The backyard of the Magna house slowly returned to normal after the manifestations of Evergreen Sanctum and Astral Fang faded away.
The trembling ground settled.
The essence in the air calmed.
Mira stretched lazily while Ellis continued trying to imitate the giant wolf posture he saw inside his subconscious.
Which mostly resulted in him growling at random trees.
Drax stared at him for a long second.
"…What are you doing?"
Ellis crouched lower.
"Training."
Drax:
"You look rabid."
Ellis:
"That's because you don't understand aura."
Mira sighed dramatically.
"He's embarrassing us."
Ellis:
"I'm evolving."
Drax:
"You keep saying that."
Ellis:
"Because it sounds cool."
Drax rubbed his forehead.
"Alright, enough. Training's over for today."
Mira immediately smiled.
"Finally."
Ellis pointed dramatically at Drax.
"You fear my potential."
Drax:
"I fear your stupidity."
"That too," Tess added quietly from the porch.
Ellis looked betrayed.
"You guys are mean."
Lyra laughed softly from inside the house while Mira grabbed Ellis by the sleeve and dragged him away.
"Come on."
Ellis:
"I wasn't done growling at things."
Mira:
"No one asked."
Their voices slowly faded as they ran toward the side yard.
Drax watched them quietly.
Then his expression softened slightly.
For all the chaos surrounding the world right now…
he was glad they could still act like children.
A dark ripple spread beside him.
Mephilisto appeared again, arms folded.
"You're staring like an old man."
Drax ignored the comment.
"Mephilisto."
Mephilisto:
"Hm?"
Drax:
"How exactly is the tower choosing people?"
The spirit tilted her head slightly.
"You're worried about the children."
"Answer the question."
Mephilisto sighed dramatically.
"Don't worry. It won't take them."
Drax narrowed his eyes.
"That's reassuring."
She smirked faintly.
"Thanks."
"That wasn't a compliment."
Drax looked at her flatly.
"I was being sarcastic."
Mephilisto clicked her tongue.
"Tch. Fine."
She floated slightly above the ground while explaining.
"The towers don't randomly choose people."
"They select candidates."
"Specific ones."
Drax stayed silent, listening carefully.
"The individual must meet the minimum conditions."
"At least sixteen years old."
"And…"
Her eyes darkened slightly.
"Their Inner World must have reached Stage Two."
Drax immediately understood something.
"So that's why Isis was selected."
Mephilisto nodded.
"But even that isn't enough."
"There has to be something inside the tower connected to that person's Inner World."
"Something waiting for them."
Drax folded his arms.
"…Like a path."
"Yes."
"Or fate."
Drax looked toward the horizon quietly.
"So the tower chooses people who can evolve through it."
"Exactly."
"And the stronger your Inner World…"
"The more terrifying your trial becomes."
Drax exhaled slowly.
"…I see."
Mephilisto looked at him carefully.
"You're thinking about Richard."
Drax didn't answer immediately.
Then.."Yeah."
For once—
Mephilisto didn't joke around.
"The towers existed long before modern civilization."
"Long before associations."
"Long before monarchs."
"There are things inside those towers older than recorded history."
Drax looked at her.
"And my father got caught up in that."
Mephilisto:
"Most likely."
Silence settled for a moment.
Then Drax sighed lightly.
"Alright. Thanks."
Mephilisto blinked once.
Then suddenly kicked him directly in the side.
Drax stumbled slightly.
"…The hell was that for?"
Mephilisto:
"You sounded sincere. It annoyed me."
Then she vanished into darkness.
Drax stared blankly at the empty space.
"…See how I deal with you later."
"You argue with her like an old married couple."
Drax turned.
Tess was walking toward him slowly beneath the evening light.
Silver-blue essence drifted faintly around her body like cold mist.
The atmosphere naturally softened when she got closer.
Drax looked at her for a moment.
Then quietly said—
"Your presence just made everything okay."
Tess blinked.
Then immediately looked away.
"Hmph."
A faint smile appeared on her lips.
"So you do know how to talk."
Drax chuckled quietly.
"Sometimes."
They began walking slowly through the yard together.
The evening sky stretched orange and gold above Norn while wind moved gently through the trees.
After a while—
Tess looked toward the horizon.
"…Drax."
Drax:
"Hm?"
Tess:
"What's your goal now?"
Drax glanced at her.
"You mean the tower?"
She nodded slowly while rubbing the black jade pendant hanging around her neck.
At first, Drax didn't answer.
Then eventually—
"At first…"
"I just wanted strength."
His voice was calm.
"But now…"
His eyes darkened slightly.
"I have to find my father."
Even if it's only a spiritual wisp of him left."
Tess looked at him quietly.
Then lowered her gaze.
"I know I probably shouldn't ask this…"
"But what if you die?"
The question stopped the wind around them.
For a second—
everything felt still.
Tess slowly rested her head against his chest.
