Sixteen days later..

  Before our carriage even rode into Grand Sasebella, I could hear the distant sounds of a crowd—a low, rumbling roar, like waves breaking against a distant shore. As we crested the final hill, the city's skyline stretched into view, bathed in the golden hues of the setting sun. Flags fluttered above the buildings, and flashes of movement dotted the streets as civilians prepared to welcome us.

  I sat in the carriage with crossed arms, trying to close my eyes and rest, but my mind refused to settle. Every jolt of the wheels on the gravel road kept me tethered to reality. Finn, Alexander, and Kaiguro are on the front lines still, taking out Obsidian's lesser troops. For every ten men we lose, Obsidian loses around thirteen. A grim ratio, but one that favors us slightly. Soon, the death count will reach into the thousands—a number so large, it hardly feels real anymore.

  The only 'real' losses by Sun's standards have been a few dozen officers and Endo. But something isn't right. Obsidian hasn't sent out any other Minerals. They have six more, which they could use to gang up on us. They're not. Is there a reason?

  As we entered the city gate, the crowd erupted into cheers, their voices rising like a tide. I could see their smiling faces—men, women, and children waving cloths and tossing flower petals into the road. The scent of smoke and baked bread lingered in the air. The carriage came to a halt near the plaza, and I spotted Leo and Caleb waiting in front, standing tall in their Flame Clan coats, their presence alone keeping the crowd orderly.

  I have to pay my respects. I stepped out, my boots crunching against scattered gravel, and wiped some dust off my trousers. Leo said, "Good work, Vellin."

  I nodded, "Thanks."

  Caleb wrapped his arm around my upper back, his voice as upbeat as ever. "Yeah, good work! You're finally home, and Leo has decided to give you a couple weeks off."

  Leo smiled, and I bowed, "Thank you sir."

  It stung me saying that, but I'm still a newbie to this clan. The crowd gasped, a sharp inhale all at once like a single breath shared by a hundred people. I need to show immense respect for now.

  He waved me off, "No need to bow, Vellin. You're a Flame. The crowd thinks I'm strong-arming you."

  Oh. I raised up quickly, "Sorry, sorry. Since I'm allowed a couple weeks off, where is Jane?"

  Caleb beckoned me on, "This way. She's at our Headquarters, most likely hanging out with Yumi."

  Leo placed his arms behind his back and walked into the crowd with an effortless authority. The mass of people parted for him. Leo explained, "I have some business to do. I'll see you both later."

  I followed Caleb, glancing back as the carriage was taken someplace else, its wheels creaking against the cobbled street.

  We entered the entertainment complex, the heavy doors swinging open with a muted creak. The air inside was warm and carried a mix of perfume, polished wood, and faint alcohol. Despite the size of the hall, it was almost empty. Most of the patrons had gathered around the bar, their laughter and idle chatter blending into a low hum. A few scattered booths were occupied, and a small group danced lazily on the polished dance floor under the rotating glow of a single overhead light. There were less than sixty people here—maybe even fewer—though the venue looked like it could hold nearly three hundred with ease.

  These people must be nobility or officers that have accomplished great things in the war so far. Their posture, dress, and demeanor spoke of privilege and pride.

  Caleb scanned the room and pointed, "There they are."

  In one of the booths near the edge of the dance floor, Yumi and Jane sat close together, not audible above the background noise. They were clearly deep in conversation however, their hands animated as they spoke. Two sharply dressed men stood like statues at either end of the booth, their eyes scanning the room with practiced precision. Their presence made it clear—no one uninvited would be joining the two women.

  Jane looked up, and her eyes widened with recognition. She raised her hand slightly, then let it fall. Her breath caught as she gasped, "Vellin?"

  We walked over, the floor beneath our shoes muffling our approach. I replied calmly, "Yes, I'm back. I'll be here for a few weeks."

  Without hesitation, she signaled the bodyguard, who gave a small nod and stepped aside smoothly. Jane leaned forward and embraced me tightly, her arms warm and familiar. She said, "I missed you."

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  With a bright smile, she beckoned toward the booth. "Sit, sit. I need to introduce you to Yumi."

  Yumi. She’s the one I saw when I sparred Leo. Even from across the room, I remembered the way she held herself—dignified, poised, and effortlessly composed. There was a regal air about her, but not the cold kind. No doubt she was friendly.

  I slid into the booth beside Jane. Caleb took the spot next to Yumi, giving her a warm smile that she returned with a slight nod. A delicate glass bottle sat in front of Jane, filled with a light brown liquid that fizzed slightly at the top.

  Zero drank that. It’s called beer.

  Jane tilted her head, then casually cracked her neck, as if letting go of a long-held tension. "Yumi has been a lifesaver. She understands what it's like being engaged with these martial artists."

  Yumi let out a high, graceful chuckle and covered her mouth with the back of her hand. "Ohoho. Yes. You're lucky though, you aren't married yet."

  Jane continued, her voice a little softer, filled with a mix of fondness and strength. "You know, a few weeks after I met Vellin, I was worried for him every day. Now? I trust him fully."

