Interlude: Silver Lining

  The room was filled with the smell of floor wax and plastic building blocks. It was a pocket of normalcy in a world that had almost ended two weeks ago.

  An American boy with messy blond hair sat cross-legged on the carpet, surrounded by toys. In front of him, a pale, strikingly pretty Korean girl was leaning in, her brow furrowed in intense concentration as she pointed to a picture book.

  "That’s... pipol," Rahee said, nodding confidently.

  The boy giggled, tilting his head. "People."

  "Pipow," she tried again, her pronunciation failing her despite her best efforts.

  The door creaked open, and Haruka stepped in, leaning against the frame with a soft, tired smile. "Well, you guys getting along?"

  Rahee looked up, her face lighting up as she approached her fiancée. "I guess... this was Pierce's son?"

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  Haruka nodded, her gaze drifting back to the innocent boy who had no idea his father had been a casualty of the high-stakes war between the Resistance and Zeal. "I thought of a... new name for him. Since we’re going to adopt him."

  "Yeah?" Rahee wondered, her eyes sparkling.

  "Kanghyuk," Haruka said softly, honoring the friend they had lost.

  "Kanghyuk!" Rahee beamed. She turned and practically tackled the kid with a hug. "Kanghyuk, I love you!" She pinched his cheeks, chattering away in rapid-fire Hangul that the boy couldn't understand, but the warmth in her voice needed no translation.

  The peaceful atmosphere was punctured as San entered the room. He walked with a slight limp, body full of scars, but he was healed, his eyes sharp and professional once more.

  "Reports of demons spawning again are out there," San began, his voice dropping into his commander tone. "Xin survived, clearly, and is healing again to fight back—"

  "Oh, shut up, San! This is a no-work zone!" Rahee snapped, her protective "mother" instincts flaring as she shielded the little Kanghyuk from the talk of monsters.

  San flinched, physically recoiling from Rahee’s glare. He might be a master of corruption powers, but even he knew not to mess with her. "Okay," he muttered, mimicking a zipping motion over his lips.

  Suddenly, a sharp zip echoed through the air—the unmistakable sound of a Blink.

  Curiosity got the better of them. Haruka, San, and Rahee—still carrying the little Kanghyuk—all crowded around the window to peek outside into the courtyard.

  Below them, the sunlight caught the glint of metal. Seonho reached up, gently lifting the Silver Mask from Leeseo’s face. She looked at him with those new, swirling eyes—a mixture of the hero she was and the Chaos she now carried. He leaned in and kissed her deeply, a silent promise between them before the hunt began again.

  "Whoa!" Rahee yelled, her eyes widening as she quickly clamped her hand over the little Kanghyuk’s eyes to shield his innocence.

  San and Haruka shared a look—a mix of relief and lingering dread. The war wasn't over. Xin was out there, and the colors were clashing.

  But for now, they had a family to protect.