David

  I felt it first, a faint rumble under my boots. Deep. Wrong.

  [INTRUSION DETECTED]

  My HUD flashed crimson. On the HUD, red dots were moving closer. God, it’s that scene from Aliens all over again. The room’s lights snapped from white to blood-red, bathing the circular chamber in an emergency glow that made every shadow crawl.

  “Ava! Where’s the intrusion?” I shouted over the rising hum of the alarms.

  “The lower level, Master, the power core. No one should be down there. No one can go down there…”

  “Allyson!” I barked. “Get Seraphina and Theresa back to the Enterprise. Now!”

  I caught the look on Seraphina’s face as Allyson grabbed her arm, worry, fear, and that sharp flash of understanding. Up the corridor, Veronica and Bishop Varent were herding Theresa forward, both shouting for her to move faster.

  “General!” I snapped. “Get Theodore and Ajax out. Go!”

  I turned back to Ava. “Access point? Is there a way down there?”

  She pointed to the raised dais in the center of the room.

  Around us, the organized chaos of evacuation played out, soldiers shouting, boots pounding, the walls trembling with the low hum of the power grid switching into lockdown. The nobles were gone. Only Allira, Aria, Marlena, Mage Woodwarde, Mage Samual, and three adventurers remained, their faces lit by the pulsing red lights.

  “Ava,” I said, “seal the outer doors.”

  Metal groaned like an ancient beast. The massive slabs slid shut with a grinding finality that shook the floor. We were locked in.

  The dais where I had been sitting began to bend and distort, the stone groaning like a living thing under strain. It wasn’t collapsing; it was yielding, as if whatever lay beneath had finally decided to wake.

  Bolts shrieked as they sheared loose. Fasteners popped free, one by one, sharp cracks echoing through the chamber like breaking bones. No one spoke. No one needed to. We all felt it. The platform lurched, then tore itself apart.

  Stone slabs were ripped from their mounts and flung aside as if they weighed nothing. The central cover was violently wrenched from its frame, skidding across the floor before slamming into a distant wall. Dust billowed upward in choking waves.

  “You’re not thinking of going down there?” Allira yelled from the main doorway.

  “No…” I yelled back, but that’s when I felt it. Something was there just below the edge.

  I drew Emberline. The blade hissed alive, its heat biting through the chill. The air thickened, humming with static. Then, a sound. Not footsteps. Not wind. Scraping.

  A deliberate clawing from the darkness below. Nails, or talons, raking stone.

  A black claw shot out of the stairwell, carving deep gouges into the stone floor.

  [SHADOW DEMON]

  Level 130

  The ground vibrated as it climbed, growling low and guttural, its hunger evident. Yellow eyes flared in the dark like twin suns. It leapt. The impact hit like a shockwave. The thing burst through the opening, a black mass of muscle and hate, throwing me backward into the wall. Pain flared, but training took over: roll, rise, eyes up. Thank goodness, this cloak took most of the damage.

  –100 HP [Remaining: 981 of 1081]

  It was enormous, a demon shaped like a cat, its body sleek but wrong, all bone edges and spines. Reptilian claws flexed, screeching against the floor. Its tail lashed, spiked and twitching, slicing the air. The thing opened its mouth and screamed, a sound so deep it shook the walls.

  To my right, Samual and Woodwarde began chanting. Fire magic. Too soon.

  “Don’t!” I shouted, but it was too late.

  The demon lunged. A single swipe silenced both of them, their bodies thrown like ragdolls across the room. Fire died on their lips. It turned back toward me. Behind it, I can see Caitlin pull Samual from the rubble.

  Why me? Because I was still standing.

  I rolled my shoulders, ignoring the ache. “Alright then,” I muttered. “Here, kitty, kitty.”

  I moved left, slow and deliberate, keeping its gaze fixed on me. Emberline burned brighter in my hand, the living flame reflected in the demon’s golden stare. It crouched, growling low, its tail swishing in agitation. I lunged first.

