missing a beat.
Penelope erupted in laughter. It was a bright, genuine, rare, and nguarded burst that shattered her poised noble facade. Her lush green hair swayed as she bent forward, one hand pressing against her stomach as she gasped for breath, wiping tears from her eyes.
Jil stared at her with open surprise. In all his years monitoring the dome, in all the time he'd worked alongside her, he had never once seen this side of her. Not once.
Mel flicked her gaze from Penelope to Kaelen, unsurprised. She'd watched the noblewoman thaw since the group arrived, her sincerity a stark pivot from the polished mask she usually wore. It was sincere, a genuine contrast to the practiced noble persona.
Kaelen caught Mel's glance, this wasn't the first time she had done it tonight, but exhaustion pinned his tongue.
"Your group's as entertaining as ever," Penelope said, her voice light with lingering chuckles.
"Don't tell me you agree with her?" Jay jabbed a finger at Lira.
"Obviously she does," Lira said, flashing a daring smile.
"I didn't say that," Penelope replied evenly.
"Ha! See? She agrees with me!" Jay thrust her chest out triumphantly.
"She never said she did."
Everyone froze. Kaelen had spoken, his voice cutting through the banter like a dull knife.
"If she agrees with you, doesn't that put Miss Mel below your so-called pinnacle?" He glanced tiredly from Jay to Mel, rubbing his temple.
"No, Kaelen. No!" Jil groaned inwardly.
"Wha—"
Jay's yelp cut short at the sharp sound gainst Kaelen's skull.
Whack!
"Ow!"
"That's not what you say to a lady!" Lira scowled, her hand still raised.
"I was just stating a fact. It shouldn't earn me a smack." Kaelen winced, dragging out the words.
"Apologize!" Lira yanked his ear.
"Ow! I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"
Penelope lost it completely. She doubled over, hands on her knees, laughter escaping in gasps that made it hard to breathe. When she finally straightened up, her face was flushed and tears clung to her eyelashes.
"Th-then... what's 'your' standard for a lady's beauty?" she managed between breath.
"Should ladies even have a classification for beauty?" Kaelen countered, rubbing his ear.
"Shouldn't they?" Jay tilted her head, tapping her lower lip thoughtfully.
"Let me rephrase: Does it have to be physical?"
"It doesn't 'have' to be," Lira admitted. "But isn't that what your kind prefers?"
"Our kind?" Jil and Kaelen echoed in unison.
Their eyes met for a split second, surprised by the accidental synchronization.
"I didn't mean it like that," Lira backpedaled.
"Everyone stereotypes sometimes. No blame," Jil said softly, diffusing the spark. "But you're wrong."
Kaelen nodded slowly, choosing his words with care. "A lady's beauty isn't just her figure," his gaze drifted across the group. "It's her personality, her character, the traits that make her shine. Every woman has something unique that draws people in."
He paused, scanning their faces to hook their attention.
"Take Jay: she's brave, confident, and charismatic. No matter the mess you're trapped in, she spins it positive, and lights up the dark.".
Jay's face warmed, a flush creeping up her neck. She hadn't realized he noticed that much.
"It's obvious about Jay," Lira chimed in with a gentle smile, nudging her.
"Lira is different. She's firm, smart, and steady. To me, she's an anchor. We're not blood related, but her warmth radiates over me like a mother's love for her son."
Jay stifled a giggle at Lira's deepening blush, her cheeks rivaling the aether's glow.
"Penelope, I haven't known you long, but..." Kaelen's eyes flicked to her, then away. "First meeting, I pegged you as another bored rich girl, Posting a low-pay quest to lure desperate F-ranks because you were bored. Lonely. Whatever."
Penelope's expression didn't change, but something in her posture went still.
"I was wrong."
The words landed softly in the silence.
"You're not playing games. You've never had the luxury of playing games, have you? From what you told us... a six-year-old alone. A dead mother. That's not a sad story you tell for sympathy. That's just... your life. The thing you survived."
Penelope's hands tightened almost imperceptibly in her lap.
"And you did survive. Not by becoming cold like they wanted. Not by turning into some hollow Divian perfect mask. You stayed warm. Stubbornly, ridiculously warm. You laugh like you mean it." He paused. "I've seen the way you treat the workers. How you care about people who have no power to help you back. How do you even have space left for others after all that?"
He trailed off, voice softening. "But you do. And that's... I don't have words for what that is. Beautiful doesn't cover it."
