The evacuated guards and workers clustered right outside the dome, a scattered crowd of uniforms and civilian clothes huddled together under the ethereal aether-streaked sky. Confusion and commotion ran through the air like a current. The atmosphere was so tense you could almost saw it with a jagged blade. Everyone felt it, that restless pressure coiling in their chests. They had all felt the intense pressure for a moment, the great gravitational pull that had clawed at them even through the dome's barrier.
"I'm going in." Declared a guard standing precisely five feet tall, his glossy black hair caught the eerie luminescence of the aether-streaked sky. His jaw was set hard.
"You can't." countered an older guard whose uniform bore subtle marks of different rank., its cut and markings suggesting years of service the younger man couldn't claim. His face was a mask of stone, unyielding with no visible expression, as he planted himself firmly in the younger man's path.
"It's been too long since that pressure faded," added another guard in the same uniform as the first, taller with dark brown hair that blended into the night's shadows. He stood beside his comrade, a wall of solidarity. "We need to check on Lady Penelope."
"You can't." The older guard repeated, his tone rising just slightly. Just enough to carry warning.
"Why not?" The first guard's voice climbed, aggression bleeding into every syllable. His eyes flashed. "Lady Penelope is in there. If we don't act, how can we serve her?"
"You will waste your life in there if you go in." The old guard moved again, planting himself directly in the younger man's path. "Lady Penelope gave a clear order. I won't let anyone in."
"Since when do you care so much about her orders?" He snarled, his canines began to lengthen, sharpening into points that pressed against his lower lip. His pupils shifted from brown to molten gold, catching the light like a predator's. Fur started to darken his jawline.
"Careful, boy." The old guard's tone went soft, but the softness carried a sharper warning than any shout could. "We're both guards, but the gulf between us is as vast as day from night."
Before the tension could snap, before fur and fang could meet whatever ability the old guard had coiled and waiting, the second guard stepped between them. He shoved his companion gently but firmly.
"He is right, Cray." He kept his voice low, and reasonable. "She ordered us out to save us. We can't face that beast."
"We abandon her?" Cray's voice dropped, softer now, meant only for his friend's ears.
"No. But we're outmatched. Let's wait for Lord Brennan's response."
Cray pulled his friend aside, away from the cluster of watching eyes. The old guards tracked their movement, but said nothing.
"You and I are both aware that the main house won't respond quickly." Cray's voice barely carried past his own lips, a whisper wrapped in frustration. "Not with Lady Penelope's circumstances. Even if they did, they won't take action. Should we be trusting the old guard's word? Dogs of the family?"
"Lady Penelope gave the order post-evacuatio—"
Pat!
"Tsk. Stop being a fool, Lorn." Cray clapped his friend on the back, a gesture meant to reassure and plead at once. "Distract him. I will run in."
Before Lorn could argue, before he could point out the hundred ways this could go wrong, Cray's body began to shift. His jaw elongated, canine teeth sliding into true fangs. Black fur swept across his features like a tide. His legs cracked and reformed, joints bending backward into something closer to a wolf's than a man's. He grew taller, his frame stretching and thickening.
The old guards watched. Their eyes tracked every change, every shift in his posture that signaled his intent. But they took no action. Perhaps they thought its stupidity. Perhaps they simply waited to see what the boy would do.
Lorn had no choice now. His friend had transformed in full view of everyone, had made his intentions obvious to anyone with eyes. Of course they knew what he was doing.
"Aaahh. Damn you, Cray." Lorn cursed silently.
THWOOM.
BOOM.
The old guard who had been blocking everyone's advance crashed into the side of the barrier with bone-jarring force. The distorted air crackled, shimmering briefly before returning to its usual calm distortion.
CRACK.
The earth beneath Cray fractured as he burst through the barrier's entrance. Lorn had bought him the chance he needed, and he wasn't going to waste it.
An old guard covered the distance instantly, his hand wrapping in a fist aimed at Cray's retreating back.
SWOOSH. CRACKLE.
A ball of green energy flames closed the distance faster than the fist could connect.
BOOM.
The old guard went flying, tumbling across the earth in a spray of dirt.
Now the commotion had everyone's attention. Workers, Penelope's guards, the old guards—all eyes fixed on the cause.