  My blade swung in a blazing arc, but the creature was quicker. It slashed sideways, its claws clashing with my shield and letting out a burst of blue light. The force of the blow knocked me off my feet and into the far wall. Dust fell around me as I hit the ground, coughing as my ribs screamed.

  –80 HP [Remaining: 901 of 1081]

  The beast stalked closer, limping slightly on the leg it had used to strike. Blood dripped from its claws. Good. It could bleed. Now to make it bleed more.

  I pushed off the rubble, Emberline steady in my grip. “Come on, you overgrown cat,” I whispered.

  I needed a distraction. Across the room, I found Marlena. Our eyes met for a heartbeat. She nodded. My water mage. My beautiful, brilliant water mage.

  Blue light bloomed around her as her chant began. The air shimmered, waves of mana bending it, building pressure. The demon’s hackles rose. It turned, distracted by her power.

  Perfect.

  I charged.

  Emberline burned white-hot as I screamed and drove the blade deep into the creature’s chest. The air erupted with heat and the smell of burning flesh. I tore the blade free and slashed again, and again, each strike tearing through shadow and sinew.

  It lashed out, claws carving sparks off my barrier, but I didn’t stop. Not until it stopped moving.

  When it finally fell, the floor trembled.

  [DING]

  [Achievement Unlocked]

  Major Threat Eliminated: SHADOW DEMON

  2,175 XP Sword Fighting Gain

  8,50 Class XP Gain

  7,250 XP to next Class Level

  [Level Up – Sword Fighting – Level 48]

  2360 XP Until Next Level

  [Level Up – Sword Fighting – Level 49]

  750 XP Until Next Level

  Silence returned, broken only by the sound of my breathing, harsh, uneven.

  I stood over it, covered in blood, with the spreading puddle steaming beneath Emberline’s glow. We were still alive.

  I stood over the corpse, blood slick on my boots, Emberline glowing faintly in the dark. The puddle beneath me steamed, hissing with the sword’s latent heat. We were still alive.

  But whatever that thing was… it hadn’t come alone.

  A deep rumble echoed from below. Cracking sounds followed, sharp, deliberate. Then came the rush of air and dust as debris burst from the hole where the staircase had once been.

  Storage check. Minimal capacity remaining, sufficient for one corpse, maybe more. I sealed the demon’s remains into dimensional storage and cleared the field as the next creature began its ascent.

  Its movements were segmented, insectile, with too many limbs and too many eyes. I backed up instinctively. The thing was massive, its chitinous body scraping against stone as it hauled itself into view. Then its head swiveled. Eyes locked on me. I triggered Analyze. The screen that appeared above it sent a chill down my spine.

  [General Getyin]

  General of the Fourth Army

  Level 176

  [CONTAINMENT BREACH – CORE DAMAGED]

  Core Overload – Estimated Time to Minimum Safe Distance: 20 minutes

  “Scruffy? Where’s Scruffy?” the creature rasped in a distorted, insectoid rasp.

  I blinked. “Scruffy?” That couldn’t be right. Some translation error?

  “What’s it saying, David?” Allira called out behind me.

  “It’s asking about the other one. The first demon. Wants to know where it went.”

  I lowered my voice. “Ava, open the doors, just a crack. Enough to get the others out. Take the power core. Take your golems.”

  I turned to Allira. “Get everyone out. Now. Back to the ship…”

  “And you?” Her voice was tight.

  “I’ll buy time.”

  “You’re going to do something stupid,” she snapped.

  “Probably,” I said with a shrug and a grim smile. “But it’s something only I can do.”

  The others slipped out behind her. Ava moved, golems flanking her as the doors creaked open. I gave them just enough time. Then I turned toward Getyin.

  Each step toward it was a battle against my nerves and the stench. The air around me reeked of rot and ozone, as if the world itself wanted to push away its presence. I had to swallow the bile rising in my throat.

