Day 20 Post-Impact - Evening
The school gates appeared as the sun touched the horizon.
Home. Or what passed for it now.
Sarnav led his team through the entrance, exhaustion mixing with satisfaction. The alliance was secured. The path forward was clear. And three new potential bonds had been identified.
A good day's work.
The community was already buzzing with news of their return. People gathered, asking questions, wanting updates. Sarnav delegated the debriefing to Chen Wei and Ishani while he scanned the crowd for specific faces.
Nisha was there, relief evident in her expression. She hung back, waiting her turn, understanding that the leader had duties before the lover could claim attention.
But it was another face that caught his attention.
Mythili Kish stood at the edge of the crowd, arms crossed, expression unreadable. His mother had aged in the weeks since the impact, grief and stress carving new lines around her eyes. But she was still beautiful, still commanding, still the woman who'd shaped his entire life.
Their eyes met.
Something passed between them. Something that had been growing since his father died. Something neither of them had named.
She turned and walked toward the main building.
An invitation. Or a summons. With his mother, it was sometimes hard to tell the difference.
[BOND ALERT - MYTHILI KISH]
[RELATIONSHIP: MOTHER]
[EMOTIONAL STATE: WORRIED, RELIEVED, CONFLICTED]
[NOTE: ELEVATED EMOTIONAL RESPONSE TO HOST'S RETURN]
[ADDITIONAL NOTE: SYSTEM DETECTS COMPLEX EMOTIONAL PATTERNS - MONITORING]
Sarnav frowned at the notification. The system had never commented on his mother before. Not like this.
He pushed the thought aside and followed her.
Her quarters were in the administrative wing.
As a former High Court Judge, Mythili had naturally gravitated toward a leadership role in the community. She handled disputes, organized civilian matters, maintained order among the non-awakened. It suited her.
She was pouring tea when he entered. Real tea, somehow preserved, a luxury she'd insisted on maintaining even as the world burned.
"Close the door."
He did.
"Sit."
He sat.
She handed him a cup, then settled across from him, studying his face with the intensity she'd once reserved for defendants in her courtroom.
"You were gone longer than expected."
"Negotiations took time."
"And? Was it successful?"
"Very. We have an alliance with Sunway. Three hundred survivors, forty awakened. Joint operations starting soon."
"That's good news." She sipped her tea. "And the other matter?"
"What other matter?"
"Don't play games with me, Sarnav." Her eyes sharpened. "I heard the whispers. Three women from Sunway. All young. All attractive. All apparently very interested in my son."
Ah. The community gossip network worked fast.
"I met some people. Made connections. That's what diplomacy involves."
"Diplomacy." She set down her cup. "Is that what you call it? Like your 'diplomacy' with Ishani? Your 'diplomacy' with Nisha?"
"Mother—"
"Two women already. Now potentially three more?" Her voice carried an edge he couldn't quite identify. "You've been busy."
"My cultivation requires—"
"I know what your cultivation requires. You explained it. Bonds. Connections. Women." She stood, moving to the window. "I'm not naive, Sarnav. I understand what you're building. What you need to build."
"Then what's the problem?"
She was quiet for a long moment. When she spoke again, her voice was softer.
"I watched your father destroy himself with women. Affairs, mistresses, casual encounters. He couldn't keep his hands to himself, and it poisoned everything. Our marriage. Our family. His own soul."
"I'm not him."
"No. You're not." She turned back, and her expression had shifted. Something vulnerable beneath the severity. "That's what confuses me. You have multiple women, and somehow it's... different. They know about each other. They accept it. Even Nisha, who I watched pine for you for years, seems to have made peace with sharing you."
"It's complicated."
"Everything about you is complicated." She crossed back to her chair, sitting heavily. "I'm proud of you. I want you to know that. What you've built here, the people you've saved, the leader you've become... I'm proud."
"But?"
"But I'm also worried." She reached out, touching his hand. The contact felt electric. "You're taking on so much. So many responsibilities. So many... relationships. I don't want you to lose yourself in it all."
"I won't."
"Promise me."
"I promise."
Her hand lingered on his. Longer than necessary. Longer than appropriate.