Drax wrapped an arm around her naturally.
"I almost died countless times."
His voice stayed calm.
"And every time I survived…"
"I became stronger."
Tess tightened her grip on his shirt slightly.
Drax looked down at her.
"You know something, Tess?"
"In life…"
"You have to take risks."
"Because if you never move forward…"
"You'll never know what's waiting ahead."
Then he lifted her chin gently so she'd look at him.
"And every time I leave…"
"I always come back to you guys."
"Don't I?"
Tess stared into his eyes for a long moment.
Then slowly nodded.
Drax smiled faintly.
Then kissed her forehead softly.
The shadows behind him suddenly stretched unnaturally.
Darkness gathered.
A massive armored figure slowly emerged from the shadows and knelt.
Black armor.
Black helm.
A massive black greatsword resting against the ground.
Its presence carried death itself.
Nocturion
The Death Knight bowed its head.
"Monarch."
Drax's expression became cold instantly.
"Protect her."
"And my family."
"From the shadows."
Nocturion lowered its head further.
"By your order, Monarch."
Then vanished back into darkness.
Tess blinked slowly.
"…Who was that?"
Drax shrugged lightly.
"A Death Knight I killed a while back."
Tess:
"…You turned it into an Abyssal Soldier?"
Drax:
"Yeah."
Tess stared at him.
Drax:
"You'll get used to it."
Tess:
"I don't think I will."
Drax laughed quietly.
Then the two walked back inside together.
Later that night—
Tess decided to stay over.
And Lyra immediately noticed.
The moment Tess awkwardly sat beside Drax in the living room, Lyra smiled knowingly.
"Aren't you two lovebirds adorable?"
Tess instantly froze.
"W-what?!"
Drax looked genuinely offended.
"Mom."
"What happened to social decency?"
Lyra snorted.
"Decency my ass."
"You're home."
"The right place to be."
Drax sighed heavily while Tess tried hiding her burning face behind her hands.
Mira whispered loudly to Ellis—
"They're definitely dating."
Ellis:
"I know."
Mira:
"How?"
Ellis:
"Brother smiles differently around her."
Drax pointed without looking.
"I can still hear both of you."
The siblings immediately scattered upstairs.
Lyra laughed until tears almost formed in her eyes.
Hours later—
The house had gone quiet.
Moonlight filtered softly through Drax's bedroom window.
Tess layed beside him on the bed quietly.
Then slowly removed the black jade pendant around her neck.
She placed it gently into his hand.
"Don't lose it."
Drax looked down at the pendant.
The jade felt cold.
Smooth.
Ancient somehow.
"…What does it mean?"
Tess laid against his chest quietly.
"My mother gave it to me."
"Ayana Umeri."
Her voice softened slightly.
"She said her mother gave it to her too."
Drax listened silently.
Tess closed her eyes.
"And she told me…"
"If I ever truly loved a man…"
"I should give him this."
Drax looked down at her quietly.
Then slowly wrapped an arm around her waist.
"I guess now I have you to protect too."
His hand gently rubbed her back.
"So I'm even more determined to come back alive."
Tess looked up at him.
"You better."
Drax smirked slightly.
"I always do."
Eventually—
the two drifted asleep beneath the moonlight.
Morning came quietly.
Sunlight spread across the mountains surrounding Norn.
The city slowly awakened beneath golden skies.
Inside the room—
Drax stood in front of the mirror adjusting his clothes.
Black undershirt.
Black pants.
Black pullover jacket fitting perfectly against his frame.
Short black hair slightly messy from sleep.
Dark hazel-black eyes calm and focused.
At some point—
the boy who once stumbled through his first dungeon had disappeared completely.
Now—
he looked like someone born to stand above disasters.
Behind him—
Tess slowly woke up.
Her silver-blue eyes landed on him immediately.
And she smiled faintly.
"…You look good."
Drax turned toward her.
Then smirked slightly.
"Thanks, babe."
Tess blinked.
Then immediately blushed again.
Drax walked over casually and kissed her twice before standing back up.
"Take care of mom and the kids for me."
Tess nodded softly.
"I will."
Drax walked toward the door.
Then paused.
Without turning around—
he casually said—
"When I come back…"
"Maybe we should have one of our own."
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Then—
Tess grabbed a pillow and buried her burning face into it immediately.
"IDIOT…"
Drax laughed quietly before leaving the room.
Downstairs—
Lyra hugged him tightly before letting go.
"Be careful, son."
"I will, mom."
Mira hugged him next.
"Bring me something cool from the tower."
Drax:
"I'll try."
Ellis pointed dramatically.
"Bring me a giant wolf."
Drax:
"…That's not happening."
Ellis:
"Tch."
Drax shook his head while smiling faintly.
Then turned toward the door.
The morning wind moved softly through the streets of Norn as he stepped outside.
And somewhere in the city—
Isis was already waiting.