  The general loomed directly above me now, its body a grotesque blend of mantis and centipede, covered in armor that throbbed with unclean energy. Its mandibles clicked as it watched me. Waiting.

  “Hey, General Getyin!” I called out, my voice hoarse. “Looking for someone?”

  The stench hit me harder the closer I got, foul, chemical, almost septic. I gagged, wiping sweat from my brow. Its eyes tracked me. All of them.

  “Human,” it rasped. Then paused. “You look like a human. No. Something else.”

  I forced a grin. “Let’s just say I’m hard to classify.”

  It didn’t move. Just hovered near the breach like a diseased bird of prey, perched and poised to strike.

  “What brings you topside, General?” I choked out.

  Behind me, I glanced toward the doors to see that everyone had escaped, but one figure remained. Allira. She stood motionless, her hand resting near her weapon, defiance in every line of her posture.

  I shook my head, trying to wave her off. She just met my eyes and gave a single nod. Of course, she stayed, because she knew this wasn’t over.

  The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  [CONTAINMENT BREACH – CORE DAMAGED]

  Core Overload – 15 minutes to minimum safe distance.

  Another system warning screeched through my head, jamming against the rising tide of adrenaline. Damn it, these messages weren’t helping me think.

  “To conquer… to dominate…” the demon chittered. “For the glory of the Demon King…”

  Its voice was a sickening blend of clicking mandibles and wet slurping drool. I turned again to Allira and signaled, more urgently this time, for her to leave. She didn’t move. Stubborn, brilliant, infuriating woman.

  “Where is my pet?” it rasped.

  That stopped me cold. Demon King? There it was again.

  I turned back to face the creature. “Say that again. Who’s this Demon King you’re so eager to impress?”

  “The Almighty,” it hissed, proud. “He who devours realms. It’s been a long time since we’ve seen one of your kind. I will take you to him. A present… Yes… You are to be marked, Engineer.”

  “Right,” I muttered, my grip tightening on Emberline. “My wives won’t like that. They’ll object.” I took a slow, deliberate step back, never taking my eyes off it. “That’s a group even your Demon Lord wouldn’t want to piss off…”

  “I can’t allow that,” Getyin growled. “Engineers are weak when alone…”

  It struck. The stone floor exploded where I’d been standing half a second before. I rolled sideways, instincts flaring, my perception pushing everything into sharp, terrifying clarity. It came again, another claw, fast and brutal. I met it with Emberline.

  The blade caught the strike with a flash of light and a metallic screech. The impact rattled through my bones, but the edge bit in, cracking the demon’s armored plating. It staggered, only briefly, before hissing in rage.

  –200 HP [Remaining: 701 of 1081]

  [CONTAINMENT BREACH – CORE DAMAGED]

  Core Overload – 10 minutes to minimum safe distance.

  Ten minutes. I needed to move. Fast. I darted right, aiming for the door, but Getyin was already there. A shadow loomed, then its claw scythed down, forcing me to dive left again. The floor cracked behind me. Too close.

  My heart pounded like war drums in my ears as I rolled, rose into a low stance, and tried to position myself between the vault door and the creature with too many teeth. There had to be a way out. Or at least a way to stall it.

  The demon lunged again, and I barely twisted aside. Its claws split the air where my head had been a moment before, sending shards of stone slicing past my face. Blood welled where a shard nicked my cheek. I didn’t feel it. Not yet.

  –10 HP [Remaining: 691 of 1081]

  [CONTAINMENT BREACH – CORE DAMAGED]

  Core overload: 9 minutes to minimum safe distance.

  The alert screamed in the back of my mind. It wasn’t just pressure; it was death bearing down with every tick of the clock.

  I ducked another strike and rolled, slamming into the edge of the dais. Emberline’s glow painted the demon’s silhouette in flickering firelight, throwing long shadows across the blood-slicked floor.