Lorn.
He stood with both arms raised, green flames crackling around his fists like living things. His expression held steady, but something in his eyes flickered with the knowledge of what he'd just done.
"What did you just do, boy?" The old guard who had been slammed into the barrier groaned as he pushed himself up, one hand pressed to his ribs.
"Sorry for defying orders, sir." Lorn kept his arms raised, the flames steady. "Please bear with me." He wasn't backing down.
The old guards gathered together now, forming a unified front against Lorn. Two of them helped their battered companion to his feet. But Penelope's guards moved too, clustering around their comrade, their own aether beginning to rise. The crowd split into two factions, the line between them drawn in tension and raised energy.
The workers could only stare as a full fight threatened to break out between the two groups. They couldn't stop it. None of them had the power or the authority.
Aether started to rise in earnest now. Pressure increased, pressing down on everyone in waves. The air grew so thick with potential violence you could cut it with a dull knife. Bodies began to shift—bull mutations, feline mutations, claws and fangs and thickened hides. Plasma energy crackled, similar to Lorn's
"I will teach you some respect." The old guard snarled, his own aether flaring.
Before any could move—
"What's going on?"
The voice cut through the tension like a blade through fog.
Everyone turned.
"Sir Jil!" The old guard stopped mid-stride, his aggression faltering. He straightened, snapped a salute. The others followed suit, the motion rippling through their ranks like a wave. "I was going to lecture this arrogant pup."
Jil turned to follow his pointing finger. It landed on Lorn.
"Arrogant?" The voice came from behind Jil, sharp and indignant. "You started it!"
Cray stepped out from behind the older guard, fully visible now. Behind him, Penelope and the rest of the group emerged from the barrier's entrance. All of them were safe and alive.
"Lady Penelope!" Her guards dropped to their knees in unison, the motion so synchronized it might have been rehearsed.
Penelope looked at them, at the two factions still coiled and ready to spring at each other, at the workers standing frozen with fear and uncertainty.
"Haa." She sighed.
"You were all left for a moment, and this is how you make your decisions?"
"We only sought to aid you," Lorn remained on his knees, but his voice carried clear and steady. "We feared for your safety."
"My orders were explicit." Penelope's voice stayed soft, but something in it made several guards shift uncomfortably. Another sigh escaped her, the sound heavy with exhaustion "Contact with the main family?"
"The old guards sent word," Lorn began.
"Lord Brennan's response is pending," an elder interjected.
"Good. Inform him it's a false alarm. The beast is slain." Penelope's green hair swayed gently in the night air, catching what little light it could.
"What?"
"That beast is down?"
"I told you, with Lady Mel's help, it would be a breeze."
"Liar! You thought her actions were foolish."
"Hey! Don't say that out loud."
The murmurs rippled through the crowd, a wave of disbelief and relief and quiet bickering.
"Shouldn't we await confirmation?" the old guard pressed.
"Do as I command," Penelope replied, her gentle tone laced with unyielding authority.
"Yes, ma'am." The old guard gritted his teeth, his fist clenching at his side. The words came out smooth, but his body betrayed him.
Kaelen noticed but said nothing.
"Where will we all stay tonight?" A worker's voice carried just enough to be audible, speaking what everyone wondered. While some could make it home, most lived in far places. Some lived outside the enclave entirely. They had come here seeking a life, and now the homes inside the dome were destroyed. It was a miracle the plants and most of the trees still stood healthy and strong.
Kaelen saw Penelope's expression shift. The stress of the day, of the fight, of everything, pressed down on her shoulders. And now this. Another problem. Another thing demanding her attention when she had nothing left to give.
"Le—"
"I wield an earth ability." Jay interjected before Kaelen could finish. "I can create temporary home structures from the soil. Pending till everything is resolved."
Penelope's eyes widened. "You would?" Jay offered more despite her own fatigue.
"You've endured enough stress today," Penelope noted.
Jay shrugged. "I'm Jay. The greatest earth ability user to ever exist. Just ask—"
SMACK.
"Ow!" Jay rubbed her head.
"A simple 'I insist' will do." Lira dropped her hand, her expression unrepentant.