[MYTHILI KISH - INTERACTION ANALYSIS]
[PHYSICAL CONTACT: EXTENDED]
[EMOTIONAL SUBTEXT: COMPLEX]
[NOTE: SUBJECT DISPLAYS PROTECTIVE CONCERN MIXED WITH UNDEFINED EMOTIONAL RESPONSE]
[SYSTEM ADVISORY: MOTHER-SON BOND SHOWS UNUSUAL PATTERNS]
[RECOMMEND: CONTINUED MONITORING]
Sarnav gently withdrew his hand. Not because he wanted to, but because something about the moment felt dangerous in a way he couldn't articulate.
"I should debrief the council. They'll want details about the alliance."
"Of course." She stood, composing herself. The vulnerable woman disappeared, replaced by the dignified judge. "I'll expect a full report at tomorrow's meeting."
"You'll have it."
He moved toward the door, then paused.
"Mother?"
"Yes?"
"Are you okay? Since Father died, you've been..."
"I've been what?"
"Different. More distant with everyone else. But with me..." He couldn't finish the sentence.
She was quiet for a moment. "Losing your father was complicated. Our marriage was... you know what it was. But he was still my husband for twenty-three years. Part of me is grieving. Part of me is relieved. And part of me is ashamed that I'm relieved."
"That's not wrong. He hurt you."
"He did. In ways I never told you about." She met his eyes. "You're the only good thing that came from that marriage, Sarnav. The only thing I don't regret. Is it so strange that I cling to you now?"
"No. It's not strange."
"Then don't worry about me. Focus on your alliances and your women and your cultivation." A ghost of a smile. "I'll be fine. I always am."
"Okay. But if you need anything..."
"You'll be the first person I call." She opened the door for him. "Now go. Your harem is probably waiting."
The word 'harem' coming from his mother's lips sent an unexpected shiver down his spine.
He left without commenting on it.
Nisha found him in the hallway.
"You were with your mother for a while."
"She wanted an update."
"How is she?"
"Complicated." He took Nisha's hand. "How are you?"
"Anxious. Processing. Trying not to think about the three new women you met today." She managed a weak smile. "The usual."
"I told you, nothing happened with them. Just introductions."
"I know. I believe you." She squeezed his hand. "It doesn't make it easier to accept that something will eventually happen."
"We can talk about it. If you want."
"Later. Right now, I just want..." She trailed off, looking away.
"What do you want?"
"To not think for a while. To just be with you. No complications, no other women, no politics." She met his eyes. "Is that selfish?"
"It's human."
"Then can I have that? Tonight?"
He should check in with Ishani. Should debrief the council. Should review the intelligence on the raiders.
Instead, he pulled Nisha close.
"Tonight, you have me. All of me."
The relief in her eyes was worth every delayed responsibility.
They went to their room.
No urgency. No desperation. Just two people reconnecting after a day of stress and uncertainty.
Nisha undressed slowly, watching him watch her. She'd grown more confident over the past weeks, more comfortable in her body, more aware of what he liked.
"I missed you," she said.
"I was gone one day."
"I still missed you." She crossed to him, helping him out of his clothes. "Every time you leave, I'm afraid you won't come back. That something will happen, and I'll lose you."
"You're not going to lose me."
"Promise?"
"I promise."
She kissed him. Soft, tender, full of emotion rather than heat. He returned it, letting her set the pace, giving her the control she needed.
They ended up on the bed, facing each other, touches exploring familiar territory.
"Tell me about them," she said.
"About who?"
"The three women. From Sunway." She traced patterns on his chest. "I want to know what I'm dealing with."
"Nisha, we don't have to—"
"I want to. I'd rather know than imagine." She looked up at him. "Please?"
So he told her. About Minji, the gamer with purple hair and quick wit. About Jade, the prickly hacker who saw too much. About Ananya, the sweet dancer with the Penang accent.
Nisha listened without interrupting.
"They sound interesting," she said when he finished.
"They are."
"And compatible? Your system flagged them?"
"All three. Highly compatible."
She was quiet for a moment. Her hand had stilled on his chest.
"The dancer. Ananya. She's Malaysian Indian like us?"
"Yes."