  –150 HP [Remaining: 541 of 1081]

  It circled me now, slowly, like it was toying with me.

  “You run well, Engineer,” it clicked, voice thick with saliva. “Will you beg now?”

  “Only if you’re buying dinner first,” I growled, adjusting my grip on Emberline. “No tongue on the first date… Flowers and chocolate are okay…”

  It hissed and lunged again. This time, I met the strike. Steel clanged against claw, Emberline screaming as it bit into the demon’s arm. Sparks flew. The force knocked me backward, skidding across the stone on one knee.

  –100 HP [Remaining: 441 of 1081]

  I coughed, vision swimming. My ribs ached from an earlier impact. I wasn’t sure if one was cracked. Think. Don’t just fight. Analyze.

  It’s the rear left leg. That stagger. That limp. It couldn’t put its full weight on it. I had one shot.

  I darted forward, feinting high. It took the bait, swinging a claw at my head, too wide, too fast. I twisted low and drove Emberline into the injured joint.

  The demon shrieked, a high-pitched screech that made my teeth ache. It collapsed sideways, black ichor gushing from the wound. I didn’t let up.

  Before it could recover, I vaulted onto its back, slamming my blade into its carapace again and again. Cracks spiderwebbed across the chitin with each strike. It bucked beneath me, throwing me off with a surge of unnatural strength.

  I hit the ground hard, the wind knocked from my lungs. My shielding flashes blue on every impact. The demon rose, limping, its entire body shaking now.

  –175 HP [Remaining: 266 of 1081]

  “You… bleed…” it rasped, voice suddenly less certain.

  “So do you,” I spat back, wiping blood from my mouth. I stood. Shaky. But I stood.

  The demon tried to raise itself fully, but its rear leg gave out. It crashed to the floor with a heavy thud, panting, still dangerous, but losing power. I advanced slowly, blade low. The fear was in its eyes now, clear and raw in the shimmer of Emberline’s glow.

  “Why?” I hissed, my voice low and ragged as I stood over it. “Why come here?”

  The creature glared up at me, drool and ichor dripping from its cracked mandibles. “For the glory of the Demon Lord.”

  In Emberline’s glow, I saw it, that flicker. Fear. Not of death. Of me. I took a step closer. The demon flinched, stumbling backward, favoring its ruined leg.

  “You…” it spat, the black fluid trailing down its chin. “You are… different than the others before…”

  “Others?” I asked, voice sharp. “Other what?”

  “Your kind… Engineers… We ate many. No guardians. No blades like that. Easy prey…”

  It sagged, wheezing. “The Lord will come… and cleanse… I regret… I will not be there… for the culling…”

  I didn’t let it finish. I stepped forward and drove the blade straight through what appeared to be its skull, twisting it. Black steam hissed from the wound as the creature convulsed, then lay still.

  “I’ll be waiting for him,” I said coldly, pulling my blade free.

  [DING]

  [Achievement Unlocked]

  Major Threat Eliminated: General Getyin - General of the Fourth Army

  3,200 XP Sword Fighting Gain

  1,800 Class XP Gain

  6,150 XP to next Class Level

  [Level Up – Sword Fighting – Level 50]

  1180 XP Until Next Level

  You have reached the rank of Swordmaster.

  Your blade is no longer just a weapon. It is an extension of your will.

  [Level Up – Sword Fighting – Level 51]

  1750 XP Until Next Level

  I blinked. Then blinked again. “Oh. Well. That’s… new.”

  I stood, still half-covered in demon ichor, my heart pounding in my chest, my brain still trying to catch up with the battle I had just survived. Then the weight of the title finally hit.

  “Swordmaster?” I muttered aloud. “Does this come with a hat? Maybe a cool cape? A trimmed cape? That would be great.”

  Turning my wrist, letting Emberline hum softly in my hand. It felt… lighter. No, not lighter, sharper. Faster. As if it wanted to move before I did. Almost like it knew what he was about to do.