"You didn't have to hit me. Justice for Jay."
Penelope fought to keep her noble composure in front of the guards, but the corners of her lips betrayed her. She couldn't quite suppress the smile that wanted to break through.
Cray had pulled Lorn aside, his voice barely above a whisper.
"Good job, Lorn." He clapped his friend on the back, his form completely shifting back to normal. The five foot guard with glossy black hair and a sheepish grin.
"You owe me." Lorn shoved his arm away, but there was no real heat in it.
"Ohh. Don't be rigid."
"Let's leave that for later." Lorn glanced toward the group. "How did you get back so quick?"
"They were nearing the entrance before I delved deep."
Lorn's eyes narrowed. "The beast?"
Cray turned to the group, studying them for a long moment before answering.
"I don't know."
...
Jay threw herself into the work with everything she had.
The earth responded to her call, rising and shaping itself into crude but functional structures. Huts formed from packed soil, their walls smooth and their roofs curved to shed water. She built with single-minded focus, her aether draining steadily despite the potions she downed between each construction.
Lira stood nearby, watching her friend push through exhaustion. She didn't offer to help, earth wasn't her affinity, but she stayed close, ready to catch Jay if she fell.
By the time Jay finished the last structure, over four hundred makeshift homes dotted the cleared area. They weren't beautiful. They weren't comfortable. But they would keep people dry and safe until something better could be arranged.
"Haa." Jay exhaled, surveying her work with exhausted satisfaction. She swayed slightly on her feet.
Pat. Pat. Pat.
Lira's hand landed on her shoulder, gentle and warm. Her eyes said what her voice didn't: good job.
"I appreciate your effort, Jay." Penelope bowed slightly, the gesture formal but genuine.
"Aah. No. It was nothing." Jay waved her hands frantically, embarrassment coloring her cheeks.
"Enough with the humility.." Lira nudged her, a mocking smile playing at her lips.
One of the old guards approached Penelope, his steps measured and careful.
"We've sent word to Lord Brennan." He bowed at exactly forty-five degrees, the angle precise and practiced. "But we haven't received a response to any of the messages, Lady Penelope."
"That's okay. You may leave." Penelope dismissed him with a wave.
He turned to go, then paused. He turned back.
"And your lodging tonight, my lady?"
Penelope moved toward Kaelen, who stood slightly apart from the others, too exhausted to pay attention to the conversation. She looped her arm through his unsuspecting left and pulled it close.
"My groom's." A sheepish smile played at her lips.
"Huh?" Kaelen blinked, confusion flickering across his tired features. He had no idea why she had suddenly attached herself to his arm. But he was too drained to question it.
"You jest, my lady. Perhaps an inn?" The old guard returned her smile, polite and accommodating.
Her face cooled to neutrality. "Why would I?"
He paused, weighing his next words carefully. He didn't want to offend her.
"I overstepped. Forgive me."His expression shifted to that of a servant addressing their master, all warmth draining away. "But staying at a wolf's den is unwise."
"Wolf?" Kaelen thought. His expression remained neutral, but something stirred behind his eyes.
"Watch your tongue." Penelope's voice carried a cold chill now, the temperature around them seeming to drop.
"Forgive me again, my lady." He bowed deeper this time, the angle more severe.
"It's not me you should apologize to." Penelope said.
"Pardon?"
"Need I repeat?" Her voice carried a frost that hushed the area, drawing stares.
Whispers stirred:
"Is he insulting Lady Penelope?" a worker whispered.
"These old guards are fools." One of Penelope's guards muttered.
"Arrogant pricks." Another added.
"Just because he belongs to the main family gives him no right to be arrogant." A female worker's voice carried clear and sharp.
Jil wanted to intervene, to diffuse the situation before it escalated further. But he held back. Penelope was still a Divian, regardless of her legitimacy. Interfering now could be seen as overstepping in ways he couldn't predict.
Jay and Lira exchanged worried glances, but they stayed silent. This was Penelope's moment.
"Apologize to this... nobody?" The old guard thought, his jaw tightening. "Wait till Lord Brennan reclaims control over the dome. Arrogant bitch."