"And the gamer likes the same things you do?"
"Seems like it."
"And the hacker knows about systems? About cultivation?"
"More than anyone I've met."
Nisha laughed, soft and resigned. "Of course they're perfect. Of course they fit exactly what you need."
"Nisha..."
"I'm not angry. I'm just..." She shook her head. "I used to think I was special because I knew you first. Because we had history. But these women, they have things I can't offer. Skills, knowledge, connections."
"You're special because you're you. Not because of what you offer."
"You say that. But your system measures value, doesn't it? Compatibility percentages. Bond potential. I'm just a number in a spreadsheet."
"You're not a number. You're my first love. My anchor. The person who keeps me human when everything else is trying to turn me into a monster."
She stared at him. "Do you mean that?"
"Every word."
Tears welled in her eyes. "Damn it. I told myself I wouldn't cry tonight."
"Then don't cry." He kissed her tears away. "Just feel."
He rolled her onto her back, settling between her thighs. She opened for him automatically, her body remembering what her mind was still processing.
"I love you," he said.
"I love you too."
He entered her slowly. Inch by inch, giving her time to adjust, watching her face for every reaction.
"Oh," she breathed. "That's... yes."
He moved with deliberate patience. Long, deep strokes that touched her everywhere. No rushing, no performance. Just connection.
"You feel so good," she gasped. "Why do you always feel so good?"
"Because we fit. Physically, emotionally, spiritually." He kissed her neck. "The system might measure compatibility, but what we have goes beyond numbers."
"Sarnav..."
"You're not replaceable, Nisha. Not by Ishani, not by anyone from Sunway, not by the thirty women who might eventually join us. You're the first. You'll always be the first."
She came.
Not explosive, not screaming, but a slow, rolling wave that seemed to go on forever. Her body trembled beneath him, her walls fluttering around his cock, her breath coming in soft gasps.
"I felt that," she whispered when it passed. "What you said. I felt it in my soul."
"Good."
He continued moving, building her toward a second peak while chasing his own. When they came together, it was quiet. Intimate. Two people becoming one in the most fundamental way possible.
Afterward, they lay tangled in the sheets, breathing slowly returning to normal.
"I think I can do this," Nisha said.
"Do what?"
"Share you. Accept the others. Be part of something bigger." She propped herself up on one elbow. "I'm not saying it'll be easy. But if what we have is real, if I'm truly not replaceable... then maybe having more people doesn't diminish what we have. Maybe it adds to it."
"That's very mature."
"I'm trying." She smiled. "Besides, you're going to need all the wives you can get if you're planning to take over the world."
"I'm not taking over the world."
"Yet." She kissed him. "Now sleep. Tomorrow's going to be busy."
She was right.
He closed his eyes and let sleep take him.
Day 21 Post-Impact - Morning
The council meeting started early.
Sarnav presented the alliance terms to the assembled leaders. Encik Rahman, Mei Ling, Chen Wei, Mythili, and a handful of others who'd risen to prominence in the community.
His mother watched from her seat, expression neutral, offering occasional legal insights when relevant. But her eyes tracked him constantly, and when their gazes met, something unspoken passed between them.
"The joint operation is set for two days from now," Sarnav concluded. "We'll coordinate with Sunway to eliminate the raider threat, then begin integrating our territories."
"And the three awakened from Sunway?" Encik Rahman asked. "The ones you mentioned meeting?"
"Potential assets. The gamer and dancer have combat-applicable abilities. The hacker has valuable intelligence about awakened cultivation mechanics."
"Are they interested in joining our faction?"
"Possibly. We'll see how the joint operation goes."
Mythili spoke for the first time. "These three awakened. They're all women?"
"Yes."
"Young women?"
"In their early twenties. Why?"
She held his gaze. "Just clarifying the details."
The meeting continued, but the undercurrent had shifted. Sarnav felt his mother's attention like a weight, even when he wasn't looking at her.
After the meeting dispersed, she lingered.
"Walk with me," she said.
It wasn't a request.
The school's garden had been converted to a cultivation area for Nisha's practice. Plants grew in controlled rows, green and thriving despite the chaos beyond the walls.
Mythili walked among them, trailing her fingers over leaves.