  For once, the sword felt more like a partner than a tool. I started to chuckle, low and disbelieving.

  “All I wanted was to fix things and maybe retire again someday,” I said to the empty air. “Now I’m a Swordmaster.” I looked over at Allira, who was regaining her footing. Oh, I can’t wait until she sees this. Another alarm sounded in my head.

  [CONTAINMENT BREACH – CORE DAMAGED]

  Core overload: 8 minutes to the minimum safe distance.

  I hoped I still had room in my storage. With a flick of my wrist, the General’s corpse shimmered, then vanished in a flash of light. Good. One less problem. Time to run.

  The ground shuddered beneath me as I staggered toward the vault entrance. My legs protested, muscles heavy with fatigue, but I forced them to move.

  “Allira!” I shouted, spotting her just ahead. She stumbled, the pressure from below throwing her balance. I lunged forward, grabbed her by the arm, and shoved us both through the narrowing gap in the vault doors just before they sealed behind us.

  Ahead, the Enterprise sat on the ground with its ramp extended, blessedly intact. Crates were stacked at the ramp’s base. A gust of cold air blasted us as the engines whined to full power.

  “Allira, move!” I yelled, but she faltered again, legs buckling.

  I didn’t think. Twisting mid-stride, I scooped her into my arms and sprinted for the ship.

  General Kitch stood at the base of the ramp, eyes wide with confusion.

  “Board the ship!” I roared. “Now!”

  His expression changed instantly. “Move, everyone! Move!”

  As we reached the ramp, I set Allira down. She leaned heavily on me but nodded that she could walk. I put as many of the loose crates that would fit into my storage before I ran up the ramp.

  “Take her up…now!” I ordered, gripping the doorway frame.

  “Engaging vertical ascent,” Allyson confirmed. “Straining engines to max.”

  I could feel the rumble beneath my feet as the Enterprise surged skyward, straining against gravity and the violent magic boiling beneath the surface.

  [CONTAINMENT BREACH – CORE DAMAGED]

  Core overload: 3 minutes to the minimum safe distance.

  The ship vibrated with the effort. We were fast, but not fast enough.

  I staggered to the bridge. “Allyson, how far have we climbed?”

  She didn’t answer. She didn’t have to.

  [CONTAINMENT BREACH – CORE DAMAGED]

  Core overload: 1 minute to the minimum safe distance.

  Everyone on the bridge held their breath. Outside the window, the mountains seemed to lean, the sky crackling with rising pressure. A sound like a giant inhaling filled the air.

  And then, it hit. A low pulse beneath us. A ripple of force, like the world exhaling through clenched teeth. Then… The explosion.

  The entire ship bucked as a blinding light erupted behind us. The shockwave roared through the valley like a tidal wave of fire and stone. Everyone was thrown off their feet. I felt the heat even inside the hull, like we were flying through the breath of a dying sun.

  A crater replaced the vault. The explosion had carved a gouge in the earth; the blast was so massive that it left the sky blistered and the air screaming, heat warping the clouds as fire and stone collided. The Enterprise groaned under the force, her flight crew scrambling to keep the vessel from being thrown sideways.

  Then came the ding.

  [DING]

  [Quest Completed]

  [Close the Rift]

  25,000 Class XP awarded

  “Oh crap…”

  My vision flared blinding white. The world crashed around me. I felt myself falling, and then, nothing. Somewhere, through the emptiness, I heard her voice.

  “David!” It was Seraphina.

  When I came to, I wasn’t on the ship. Or in the wreckage. I was sitting at a round table beneath a white gazebo, nestled in a sun-dappled garden. A breeze stirred the air, carrying the scent of lavender. Birds chirped in the distance. Five other empty chairs surrounded the table, each one elegant and untouched. A white lace cloth covered the surface. I touched my face. It felt real. Too real.

  “Where the hell am I?”

  “You’re safe,” came a familiar voice behind me.