Penelope's eyes glistened, but she said nothing.
Jil stared, lost in the raw honesty.
"You could've turned bitter, cruel. Instead, you're... you. Warm."
Kaelen turned slightly toward Mel. She didn't look at him, but he knew she was listening.
"As for you, Miss Mel. I disliked you. On our first meeting, you broke my ribs. Threw me into a boulder. You would have killed me if Penelope hadn't stopped you." His hand moved unconsciously to his ribs, feeling the phantom ache. "I sat there in the dirt with my bones knitting back together and thought: I prayed we'd never cross paths again."
He let out a quiet chuckle.
"Funny how things change."
Mel's head tilted a fraction of an inch.
"Watching you fight that thing, I realized something. You weren't just fighting. You were protecting. Every move, every strike, every time you stepped between it and the rest of us—you weren't trying to win. You were trying to make sure no one else died. Even before we joined the fight."
Mel kept her eyes forward, but her ears strained toward him, breath shallow.
"You could have taken Penelope and left. But you stayed behind to fight that beast alone. You appear void and lifeless on the surface, but what could be more filled with life than someone willing to give theirs for others?"
He paused.
"I still don't like you. But I respect you."
Mel turned to look at him properly. Her voice, when it came, was quiet. "I didn't stay behind to save anyone."
"Lies." Kaelen met her gaze steadily. "But not wanting to admit it just makes you more beautiful. Not in the way people usually mean. Not your face or your body. The way you stay. The way you hold on. That's beautiful. That's the most beautiful thing a person can be."
Mel said nothing. But she didn't look away either.
"Each trait makes you distinct. Captivating."
The silence stretched, comfortable rather than awkward.
Then, barely a whisper—but they all caught it: "Miss Mel matches my preference. Her curves, the proportions... just right."
WHACK!
"Ow—would you stop?" Kaelen yelped, clutching his head.
"Rude to ogle a lady's curves," Lira huffed.
Penelope burst into laughter once more. She bent over, one hand pressed to her stomach, the other braced against her knee. When she finally straightened, her breath came in short gasps.
"That was beautiful, Kaelen." She wiped at her eyes. "You would really make a wonderful groom."
Before anyone could react, she crossed the distance between them and wrapped both arms around his. The pressure of her chest against his arm made him stiffen immediately.
"Are you sure you don't want me?" she asked, her voice carrying that playful edge again.
Kaelen pulled his arm free gently but firmly, his face carefully neutral.
Penelope sighed dramatically, pressing a hand to her heart. "You've rejected me again. My poor heart can't take much more of this."
Jil could only stare at Kaelen with an expression that suggested he was re-evaluating everything he thought he knew about the younger generation.
...
Far from the dome, below the fourth tier in the seventh's quieter sprawl, stood a humble home quietly among its neighbors. It wasn't grand, nothing special or noticeable about it, really. Slightly shabby compared to some, but still moderate enough not to stand out.
Inside the small kitchen, barely wide enough for three people, a woman moved with quiet grace. Her dark hair, streaked with silver, swayed gently as she worked, preparing one of Kaelen's favorite dishes, steam curling invitingly. When she finished, she stepped out, her eyes flickered to the clock on the wall.
It was late.
Her son wasn't the type to stay out after dark. He didn't have friends he could stay with—Lira was the one who came here, not vise-versa. Worry coiled in her chest.
She tapped the watch on her left wrist.
RING!
RING!!
RING!!!
On the fourth ring, the call connected.
"Hello, Mother." Kaelen's voice came through, slightly distorted by the connection but unmistakably him.
"Why aren't you home yet?" Seren skipped greetings, the worry bleeding through despite her effort to sound calm.
"Something came up. I'm sorry for worrying you. I'll be home soon."
"Should I come pick you up?"
"No." The answer came quickly. "I'll be on my way soon. Don't bother."
"Are you sure?" She pressed, her maternal instincts flared.
Kaelen chuckled softly. "Don't worry, Mom. I'll be on my way soon."
Seren hesitated, wanting to push but relented. "If you say so."
"Mom." His voice cut in before she could end the call. "I'm bringing some friends over." The words were gentle but careful.
"Lira and Jay are always welco—"
"Not just them." A pause. "Stay safe."
BEEP.
The line went dead.
Seren eyed the half-set dining table, mind turning over the words. Who were these friends? She glanced toward the kitchen, then back at the table. After a moment, she moved to prepare more food, rolling up her sleeves once more.