"I told you not to overdo it."
Kushi tugged sharply on Myles' ear.
The pair were drying themselves off in a surprisingly luxurious lodge. It seemed whoever designed this place subscribed to a simple philosophy: work hard, relax harder.
The floor was fashioned from finely polished wood, so smooth that it reflected the warm ambient lighting above. The walls blended seamlessly into it, made from a strange pale material that felt almost soft beneath the fingertips. Despite that softness, it possessed incredible durability. Myles had tested it once out of curiosity. It had shrugged off a punch from him without so much as a dent. Considering the stage he had reached now, that was no small feat.
Kushi disappeared into one of the adjoining rooms before returning with fresh towels for both of them.
Technically, they could have dried themselves instantly using criole. It would have taken no effort at all.
Still, it was not quite the same.
Sometimes, despite everything they had become, despite the power they wielded and the absurd lives they now lived, both Myles and Kushi liked to indulge in the feeling of being normal.
Myles accepted the towel and found himself staring as she began drying her hair.
The kiss from earlier still lingered stubbornly in his thoughts.
On his lips.
In his chest.
Every time he looked at her, it returned.
"Hey... maybe we need to sleep in different..."
Kushi turned towards him.
The grim intensity in her gaze nearly made him choke on the rest of the sentence.
"...buildings," he finished awkwardly before quickly looking away.
For a moment neither of them spoke.
Kushi tossed her towel aside and walked over.
The remaining droplets in her hair caught the light, glinting as she moved.
She stopped in front of him.
"I'm sorry I did that earlier," she said quietly. "It was wrong."
Myles blinked.
"But you will die if you sleep in any of the other lodgings without me."
Her hand settled gently upon his shoulder.
The smile she offered him was small.
Sad.
Almost painfully so.
Then she turned away.
Without another word, she retrieved her towel and disappeared behind the door to her room.
The soft click of it closing echoed louder than it should have.
The next few days were awkward.
Then those days became weeks.
Kushi remained kind.
Gentle.
Patient.
Yet somehow absent.
The warmth she usually carried had retreated behind a wall neither of them seemed willing to cross.
She gave him space.
Respected his boundaries.
But Myles quickly discovered something he had not expected.
He missed her.
He missed the easy affection.
The casual touches.
The way she smiled at him when she thought he was not paying attention.
The distance hurt far more than he cared to admit.
Nearly a month after their conversation, Myles stopped at the edge of the cliff.
The endless drop stretched before him.
Behind him stood Kushi.
He turned around.
His expression was serious.
"You realise we're here so I can become strong enough to protect another woman, right?"
The words caused Kushi to grimace.
"Why bring that up?" she asked. "Focus on your training."
She stepped forward and attempted to shove him from the cliff.
Ordinarily it would have sent him flying.
This time he did not move.
Her hand pressed into his chest instead.
Far enough that her fingers sank slightly into his flesh.
Immediately, she recoiled.
Her hand was seized by the other as though she were physically restraining herself.
Fear flashed across her face.
"You could have gotten hurt."
Myles stared at her for a moment before glancing down.
His chest was already repairing itself.
Muscle and skin knitted together rapidly.
A faint smile tugged at his lips.
"Look."
He tapped the healing wound.
"Your work is paying off."
Kushi remained silent.
"Your criole, or at least the amount you naturally emit, doesn't affect my healing anymore."
Her expression tightened.
Without responding, she turned and began walking away.
"Whatever you're doing," she said quietly, "or whatever you're about to do, please stop."
Myles frowned.
"You made yourself very clear."
He reached out and grabbed hold of her cloth.
"Please listen to me."
Kushi stopped.
Slowly she turned around.
Pain lingered behind her eyes.
Myles took a breath.
"I love Lia."
His voice was soft.
Certain.
"With my everything."
The statement hung between them.
"That will never change."
His gaze met hers.
"But I find myself yearning for you as well."
For the briefest moment, Kushi's eyes widened.
Then she composed herself.
"Make yourself clear."
Myles rubbed the back of his neck.
"Look... I've been thinking."
He glanced briefly towards the cliff behind him.
"Well, down there."
A nervous laugh escaped him.
"I realised that if you, or maybe all of us, live lives this long... perhaps we aren't bound by certain rules anymore."
Silence.
Then he sighed.
"Though honestly, I don't think I would've cared much about those rules anyway."
Kushi raised an eyebrow.
"What nonsense are you talking about?"
Myles lifted both hands in surrender.
"What I'm trying to say is that I've developed feelings for you."
His expression softened.
"And I felt guilty about them."
He shook his head.
"It was for good reason."
Then he looked directly into her eyes.
"But after thinking about it, I realised that the rules and culture I used to live by don't really apply to my life anymore."
His hands lowered.
"And..."
A small smile appeared.
"I'm sorry."
Kushi took a step backwards.
"What exactly are you apologising for?"
She looked genuinely confused.
"You were making your boundaries clear, weren't you?"
A sigh escaped her.
"You don't need to apologise for that."
Her eyes drifted away.
"I'm the one who should be apologising."
Then she smiled.
A gentle, beautiful smile.
Before Myles could react, she suddenly closed the distance between them.
And shoved him off the cliff.