  I turned and saw her, Veira, radiant in her flowing white gown, a golden circlet resting on her brow. A gauzy veil partially obscured her face, but her eyes, bright, amused, and ancient, shone through.

  She walked to the table with the kind of grace that wasn’t just practiced but divine, and sat across from me. A teacup appeared in her hand. I looked down. Tea and cookies sat in front of me, as if they’d always been there.

  “Nice trick,” I muttered, picking up the cup. It was perfect, exactly how I like it.

  “Trick?” she echoed, a quiet laugh curling at the edges of her voice. “You still think this is a trick?”

  “Well,” I said, reaching for a cookie, “either that, or I’m in the middle of a full-blown psychotic break. I just survived a major explosion…” I took a bite. Snickerdoodles. Just like Elizabeth used to make. “No offense, Veira… but why am I here? My wives are going to start getting jealous.”

  Her smile deepened. “Seraphina is a very possessive soul. Even Allira would give Khosa a run for his money, maybe even beat him. They are all strong in their own ways. You chose well.”

  She sipped her tea, then continued. “I must congratulate you. Finding the vaults by asking the orcs for help? Inspiring. I didn’t expect that.”

  “Well,” I said, dusting crumbs from my fingers, “they lived there. Figured they might know something.”

  “I expected you’d find the vault. I won my bet with the other Gods over that alone. I didn’t expect you to destroy it.”

  “That wasn’t the plan,” I said, leaning back. “But then Getyin showed up and crashed my party. He and his friends had other ideas.”

  “Yes.” Her tone darkened slightly. “A brutal creature. One of the Demon Lord’s most dangerous generals. He loves his experiments. Without him, the invasion will slow… but only for a time.”

  My smile faded. “So he’s really coming?”

  “Yes, the Demon Lord is being pushed into this. His master wants this world. And you…” she set her cup down carefully, “…you are the only one in a position to stop him.”

  I closed my eyes briefly. “I figured as much. I won’t let him take what’s mine.”

  A soft pride flickered in her expression. “You’ve grown, David, not just in power, but in clarity. It’s not just you anymore. You have people, loved ones. Allies. Without them, you wouldn’t have survived today.”

  “Yeah,” I said, reaching for another cookie. “You mean my wives?”

  “Yes. Without them, and especially today, Getyin and his pet would have torn you apart.”

  “I know.” I stared at the cup again. “Speaking of which… Seraphina’s class. ‘Villager’? Come on. That can’t be it. Can we do better?”

  Veira laughed, genuine and warm. “That is not her true class. It will reveal itself at the right time. Trust her. There’s more to Seraphina than even you realize.”

  I will wait for now. I tilted my head.“So… the five of you. You’re not all on the same page, are you?” I glanced at all the seats and the different designs on the chair backs.

  Her smile dimmed slightly, though her poise remained. “What do you mean?”

  “Well,” I said slowly, “One of you blocked her pregnancy. There’s been… other signs. I don’t think everyone up here is happy I’m involved.”

  There was silence between us.

  “It was my choice to bring you here,” she said, quiet but firm.

  “And not a unanimous one,” I replied.

  “No,” she admitted.

  She rose to her feet, her form already beginning to blur around the edges.

  “Will I see you again like this?” I asked.

  “Yes,” she said, pausing at the edge of the gazebo. “We still haven’t resolved our debate.”

  I raised an eyebrow. “Still siding with Picard?”

  “Always,” she said with a soft grin, and vanished.

  But even after the garden faded, I could still feel her gaze on me.

  You successfully closed a dimensional rift of Abyssal origin, preventing catastrophic invasion.

  [Congratulations]

  [Class Level Up – Engineering → 38]

  10,250 XP to next level

  [Level Up – Engineering → 39]

  12,750 XP to next level

  [Level Up – Engineering → 40]

  12,000 XP to next level

  [Engineering Level 40 Reached]

  Your skills evolve past the limits of standard theory. You’ve begun to blur the line between invention and will.