  That's good to hear. My chest warmed slightly at her words.

  Yumi shook her head gently, her eyes glancing sideways toward Caleb. "I actually still worry for Caleb. He almost got assassinated a month and a half back. Even though Caleb and Vellin are some of the strongest men in the world, being that brings danger. You said to me that you made Vellin promise if he felt like he was going to lose his life, he'd retreat. Caleb won't be able to make the same type of promise. He's stubborn to a fault."

  A waiter approached our booth with a practiced smile, his tray tucked under one arm and a small notepad in hand. Caleb barely glanced up before saying, "Bring me a beer, and Vellin a pop."

  I bit the inside of my cheek. He thinks of me as a kid still. Maybe it was his way of teasing me—or maybe he really didn’t see me as fully grown yet.

  Caleb shifted uncomfortably, trying to settle himself into the booth. His frame was large, muscular, almost too much for the sleek, padded seating. He adjusted himself with a grunt. His expression dimmed slightly as he looked down at his hands. "I know you wished I ran away from the assassins, but I couldn't abandon Emma or my men. I still miss them every day."

  The mood changed instantly, like a breeze dying out. Even the noise in the room seemed to fade into the background. The warmth in the booth cooled.

  Jane reached out and gently took his hand. Her thumb moved in slow circles against his skin. "You did nothing wrong. Yumi isn't wrong for disagreeing with you either. That was a situation where nobody was right. I'm glad I was away when that happened..."

  She tipped her bottle back and drained the last of her drink with a soft clink as the glass touched the table. Her eyes regained a bit of their brightness as she added, "Caleb has been training me actually."

  I blinked, surprised. "Really?"

  Caleb replied, "Yes."

  Jane rolled up the sleeve of her outfit and flexed her forearm, the skin taut over lean muscle. "These veins weren't so pronounced before."

  Yumi gave a small, impressed nod and smiled knowingly. "You've grown. The stronger you are, the more your veins pronounce and you can begin to do it on command. How strong would you say you are, Jane?"

  Jane leaned in, her fingers brushing lightly against my chest as her eyes glinted with playful confidence. "How about we go test that out?"

  Twenty minutes later..

  Jane lowered herself to the ground, stretching out her legs with a slow, deliberate grace. She pulled on a pink crop top, snug against her toned frame, and slipped into a pair of loose black sweats that tapered at the ankle. Even in a casual outfit, she was...

  I stood across the arena. I stared at her, not just watching—studying. I knew I should’ve been used to it by now, the way she carried herself, the way she trained, fought, pushed herself.

  But still—she’s really my girlfriend, isn’t she? That truth always hits a little differently. She’s strong. She’s deadly. She’s mine. And someday soon, after all this is over, she’ll be my wife.

  Jane bent her fingers, warming them up, her voice light but serious. "This is just to showcase what I can do. Don't kill me please."

  I replied instantly, steady and honest. "I would never hurt you."

  Caleb stepped between us, acting as our referee, his expression sharp but neutral. "Are you both ready?"

  In unison, we answered, "Ready."

  Caleb blurred—gone in a blink. His voice echoed through the arena like a ghost on the wind. "Begin."

  I immediately focused, eyes locked on Jane. She moved fast, cutting across the arena with impressive speed, though not quite on the level of a transcended. Still, she was fast enough to punish anyone who dropped their guard.

  Because I was focused, I wasn’t caught off guard. If I had underestimated her, I’d have been in trouble.

  She closed the distance and entered my range. With a sudden motion, she covered my eyes with her palm. Darkness. I lost visual. A split-second later, a hard liver blow landed in my side—I reeled slightly, air fleeing my lungs. Her fingers pinched my nose and yanked me downward. With her strength now and my weak nose, it was enough to force me to the ground. The floor cracked slightly beneath me.

  Her basic strength has shot at least double.

  I caught a glimpse of her raising her knee. Her foot descended toward me with intent. I rolled away in time, narrowly avoiding the stomp, and slid back into a crouch, quickly rising.

  Wait. Where’d she go?

  Something struck my back—hard. A kick to the spine. If I wasn’t transcended, that would’ve done serious damage. That was brutal.

  She didn’t stop. Her right hand landed on my shoulder, and her left gripped my knee. Then, she hoisted me up like some entertainment wrestler and slammed me into the ground. My body bounced a few inches from the impact.

  You know, this is actually quite good.

  Her fist tightened. I could see the wild spark in her eye. She grinned with a kind of wicked joy.

  "I'll never match most in technique or strength, so I'll make it up with brutality."

  She brought her fist down with enough force to give me a nosebleed if it hit clean. I caught her wrist just before impact. The sting of her power still pulsed through my fingers.

  I yanked her down with me, flipping the moment on its head. We ended up on the floor, her body lying on top of mine. The aggression melted off her face in an instant. Her smile faded. Her breathing slowed.

  I leaned in and kissed her forehead softly. "You're the perfect one for me."