Back at the tower, within the Cradle, Kaelen stared down at the battered forms of Daena and Clav.
Over the past few months, Clav had chosen to make her female form her primary one.
The decision was practical.
Most of the people around her were stronger.
If she could not surpass them in strength, then speed was the logical path forward.
Besides, before Myles had named her, she had been a cow.
The female form simply felt more natural.
More comfortable.
"Well," Kaelen said while inspecting a device she was building, "we have time, and you are weak."
Clav nearly choked.
"Could you at least pay attention while we fight?"
Kaelen finally glanced up.
"You'll have my attention when you earn it."
She pointed towards her blonde curls.
"I don't even need to switch to fight either of you."
Daena grinned.
"Hey."
She looked towards Clav.
"Remember the thing I showed you the other day?"
Clav smiled back immediately.
Over the past few months, the pair had grown surprisingly close.
They spent most of their time together.
Training.
Sparring.
Improving.
When Myles had fought Daena nearly a year ago, he had gone berserk.
Yet even in that state, she had sensed something unsettling.
His control had become sharper.
More efficient.
Almost unnatural.
Every strike had carried greater force despite no visible increase in output.
Until then, Daena had believed strength came solely from power.
The fight taught her otherwise.
Control mattered.
Since that day, she had dedicated herself to refining it.
Eventually, Clav had joined her.
Now Daena lowered herself into a stance as though wielding a massive greatsword.
Nearby, Clav's horns began glowing faintly green.
Moments later, two maces materialised within her hands.
Rust-coloured.
Crude.
Entirely formed from criole.
She glanced sideways.
"How long are you going to stand there?"
Daena did not answer.
Her eyes remained closed.
Then suddenly they opened.
A massive single-edged greatsword appeared in her grasp.
Yellow and brown.
Heavy.
Solid.
Clav smiled.
Together they released a wave of criole powerful enough to finally draw Kaelen's attention.
A twisted smile crossed Kaelen's face.
Simultaneously, a single strand of her hair turned red.
The device vanished into storage.
"Come."
The pair exploded forwards.
The sound barrier shattered behind them.
Dust engulfed the arena.
When it cleared, Kaelen stood unmoved.
One hand held Daena's blade.
The other restrained Clav's mace.
Bare-handed.
Her feet had dug deep trenches into the floor.
Then she pulled.
The weapons were yanked past her.
Before either fighter could recover, Kaelen drove a devastating punch into each of their stomachs.
The shockwave rippled through the training grounds.
Daena and Clav were launched backwards.
Neither stayed down.
Immediately, they split apart and attacked again.
The space thundered with impacts.
Shockwaves rolled across the arena.
"Fine," Kaelen said as she slipped around another barrage. "You marked me."
She inspected a tiny tear in her clothing.
"For your reward..."
A grin spread across her face.
"I'll go on the offensive."
The strand of red hair remained alone.
The rest stayed blonde.
Disappointment flashed across both of their faces.
Kaelen laughed.
"I'm not weak."
She vanished.
"I simply think violence is wasteful."
A sonic boom detonated through the arena.
Daena's unconscious body became a distant projectile.
Clav barely avoided the strike.
Barely.
Even so, one of her arms was left mangled.
"Of course you avoided that," Kaelen said casually.
Blood slid from the thin gauntlets that had appeared on her hands seemingly from nowhere.
"You serve Myles, after all."
Clav staggered.
For the first time, genuine fear appeared in her eyes.
Kaelen smiled.
"For today's lesson, Clav."
She stepped behind her.
Countless holes suddenly appeared throughout Clav's upper body.
No impact.
No warning.
Just wounds.
Kaelen's smile widened.
"The terror of a true criole weapon."
Clav collapsed to her knees.
"Tomorrow," Kaelen continued, "you two will begin learning this power."
The words were the last thing Clav heard before darkness claimed her.
Dande stood outside his wife's door, accompanied by one of the twins.
Bano.
"Mama."
Bano knocked loudly.
"It's been over a month."
He looked up at his father.
Then back at the door.
"If you don't open it, Da and I are breaking it down."
Dande immediately smacked him on the head.
"Too far."
Bano rubbed the sore spot.
"Any better ideas?"
Dande sighed.
Mentally preparing himself for a confrontation.
Hamana was the strongest woman he had ever met.
Second only to Allyser herself.
Just as he was about to act, the door burst open.
Hamana launched herself at him.
Then kissed him passionately.
Bano froze.
Turned around.
And began walking away.
"I did not need that image in my head."
He stormed off.
Dande gently pulled away from his wife.
"You were waiting for me to come and get you, weren't you?"
Hamana buried her face into his shoulder.
"When did the brooding actually stop?"
"Three days ago," she mumbled.
Dande blinked.
"Wow."
"I am ashamed of myself."
A pause.
"Though it was a little fun making you worry so much."
She kissed his cheek.
Dande laughed.
"Our stupid boy has gone chasing after Surri and left his horrified wife behind."
Hamana frowned.
"He may be stupid."
Then she smiled.
"But he'll be fine."
"You would know best."
"Come~"
Her arms tightened around him.
"I missed you~"
Before Dande could protest, Hamana shifted her weight and dragged him towards the room.
The door closed behind them.
Firmly.