  Rewards:

  Skill Upgrade: Arcane Integration II

  ?You may now integrate with up to three arcane systems simultaneously.

  ?Improved efficiency when powering external objects (cores, constructs, relics).

  ?+20% MP efficiency on sustained arcane link effects.

  New Skill Awarded: Blueprint: Modular Golem Chassis (Advanced)

  ?Unlocks the ability to custom-design golem frames for specific combat roles.

  ?Can be combined with existing Engineer tower blueprints.

  ?Will allow you to eventually create hybrid units (golem + sentient core)

  New Skill Awarded: Arcane Engineering I

  ?Information Blocked

  [Milestone Achieved]

  [Species Evolution Triggered]

  [Race Upgrade – Human 5]

  You have reached the highest state of natural human evolution. Something begins to awaken.

  New Trait: Resonant Soul

  Bonded companions passively gain 5% experience and slight stat growth while near you. Their growth restrictions have been released.

  [Stat Points Available: 24]

  Allocate Now? (Y/N)

  I blinked. A translucent menu unfolded in my mind’s eye, quietly humming. Runes shimmered around the edges, waiting for my touch. I quickly allocated twelve points into Charisma, bringing it to a clean 50. The other twelve went into Wisdom, balancing it with the rest.

  The moment I confirmed the changes, the fatigue that had been haunting me dissolved. My limbs relaxed. My vision sharpened. I was whole again.

  I opened my eyes. Above me, Seraphina’s tear-streaked face hovered, her hands trembling against my chest.

  “Hey,” I rasped, voice hoarse.

  “You scare me when you do that, David,” she whispered, pressing her forehead to mine. I reached up and wiped away her tear.

  _____________________

  It was rare for all five deities to be seated at the table at once. Goddess Veira studied the expressions of her fellow gods and goddesses as the image below continued to unfold across the portal. Aerendor’s Engineer’s vaults, the ancient storehouses, were gone. Where once stood a marvel of forgotten craftsmanship, a vast crater now yawned, its edges still glowing as steam and debris billowed outward in slow, violent waves.

  At the heart of the expanding cloud, a single airship tore through the sky, engines screaming as it fled the destruction behind it.

  “That,” Goddess Pinea said quietly, leaning back from the portal, “was not expected.” Her words were punctuated by the thunderous impact of an armored gauntlet slamming down onto the table.

  Khosa threw back his head and laughed, the sound deep and booming. “That was worth it.” He turned toward Veira, metal plates grinding softly as he moved. “You were right. He might actually be able to do this.”

  Stellaria rose from his seat, stepping back from the portal as shadows coiled and shifted around him with each movement. “It was luck,” he said coolly, circling the table for a better angle. “Pure luck that he escaped.”

  “They say Engineers make their own luck,” Silene replied absently, lifting one of the strange cookies from the plate. She sniffed it, brow furrowing with curiosity.

  Veira folded her hands calmly. “Then tell me,” she asked, her gaze sweeping the table, “does this mean he is our chosen one?” The gods exchanged glances. The silence stretched, heavy and contemplative, until Khosa finally broke it.

  “Yes,” the war god admitted. “I concede the point. He was a wise choice.” His tone hardened slightly. “That said… I still have reservations about whether he can defeat him.”

  “I share those doubts,” Stellaria said, now inspecting the cookie he had picked up. “What are these?”

  “Snickerdoodles,” Khosa replied, already reaching for another. “They’re excellent.”

  Silene took a bite and blinked. “Oh. These are good.” She glanced back toward the portal. “So… what’s his next trial?”

  Pinea’s gaze softened as she watched the image shift to David and Seraphina, holding one another amid the aftermath. “My children will need help soon.”

  Stellaria’s smile was thin. “Then let us see how he handles their dilemma.” No one disagreed.

  The portal dimmed. The gods returned to their tea and cookies, the fate of the world quietly balanced between bites and sips.