"You're collecting women like your father collected affairs."
"It's not the same."
"No? Explain the difference."
"Father cheated. Lied. Betrayed your trust." Sarnav followed her through the garden. "My women know about each other. They consent. They choose to be part of this."
"And that makes it acceptable?"
"It makes it different."
She stopped, turning to face him. "I'm not judging you, Sarnav. I'm trying to understand."
"What's there to understand?"
"Why them? Why multiple women? Why build a harem when you could simply have one devoted partner?"
"My cultivation requires bonds. Plural. The system—"
"Forget the system for a moment." She stepped closer. "Is this what you want? Truly want? Or are you just following what your power demands?"
The question hit harder than expected.
"I don't know," he admitted. "Before the awakening, I never thought about having multiple partners. Now... the system shows me compatibility, potential, opportunity. And part of me wants it. Genuinely wants it."
"Which part?"
"I don't know that either."
Mythili studied him. Then, unexpectedly, she laughed.
"What's funny?"
"You. Being honest. It's refreshing." She reached up, touching his face. Her palm was warm against his cheek. "Your father never admitted uncertainty. Never questioned himself. He took what he wanted and justified it afterward."
"I'm not him."
"No. You're better." Her hand lingered. "Much better."
[MYTHILI KISH - INTERACTION ALERT]
[PHYSICAL CONTACT: INTIMATE]
[EMOTIONAL INTENSITY: ELEVATED]
[NOTE: SUBJECT'S BIOMETRIC INDICATORS SUGGEST COMPLEX EMOTIONAL STATE]
[HEART RATE: ELEVATED]
[PUPIL DILATION: PRESENT]
[SYSTEM ADVISORY: PATTERNS CONSISTENT WITH—]
Sarnav dismissed the notification before reading the rest. He didn't want to know what the system was detecting.
"Mother..."
"I know." She withdrew her hand, the moment breaking. "I'm sorry. I don't know why I..." She shook her head. "Since your father died, I've been... confused. About a lot of things."
"It's okay."
"It's not. But thank you for saying so." She straightened, composing herself. "I should go. There are civilian disputes to mediate. The work never stops."
"Mother. If you ever need to talk..."
"I know where to find you." She smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. "Between your women, anyway."
She walked away.
Sarnav stood in the garden for a long time, trying to process what had just happened.
Something was changing between them. Something that had started when his father died and was growing with each passing day.
He wasn't sure he wanted to name it.
[DAILY CULTIVATION SUMMARY]
[INTIMATE ACTIVITIES - NISHA: +6,800]
[EMOTIONAL CONNECTION BONUS: +1,200]
[LEADERSHIP ACTIVITIES: +500]
[TOTAL ESSENCE: 105,400 / 100,000 TO NASCENT SOUL]
[BREAKTHROUGH AVAILABLE!]
[ADVANCEMENT TO NASCENT SOUL (B-RANK) NOW POSSIBLE]
[REQUIREMENTS MET:]
[- ESSENCE: 105,400/100,000 ✓]
[- BONDS: 2 (MINIMUM 2 REQUIRED) ✓]
[- COMBAT EXPERIENCE: SUFFICIENT ✓]
[INITIATE BREAKTHROUGH?]
[WARNING: BREAKTHROUGH REQUIRES 6-8 HOURS OF MEDITATION]
[RECOMMEND: SECURE LOCATION AND GUARDIAN PRESENCE]
[BOND STATUS - MYTHILI KISH]
[RELATIONSHIP: MOTHER]
[EMOTIONAL STATE: CONFLICTED, LONELY, SEEKING CONNECTION]
[NOTE: ELEVATED EMOTIONAL PATTERNS DETECTED]
[NOTE: INAPPROPRIATE ATTACHMENT INDICATORS PRESENT]
[SYSTEM ADVISORY: BLOODLINE REBIRTH REQUIRED BEFORE ANY ROMANTIC DEVELOPMENT]
[CURRENT AVAILABILITY: SOUL TRANSFORMATION REALM (A-RANK)]
[HAREM STATUS: 2 / 32]
[PROSPECTIVE: MINJI, JADE, ANANYA (PENDING)]