Kaelen saw it. The reluctance. The way the guard's eyes flickered with contempt he couldn't quite hide. He didn't want to apologize. To him, Kaelen was inferior. Beneath notice.
"Wolf," he said mildly, his voice carrying across the sudden silence, calm and measured. "Noble beast, loyal, protective of its mate. I take your meaning." A tired smile. Exhausted, he harbored no grudge.
The guard faltered, irritation flaring.
Jil seized the opening.
CLAP.
"Precisely, Lady Penelope." He clasped his hands together, relief bleeding into his voice. "Ever vigilant in your defense."
"But wolves abandon their mates if threats shift," Kaelen added smoothly. "Loyalty fleeting as circumstance. Mere jest among men, no apology needed." He extended his hand.
The guard froze amid growing mutters:
"Too proud?"
"Digging his grave."
"Kid gave him an out."
"Take it, you fool." Jil screamed internally.
The guard finally took Kaelen's hand and shook it. His grip was firm, almost aggressive, but he shook.
"A jest between men, Lady Penelope. Forgive my poor phrasing."
"Oh." Penelope raised her hand to her mouth, her expression shifting to gentle surprise. "Pardon my ignorance."
"Think nothing of it. Everyone makes err—"
"Don't push it, you fool." Jil cried inwardly.
The tension dissolved. Conversations resumed. Workers returned to their temporary homes. Guards dispersed to their posts. The moment passed.
Nudge.
Lira nudged Kaelen gently, a smile playing at her lips. "Smooth moves," she whispered approvingly.
Kaelen had already freed his arm from Penelope's grip. The contact made him uncomfortable, and he was too tired to pretend otherwise. He needed a moment alone. A short walk before they left.
He moved away from the group, his footsteps carrying him toward the edge of the cleared area.
Penelope watched him go.
She knew exactly what he had done. He had diffused the situation with quick thinking and careful words, had given the old guard a way out without forcing him to lose face. This was the same young man who had insulted her on their first meeting without hesitation. Confident enough to speak truth to power, but smart enough to avoid unnecessary fights even when he was in the right.
She smiled.
Jil approached her.
"Truly staying at his, Lady Penelope?" He asked quietly.
Jay had asked the same question earlier, when they were still inside the dome. Penelope had joked about spending the night at Kaelen's since the manor and all the homes inside were destroyed. To her surprise, Kaelen had nodded tiredly and said she was welcome. Jil knew this. He just wanted confirmation.
"Is that an issue?" Penelope's expression stayed neutral.
"None, ma'am." Jil shook his head. "Shall I assign guards?"
"Unnecessary."
"He seems harmless, but—"
"Mel will accompany me." She smiled. "Your concern honors you."
"If you insist." He bowed.
He moved to inform the other old guards of Penelope's decision. Her own guards insisted on accompanying her, but she turned them down with the same gentle smile.
"Haa." Cray sighed, his gaze fixed on Kaelen's retreating form. Envy twisted his features. "Who is that lucky bastard?"
"Apparently he answers to the name Kaelen." Lorn's voice was flat. "One of the F-rankers who accepted her quest."
"F-rank?" Cray's eyes went wide. "That lucky bastard is F-rank?"
"Apparently so." Lorn's brown hair shifted in the night breeze.
"I wish she could admire a B-rank like me. My ability is also good."
Lorn sighed at his friend's fantasy.
"He has to be from a strong family," Cray continued, working through his own reasoning.
"Why would someone from a high-ranking family bother with an F-rank quest?" Lorn's expression shifted to something like genuine curiosity.
"I don't know." Cray paused, thinking. "But the beast they fought in there was A-rank, according to Sir Jil." Another pause. "Maybe he was already aware that the disaster was going to strike."
Silence fell between them.
"Haa." Cray sighed eventually, breaking the fragile quiet. "I wish I was this lucky."
...
At the seventh tier, in a modest home that sat quietly among its neighbors, Seren looked toward the clock. Her dark hair, streaked with silver, swayed gently as she moved.
"You're really late, Kaelen."
The words hung in the empty kitchen, soft and worried. She turned back to the stove, where a pot of his favorite dish sat keeping warm. The table was set for more than just the two of them now. Extra plates. Extra cups. She didn't know how many friends he was bringing, but she would be ready.